The celebration was good. To bad Bryant-Denny has terrible reception because we weren't able to all sit together, but we were all there. All the coaches got up and introduced themselves and I enjoyed Cochran's "yea yea yeas". All the trophies lined up on the stage was a beautiful thing, I wish I could have taken a picture with them. I also saw pyrotechnics in Bryant-Denny for the first time that was kind of different, but really cool.

BCS National Championship Celebration

Stay tuned for a blog entry and pictures from the BCS National Championship Celebration on Saturday in Bryant Denny Stadium!

Why does it have to be over?

The past 6 days have been the absolute best time of my life. I had a blast hanging out with the guys on our trip, and we all shared an experience that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. I would do it again tomorrow for #14. This is actually my first experience with using a blog and it was an awesome one. All of us in the car were really excited to read the comments. I'm really sad that the trip is over, but I guess we all have to return to reality eventually. Thankfully, the reality is that we won a national championship while students at the University of Alabama; something UA students haven't been able to say for 17 years.

To Corey, thanks for being a dependable driver and making everyone thing you were mad 100% of the trip. HAHA.

To Dave, thanks for keeping your shoes on! LOL. Also, thanks for rolling with the punches when we were trying to get the car parked and having trouble meeting up with Randy and the guys. Also, sorry for wearing shorts.

To Jonathan, thanks for being the technical expert and taking most of the pictures for the trip with your camera. It was fun hanging out and getting to know you. The La-a banter back and forth was hilarious and made the long roads seem a lot shorter.

I had a blast, maybe the basketball team can get to the final four?! HAHA.

Thanks to all the people who followed our blog. Knowing we had a captive audience forced us to keep track of our trip which ultimately will help us keep this special occasion fresh in our memories. Thanks for everything!

I can't believe it

I can't believe we are back in Tuscaloosa. It seems like it was 2 days ago we were in The Rose Bowl. This was an experience of a lifetime and I will remember it for the rest of my life. I've gotten to know my friends better and made a new one. I've showered and now it's time for sleep. Good night Tuscaloosa

BEDDDD.

We got La-a unloaded and I dropped Corey off at his house. I returned to my car to find it wouldn't start. We jumped it off and I finally made it home. Right now, a shower and sleeping in a bed, after 6 nights of car seat and hotel floor, are calling my name.
There's no place like home.

Home Sweet Home!

The time has come to say Mission Accomplished! When we left, the anticipation controlled us. When we came back the pride drove us. We won #13 and I will always hold cherish this trip to places I have never ventured to before. If going to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Las Vegas wasn't enough, add a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP to the cake mix.

The trip at some points was exhausting. Along those lines if anyone thinks about doing a trip like this i have two words........"DO IT". This trip to the west was worth every dollar menu, every "Hook'em Horns" and every hour in that was spent sleeping in the car. Everyone knows that the win was the peak but all the things we did up to that point made the flavor of the cake even better. If someone asked me if i would do the trip again, it would be followed quickly with a "heck Yes" and a "Roll Tide".

I would also like to thank all of you for following. You have given us a want and need to make this trip as great as it can be. It would have been very easy to fall into the void of just getting there but with y'all we had a small family that we could share the trip with.

This will most likely not be our last post. We will probably add more tomorrow. I felt that I needed to thank everyone personally and share my thoughts. But now sleep is screaming in my ears and my eyes are closing in on themselves.

We have made it home safe and sound, and one last statement.

Goodnight,

ROLL TIDE!

#13

Alabama the Beautiful!

The last time we were here, the number was 12. Now, it is 13. It never gets old reminding ourselves of this accomplishment. We are all very happy to be back in Alabama, where there is grass on the side of the road not dirt, where there are trees and not desolation, and last but not least, sweet tea instead of this crap called iced tea. We had one major goal when we left, and that was to bring home #13. Mission Accomplished. We'll be in Tuscaloosa within the hour.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Crossing the Mighty Mississipp!

We are officially one state away from the home of the 2009 BCS National Champions! We are entering Vicksburg, Mississippi.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Alabama vs. LSU basketball

We found the Alabama vs. LSU game on the LSU sports radio network and we are whooping their tail! Roll Tide!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Shreveport, LA

Shreveport...enough said. Independence stadium.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

We're in Dallas

We're driving through Dallas! We've passed a few angry Texas fans and some Bama fans in a van from Florida... Just what we were looking


for! We're hoping we'll be able to see the new Cowboys' stadium from the road. We'll be passing through Shreveport soon... my, how far we've come (and I'm not talking about the drive)! Next update coming from the Independence Bowl!

Breakfast in Clyde, TX

We stopped to grab some breakfast at my favorite restaurant in the world, WHATABURGER!!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Midland, TX

We are stopping for fuel in Midland, which is the hometown of our former first lady Laura Bush. The sunrise was awesome. Jon is driving and is doing a great job. It is the first time I've seen the speed limit for an interstate be 80 mph. I'm glad it is that fast, because we are making great time. Interestingly enough, the ride back seems easier. I think we've gotten the sleep rotation down pat. It's much easier to sleep now that the trust factor is up. Shortly after El Paso, we had a couple exciting moments. The state police were flying down the interstate to assist a truck driver whose entire semi was engulfed in flames. We found out on our CB radio that the driver was okay. Also, we had to stop at a US Border Patrol checkpoint where they asked us where we were headed and whether or not we were American citizens. Proud to be an American! Next stop, Dallas!


















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

El Paso, TX

We are pulling up on El Paso, Texas. We can actually see Juarez, Mexico from here. The border is actually 200 yards south of the interstate! Hopefully we won't make any wrong turns....

This begins our trek across Texas, and yes, we are messing with it. /^^\

Las Cruces, NM

We are driving through Las Cruces, New Mexico now. This city is mainly an agricultural center nestled near the Rio Grande and it's motto is "city of the crosses" (thanks wiki). The picture shows the city from the west. Corey has been driving since Phoenix. A driver change is coming soon, and Jon is on the deck. Jon and I have gotten several hours of sleep since Phoenix, so no worries there. We are going to keep on keepin' on!

Phoenix

We're currently in Phoenix bumming internet off of Lola's Coffee House. It's tough to find internet, but we'll be working on our next post to keep yall updated on our trip! We decided to take the I-10/20 route so we can fly our Bama flags through Texas! We're looking at being back home around 11pm tomorrow! Look for a post around midday in Dallas!

GAMEDAY!

We woke up and met at 7:30am to head to the Rose Bowl. We had to pick up our student tickets at Will Call set up by the University at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center at 9:00am. The game didn’t start until 5pm, so we decided to get as close as we could to the Aquatic Center. We had about as much chance of doing that as Colt McCoy had at coming back in the game! Dave didn’t have to pick up his ticket, so he dropped us off as close as he could (about a mile away). We walked to the Aquatic Center to find a line 100yds long. We were approached by four or five people selling lanyards and didn’t bother with getting one. After we picked up our tickets, we realized we needed something to keep them in! And as you all know, when you don’t want something it’s everywhere, and when you do want it you can’t find it! We walked around the outside of the stadium asking people where we could find someone selling the kind we were trying to find. We tracked down one guy who said, “There’s a cop up there. Let’s do this behind the van.” We decided that probably wasn’t the best idea! We continued our search and found the ones we wanted. Next, we were dying for something to eat. We headed to the west side of the stadium to a tent with cheeseburgers and cheeseburgers with no cheese (he was very adamant about that). We met up with Randy, Jon, Steven, and Eric from Long Beach. We ate with them, and then Zach left to see his uncle. We made our way to the stadium gates around 2:30, and we were the first ones in that gate. Zach eventually met up with us in the stadium and we took a few pictures. The stadium was full an hour before kickoff. The atmosphere was electric! Everyone was fired up knowing this one game was what everything came down to. Alabama fans and students may have been guilty of thinking the game was won too early. When the game started to turn for the worse, every fan did their part to be a champion! Rammer Jammer lasted maybe one round too long, but the victory celebration was awesome. Confetti was flying and everyone was hugging and high-fiving. We hung around in the stadium until they kicked us out.
We had to decide whether to take the bus back to our car or walk. We ended up talking to a limo driver that told us exactly how to get back to where our car was parked. The walk wasn’t a disappointment! We passed a vendor with a sign that said, “Texas Gear 50% Off!” We walked pass two Texas fans wearing cowboy hats and one was sitting on the curb with his face in his hands. Our first thought was, “Priceless. Let’s take a picture!” After getting the camera out to sneak a shot, the second Texan proceeded to run toward us shouting profanities and wanting to fight. Apparently he was really crying and we were being a bit classless, but it was so hard to let it go (and yes, we did it let it go)! There was also a guy selling Michael Jackson shirts for $1. Why we didn’t buy one, we don’t know. We had to take a couple breaks walking back because our legs and feet were so sore from the day’s walking and standing the entire game. After we got back to the parking lot, Dave forgot where he left La-a. We wanted to get out of town to eat so we wouldn’t have to wait, so Giselle (our GPS) found a TGIFriday’s in West Covina. We ate dinner there and the waiter changed our TV to a replay of the game on ESPN. He actually knew something about college football, unlike most locals we came across. The TGIFriday’s was almost like a dance club. The music was turned up and the place was packed. It was unlike any TGIFriday’s we had ever been to. We headed back to the hotel after eating and it was the most tiring time yet (keyword: yet) of our entire trip. Zach claimed he was wide awake, Corey was out like a light, Dave was in and out, and I was delusional. Zach would make a statement to which my response would be completely irrelevant. We did make it back, though, and passed out as soon as we hit the floor (except Zach had a bed)! Interesting ending to a perfect day!

No Officer, we don't have any fruit or animals...

We decided to wake up early Wednesday morning to get to LA and do everything we wanted to do. So we set all of our alarm clocks for 8am… simple enough, right? Of course not. My alarm went off first and I quickly turned it off since no one else was getting up. Zach heard my alarm, and thinking it was 8 am, decided we’d get an extra hour of sleep since he was still tired. An hour later, the hotel alarm clock went off and Zach got up to figure out what time it was. His phone time was different from the alarm clock and the laptop, so he got online to find a world clock. We finally realized my phone was on Central time, the hotel alarm clock was Mountain time, and Zach’s phone was Pacific time!
The road to LA was as incredible as the previous rides. Driving through the mountains never got old. We had our first traffic incident as Latisha (not being racist, that’s what was on her license plate!) decided to make the rear bumper of her big SUV kiss our front fender. But La-a didn’t want to scuff up her makeup, so we avoided any collision. Oh look. Here’s Latisha (below).At the California border, we had to stop at the Agriculture checkpoint. Our first concern was anything from Zach’s vegetable tray being left in our cooler! Second, Corey hid the sunflower seeds in his pants. They asked us if we had any food, plants, or animals and we made it through without any trouble!We exited the mountains to see Los Angeles in all of it’s smoggy glory. Traffic was horrible! Corey was left spotter and Dave was right spotter. I navigated the GPS while Zach navigated traffic. After eating at In-N-Out, we headed to Santa Monica Pier for the sunset. Many of the locals were confused about why there were so many Alabama and Texas people. They then asked where the Rose Bowl was (someone else at In-N-Out asked the same)! We watched the sunset then drove to UCLA. We wandered the campus and ate at Sbarro in their campus dining facility. We stuck out like sore thumbs, but it’s ok. They have a whole nother (different) style in California! We got a parking ticket, but Zach's not paying. We drove down Sunset Blvd and saw some huge houses. We saw every exotic car you could imagine. We took the tram to Hollywood and saw the Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the stars. Corey got a picture with Bugs Bunny without realizing it would cost him. Shout out to Justin.We were followed by a Chinese evangelist who left us chanting "Roll Tide." Zach couldn't get into The Piano Bar because he was wearing shorts. We made our way back to the hotel and got a good night's rest before the big day!

NATIONAL CHAMPS!

We've had a long day! We're putting up a few pictures and we'll be posting the full story tomorrow! Here is a video of Rammer Jammer!!!! ROLL TIDE!

In Pasadena!

Sorry for lack of posts! Things have gotten extremely busy. Look for updates and tons of pictures tonight! Roll Tide!

In-N-Out!!!

We made our way through LA and found just a few In-N-Outs! We found one by our first stop, the Santa Monica Pier (we're stopping here to see the sunset). We're bumming internet off of Staples.The food was great and very cheap!Zach is a ladies man! He made friends quickly!
Stay tuned for pictures of the sunset from Santa Monica Pier!!

Grand Canyon Pictures!

I somehow missed uploading the Grand Canyon pictures! They are now uploaded to a second Flickr stream, since our first one was full! Check the pics out to the right!
(Dave was too scared to travel down the icy path)

oh yeah.......there is a reason that its called the Sin City

There is a reason that Las Vegas is called the "Sin City".....ha ha, this place is almost as bad as the French Quarter in New Orleans. We all thought it would be a little cleaner but there was a good bit of trash around. If you are a gambler, have fun picking your casino. I mean there are a ton of these places, but there is a ton of walking if you don't want to dish out the money for a cab or bus fare. Oh, and watch out for the people on the street corner. You think that these people are handing out coupons for something........think again, these are not coupons...lol. And the boxes that should have maps and brochures don't have either, they have things that the family shouldn't see. A family could have a good time if they know what places they should stay away from...lol.But now that we are good and rested, it is time to hit the road again and continue this trip to the Rose Bowl.

Good Morning Las Vegas!

I don't think I've ever passed out faster once I hit the bed in my life. The sleep was much needed, and I feel a ton better. We are looking forward to Los Angeles! Updates to come soon!

Stratosphere. Goodnight.

Made it !

Just finished up, drove from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas. This is going to be my first post in a while. I have racked up 11 hours driving and 5 hours riding to keep Jon up while he drove. Sleep is definitely on my mind...ha ha ha.

If you have not seen the Grand Canyon, I would highly recommend you putting it up on your priority list. This "hole in the ground" really puts life and size in perspective. The size of the canyon makes you feel small and the time it took to for it to develop makes our lives seem like minutes. On a side note don't go when it snows, the chances of slipping are greatly increased....lol (although it looks cool). Like we said earlier we also went to the Hoover Dam and this beast is crazy. Unlike the Grand Canyon, this thing is Man Made and its huge. It is insane that they built this thing in the 1930's. They just don't build things like this anymore.

This trip has been awesome and even though we all have said we are tired we just cant wait to do something else. On the other hand I am getting really tired of McDonald's Dollar menu......lol, the other place we stopped besides that is waffle house at 3:00am......sad isn't it. We need variety, so any other cheap food places anyone can think of will be greatly appreciated.

Oh by the we this is a trip to THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ! I can not wait for our Crimson Tide to take the field this Thursday.....I know all of you are thinking the same thing.

Talk to you later and

Stay Classy Crimson Tide.......Roll Tide

Grand Canyon, check. Hoover Dam, check. Next stop is VEGAS!!

Today has been a very long but equally rewarding day. Three of the four in our group got to see the Grand Canyon for the first time today. What was even better was that every single cliff and edge of the canyon was dusted with snow which made it look even more picturesque. For a group of Alabama kids who do not see snow that often at all it was a real treat. It was also pretty awesome to run into several BAMA fans at the Grand Canyon. It was fun exchanging stories with them. The common theme for most of our conversations with them is how crazy they think we are for our nonstop driving. However, monetarily this was the only way we could make it work, so we took off and ran with it. As college students at the University of Alabama, how crazy would we be to pass up an opportunity of a lifetime because it might be a little inconvenient? Overcoming some of the obstacles we've faced on this adventure are what will make it a story we tell for a long, long time. Roll Tide!

We messed up a little bit on our time estimation for arriving at the Hoover Dam with plenty of sunlight for pictures, but we think driving over the dam will still be very worth it.

We booked a room at the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for a scant 27 dollars. Apparently Tuesday night is slow. Works for us! I think the 4 of us are looking forward to sleeping in a bed tonight, as we haven't stopped other than for food and fuel for the duration of the trip. We plan to get up early to head to Los Angeles in the morning. We might be the only college kids in history to visit Las Vegas and be in bed by 11:00 PM. We are pretty tired!

Preliminary plans for Wednesday are just some general sightseeing around LA. We are pretty sure we'll go see the Pacific Ocean (even though the Gulf of Mexico beaches will blow it away) and probably visit USC or UCLA. Other than that, we are just going to go wherever the spirit moves us.

Also, I've kept track of the page view counter at the bottom of the page for the duration of the trip, and we are all absolutely blown away by the number of hits. It makes us all excited to be able to give all of the folks keeping up with our trip a small piece of our experience, especially those who can not go.

P.S. (or P.U.). All of the farting freebies have been used up by all passengers in the vehicle. The next person who breaks this rule will get donkey punched. Seriously.








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Message from Dave

This is my first blog of the trip. I started driving in Oklahoma and 5 minutes into my trip saw a coyote that was cool. After that it was just straight driving you know theres not much out that way.
We got to Oklahoma City and saw where the Thunder play basketball and winding on the most curved interstate I've ever been on Zach complained the whole time about it.
Then we got to the Texas State line and stopped and took our picture at the sign. It was the first time back to my birth state since I was 2. After the picture was taken Corey punched out a deer that was charging at us.
Then we stopped and gassed up and found some ice and played in it and took a picture on the mound of about 5 ft. As we were driving through Texas we hit some fog that was so thick I couldn't see 20ft in front of me.
Drove past the giant windmills, Corey and Jon are passed out in the backseat at this point. Saw the Huge Cross and then stopped in Amarillo and got some Waffle house and met a guy cheering for Bama.
Final stop of Texas was a nice little 3 am trip to the Cadillac Ranch where we spray painted the cars and pretty much froze our asses off.

Arizona

To go way back in our trip, I came to a few conclusions:
Oklahoma roads are worse than Mississippi's.
Oklahoma is flat.
Arkansas doesn't want you to leave. (Arkansas was full of wrong turns and U-turns)

We're about to hit the Arizona border. The snowy mountains are pretty awesome! I drove from around 3 to 7 before I started seeing things. Ok we just stopped for a picture at the border. The car thermometer said it was 15 degrees! Check out the picture. Ok so we stopped in Amarillo, TX at Waffle House. As you all know, that's always an adventure. I switched with Dave and started driving. It was around 3am when I started and I was feeling pretty good. It's gotten easier to sleep as the trust factor has increased! We then made our way to the Cadillac Ranch and Zach left a "Roll Tide" on the side of a Cadillac. To quote Zach: "Is there any better place to be than in the middle-of-nowhere Texas at 3 o'clock in the morning?" We made our way through Texas and stopped at what we thought was the New Mexico border sign, only to find the official sign 100ft further down the road. After crossing into New Mexico, we only picked up one radio station and it was in Spanish. We finally picked up a second station - country. It was strange hitting the scan button to come back to the station we were just on. The moon came out bright and we were able to generally see the flatness surrounding us. It was a pretty boring drive. We stopped at a gas station and picked up some neccessities (including a nice silver ring) then pushed on. We made it about 30 miles outside Albuquerque before I had to stop driving. As I was finishing, the sun was rising behind us. The New Mexico sunrise was colorful and a pleasant sight to see. I switched with Zach and then was out like a light. I woke up a few different times. One time we were driving through the snow covered mountains. Another time we were in Adobe House Pueblo Village Central. I really don't know, I was still half-asleep. We're currently making our way to Flagstaff to take a detour to the Grand Canyon. There's still snow on the ground.

Beautiful

West of Albuquerque. We are starting to go through some mountains.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Mexico is definitely not Alabama

We just stopped for fuel at a TA truck stop in Santa Rosa, NM. The terrain has gotten much more interesting than that of Texas and Oklahoma. The people here are different. Lots of tattoos and piercings. We are hoping to have a fairly substantial blog update when we hit Albuquerque for the driver change and breakfast. It's my turn to drive again! We have come full circle! Until then, buenas dias from New Mexico!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Waffle House

We have stopped at an Amarillo, Texas Waffle House. Jonathan is up next to drive til 8am. We drove through some killer fog an hour ago so it's nice to be out of it. My turn up front is over for now, so after Waffle House I'm taking a nap. Peace.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fort Smith, Awesome-sas

Jonathan:
We’re in Russellville as I’m typing this, but our next stop is Fort Smith. We didn’t get to stop at the Arkansas border sign because, well, the border is a river. We pulled a legal Chinese Fire Drill at a random off-ramp. Corey is now driving and I’m the official “If-you-close-your-eyes-you’re-getting-it-across-the-face” passenger. We drove around Little Rock and experienced our first minor traffic. We passed small amounts of snow in the shade and frozen lakes. It’s currently 30 degrees. We got word of thigh-deep snow at the Grand Canyon, so we’re modifying our route and heading up that way before proceeding to the Hoover Dam. I think we’re more excited about the snow than the actual Canyon. Corey will be driving until about 9pm, or to around Oklahoma City. Dave and Zach are sound asleep. Dave is the next to drive and he’ll be driving until around 2 am.
Our official titles have been set: Corey is the Captain. Zach is the Pilot. Dave is the Chief Steward. I’m the Chief Communications Officer.


Zach
6:00pm
Well, so far it’s been a pretty good trip. We decided our gold rental car’s name is “La-a” (pronounced Luh Dash Uh…the LA is in reference to our trip to LA, and the “dasha” part is self explanatory). As I’m typing, we are 55 miles east of Ft. Smith, Arkansas. There are ton’s of “Adult Book Stores” in Arkansas. My mom told me that this is where old people go to read. I have to pee a little right now, but its okay. I’m going to tough it out till Ft. Smith. I’m really excited about the prospects of seeing more snow than I have ever seen in my lifetime. It should be awesome. Since Corey has been driving, Dave has been pretty much passed out. He’s doing what he has to do to be a champion. I’ve caught a few zzz’s on and off the last couple of hours, so I think me and Dave will be good to go when it comes our turn to pilot La-a. Good times. On a side note, we figured out that the governor for this Camry kicks in at 117 mph. The engine then shuts off and then we have to stop in the middle of the interstate in order to start the engine back up. We also found that by sticking the left tires in the snow and ice as we cross some of these bridges that it makes the car do this really cool crab slide. Now that I know my mom is freaking out and fumbling in her purse to find her phone so she can call and tell me how stupid we are….I’M JUST KIDDING :)


Full grown bear chase.

Corey:
Excerpt from the Captain’s Log: Driving in Arkansas is demoralizing. You often come across frozen and melted water. The most exciting thing is watching the snow melt on the side of the road. “I appreciate the sunsets. They are quite beautiful.”
Captains Log:
It is 6:13pm now and 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrrgh. Clear skies and clear roads. All ahead full.
6:21pm: Mutiny from Dave Cook has been suppressed. He’s been restrained and placed in the cargo bay. End log.
6:41: Captain’s lost. Wrong exit onto 540.



Dave:
The love bugs aren’t loving tonight.

Memphis, TN!

Breaker Breaker! We’re in Memphis! We’ve been having a great time talking to truckers on the CB radio (we're still worried about a trucker going "Joy Ride" on us). They’ve given us some route info and many, many laughs. It’s awesome having others to talk to on the road! (Shout out to Zach’s sister!) We’re stopping to eat lunch and then on our way to Little Rock for a Chinese Fire Drill. We’ve had people honk and wave at us. It's 27 degrees and we're hoping for some snow soon. Zach's been the driver and we've been over 200 miles.
We've added a goal to stop at a Waffle House around 3am.
Next stop, Arkansas and beyond....

We're on our way!

Snow flurries this morning. It's cold. We stopped by Wal-Mart for some drinks and chips and McDonald's for breakfast. We're all pumped! Our car is loaded and we're ready to be there.

It's been 64 years... Time for another win at the Rose Bowl!

The Birmingham News wrote an article (found here) on my Great-Uncle Rebel Steiner who played in the 1946 Rose Bowl against USC! In 1945, he led the team with 18 receptions for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns! (He led the team again in 1947 with 23 receptions, 295 yards, and 4 touchdowns.) It's going to be great visiting the Rose Bowl and participating in Alabama history!
Well, I need to get to bed! We have a long week ahead of us! Yall will be hearing from us soon!

BOOOOOOYA

It is about to be time for the open freeway, also known as game time....ha ha

WE GOIN' TO DA 'SHIP!

Well it's the night before. Everyone is really excited. We met up at Full Moon BBQ in Tuscaloosa and had a great time discussing the trip. We came up with a list of rules for the trip that must be followed.

Trip Rules

1. There are no trip rules.


2. Dave is not allowed to puke in the car.


3. Take a picture at ever state line. Even if it is dark.


4. Visit and take a picture at 2 major universities.


5. Win $200 each in Vegas.


6. Farting in the car will get you punched.


7. Every 5 hours, a Chinese Fire Drill will be performed to make sure that we are prepared in the case of a vehicular fire.


8. Do not accept cards that are handed out in Las Vegas.


9. "Roll Tide!" should be said to all strangers. Especially as we pass through Texas.


10. Build a snowman and have a snowball fight.


11. Stop at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.


12. Get some power from the Hoover Dam.


13. As bad as it may get, DON'T get pissy.


14. Stay away from Compton and South Central Los Angeles.


15. Canoe down the LA River.


16. Take pictures of the "HOLLYWOOD" and "Welcome to Las Vegas" signs.


17. Change plans as the day goes by.


18. The strongest bladder determines pit stops, not the weakest.

This is just a start. See you guys tomorrow!

ROAD TRIP!

After tracking lots of weather over the past couple days, the interstate forecast for our trip is excellent. There won't be any precipitation at all according to weather.com. It also shows all of the interstates being in great condition. I know the moms following our blog are happy about that. One interesting note is that near the Arizona/New Mexico border it is forecast to be around 8 degrees. BRRR.

The weather for gameday is going to be incredible with a high of 72 and partly cloudy skies. I can already see myself walking into the stadium and taking in what is sure to be an incredible and electric atmosphere.

The group is getting together tomorrow (or today, I'm up late) to nail down some final details and maybe some fun "goals" for the trip (i.e. take a picture at 2 major college campuses, Hoover Dam, etc.). I'm so excited about the trip that I'm starting to have problems sleeping! Oh well.

Well, the team is in LA, and I'm anxious to join them there. The next update from me will be tomorrow evening, and I'll post some of the "goals" that we decide on as a group. Until then...

Coach Saban looks happy.

So close I can taste it

Only 2 days away. It has gotten so close that its showing up on Facebook.