For the last few years, I have been approached by rabidly excited humans, waving their arms and screaming, "You HAVE to do the ROCK BOAT!"

The idea always sounded fun:
Boarding a large ship with hundreds of bearded musicians and a couple thousand super-fans.  Bathing in the sun during the day and rocking people’s socks off at night. 

But I didn’t realize just how much fun it was until last week, when I finally hopped on the boat.  I was like a small hyper child in a candy store - playing guitar every second, chatting with old friends and meeting new ones.  I was impressed by the whole operation, and very giddy to be a part of the whole thing. 

Perhaps the best way to share my experience with you is through a bit of photo-journalism.  As you all know, I am a professional photographer in my off time (under the sudo-German-name, Abelardo Schulze), widely considered the "master of point and shoot".  Here is a look at what I came up with last week:

THE ROCK BOAT COLLECTION

It is important to stay caffeinated while on the boat.  Also, you should always maintain your identity.

Whoever says, "You can’t feel the waves on the cruise-ship" is a lying bastard.

My bunk buddy.  I forget his name, but I’m inclined to say it was something like "Jordie".

His name is "Chip", but I like to call him "ChipChip".  I can’t tell if he likes that, or if he’s just being polite.

Dinner. 

You can tell a lot about a man by his shoes.  In our case, we are lace-less hobos who love to jive dance.

I worked out for three years in preparation for this shot.  You’re welcome.

Sitting in with the Alternate Routes (featuring ChipChip).  Note to self: Never wear shorts on stage again.

Just three pirates, tarnished by a life at sea.

There you go! 
I hope that gives you an idea of how my last week went.  I realize that I am missing any live shots, but I have already seen so many great fan shots that you guys have posted on Facebook and MySpace.  When you get a chance, you should upload them onto the "Fan Photo" section of this site. 

Thanks to everyone on the boat.  I had a great time becoming a part of your large, nautical family. 

Kyle
(On location at the Charlotte Airport)