October 15th 1997

5:45A.M. I opened my eyes, it was still dark but I got up anyway. The house was silent except for the snoring of my son.

After waking up completely I go into the bathroom and turn on the shower. The hot water rushes down my body and makes me feel like I am now ready to take on the world. After my shower I plug in my curling iron and do a recheck on my luggage, to make sure that I have everything that I want to take with me. Time to pick out the clothes that I'm going to wear on the plane and to San Jose.

My hair finally starts to take shape and I must say, it turned out really good. I put on my makeup and then my clothes. I pack up the Teddy Bears that I'm taking for the guys and then I make a pot of coffee for myself and James.

James gets up at 9:30A.M. and gets ready for work. He's decided to go to the airport with me, he carries my luggage, to save the $20.00 that it costs for the shuttle bus that goes from Bremerton to Sea-Tac Airport.

The ferry ride to Seattle is very soothing. It takes an hour to get to Seattle and the ride gives you time to catch up on some more sleep, if you need it, or plan your day, etc. It's still very early as my plane doesn't leave here until 5:20P.M. and now it's only noon. James and I walk the 6 blocks to the Metro Bus tunnel and wait for the 118 bus to Sea-Tac. The bus fare is only $1.10 so by taking it I saved myself $18.90, to spend on Aero stuff later. It takes me less than an hour to get to the airport so I now have about 3 hours to wait till my plane boards.

5:00P.M. The plane is boarding for San Jose now so I get aboard. I find my seat and I sit down to relax for the 2 hour trip. After the plane is at about 10,000 ft. the Stewardess starts giving out the beverages and those "wonderful" snacks that most airlines give to their passengers in coach. Yum.

The flight is uneventful and we land at the San Jose airport 20 minutes ahead of time, we had a good tail wind on the trip down from Seattle.

I get off the plane, walk up the walkway and there is my friend Ted, he's standing there with open arms waiting for me. We hug for a few minutes, it's been over a year since I last saw him, and then we head for the baggage claim to save my stuff from being bag napped or even worst, sent to the planet of lost and unclaimed luggage. Heaven forbid that, that should happen to my stuff, I have all of my Aerosmith pictures, the ones that I want to get signed, and clothes in it. After commandeering my duffel bag we head for Ted's car, I didn't know which one he was driving as he has a Beemer and a Porsche. We finally found the car and LO, it was the Porsche, I was in 7th heaven, I love that car. We headed for the freeway and Sunnyvale, where I had a reservation at one of the local Motel 6's. Ted found a clear space on the freeway and opened the Porsche up for me. 125 in no time flat, it was So Cool. I tried to talk him into letting me drive but he said, "No Way!" Oh, well, what's one to do?

After checking into the motel Ted & I decided to go and have a late supper. We were both very tired and he had to go to work in the morning, he works for RayChem in San Francisco, so we headed back to the motel. I kissed him good night, on the cheek, we're just good friends, and I went up to my room for some much needed sleep.

October 16th 1997

Check out, at the Motel 6, was at noon and it was only 8:00am when I got up. I showered, did my hair and makeup, got dressed and settled down to watch some Bay area TV. There's sure not much on, at 8 am. Only the morning shows like Good Morning America and stuff like that. At about 11:30am I called the front desk and requested a cab for the ride over to the Ramada where all of us, the AF1 people, were to meet up. The cab arrived at noon and I headed out. The cab driver was very nice, which surprised me as I WAS in California, and it was the silicon valley on top of that where everyone, well almost everyone, is so rich that they think that the world revolves around them. I got to the Ramada at about 12:10pm and checked in. I was very surprised that my room was ready and I was able to take my things right to my room. Room 136, downstairs and in the shade. I say, in the shade as it was already in the mid 90's by noon. As I was checking in another girl, Trudy from Maryland, was also checking in. Her room wasn't ready yet so I told her that she was welcome to put her things in my room until hers was ready. Neither of us had our roommates yet but she told me that she had talked to hers on the phone before leaving for this trip.

My roommate arrived at about 1:00pm and Trudy & I were in shock, I still am in a way. This girl was 36 years old, she had a pierced tongue, long, fake, black fingernails and she looked like a total TRAMP. I later found out that she was just that. At about 3pm Kathy, Russell, and Roseann opened up room 151 for all of us to get together and get our T-shirts and laminates. We were then checked in and we were allowed to purchase any of the AF1 merchandise that they had. I must say that they had almost everything that you see in the Newsletters. I bought a Mama Kin T-shirt, a Toxic Twins tank top, a white T-shirt with a picture of the guys on the front, a 9 Lives, long sleeved Tee and 2 Aero Force Kid T-shirts for my grandsons. Later I went back and got a pair of Aerosmith earrings for myself. I must have lost 10 pounds running back and forth from room 136 to 151 to get Aero things. I must have traveled 5 miles back & forth.

5:30P.M. We all lined up outside the lobby and we were given our tickets for tonight's show at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, Ca. The bus ride was only about a half an hour long and we were able to go inside the minute we got off of the bus. I finally found my seats, they were 5th row, center stage. I  really should say, they were actually 2nd row as there were folding seats in the front of us for family, contest winners, etc. but I was really pleased with where I was.

Johnny Lang was AWESOME. That kid really has a lot of talent and he's only 17 years old. He makes a lot of old time Blues musicians look silly. He put on a hell of a show and I'd pay to go and see him again.

Ok, now it's time for the band that we've all come here to see. The lights go down and the curtains over and around the stage drop. There's the beat from 9 Lives in the back ground, then you see the shadows of Steven, Joey, Tom, Brad & Mr. Joe Fuckin' Perry. The music starts, Steven screams and you hear the famous MEOW! The band bursts into 9 Lives and the whole place starts rockin' I'd like to tell you what Steven was wearing but I was SO into looking at him that I forgot to look at his clothes. This is the set list for that night, as best as I can remember it.

Nine Lives
Love In An Elevator
Fallin' In Love
Hole In My Soul
Monkey On My Back
Livin' On The Edge
Pink
Rag Doll
Taste Of India
Janie's Got A Gun
Back In The Saddle
Stop Messin'
Last Child
Something's Gotta Give
Dream On
Cryin'
Sweet Emotion
Mama Kin
-ENCORE-
What It Takes
Dude
Walk This Way

The show finished at about 11:30 and we all headed for our Aero Bus. Russell did a head count and we were a couple of people short so we had to wait. At the second head count we were down to only 1 person missing. The AF1 people, Russell, Kathy, and Roseann realized that it was a girl named Shannon. She had an old Meet & Greet/VIP pass from a past show and she was backstage trying to get in. She did get in and we all had to wait over a half an hour for her. Happily, she didn't get to see the guys, they had already left the venue, ha-ha-ha. When we got back to the hotel I wanted to take a shower and hit the bed. My "roommate" wanted to party with some of the other people on the travel pack. I asked her to try and be quiet cause I wanted to try and get some sleep.

Tzan, that was her name, hooked up with a father & son that were on the travel pack and she spent the night up in their room. I guess they proceeded to get high as she was REALLY wired in the morning when it was time for our breakfast. She had been coming in and going out all night so needless to say, I didn't get any sleep at all. At noon we all boarded our Aero Busses and headed out for the San Jose Airport for our flight down to Burbank, Ca.

October 17th 1997
Burbank, Ca.

After our wonderful trip, in our AeroForce1, Southwest, jet we arrived in Burbank, Ca at aprox. 3:00pm. On the trip down our Stewardess told the entire plane that a group of Aerosmith fans from AF1 were on the flight. Later she made the most wonderful Aerosmith comments, like, while walking down the aisles you have to Walk This Way and Coffee, Tea, or CheeseCake? She was so cool. She even admitted that she wanted to go to the concert but she had another flight.

We all collected our luggage and boarded our Shuttles for the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn. You all know who Beverly Garland is don't you? She was the step mother on my 3 sons. She also appeared in some GREAT B-movies about swamp monsters, etc.

The hotel was located in North Hollywood, on Vineland ave. not to far from Universal Studios and Universal City. We all checked in, I was in room 421, and then we had the rest of the day to do whatever we wanted. Since I was raised in L.A. and the valley, that's where N. Hollywood is, the BEAUTIFUL San Fernando valley, I didn't do anything but sleep. I slept because I hadn't had any sleep the night before, as I mentioned earlier, thanks to my "roommate."

I waited in my room for Tzan to show up but, thank God, she never did. She had hooked up with that father/son and was staying in their room. I wonder which one she was sleeping with, maybe she was sleeping/doing both of them. I wouldn't put that past her.

I had decided to grab a few hours sleep and then go into Hollywood for the book signing. I fell asleep at about 4:00pm and I didn't wake up till 7:00pm. I missed the book signing. I then decided to watch some TV for awhile and I went back to sleep at about 2:00am.

In the morning I went down to the restaurant for some breakfast. I ordered a avacado/bacon and cheese omelet, which I must add, was wonderful, one of the best omelets I've ever had. Then I went over and sat with Kathy, Russell and Roseann. After breakfast I went back up to my room to get ready as this was concert night, Devore, Ca.

We all met up in the lobby and got our tickets for tonight's show. Then we boarded our Aero Force1 busses and headed out on the hour and a half drive out to Devore. Devore is in San Bernanado County and the Blockbuster Pavilion holds, so I'm told, 85,000 people. And, from all of the traffic that was there I'd take a guess that there were close to that amount of people there. After getting in, I found my seat, 2nd row, center, and sat down. Katy's husband was sitting next to me so we chatted for a while.

I had worn my bright orange T-shirt with Tweedy on the front. I wore that because there was some people that I was supposed to meet up with and I knew that they would be able to find me in that shirt. It worked, they did find me.

JeanFranηois, from Canada, was one of the people that I was looking for, I stood up on my chair so that everyone could see me, a few minutes later, there he was. It was really cool to finally meet him. He had a friend with him, and I must add that he was a FOX!! J.F. told me that he was having trouble getting some of his stuff from AF1 so I sent him over to talk to Russell. While he was talking one of the Security guys went up to his friend and started to give him shit. I waited a few minutes, to see what was happening, and then I jumped up to his defense. The Security guy was very rude, he said, " He doesn't have a ticket for down here." I jumped up in his face and said, "Does it look like he's sitting?!" The BOZO finally backed off and let them talk. I really hate people like that. Ones that think that their shit doesn't stink and just because they are wearing a T-shirt that says staff makes them some kind of god or something.

The concert started at 8:00pm with Jonny Lang. I really have to stress just how AWESOME this kid really is. I'm going to get a new cd on Friday, 10-31, it's gonna be the new Jonny Lang cd. Yes, he's really that good.

The set list was the same as the show before but in place of Mama Kin, they did Seasons Of Wither. I've been waiting over 15 years to see and hear them do that song live. It was truly AWESOME!! The guys even did Rats In The Cellar, I was very impressed. The Blockbuster Pavilion was really rockin' that night, all 83,000 of us.

Oh, I forgot, we played a Aerosmith trivia game on the bus on the way to the show. We played for raffle tickets. The raffle tickets were for Sunday night at our AF1 party at the Hollywood Bar & Grill in Universal City. The Bar had donated some pool tables and a separate room for us. We, or should I say some of us, sang Aerosmith songs, to win more raffle tickets, but most of us just chatted and drank. I had called Lynn Bryan earlier, when I first got to the bar, and invited her to the party. Since she only lives about 20 minutes from Universal City, in Panorama City, her and Kevin, her husband, showed up. She got brave and sang What It Takes, and I must add, she did a terrific job.

After almost all of the munchies were gone and all the songs were sung it was time to raffle off the AF1 stuff that the crew had brought. There were mugs, T-shirts, tour books (from GAG), a huge Aerosmith beach towel, an AF1 Zippo lighter and a lot of discontinued AF1 patches. Those of you that have been members for 5 years or more know what patches I'm talking about, the round ones.There was a guy from Japan, he portrayed Joe & Joey in the Keroke, got a GAG end of tour Tee. Then when the number was called for the next Tee guess who won that one? Yep, our friend from Japan won that one, too. My friend Trudy, I became friends with her on this trip, won the Zippo AF1 lighter. Ok, the last GAG end of tour party Tee was raffled off, you got it, our friend from the Orient won that one, too. He ended up trading 2 of them to his friends for what they had. I didn't even get one of my numbers called so I ended up with a patch. Trudy came over to me and asked if I would be willing to trade my patch for her lighter? I couldn't believe it, I really wanted that lighter, too. I traded her for her lighter. She was happy, as she said, I don't smoke and you do so you need the lighter.

Later, while cleaning up, Kathy gave me another patch, now I have 2 on my jacket, and another free AF1 Nine Lives poster, among other little things. We all found our way to the cab stand, we had missed the last shuttle bus for the hotel, and grabbed 2 cabs. Our cab driver asked where we wanted to go and when we said The Beverly Garland Holiday Inn he said, I should have known. It seems that he had been taking our people there all night. He was great and had a wonderful sense of humor. I got to my room and died for the night.

Check out time, at the hotel, was 11:00am so we all met up downstairs and loaded up our shuttle busses and headed out for the Burbank Airport. I had misplaced my plane ticket and I was really freaking out. Kathy told me that they had an extra ticket and that they would try to get it put into my name if I hadn't found my ticket by the time we were to leave. Well, I'm happy to say I found my ticket. It was in the inside pocket of my Levi jacket, the one place that I didn't look. Whew!!

At 12:40pm we boarded our Southwest jet, Aero Force 1 jet, to Oakland. We took off right on time and the trip was uneventful.

October 20th 1997 (Day 4)
Oakland, Ca.

We landed in Oakland at a little after 3:00pm and went down to claim our stuff. We could see our busses outside and were in a hurry to get going. It took awhile for our stuff to get unloaded and on it's way down to us. It was VERY HOT in Oakland that day and after we got our luggage we had to stand outside in the sun waiting for the bus driver to show up and unlock the busses. Once we were in we had to sit there in the heat, like an oven in there, and wait for the driver to come, start the bus and turn on the air conditioning.

Finally we got going. We were heading for the Black Diamond Brewing Co. in Concord, Ca. It was a very nice place but the prices were outrageous, $7.25 for a hamburger. I think they even charged me for the lemon that I put in my water. This was the place where we all got ready for the Meet & Greet and I had left my curling iron and makeup in my luggage and the bus driver couldn't get to it so I had to go the way I was. YUK! As soon as everyone was ready to go we climbed back on the busses for our trip to the arena.

This was a nightmare, first Russell talked to the 1st parking lot person and we were let through. We drove through the parking lot, the 1st part, and when we were almost to the 2nd people started chasing us and yelling. Russell thought that all of the parking people were informed about us coming, they weren't. We were held up for over a half an hour in this part of the lot until someone with clout and who knew what was going on showed up. FINALLY we were allowed to go in. We took our cameras and the things we wanted to have signed by the guys and went in. We were directed to the back of the stage where an area had been set up for the Meet & Greet. It was outside and it was very dark, it was horrible. Since we were all in groups Russell lined us all up for the group photos. The guys came out and everyone went nuts. The photos were taken and the guys split up for the autographs. Steven was mobbed so I went to Tom & Brad first. I had them sign my Gemszine, a fanzine that my friend Marinella publishes 4 times a year, had sent to me. Then I went over to Joey, he had gotten his hair cut, it looks great, I told him how much I liked his hair and he signed my magazine. Tom & Brad are both very nice. Brad is a very quiet person and Tom is the talkative one. Joey is quiet, too but he's very pleasant. Then I got brave enough to move in on Steven. I handed him the Gemszine and he said that he really loves them. He started to say something else to me but was mobbed again. I thanked him and left to find Joe. Joe was over in a corner to himself so I didn't have any trouble getting his autograph on the magazine. Now it was time to try for Steven again. I had a picture that a friend of mine had enlarged on her computer and sent to me. It's the picture, from the import cd, of Steven standing in front of a mirror in nothing but a G-string. I went over and Steven was still mobbed but I wasn't going to give up. I handed the picture over the heads of the girls that were there and I put it right into his hands. He looked up, I smiled, and he signed it for me. He signed it across his butt. Then he wagged his finger at me. I was in 7th heaven, I don't think that my feet ever touched the ground at all that night. Steven Tyler is wonderful.

It was after 2:00am, Tuesday morning, when we got back to our hotel in San Francisco. Since I had to leave for the airport at 6:00am I decided that I wasn't gonna go to sleep. If I had I would never gotten up again. I was out in the lobby before 6:00am and the shuttle came at 5:55am.

Now mind you, I'm supposed to leave from the San Jose airport and there aren't any shuttles that go out that far. I had called Reno Air the night before and they said that I should go to SFO and see if American would put me on one of their flights. I get to the airport and American tells me that there aren't any flights to Seattle from SFO. I'm really freaking now because my flight from San Jose leaves at 8:20am and I now don't have any way to get there. I'm also broke and I don't have the money to take the bus out to San Jose from SFO. After calling everyone I know and wracking my brains I see the bus that goes out to San Jose. There's no one on the bus so I go over and talk to the bus driver. I told him what was happening, I also threw in a tear or two, and he let me ride the bus. I couldn't let him pay for my trip to San Jose so I gave him the Toxic Twins tank top that I had bought on the first day of the trip. He really liked it and said that he was going to give it to his 17 year old son. When I got to the airport I was late and my plane had already left.That meant that I was going to have to pay another $35.00 to change my flight. I didn't have $35.00. To my good luck there was an accident of the freeway on the way down to San Jose so the bus driver came in with me and said that he was really sorry but there was an accident on the freeway and that's why the bus was late. Reno Air put me on another flight, at no extra charge, to Seattle but I had to go via Reno. I didn't care, I just wanted to get home.

I landed 3 hours later than I would have but I was home. My son James was there waiting for me and he had borrowed his girlfriends car so we didn't have to take the bus. He dropped me off at the ferry terminal and I got on the 4:55pm ferry home. I dropped everything in the living room and was thinking whether or not to go back over to Seattle to the book signing. I missed that book signing, too. After not sleeping for over 24 hours I was dead, I don't think that I would have made it to the book signing even if I tried. After hearing about it though, I'm glad that I didn't go. To get a book signed you had to buy a Costco membership, $35.00, just to get in and buy a book. I think that, that was really a shitty thing to do. They should have had the signing at Barnes & Noble or some other good book store, not Costco, a membership store.

I slept really well that night and now I was waiting for a phone call, from San Francisco. Hopefully it'll come tomorrow.

-Barbara