We successfully drove The TeePee (with Tahoe in tow) from Tampa to Tallahassee on Wednesday and got situated at the campground where it will stay when we aren't at the stadium or on the road.
Lots of things to do and people to see before the game on Saturday!
Wednesday evening we went to Hotel Duval for the Jimbo Fisher Call-in Show.
Head Coach Jimbo Fisher and Gene Deckerhoff getting ready for the show. Many "Plant the Spear" viewing parties around the country for those who couldn't attend in Tallahassee.
Thursday was spent running errands, grocery shopping, getting The TeePee sparkling clean (inside and out), and later meeting up with Ron & Lynne for dinner.
Finally, Friday! The day we can take The TeePee to the stadium and get set up for the weekend. We made sure to empty the holding tanks and fill the water tank as we would only have electricity when parked at the stadium. We were ready to go!
The excitement and anticipation of the weekend was building! We met friends at DownTown GetDown Friday evening. Rick and Joanne arrived early and were successful in securing a table. (Thank you!)
Jamela, Leann, Frank, Joanne, Rick and Tim
We knew there would be a lot of people as there was going to be a couple of country music performers, it was the opening season, and the weather was cooperative (hot but not raining). Little did we know there would be a zillion people! It got very crowded, quickly! But oh the people-watching! (Lots of people who really needed take a couple spins in front of a full-length mirror before leaving their home!!)
(We aren't country-music literate so I got nothing to share with you about this guy.)
We received word that friends Mary and Herb had been invited/selected to light the UNCONQUERED statue Friday evening. Fortunately, we were just a short walk across the street to the statue and returned from the downtown festivities just in time....or so we thought.
UNCONQUERED statue
The lighting was supposed to be at 9:00 but due to some Hall of Fame inductions running behind schedule, it was delayed quite a bit.
Mary & Herb
Unbeknownst to us, there is quite a bit of pomp and circumstance associated with the lighting of the spear. The night before each "competition", the spear is lit and stays lit through the weekend.
Again, didn't realize the ritual involved with the lighting.
Mary and Herb pointing toward the spear for lighting.
I think "someone" was like a little kid going to Disney for the first time, Saturday morning! It was here! So many firsts - first game of the season, first time with The TeePee at the stadium, and first tailgate!
Grillmaster Frank getting the dogs ready.
Ready for tailgating at The TeePee!
(So much space, so convenient to the stadium, no multiple times of loading/unloading the tailgate stuff. Oh the list just goes on!)
The only hiccup we had was being able to use the flag pole - with our FSU-Bucs flags, which was how we told everyone to find us.
A view of the lot we're going to try for next game.
Rick & Joanne came to check out The TeePee and tailgate.
Chuck and Joanne (friends we met on the cruise and who are also RVers) stopped by on their way to the stadium.
The team warming up!
Chris Weinke (former FSU QB and Heisman Trophy winner)
Our new seat-mate, Janie!
QB EJ Manual warming up.
Marching Chiefs waiting for the team to run through the tunnel.
Retiring Terrell Buckley's #27 jersey
Cousin Mary (former member of the Marching Chiefs) now has a son who is a Freshman at FSU and in the band.
Thankfully, the band changed out of their uniforms so it made it a little easier to find Sidney.
(He's about in the middle with the French horn, right in front of the cymbals, wearing a dark blue-tan shirt with khaki cargo shorts.)
Nice win for Jimbo and the Seminoles!
One of the other REALLY nice things about having The TeePee so close to the stadium is being able to hang out after the game, in comfort, with a cold beverage and food!
Frank, Christopher, Lauren and Travis
A successful Season Opener on so many levels! And we're already looking forward to next weekend when more friends and family will be in town!
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