Clemson and GAME DAY!

To preface this post, it might be of some use to know that I came from a family whose father was the furthest person from a sports fan.  Our home growing up, had more of a library theme than a sports hall of fame.  I was the only one in my family to try sports as a kid.  Little league baseball in elementary school, basketball in jr. high school, and golf in high school.  My dad did not attend any of those events, that I recall.  Although I wonder how my adolescence may have been different had he been more supportive of me in athletics, he did not prevent me from trying any of them.  The only evidence of sports equipment I discovered in our basement were his golf clubs, that he claimed to use every ten years...sort of like his "annual" beer.  Other than playing with kids in the neighborhood, the biggest sports influence growing up was my new brother-in-law John, who was all about sports.  He got us into the front yard and organized touch football games and taught me to play golf.  I did not attend a big sports university (Go Mules!) and most students split on weekends, including me.  Tailgating was as foreign to me as foreign language.  To summarize...I liked sports growing up, but didn't have as much exposure to them to become the radical body painted fan you may see on TV in the stadium, vibrating wildly after a home team score...or maybe that is just the alcohol?

If you have kept up with these posts over time, you may well remember that Miki's nieces, Callie and Grace, go to Clemson, home of the Tigers, in South Carolina and are well into their second year there.  When Miki planned to help out at Bunny's this time, we also made plans to travel to Clemson to visit the twins to see where home was for the next few years before we headed back home.  The plot thickens by an invitation from Miki's brother, who lives in the Charleston, SC area, to attend a home football game while we were there.  After spending a couple of successful days fishing on the Upper Nany, I didn't think things could get any more exciting (I need to get out more!).

Upon arriving in the Clemson area, after saying goodbye to our friends in western North Carolina, we tracked down our lodging near a small town called Westminster.  It was a rental we found that would let us bring the boys and give them a place to stay while we got to experience Clemson and visit family.  Imagine a lake community (huge lake), where the roads meander  around the lake shore and you keep your eyes peeled for deer on the road late at night.  Our navigation app on our Droid lead us to the end of a road where there was a gate.  There appeared to be some nicer new homes in the area, but I didn't remember anything about going through a gate.  Long story short (made longer), we pull up to the gate and it automatically opens, we pull in and we see the owner nearby.  His story made short...they built the rental while building the one they are in next door and now rent this one. The pictures we saw on the internet did not do it justice.  I could not believe that the dogs would be spending more time in this place than we would.  Right on Lake Hartwell, the owners and the other two or three families with homes in this little gated peninsula have obviously done well for themselves.

Not terribly imposing, but I guess discourages the riffraff.

Through the nice landscaping, the owners home is on the left and the rental
on the right.

The lake side of the rental.

We unpacked the car, got the dogs settled in, and called the girls to make plans to meet.  Agreeing to a 3:00 rendezvous on campus, we thought we would relax for a minute.  This was cut short after looking at the clock on the stove and realizing we did not have as much time as we thought.  A 40 minute drive got us our first look at Clemson University.  Checking the time again, some how we had GAINED AN HOUR that no one else did.  Turns out, the stove clock had not been reset after daylight saving time the previous weekend.  So with an extra hour to spare, we did what any time challenged individuals would do...we decided we would drive around for an hour.  It took us about thirty minutes to realize we just needed to call the girls and admit they had idiots for an aunt and uncle.  Callie was gracious enough to drop what she was doing (studying I believe for a test...oops! sorry Callie) and put on her host hat early.  We met under the clock tower, which we knew exactly it's whereabouts, due to our self guided campus driving tour.  At that point, our Clemson weekend took off.

After collecting Grace, who had been arranging a parking pass, the girls gave us a walking tour of the campus, including where their classes were, the library (their home away from the dorm), the best places to make out (just kidding mom and dad...not really), and we ended at their dorm.  As it sits right across from the football stadium, it has an awesome view from the 4th floor.

The common area overlooking the stadium on game day...
can you tell one of the school colors?

We continued a driving tour of the rest of the campus (including a fun little game of moving their cars (worthy of its own blog posting!), something they do for home games) until it was time to meet up with mom and dad (Marty and Kathleen).  We ended the day at a tasty Mexican restaurant and made plans for following day.

GAME DAY
As a novice to on campus game day culture and the fact it was homecoming weekend, we had made plans to meet at the girls church parking lot, where we would park and tailgate, then work our way over to the stadium for the game later in the day.  The color of the day was ORANGE and lots of it.  I participated by wearing some orange shorts and a Clemson hat the girls bestowed upon me at an earlier date.  I was looking good, but not necessarily outside of this moment in time, but I fit right in.  I avoided face and body painting, only because I wanted to stay with the rest of the family.  

When Marty and Kathleen arrived, the vehicles were parked butt to butt, which made for a cozy tailgating space.  The girls had a number of friends that found and visited with us, along with others that knew Marty and the family from work.

After eating, visiting, and more eating, we headed for the campus via downtown to try and score a purple wind shirt to compliment the vast amount of orange above and below my torso.  I struck out, but Miki got a baseball hat.

The main drag, headed toward campus.

As we trekked across campus, we passed stationery homecoming floats that had something to do with a theme we could not figure out.

Further across campus, we came to the amphitheater where the marching band, cheerleaders, and baton twirlers (really?) were pumping up the crowd at a pep rally...maybe not so much pumping up as putting out an entertainingly positive vibe.

The pond behind had been known to be orange on game day.

We continue across campus and towards the stadium where I encounter cheerleaders as the street is lined with fans awaiting the marching band as they too head for the stadium.

She was quite taken by me, not in an abduction kind of way (pun intended)...
maybe it was the orange shorts?

Soon the marching band came down the hill, joined by alumni band members, as they were celebrating some landmark (who cares)...let's get on with GAME DAY!

Most every available space around and on campus is used as a tailgating spot.  This area is right outside Callie's dorm room window.

The trailer in the center actually has two big screen televisions on the outside
along with a fully stocked bar nonetheless. 

We make it to the stadium and are welcomed by throngs of fans sporting the colors of the day.  Don't confuse that with being welcomed by fans sporting thongs, wearing colors and being gay.  Two totally different game days and places, I'm sure.

Throngs seen in all directions entering the stadium as kickoff nears.

In search of Marty's boss, we scan rows and rows of tailgating fans and signs of Clemson Tigers everywhere you look.

We head into the stadium on a warm, southern November day as the Clemson Tigers take on the Maryland Terrapins...that's right...Terrapins (turtles living in fresh water).  How do you even get psyched up for a game if you are a turtle...maybe a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, but just a terrapin?  Okay, no more judgement here, other than what is still floating around in my head...in fresh water!

Okay, as kickoff is minutes away,  the team crowds into one end of the stadium where there is a rock they all rub as they enter the stadium and run down to the field (you'll have to google the whole story behind it).  The stadium is a sea of orange and would challenge Arrowhead Stadium for size and spirit any game day.

The students are packed on either side of the isle the players are about to run down.

The fans, the band, and balloons greet the team as they enter the stadium.  Notice the words between the upper and lower deck of the stadium...

Death Valley!  Not as arid as I imagined (sorry!  bad joke)

More pomp and circumstance, introductions are made, and the game begins against the turtles Terrapins.

It is apparent, as the game begins, that the three Maryland fans that made it to the game have been seated in the right place, because they are directly in front of the Maryland cheerleaders and their mascot, that made the journey with the team that is now having their ass handed to them by the TIGERS only minutes into the first quarter.  If you are going to travel hundreds of miles to support your nieces educational endeavors, this was the way to do it, by kicking turtles to the curb!  

Really?  For three fans?  Really?

The game was exciting, we had great seats (thank you Marty and Kathleen!) and at half time, the girls found their way from the students rowdy section to ours.

While the Terrapins contemplate getting a different mascot for next year as they leave the stadium, with a 45 to 10 loss to the Tigers, the fans rushed the field and we headed out.

Not only did we have a great day, with a great victory, with great family, but then we were treated to some great BBQ at a kind of after party tailgate sponsored by Callie and Grace's church.  Man was that good stuff...topped off with brownies to die for!  Before we would need a fork lift to carry us off campus to our cars, we stopped eating and walked a couple of calories off as we headed back to where it all began in the morning, the church parking lot.  

We hugged and said our goodbyes.  And as Miki and I drove back to our rental it was comforting to know and see where the girls were continuing to grow up and see them turning into some great young ladies.  Growing up in a family where athletics was not as appreciated as other aspirations, today was a pretty exciting day.



My Zen from the Road:  You are what you eat is just as true as you are who you hang out with.  It was nice to see Grace and Callie surrounding themselves with good people.  Now where is that bag of Snickers?

Clemson Bound

Frost greeted us this morning as we packed for our short jaunt to Clemson.  When packing to go get Miki, I took some items that we would be leaving with Bunny and the key was to replace those things with what Miki had purchased during her stay, not to mention her suitcase and the rest of the bathroom she took with her.  It is always challenging to pack for a trip and this time, the level of three-dimensional planning had increased with the inclusion of two dogs, their necessities, and the space they need to travel.  Things fell into place without compromising the dogs requirements until we pulled out down the gravel drive and braked for a small bump in the road and 3 bags of stuff stacked on the suitcases slid forward onto Tooga (not appreciated).

With my rod and reel tucked away and Tooga dealing with the sky falling on him, we headed down the road to Clemson, SC.  Two hours and about 90 miles later, we arrived at the dog’s rental for the weekend, on Lake Hartwell (40 minutes from the university).  I say the dogs, because we would not be there but to sleep, with our time being spent in Clemson with our nieces, Callie and Grace (and their parents Marty (Miki's brother) and his wife, their mom, Kathleen) and did I mention the Clemson Tigers' football team.  Oh, and about 79,994 other new acquaintances attending the homecoming football game with us.  Stay tuned.

My Zen from the Road:  I was all ready to be crabby about the fact that where we are, our portable Verizon Hotspot Wifi thingy was not giving me the speed for working on the internet I am use to. Normally, it is not all that fast anyway, so when it is even slower (painfully slow)…it is just not good (especially for my blood pressure).  So once again, my expectations are tested and I had to let it go.  So If you are a little put out that you don’t get to participate in Walliebloggin’ and it is shorter than usual and there are no damn photos and what the heck is wrong with him today…let it go.........I haven't yet, but I am working on it!

Loose Ends to Tie Up

Tying up loose ends filled our last day in North Carolina.  But we first took our loose ends and the dogs loose ends for a walk at Tsali Recreation Area...huge destination area for mountain biking and in our case..dog walking!  On the way we passed a scenic overlook that shows the geography of where we are, if you've not been in the Smokies before.

Notice some white stuff on the far mountains left of center...snow left over
from the Hurricane Sandy weather maker...around 4,000 feet.  A glimpse of
Lake Fontana also.

Tsali is an area of old logging roads turned recreation area...really nice if you are
into that

Another loose end was begun over the phone, when Miki decided we could reupholster Bunny's grandmother's rocking chair and I could make a cat tree for Bunny's new rescue cats.  My sister Alice and I shopped for the material, sent pictures of the material to them via email, called them and got the fabric of choice decision, bought it and took it with me to NC.  In the meantime Miki deconstructed the rocker in anticipation of the new material's arrival.  Today we reconstructed the chair with it's new look.

Bunny looking pretty comfortable in the newly recovered rocker.

The cat tree was made at home from scrap wood and free carpet scraps, then taken a part for travel and rebuilt in it's new home.

And of course, I left some loose ends on my fly rod to tie a fly to, so I had to go fishing one more time.  The Upper Nany did not disappoint.  Three hours of standing in cold water (very cold water) was interrupted about a half dozen times by fish tugging on the end of my fly line.  The end result was accomplishing the Nantahala Grand Slam...catching each of the 3 species of trout found here...the brown, rainbow, and brook... in the same day.  
Trout-a-licious!

Somebody has to do it!

No pot of gold at the end of this Rainbow!  Just a Free Get Out of the
Frying Pan Card, this time!

So pretty.  Not my casting or me, but the surroundings.  Rhododendrons
blanket the banks of the river.

Our last loose end was to tell our friends, "Till next time..."  We had a nice dinner with Bunny, her sister, Lynn, and friend Drew, as we feasted on some great pulled pork BBQ and topped it off with cookies and cleaning out the last of the ice cream from the freezer.  After arriving back at the cabin, Janet came down to catch up and share one last hug.  Great area, great friends, great trout.  I think we'll be back!


My Zen from the Stream:  It's not just about the fish (although it can be).  For me it is about as close to being in the moment as I can be (stop laughing... it can happen).  It's not only about being the fish, but looking up once in a while from the water to see the artistry that surrounds where these fish call home.  The sound of the water playing off the rocks or the splash of a fish and turning only to see the ripples they left behind...it's not just about the fish.

O Brookie! My Brookie!

No, I didn't just watch Dead Poets Society or read Walt Whitman's poem...but I did go fishing today...surprise!  Brookie!  My Brookie!  Brook Trout are really beautiful fish...to me. I have had the pleasure of catching them in Colorado. 

Colorado Brookie.  Love the colors, white tipped fins, and the spots...WOW!

During Miki's stay here at Bunny's, she continues to meet fascinating people.  One of the latest is Ken, an old friend that started out working with Bunny in the early days of N.O.C. (Nantahala Outdoor Center), the place we learned to whitewater canoe.  The Lower Nanny, short for Lower Nantahala, is where the majority of whitewater paddling, both kayak and canoe, takes place.  But higher up on the same river is the Upper Nanny, where crazy psychotic paddlers tread.  Normally it is a calm and scenic mountain stream, but on occasion water is added for one reason or another and the thrill seeking kayakers head upstream to paddle narrow boulder filled stretches of water and propel themselves over waterfalls.  It is during that serene water level time that fishing is awesome!  These waters attract everyone from me (!) to the best of them.  Ken not only has a raft guide business on the Nanny, but also has a fly fishing guide service.  Miki knows Ken now, so that means I know Ken now.  Is the picture coming into focus now?  We stopped by Ken's business for my formal introduction and after a nice visit, we left with some of the local trout favorites on our way to the Upper Nann y.

After a short lunch of potato chips, cheese and crackers, and Almond Joys, this angler was raring to meet the local trout.  I was not sure if I would pull out a brown, rainbow, or even a cutthroat.  But it seems as though this turf belongs to the brookies.  The four I retrieved, were surprisingly big to me, after the ones I caught in Colorado...not that Colorado doesn't have some big ones, they just haven't been on the end of my line yet!

Simplified Fly Fishing 101:
Step 1...Put fly in water.

Step 2...Put fish that caught fly in water in net.

Step 3...Retrieve fly from fish and return fish to water.  Repeat steps 1 and 2!
Can't really see the white tipped fins held close to his body, as I am sure he is
scared $#itless!

I can hardly sit still for minutes at a time in one place, but I can stand in nearly ice cold water for hours in a trance, casting millions of times in the same square yard of liquid love, waiting for that tug on the end of the line.  I don't get it, but I love it, and I am addicted.  No rehab for this addiction, just another day on the water and that day is tomorrow!

There does come a time, even for the fish junkie, to call it quits.  We headed home as feeling began to creep back into my fingers and toes.  Home is Dogwood Cove Cabin, owned by our friends Janet and John.  Janet was one of our whitewater paddling instructors, along with Bunny, when we began that adventure.  She is also a school teacher...birds of a feather...

Dogwood Cove Cabin.  Janet lives high above on the same property.

With continued circulation efforts by my body, all feeling returned to my extremities, enough so that we walked the dogs nearby, to get their circulation going after snoozing the midday away.  This was followed by a nice dinner at Janet's, with bunny's sister Lynn and another new acquaintance for Miki (and me), through Bunny, Drew.

Well, my Brookies are not "Fallen cold and dead," unlike the poor captain in the poem, right? I know the audience of this blog is well read and feeling me right now.  "O CAPTAIN!  my Captain!  our fearful (fishing) trip is done."  Time for bed (this part is not part of the poem for those of you that are a bit rusty on Walt Whitman).


My Zen from the Road:  This is literally about the road.  One thing I love about some of the roads where we are, is that they are narrow and curvy as a hell.  As the road follows the stream next to it, to one side you have the mountain going straight up and the other you could almost put your foot in the water to check it's depth.  And a visual masterpiece occurs when the road unfolds in front of you far enough to see two or three curves ahead, as they slightly bank back and forth, with fall colored trees guarding the sides.  It's not just the fishing, it's the road to get there too.

Driving, Driving, Driving...

3:30 am...I am wide awake and ready to go and the alarm hasn't even gone off yet.  Dilema... my timing for hitting St. Louis and subsequent big cities at high volume traffic times are a major factor when considering when I hit the road.  Oh well, let's go boys!

The finishing touches are packed in the dark while I try not to wake our neighbors.  With looks on the dogs faces of "Seriously?", they slipped on their harnesses and assumed their positions in the back of the car as if it were the middle of the day.  We were off ahead of schedule.

What?  Get a donut for breakfast on the road? ...they can dream can't they?

I did have one hiccup today as I was In St. Louis about to cross the Mississippi River bridge by the Arch.  If you've been there, trying to catch the single lane that takes you from I-70 across the river...did I mention it is a single lane and everyone wants it.  Well, I missed it again (yes, I knew it was there and have missed it before), mostly because of the amount of traffic made it not possible for me to make my way over to it (so i was not in position, I admit it), so I just took a little sight seeing trip back through downtown and caught a nice glimpse of the Arch.  

The day went relatively quickly.  700+ miles, 12 hours, 3 gas and potty stops (for the dogs) and we were there.  The good news... the three highway patrol / sheriff deputies / cops, seemed to not notice me semi-speeding as they went in the opposite direction (maybe it was the cell phone attached to their ears that took their attention away from me).  I began to think I was invisible.  So, why not increase my speed?  I actually was pretty good with my speed, but occasionally I found myself attached to a pack of speeding fiends.  It never failed though... I would need to get off and get gas as they left me behind in their dust.  

Once past Chattanooga, the Smoky Mtns. begin to rise from the flood plains.  The change of scenery carries me the rest of the way.  Before that I depended on chips, Snickers, and Almond Joys!  I did pass a Lays truck.  I held up my Lays Barbecue Potato Chips up in the window for him to see and I got a thumbs up...either that or he was motioning me to get behind him and get out of his way, not sure.

Okay, so you can't see the color I am talking about, but the rusts, reds, and
some yellows had waited for me!

There was still a little color left on the trees as I headed into the mountains, I was afraid the trees would be bare.  The sun began to set on this overcast travel day as I headed into the home stretch of my drive.  The last 30 minutes is in the Nantahala River Gorge.  This is where we began our whitewater paddling.  I would have shown you what a river looks like when the power company turns the water off when not generating electricity, but darkness was setting in.  Did I mention that Tuck isn't real big on curvy roads?  Well, he starts to pant and sit up when motion gets to him, at least that is our interpretation.  So he stuck his head out the window to make things right again.

One of the roads follows the Ocoee River and is very scenic and very twisty.

This is the Ocoee River with the water turned off.  Imagine it during the
Olympics, lined with people and water flowing down the middle of it.

Here is a little color along the Ocoee River as a logging truck and I try not
to meet as I snap pictures for YOU.

Tuck ignores the charging logging truck.  Who blinks first?  Not Tuck!

As I sit here with Miki by my side again and my dogs at my feet, all is well with the world.  I may have spoken too soon...I just hear the sound of air escaping from a balloon...there are no balloons in our cabin, which means someone just pulled one of the dogs paws (fingers).  I will wrap this up with...the drive was worth it!


My Zen from the Road:  From my posting from yesterday about how I would receive Miki's hug that was waiting for me...I did soak it up.  When you get hugs, soak'em up!

Operation Pick Up

The title of this post does not indicate my literal actions during these past 30+ days since Miki has been in North Carolina, but what will take place over the next 7 (if you have seen otherwise...mum's the word - sshhh).  On the heels of Hurricane Sandy, the next biggest event of the year, might I even say the decade right behind the Presidential Election, could be this trip with the boys (Tuck and Tooga) to North Carolina to fetch my woman, their momma (...if you are not a dog person, those last two words may sound kind of weird).  Miki has been gone the month of October to our friend Bunny’s cabin in the Smoky Mountains. It may sound like she has joined the first season of MOONSHINERS on the Discovery Channel, but she has been looking out after Bunny, as she had knee replacement surgery earlier in the month.  For those of you keeping track, it is Bunny’s second knee replacement and unless we have grossly underestimated the number of limbs she has, this will be her last.  With both legs on their way to bionic status, Miki’s hiatus is coming to an end.

Before the sun breaks the horizon tomorrow (Tuesday the 6th), the boys and I will be on the road heading east.  I haven’t even started the car yet and I am anticipating a big Miki hug as the sun begins to set tomorrow.  What will be in the back of my mind as she wraps her arms around me, is the emotion I’ll be feeling from her coming from our time apart or the fact she chose not to ride the Greyhound Bus home for 20 hours this time, like she did last year after knee replacement #1.  Either way, I will soak it up.

This will be the first time, me and the boys have hit the road without Miki, even if it is just a partial Miki-less trip.  Having to prepare alone (no offense boys) was a bit taxing.  Lots to remember.  Being hippocampus (that is the memory part of the brain, if you have forgotten... ha!) challenged, as many of you know, you can imagine the sticky notes that blossomed on the kitchen cabinets as O.P.U. (see title) got closer.  The good news is that most of the stickies have been plucked and trashed… oops, sorry Mik, I meant recycled.  Hopefully I will get up and outta here before the sun rises without forgetting the dogs!  (maybe that should be on a sticky note…hhmmm…gimme a second)

Stay tuned blog-dogs, this trip be it a short one should be exciting and full of unforeseen adventure.  The good news is the doghouse won’t have a blowout…it is in hibernation mode.

My Pre-Trip Zen from the Driveway:  When I started this blog for family and friends upon the beginning of our travels in retirement, I didn’t realize some of those family and friends would pass it on to some of their family and friends.  From visiting with some of you, it is fun to hear with whom you've shared it with.  For whatever reason you choose to follow along, I am humbled that something in these words keeps you coming back or that you want to share it with others or it may be out of family obligation.  Is it curiosity or the prospect of how I will handle another blowout… no, don’t answer that… makes no difference, you are always invited along.  In the words of a popular song, “Who let the blogs out,” no wait, that’s not it.  Never mind that.  I enjoy sharing our exploits, so if you do “let the blog out,” thanks for sharing.