Page 78 - Been There… Done That!

Gary Graham
was told that I might even need surgery. In August 1965 I left Vegas and stopped in L.A. briefly, also going as far as auditioning some musicians, but eventually, I told John, “I’m so used to things being a certain way that I need to go somewhere and clear my head.”
I bought a new 1965 Cadillac from Casa De Cadillac in Beverly Hills. I mean, isn’t that the thing to do when you’re an artist and finally make it? Little did I know what was to come. I left Hollywood headed for Missouri in my new Cadillac and boy, what a smooth ride. I stopped in San Bernadino to fill up with gas and the car required premium, or as it was then called, ethyl and ouch, it cost six dollars to fill it up. In those days that was a lot, but I thought, what the hell, it’s a Cadillac.
I was not used to all of the knobs and going up a mountain the lights were dimming like they were supposed to and suddenly the air conditioning went off and the heat came on. After a minute, I realized that’s what it was supposed to do. I was a little nervous after all because I had bought a demonstrator, but it still cost $6,500 in cash. Traveling across Arizona, I couldn’t believe how great it drove and rode. Arizona had the best roads and it seemed like I was barely moving. That made it tough as their speed limit was only fifty-five. I tried to avoid as many little towns as possible because I didn’t want to see a re-run of some of my previous experiences. Arizona and New Mexico were tough states and it was always the best feeling in the world to cross the Texas border.
The problem was that I had to get across New Mexico first. Since I was driving a Cadillac, maybe they would not bother me. I made it past Grants, where Mickey Dolenz had almost gotten us arrested
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