"THE TAILFINS ALMOST PERISH IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA!"

The Tailfins had just completed a concert out at the Rosebud Casino in Mission South Dakota on February 13, 2010 and were returning home the following day (valentines day) when we got caught in a blizzard off hwy 20 east in by Laurel Nebraska!

These pictures were taken as captain kirks van was stuck in the snow.  There were two semi trucks parked blocking the road because the highway patrol had closed hwy 20 due a multiple car pile up just a few more miles down the road! 

The tailfins had to grab microphone stands to dig kirks van and trailer out of the snow.  Fortunately, we had picked up a elderly gentleman who had been stranded for an hour because his pickup truck stalled.  He had a tow rope in the bed of his truck that he brought along.  This proved to be handy as a Aramark truck came along and used the tow rope to pull Kirk's van free.  The situation was so serious that Richie actually said a prayer!

After Kirk was free we had found a spot that wasn't covered with snow and pondered what to do?  All of a sudden the Walmart truck you saw in the picture had managed to turn around on this small highway and was barreling down the road.  We jumped in behind him and hoped we could get through on his tire tracks.  Even after the the semi made it through, the snow was so high that it jamed  in the undercarriage of my Toyota highlander 4 wheel drive suv.  We had "white outs" and 3 major drifts to get through before we made it back to Laurel Nebraska 4 miles back behind us. 

As were pulling into Laurel, everyone cheered when we saw the welcome sign.  We barely made in back into town as night was falling.  Out on the highway, we knew that if we didn't get back in by nightfall, we would have to stay in the blizzard all night because we wouldn't be able to see anything at all after dark.

We had Lonnie from L & W doing sound for us, and Booter from Tronicity filling in for Ken on lead guitar.  They got a lot more than they bargained for on this trip!  We had to stay in Laurel for two days while we waited for hwy 20 to get dug out and be re-opened.  We all spent a total of 5 days together and never had a single disagreement or middle finger raised in anger. 

We spent the first night in Laurel in a rental house with no furniture or t.v.  The owner inflated 5 beds for us to lay on with  pillows and blankets on the floor.  We were very grateful to him for a warm place to stay.  We sat on the kitchen floor and drank beer celebrating the fact that we were all alive! 

The next night in Laurel was above a bar called "The Saloon" where we had 4 beds, a couch and an over sized chair with television! We also had chairs and a full kitchen and shower.   We ate our meals in the bar and drank again to celebrate we were alive!  That evening we all ate the best new york strip we had ever cut into! When we were still back at the casino, Booter said the only thing that would make this day better is some strippers and some blow!"  But afterwords he added "just kidding about the blow".  This line would be repeated all the way back to the Quad Cities!

These guys were amazing, the smiles and jokes never stopped coming during this entire adventure.  No one got selfish, even when their lives were in danger.  We will all remember this experience forever, and I hope the next time we travel back to Nebraska, it will be in the summer!"