Hello All:
Well, the best laid plans they say....a multitude of
obstacles have kept me from posting as often as I have in the past. I have continued taking pictures however and will post all of them as I can. Our last two day stay in Albany, WI was a black hole for cell service. Our data card was so slow it took 20 minutes to check
eMail...so uploading pictures was a non-event.
We had incredibly severe weather for our visit to Minneapolis. First the buses were stopped on a main street before we got into the parking lot at the stadium and all the corps members were told to evacuate and move to the tornado shelter. An hour later, we unpacked and got warmed up. As we entered the tunnel to move into our staging position on the field, the show was delayed again and all corps and spectators were evacuated again to the lower tunnel area.
SCV, Phantom, Boston,
BD, Blue Stars and perhaps a couple of more, were ALL in a single large area--everyone--including guard, staff, etc. We stayed there for an hour with the doors all closed while the storm raged outside. Finally, the show was called off as the forecast was for continued wild weather and the field was under water. After another hour waiting to get the area clear enough to turn the gator around, we were able to get back to the trucks and get packed up as we watched the lightning move away for a while.
The drive that night was a battle as we again caught and drove through the frontal system. 3 hours of very severe, plains lightning storm and 50-70MPH cross winds whipped the rain into swirling sheets across the road. Driving the vehicles was more like driving a boat than a truck. We all made it safe and sound without incident though--so just another story of life on tour!
It was a big let down for the corps tho....they worked very hard getting changes in for the regional and then didn't get to perform. The next show in Des
Moines was a solid run but the time off showed a bit and we left some performance on the practice field.
In West Des
Moines, a long-time Crusader supporter brought the corps 50 pizzas and
breadsticks for lunch! It was like a feeding frenzy! I'm sure the order made the Godfather's Pizza shop's day.
In
Pittsburg, at Pitt State University, the corps was treated to a another pizza dinner after the day yesterday. If you are ever in
Pittsburg, KS, check out Wheat State Pizza and the shaved ice shack right behind it...folks here are super friendly and the food is great.
I was going to report that everyone was getting back to being fit and healthy--then I got the call that
Zac had taken another fall. Severe sprained ankle--now on crutches for while. I asked him if he knew what they did with thoroughbred racehorses when they got injured----"out to stud" he said. That's my kid!
So enjoy the pictures---I still have more to post.
Until later, GO
BACCurt
We departed Poteet, TX at 2:30 in the afternoon with the equipment as the buses left for a 4 hour mall stop afternoon off for the kids. After stopping for an Outback steak, we finished up the 11 hour trip in Monroe, LA. We are camped out at the basketball arena at ULM--next door to the massive football stadium. Using lights, the corps was able to practice in the cool of the evening with a final run through at 9:40 in the evening.
