The weekend began with the trip to T-Town. Tim, Tanya, Jonathan, Dottee and Mollee arrived in T-town around 7 PM. We began our weekly routine:
• dump the tanks
• fill with fuel and water.
• Park in spot 61 in Coleman Coliseum
• Level the RV
• Put up the generator tailpipe
• Start the generator
• Let out the slides
• Unpack
• Set up the satellite
• Get Dinner
• Go to Publix
• Go to Twice the Ice
• Set up outside - chairs, awning, chairs, easy up, etc....
After parking we skipped to dinner because we were starving. We went to Mugshots. WOW! What a wonderful burger! We were lucky. There wasn't a wait and we got a table immediately. We completed our list near midnight. No problems this time! WHOOOOOOO!
Saturday morning Ivan arrived. Tim and Ivan left to go get breakfast and to Brunos for the Bryan hotdogs that Publix’s does not carry. After breakfast, Tim and Ivan went on a special mission to find an ice chest that also serves as a warmer. Nicolette and Megan arrived. Janis, Randy, Breanna, and Hunter Burns arrived. They are going to become regular tailgaters. Nan and Ellen arrived as did Steve, Amy, and Isabelle. Tim and Ivan returned without an ice chest. Time for Tim to begin cooking the hot dogs. Everyone contributed food and we snacked, ate and watched football for hours. Timz Dogz were a huge hit. We only cooked 24 and they were all consumed. We had other tailgate visitors as well. Jeremy, Gabe, and Jacob Ryder were able to come because James and Leah couldn't make it because Leah had a graduate class to attend. Some friends from our former seats in Bryant Denny also came and visited (Ann and her dad, nephew and nephew's friend). John and Brenda dropped by for a visit too. It is wonderful to spend Saturday's with friends in T-Town.
Finally it is game time. Time to go to our new seats. Tim and I rode our bikes and chained the gate. We find our way in and get to our seats only to find "stand up all the time" man right in front of Tanya. He stood the WHOLE first half. Bama has the lead at half but it hasn't been easy. Greg McElroy set a record of 14 passing completions. During the half, Tim and Tanya walk around; bring back drinks for Ivan and Jonathan and peanuts for Tim. "Stand up all the time" man is not there. YEA! We can actually see the field and that the field contains football players. About 5 plays into the 2nd half, "stand up all the time" man returns. Tim throws a peanut at the man and Ivan tells him to sit down. Reluctantly, he sits. YEA! It’s ok to stand if everyone is standing, BUT to stand when everyone else is sitting is not polite to the people around you. We all stand too but when the person sits in front of us we sit too. Trent Richardson came to play. He was amazing. Then during the 4th quarter, the girl behind Tim has been yelling all game but something happens to her voice and it becomes this ear piercing yell that resembles Mollee's squelching bark. The Tide has taken control of the game and a few people are leaving. Our new seats are several rows above Amy and Steve's seats so we can't take it anymore and move near them. Bama Wins! WHOOOOO! Now to exit. Exiting on the north side is much more difficult than exiting the south. The crowd is unbelievable. We unchain our bikes and begin to walk them out. We tried to exit right but couldn't budge so we tried left. BIG MISTAKE. It was bad. We went to Wallace Wade drive which now has a dedicated lane for buses and such. Left on Bryant and we hit a traffic jam of people. We turned around, hopped on the bikes, followed Bryant to 12th and turned on 12th. We followed it to 7th, turned left and then Right on Bryant which was much less crowed on that end. Turned by the aquatic center and home to the RV. Whew! Note to self - park the bikes at Tutwiler or sorority row. Anywhere but by gate 4.
Chicken and pasta salad were on the menu for the post game meal. IT was a great day, great game and great evening. Everyone pitched in and helped clean up outside before calling it a night.
Ivan spent the night and left early Sunday morning. The Sunday morning routine began with Tim going for breakfast and papers. Before he left, he carried an ice chest to the grassy area to let it drain the water. When we returned from getting breakfast, he went to get the ice chest and it was GONE! Yes, gone! It was full of ice and drinks! We think the folks driving around picking up the trash picked it up too. Add ice chest to the shopping list! Along with water, cokes, etc......
The Sunday morning routine continued. Packing the car, cleaning the RV, filling with fuel, dumping the tanks, filling with water, parking the RV, etc. WHEW!!!! The trip home was flawless.
It was a terrific weekend. 5 more sleeps and we will repeat the whole process. RTR
The Theme for the weekend was RAIN: Tim, Tanya, Jonathan, Dottee and Mollee left for Tuscaloosa on Friday afternoon. The trip included RAIN! Picking up the RV in Cottondale was no problem and it wasn't raining but dark clouds were gathering. We were turning into Coleman Coliseum’s parking lot and the flood began. It rained and it rained and it rained. Tanya was trapped in car and Tim and Jonathan in the RV. We do not have an umbrella or rain jackets. Ivan was traveling through the rain on his way to T-town. Ivan arrives, found a parking space a couple blocks away and walked in the POURING RAIN to the RV lot. Finally, it let up enough for us to straighten the RV in our parking space, unpack the car, level the RV and let out the slides. Then it was off to Mugshots to meet Ninette, Skip, Nicolette and Sara for dinner. Good friends and good food. We couldn't have asked for a better Friday night. Ok, no rain, but that that would be our only request. The rain continued. Off to Publix's for our weekly shopping trip. Why we are never chosen as the Publix's tailgaters of the week, I will NEVER understand. Our next stop was Twice the Ice. We should get a discount because we buy so much ice during football season. Finally, back at the RV, we complete the unloading process while it is RAINING and RAINING. Tim begins to set up the satellite. We notice that the RV ceiling is wet. The RV roof is leaking. There must be hail damage from the hail storm in February. An hour later, Tim gives up on the satellite and we call it a night. Surly, the rain will be gone by Saturday morning and we can set up the satellite. And Tim can call the insurance agent. Ivan has a new bed. Hopefully, this one will not go flat during the night.
