Welcome to my blog, or should I say to the ramblings of an old man. I doubt that my ramblings are of much value, but at least I have an opportunity to share them.  So, please be kind and humor me. If nothing else of value stands out in these thoughts, I hope that you at least sense the value I place on a daily walk with the Lord.  That walk is what has provided me with motivation and a sense of purpose throughout my lifetime.  My prayer is that you, too, are experiencing this direction and joy in daily living which is available to everyone who puts his trust in Christ.  So, thanks again for joining me.  Please don't go without leaving some comments here so I can get to know you better as our paths intersect today in this blog.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Probably Gone, But Great Memories

For more than 20 years we have enjoyed going to Penn State football games. In the early days we'd go without tickets. We'd put a sign on the window of the car "We Need 2 Tickets" and usually, before we passed Harrisburg, we were stopped and we made the sale. That was fun! Only once didn't we get tickets. For the Alabama game we were stopped and offered a pair for $75 each, but I refused them. I never would spend more than face value. Instead that day we stopped to see my wife's sister in Lewistown and then returned home and watched on TV. Later we found several sources for tickets. First a former MU professor and then later Vince from Columbia. For years we bought from Vince - great seats right near where we parked. Easy in and easy out. But Vince passed away and his son kept the tickets for his use. Recently we have been buying from a lady in Virginia who had great seats - again easy in and easy out. Then Penn State changed the whole seating plan to raise money. Now the students are in the areas we liked to use. Our friend in Virginia did get seats on the opposite side of the field but she hasn't had any for sale so far this year. We also have become very particular, unlike when we were younger. When the stadium was expanded, the new seats were very high up. We don't want to climb 30 or more rows. We don't want to crawl over 20 people to get in and out. Over the years traffic has changed. In the early years there were huge backups at Dauphin, again at the Narrows, and once more coming down the mountain approaching State College. We found special ways around several of these traffic jams. We also learned to go early and then take a nap in our car once we were parked. However, in the last few years, new construction at Dauphin and at the Lewistown Narrows has made the drive much easier. When we first went, parking was easy. There was a huge grass lot right off University Dr. - easy in, easy out. But then Penn State built the Bryce Jordan Center and all sorts of new buildings and parking was pushed far from the stadium - unless you had special passes. As this was happening, Dianne was able to get a handicapped pass because of her physical conditions. For years the handicapped lot was right next to the stadium on the north side. It was perfect for us to get in and out quickly. Then a few years ago, to provide parking for the fans with tons of money, they moved our parking much farther away. Two years ago they then built a softball stadium on part of the lot and some of the handicapped parking was moved even farther away. Now they do provide a shuttle. It is great before the game, but if you want to leave before the game is over (which we do to beat the crowd), it won't run until they fill it up. So we are usually forced to walk quite a distance to our car to head for home. We still enjoy the game experience, but it has gotten more difficult, especially now that we have reached our 70's. Our best experience came last year when our son was offered the use of a client's box for one game. That was amazing - parking right next to the stadium, an elevator to the box, great food throughout the game. Even though the game was lousy, it was still a once in a lifetime experience. I still have the urge to go to every home game but this might be the first time in over 25 years that we don't get there. Dianne has had real problems walking and good tickets have not been available. Even if our friend from Virginia calls, I'm not sure if we will be able to go. A couple of years ago a friend went to a game with me. We had high seats. We watched an older man struggle up the steps to his seat. A few minutes later he had a heart attack. We heard that he died at the hospital. For some Penn State fans whose blood is "blue and white" it is probably a great way to go. But not for me. So as much as I hate to say so, we might not make the trip again. And I guess I will adjust - I guess you are forced to do that as you get older. You can watch most games on TV, but you miss the sights and smells of the tailgates, the stirring Blue Band performance, the drum major's flips, the "We are, Penn State" cheer, and the sights and sounds of the game. That is all special and until you experience it, you can't appreciate what it is like. Every Saturday morning I still fight the urge to pack the car, put a sign on the window, and begin the drive to Happy Valley. But that isn't about to happen anymore. At least I have great memories.

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