*Critters we’ve seen on our 2015 trip so far: elk, mule, mule
deer, llama, prairie dog, donkey, bison, coyote, pronghorn, Uinta ground
squirrel, black bear, moose, bighorn sheep, yellow-bellied marmot, wolf, least
chipmunk, fox, bull snake, mountain goat, camel, grizzly bear
*Birds we’ve seen on our 2015 trip so far: California
condor, Brewer’s blackbird, American kestrel, spotted towhee, magpie, wild turkey, mountain bluebird,
bald eagle, Canada goose, Clark’s nutcracker, sandhill crane, osprey,
red-tailed hawk, mountain chickadee, Northern flicker, great horned owl,
Peregrine falcon, brown-headed cowbird, cliff swallow, Cassin’s finch, western
tanager, cedar waxwing, Lazuli bunting, blue heron, common merganser,
red-breasted nuthatch
*National
Parks/Monuments visited on 2015 trip so far: 6
We
arrived at 
The game
was set to start at 11a.m. which meant tailgating was going to have to start really early! We arrived about 8a.m., and Doug had his
usual spot set up in the parking lot just outside one of the stadium’s entrances. Judy had brought lots of breakfast sandwiches
that she was heating up on the grill, and there was 
already plenty of other
stuff like donuts, fruit plate, bagels, cream cheese, and as more people
arrived, so did more food and drink. It
was chilly but there was no coffee or hot tea to be found anywhere. Oh, well, maybe those mimosas or Bloody Marys
would warm us up!
Once the
core group arrived I managed to grab a quick group shot before folks started
wandering off to find their seats, and it was so good to see some folks we
hadn’t seen in years. Since Doug was
busy tending to other things, I made sure to get him in a smaller group shot as
well, and I even was able to get in one with John. There was lots of mingling, eating,
reminiscing, and of course drinking!
This was a Gold Rush game meaning everyone was encouraged to dress in
yellow or gold, but as you can see by the pictures, several of us had to initially
cover up our “gold”.
Finally
it was time to head inside, and the weather was warming up nicely. In fact we left our jackets outside with Doug
(he wasn’t going into the game) so now we were appropriately attired. Is there anything better than spending a fall
Saturday in your favorite college’s football stadium?! Our seats were about 28 rows from the field
on the 50 yard line, and it was standing room only with an attendance of 66,751.
It was
also Military Appreciation Day, and there were several tributes throughout the
game to service members. Before the
National Anthem was played, 10 members of the military based in MO were
honored. They had been chosen from 79
nominations to represent active duty, National Guard, and reserve military
members, and were joined on the field by an official party of high ranking commanders.
We were
playing the South Carolina Gamecocks, and they had a small contingent in the
stands cheering them as they made their way onto the field (those empty seats
you see across the field are where the Mizzou band sits during the game). Now it was time for our Missouri Tigers to
take the field, and the roar was almost deafening…but what would you expect at
a home game?!
During halftime the 1966 Sugar Bowl championship team was
honored with several members being brought out onto the field. Back then the Missouri Tigers beat the
Florida Gators 20-18, and the Gators quarterback, Steve Spurrier, was now the Gamecocks’
head coach.
For
today’s game our starting quarterback had been suspended beforehand for unknown
reasons, but our backup freshman quarterback, Drew Lock, led the Tigers to a
decisive 24-10 victory!!
It was back to the parking lot for a little more tailgating (waiting for the
traffic to die down was our excuse), and then a few of us managed one more dinner together before the mini reunion was over. What a great weekend with great friends!
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