Au Revoir, Indy!

2013 DCI Finals

Travel Day

Sunday, August 11, 2013

After all of the excitement of the previous 3 days, we were quite tired.  But we needed to get packed and checked out of the hotel, so we only slept in a little bit before doing all of that.  V and Bro's friend Alli, whom lives in Terre Haute, drove down to visit with us before we left.

We checked out and made sure to get away from the Lucas Oil area, because there was a pre-season game set for that day.  We ended up parking in a structure across town, and walked to Le Peep, because we needed to keep with the French theme, oui?  Not that they had any French food there.  Unless you count French Toast.  Oh, yeah, and crepes.  Anyway, it's a great breakfast place, and we all enjoyed our meals.  I had a half order of the Original French Toast and a Rasher of Bacon.  The guy said that it's really "just bacon", with a fancy way of saying it.  I don't care.  It's bacon.  

It's like drum corps, in fountain form!

We still had lots of time before our flight times, and Alli was kind enough to give us a ride to the airport, so we hung out at the Indiana World War Memorial.  

Super V at one of 4 sets of huge doors

We were just sitting there, talking on the second level of the Memorial, and Bro told the others about last year's DCI Finals Day, when the brass from the parade participants played up there.  I saw a couple on a bench, and couldn't help but start reciting that "Einstein on the Beach" poem.  Then I realized that I can't get the phrase "Impossible, you say?" out of my head.   Nutso, I know.  

"Two lovers sat on a park bench..."

Then Bro, now with his one Eagle Eye, saw that there was a museum downstairs with free admission.  So we perused.  I wondered if they'd have a tribute to the USS Indianapolis, which was discussed in "JAWS", and they had a room dedicated to it.  I mostly took pictures of bugles and stuff like that, but there was also a cool American flag exhibit, which showed the different renditions of our nation's banner.

See?  More French!

In the restroom lounge, a woman saw our SCV shirts and told us that she was from San Jose, and we discussed the show from the previous night.  I love it when drum corps fans see each other!

We went back to the parking structure and didn't realize that we needed to pre-pay until we got all the way back to the car.  All 4 of us totally ignored all of the signs telling us to bring our parking ticket with us and pre-pay.  Yes, we're all college graduates.  Duh.  After Bro got us all paid for, we headed to the airport.  I realized that Bro had not yet heard Rockapella's "Indiana" during the trip, and played it for him in the car.  

I got in line behind some Troopers, but I was still really early for my flight, and I couldn't check my bag until 4 hours before the scheduled flight.  Bro and V had gone ahead to the gate, so I hung out at Cafe Patachou to have a snack.  After I was finally able to check in my bag, I found myself with more Troopers. whom ended up being on my plane.  I guess that's because we were stopping in Denver.  When we got hungry, Bro, V and I had dinner at Champs before saying our goodbyes.  Aw, sadness.

I got home after midnight, and went to work early in the morning.  For what?  APPARENTLY, I was approved to take that day off, but they hadn't added it to our calendar, so I thought that I was supposed to be there.  I stayed for the day, though.  

We had a great trip.  I'm glad that I bought last year's CD, so now I can listen to that in my car to fend off some of that inevitable DCI withdrawal.  I miss you already, my DCI Orange Cone!