the50statesin50daystour.com

Where do you go after 50 States in 50 Days? When you’re on a mission. You do another one.

admin — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 21:06:59 +0000

It’s been a couple of months since the end of the 2010 50 States in 50 Days tour. This year really took its toll physically, mentally, and spiritually.
A typical day, wake up…usually in the Little Guy Teardrop trailer, go to Starbucks to get the daily dose of caffeine to get us down the road……drive 10 hours……load in the gear, set-up the gear……interview someone for the Orange Duffel Bag Stories……try to shove some food down the throat………play a house concert, and then most nights get back on the road and drive until 2am, or so…..and then do it again.
A frequent question on the tour was “how do you do it?”……the answer was that we were on a mission.
Having a purpose gives me fuel to get through the day.
I believe in the work of the Orange Duffel Bag Foundation. They are doing great things with kids that are aging out of foster care. I believe in the powerful writing in My Orange Duffel Bag-A Journey to Radical Change-I saw its affect on kids and adults along the 50 States in 50 Days tour. Kids said, “this book is me”……….”Sam’s story is my story”………it gave them something to hold that they could relate to.
I know of one instance of this tour preventing a suicide. When I learned of this……I knew that all the miles and all the stress were worth it.
So, I’m beginning to plan the 2012 50 States in 50 Days tour. I’m skipping 2011, because I want to make sure this next tour is very well-planned, and executed. If you’d like to host a house concert on the tour…..then email me at kevin @ kevinmontgomery.com, or find me on Facebook.

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

Go Little Guy Travel Trailers helped make the 2010 50 States in 50 Days tour happen-a company that cares.

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:53:30 +0000

This post is to thank Go Little Guy travel Trailers for sponsoring the tour with the use of one of their trailers. A 50 States in 50 Days tour is a test of will…..it is physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting. Having some place to call home……..riding right behind the truck made a huge difference to the tour.
Having the energy to go out and find kids to interview once we’d traveled 10 or 11 hours would not have been possible had we not had the flexibility that towing the Little Guy gave us.
We spent nights in the trailer when it was 17 degrees outside and remained warm. The insulation is excellent. That particular night we drove from Clovis, New Mexico toward Denver, Colorado…….drove as far as we could until about 4am…..pulled over at a truckstop and crashed in the parking lot.
The Little Guy trailers are so light. Sometimes you forget you are towing a trailer with these things behind you.
So, thank you Joe Kilgos and Chris Baum from Go Little Guy Trailers for responding to an email I sent the night before I left on the tour. I’d been lusting after the trailers for a couple of years, and finally sent that email. Thank you. I believe that with the Orange Duffel Bag Stories, the Orange Duffel Bag Foundation, and My Orange Duffel Bag-A Journey to Radical Change that lives of foster children can be transformed.
We appreciate you helping us. Check out these awesome trailers.

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

Conclusions from the 2010 50 States in 50 Days tour, Orange Duffel Bag Stories, and what’s next?

admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:44:22 +0000

In Oct/Nov/Dec of 2010, I completed the 2010 50 States in 50 Days tour to bring light to the plight of teens aging out of foster care in America. This is a serious problem. 70% of our nation’s prisoners report having spent some time in the foster care system. 80% of teens that age out of foster care go homeless within the first six months of aging out.
The main thing I learned on this tour is ONE person can make a difference in these young people’s lives. You will see in the interviews…….almost every single person I interviewed had one person that changed their lives…..either directly, or sometimes even unknowingly.
Secondarily, the problems that surround teens aging out cannot be fixed by just government programs, or interventing, a solitary person, or a well-meaning foundation. It takes a combination of all three to really attack the problem in a community, or state. You can’t throw money at the problem without having a helping hand, or a person putting their heart and soul into fixing the problem as well.
Ok, so, I’m activated. What next? Well, I would like to do another 50 States in 50 Days tour in 2012. I would like to have an Orange Duffel Bag Summit with all of the people that I interviewed along the way participating…….putting their heads together…..thinking, working towards solutions. Group think. Group action.
That is how change can happen.
The Orange Duffel Bag Foundation was formed to help teens by Echo Garrett and Sam Bracken, co-authors of the book My Orange Duffel Bag-A Journey to Radical Change.
Excerpt from the Orange Duffel Bag Foundation website:

When Sam Bracken left Las Vegas for Atlanta after winning a full-ride football scholarship to the Georgia Institute of Technology, he packed everything he owned in an orange duffel bag and left behind a life of homelessness, poverty and abuse.

Here is Sam Bracken’s story.

I went searching the 50 States for kids who had aged out of foster care, homeless teens, or individuals that have devoted their time to work with foster kids. Here are some of the stories that I found in those 50 States in 50 Days.

Michelle’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Wasilla, Alaska-Oct. 29th, 2010:

Becky’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Gig Harbor, Washington-Oct. 30th, 2010:

Samantha’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Portland, Oregon-Oct. 31st, 2010:

Senator Les Bock’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Boise, Idaho-Nov. 1st, 2010:

Shawn’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Missoula, Montana-Nov. 2nd, 2010:

Sarah’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Laramie, Wyoming-Nov. 3rd, 2010:

Deborah and Maureen’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Dickinson, North Dakota-Nov. 4th, 2010:

Joy’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Pierre, South Dakota-Nov. 5th, 2010:

Martha’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Hutchinson, Kansas-Nov. 6th, 2010

Jessica’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Lincoln, Nebraska-Nov. 7th, 2010:

Linda’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Mason CIty, Iowa-Nov. 8th, 2010:

Deana’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Columbia, Missouri-Nov. 9th, 2010:

Marilyn and Pam’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Terre Haute, Indiana-Nov. 10th, 2010:

Judy’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Minneapolis, MN-Nov. 11th, 2010:

Mary and Dick’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-De Pere, Wisconsin-Nov. 12th, 2010:

Dan’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Berwyn, Illinois-Nov. 13th, 2010:

Bob’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Jackson, Michigan-Nov. 14th, 2010:

Laquita’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Cincinnati, Ohio-Nov. 15th, 2010:

Emily’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Aliquippa, Pennsylvania-Nov. 16th, 2010:

New York’s Orange Duffel Bag Story is coming soon-Nov. 17th, 2010
Frank’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Hartford, Connecticut-Nov. 18th, 2010

Deborah’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts-Nov. 19th, 2010:

Jane’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Norway, Maine-Nov. 20th, 2010:

Kathy’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-New Boston, New Hampshire-Nov. 21st. 2010:

Victoria’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Barre, Vermont-Nov. 22nd, 2010:

Brittany’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Saunderstown, Rhode Island-Nov. 23rd, 2010:

Usufu’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Somers Point, New Jersey-Nov. 24th, 2010:

Lynae’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Greenville, Delaware-Nov. 25th, 2010:

Annapolis, Maryland-Nov. 26th, 2010-Interview coming soon.
Burke, Virginia-Nov. 27th,2010-Interview coming soon.
Steven’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Charlotte, North Carolina-Nov. 28th, 2010:

Steve’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Parkersburg, West Virginia-Nov. 29th, 2010:

Ian’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Owensboro, Kentucky-Nov. 30th, 2010:

Robyn’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Nashville, Tennessee-Dec. 1st, 2010:

Shaquana’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Atlanta, Georgia-Dec. 2nd, 2010:

South Carolina-Dec. 3rd, 2010-Interview being edited

Florida-Dec. 4th-Interview being edited

Fran’s Orange Duffel Bag Story-Dothan, Alabama-Dec. 5th:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana-Dec. 6th-Interview being edited

Tupelo, Mississippi-Dec. 7th-Interview being edited

North Little Rock, Arkansas-Dec. 8th-Interview being edited

Texas, Oklahoma, NM, CO, UT, NV, AZ, CA, Hawaii are all in the editing process. It is a bear to drive 10 hours a day, find someone to interview, play a concert, and then move onto the next state. As you can see…..the back half of the tour took its’ toll. Look for the edited videos in the coming days.
Buy your copy of My Orange Duffel Bag-A Journey to Radical Change on Amazon. I personally saw this book transforming lives while on the 50 States in 50 Days tour. Buy now!

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

The 50th State in 50 Days-live webstream from Hawaii!!! We did it.

admin — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 23:55:49 +0000

The end of the 50 States in 50 Days tour.

It is 3:47pm……we are at LAX. That is not good. We overslept this morning and missed out 10:30am flight out of LAX to Honolulu. Both of our phone alarms failed to wake us……….things are looking up though…….we are standing-by for the 5:10pm to Honolulu, Hawaii for the 50th night of the 50 States in 50 Days tour. UPDATE-we are now sitting on the plane……about to take off for Hawaii!!!!!!! Whoo hoo!
We will live webstream from our hotel at 10:30pm Hawaii time……….I don’t have time to do the math for you……..but it is something like if it is 10:30pm in Hawaii…..then it is 12:30am in Los Angeles……I may be wrong, but I think that is how it works out………you can “tip” us by buying us a tank of gas, or a coffee here. Think of it being in a bar. If you like what we do, then please put some money in the “tip jar”! If you enjoy what we do……we are “Kevin and Sean” if you don’t……..we are the Statler Brothers.
So join us tonight for the final webstream to celebrate the completion of this year’s 50 States in 50 Days tour! here. I’ll play some of the new songs, and you can chat with a very tired Sean and Kevin.
Or here is the embedded link…….but if you want to chat, or see the chat…….I would follow the other link.
Streaming .TV shows by Ustream
Join the chat here………

If you’d like to buy us a tank of gas, or a coffee……click here.
This is our real-time location………

GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

2010 50 States in 50 Days-Marietta, Georgia-Shaquana’s Orange Duffel Bag Story

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 02:40:13 +0000

Shaquana was homeless at one point with an infant……alone…..no milk………she is now on the right track……in a group home in Atlanta with her child……..I have high hopes for her. She shares her story.

Thurs., Dec. 9th-Dallas, Texas Attend This Event
Fri., Dec. 10th-Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Attend this house concert
Sat., Dec. 11th-Clovis, New Mexico-Come join us at this house concert.
Sun., Dec. 12th-Denver, Colorado Attend This Event
Mon., Dec. 13th-Salt Lake City, Utah-Private House Concert
Tues., Dec. 14th-Las Vegas,Nevada Attend This Event
Wed., Dec. 15th-Arizona
Thurs., Dec. 16th-Ventura, California- Yes, I know it is Ventura, but I don’t want to hear any excuses! I’ve driven through 48 States to get there!!! The 49th night of the 50 States tour! Join us at this house concert. Info here.
Fri., Dec. 17th-Hawaii
Sat., Dec. 18th-SLEEP!!!!!!!
Ok……gotta get on the road towards South Carolina for the show tonight…….the truck is making funny noises, but I pray it will get us there……..and further……..If you’d like to buy us a tank of gas, or a coffee……click here.
This is our real-time location………

GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

2010 50 States in 50 Days-Nashville, Tennesssee-Robyn’s Orange Duffel Bag Story

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:32:09 +0000

Nashville was great……so many old friends showed up…….Robyn shared her Orange Duffel Bag Story:

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

Tour almost wrecked-it took a “village” to get us back on the road.

admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 03:50:49 +0000

Old Faithful getting towed on Florida Turnpike

Quick oil change on sunday morning after our Florida show……….upsold on a fuel filter……relented against my better judgement, but thought, “how can they mess that up?”……..well, 28 miles later, luckily, we stopped at a rest stop on the Florida Turnpike. When we came back to the truck Sean said, “are we supposed to be dumping fuel?”……I said “no”………immediately ran back to a guy that I saw working on a big truck and asked if he could help us. He said, “no, but I can call one of our tow trucks to tow you to our garage”………he must have seen our back window, because he got on the phone with the garage…….they called a mechanic in on his day off, and once we got there……..we were back on the road in 30 minutes………ultimately, it was a 3 hour delay and put us in Dothan an hour late for our house concert.

Matt, our mechanic savior who came in on his day off-The Truck Shop

Then, as we rolled…….a noise developed in the truck and by the time we got to Dothan…….it was clear that we would have to put it into the shop…….we did the show, and then packed up and started toward the dealership for a night dropoff, so they could get on it first thing in the morning…….went half a block and “bam”……and then clackity, clackity, clackity, clack………truck done. Rear Differential.
Our host went with me to the dealership to meet the owner on monday morning. Archie Solomon listened to our mission for the 50 States in 50 Days tour and said he would do the work at cost or even into some of their costs…….Solomon Chevrolet in Dothan, Alabama.
Fear of the unknown can eat at you, and to be honest, when I got to the hotel……I was dejected. 38 nights into the tour, and I thought it could be over. I think we have been doing good things out here, but having the front differential go at the beginning of the tour ($3,200), and then having something else coming………I just felt like a loser. I was beaten.
Sean and I had so much to do to continue the momentum of the tour as well…….editing video, booking more shows, working on details, blogging…..it was hard to move forward with it……not knowing if we would be back on the road soon or not. I thought we must be being tested……..again………but when does it get easy?
We had lunch across the street………walked………..then got to work……edited alot of video, and caught up with alot of work, then had dinner with our hosts-the Wood family.

Us with the Wood Family

Now, I met them through a college friend of Echo’s……….Jane Ellen called Pattie Wood and said, “you’ve got to host these guys in Alabama”…….two days later we roll up and have a great show, and then they are stuck with these two musicians they hardly know………they insisted on getting us a hotel room even though we said we were happy in the Little Guy Trailer………took us to dinner, and paved the way for us at the dealership. Incredible people. People helping people.
This afternoon our truck was finished…..Mr. Solomon fixed it for $2,100 instead of the full price of $2,900…..I appreciate that…..running like a top now. The Oil change place will remain un-named pending their treatment of this issue. They crossthreaded the fuel filter, and I believe when they checked the rear differential fluid as I asked them to………they probably left it off, or crossthreaded it, too. We will see how their corporate office treats us, and will re-visit this issue in a more public manner if not treated fairly.
Where are we now? Well, we are on a 50 States in 50 Days tour, and we are going to finish the thing………yes, they delayed us by a day and a half, but tonight we will do a live webcast from the truck…………at 10:20pm Central US time………from Biloxi, Mississippi, and then later after interviewing a young man who aged out of foster care in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at about 12:30am………we will broadcast live again at about 1:30am from Baton Rouge, Lousiana…….so tune into the live webcast!
Here is the embedded link to the webcast…..if you want to chat during the webcast……I would follow the other link.
Streaming .TV shows by Ustream
Join the chat here………

If you’d like to buy us a tank of gas, or a coffee or help with some of our somewhat sizeable “operating costs” for this tour……click here.
Ok, so we are on the homestretch……headed to the barn…..I still need house concerts in Oklahoma, Arizona, and Hawaii…….do you want to host a house concert? Do you know someone that would? Please email me and let’s do it!
The other way you could help is to simply send your friends to the shows! Makes a huge difference. I’ve loved watching friendships form across the country, so please send friends to these shows…………also, I need help finding kids that have aged out of foster care to interview for the Orange Duffel Bag Stories documentary. Here is one of my favorites so far…..as an example.
Here are the remaining dates:
Wed., Dec. 8th-North Little Rock, Arkansas Text for link
Thurs., Dec. 9th-Dallas, Texas Attend This Event
Fri., Dec. 10th-Oklahoma
Sat., Dec. 11th-Clovis, New Mexico-Come join us at this house concert.
Sun., Dec. 12th-Denver, Colorado Attend This Event
Mon., Dec. 13th-Salt Lake City, Utah-Private House Concert
Tues., Dec. 14th-Las Vegas,Nevada Attend This Event
Wed., Dec. 15th-Arizona
Thurs., Dec. 16th-Ventura, California- Yes, I know it is Ventura, but I don’t want to hear any excuses! I’ve driven through 48 States to get there!!! The 49th night of the 50 States tour! Join us at this house concert. Info here.
Fri., Dec. 17th-Hawaii
Sat., Dec. 18th-SLEEP!!!!!!!
Ok……gotta get on the road towards South Carolina for the show tonight…….the truck is making funny noises, but I pray it will get us there……..and further……..If you’d like to buy us a tank of gas, or a coffee……click here.
This is our real-time location………

GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

2010 50 States in 50 Days-Cadiz, Kentucky-Ian’s Orange Duffel Bag Story

admin — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:03:40 +0000

I stopped in Cracker Barrel in Lexington, KY. A curious waitress asked us what we were doing. I told her about the 50 States in 50 Days tour and our mission. She said she had fostered her 5 year old niece from the time she was 19……..after her sister was murdered. I asked if she knew anyone I could interview…….she said there was a homeless mission that dealt with men with addiction issues……”Hope” in Lexington.
She said I should try there…….five minutes, tops.
We got in the truck…….I googled the name of the place……….called and ask to speak to the director……..10 minutes later we were in his office. After we spoke for a few minutes……he said, “Do you want me to see if I can find someone who aged out of foster care?”……one minute later he walked in with Ian.
Ian’s story intrigued me………..he has alot of pride and guilt. He is currently in a court appointed program. He is searching. Ultimately, I think his story highlights how a foster kid…..without the proper support behind him can end up in jail for 3 years for a relatively minor offense, and have to deal with the ramifications for the rest of his life. Yes, he has addiction problems, but it is clear to see that he has a desire to beat them.
Ian’s Orange Duffel Bag Story:

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

2010 50 States in 50 Days-Parkersburg, West Virginia-Steve’s Orange Duffel Bag Story

admin — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:36:34 +0000

Steve works with foster kids. Great guy……..wonderful insights.
Steve’s Orange Duffel Bag Story:

Travel further into 50 States in 50 Days........

2010 50 States in 50 Days-Belmont, North Carolina-Steven’s Orange Duffel Bag Story

admin — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:57:20 +0000

Sometimes angels appear out of nowhere. I got a call from a lady named Susan Gandy. She originally said she would host the house concert in North Carolina for the 50 States in 50 Days tour, but then a few days before called and said she couldn’t get it together, but could possibly find some young adults who had aged out of foster care for me to interview for the Orange Duffel Bag Stories.
I managed to find a house concert location, and when I did……I invited her to the show. She texted during the show and said she couldn’t make it, but suggested that Sean and I come to her house after the show, and she would either have someone to interview there then, or would get up in the morning and find someone for us.
She did. She drove about an hour into Charlotte, and came back with Steven.
Steven is 19, and aged out of foster care. He’s been homeless for the past few months…..sleeping on friend’s floors, etc. I found him charming, funny…….and cagey. I liked him.
After the interview we spoke for a bit, and I told him I wanted him to go back to school and graduate by next year. I said, “Shake on it”…….he did. On the way back to Charlotte……….Susan said he wanted to go enroll in school…….she then found him a place to live in the town where he would be going to school. He is on his way to taking control of his life.
I almost didn’t go out to Susan’s house……we were tired, and it was so late when we got done………..something told me I should. Turns out she is a powerful advocate for kid’s, and she and her husband have built several group homes for kid’s that have aged out. She is the “one” for the kids she works with……..and I’m so glad we met.
Now I know why we are doing this tour.
Steven’s Orange Duffel Bag Story:

Ok……so, we are on the home stretch of the 50 States in 50 Days tour. There are some holes in the schedule. I need your help filling them……I need house concerts in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Hawaii…….do you want to host a house concert? Do you know someone that would? Please email me and let’s do it!
The other way you could help is to simply send your friends to the shows! Makes a huge difference. I’ve loved watching friendships form across the country, so please send friends to these shows…………also, I need help finding kids that have aged out of foster care to interview for the Orange Duffel Bag Stories documentary. Here is one of my favorites so far…..as an example.
Here are the remaining dates:
Tues. Dec. 7th-Mississippi and Louisiana-due to truck repairs we will do those in one day……we will need interviews in both states, so put your thinking caps on!?!
Wed., Dec. 8th-North Little Rock, Arkansas Text for link
Thurs., Dec. 9th-Dallas, Texas Attend This Event
Fri., Dec. 10th-Oklahoma
Sat., Dec. 11th-Clovis, New Mexico-Come join us at this house concert.
Sun., Dec. 12th-Denver, Colorado Attend This Event
Mon., Dec. 13th-Salt Lake City, Utah-Private House Concert
Tues., Dec. 14th-Las Vegas,Nevada Attend This Event
Wed., Dec. 15th-Arizona
Thurs., Dec. 16th-Ventura, California- Yes, I know it is Ventura, but I don’t want to hear any excuses! I’ve driven through 48 States to get there!!! The 49th night of the 50 States tour! Join us at this house concert. Info here.
Fri., Dec. 17th-Hawaii
Sat., Dec. 18th-SLEEP!!!!!!!
Ok……gotta get on the road towards South Carolina for the show tonight…….the truck is making funny noises, but I pray it will get us there……..and further……..If you’d like to buy us a tank of gas, or a coffee……click here.
This is our real-time location………

GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com