LIVE FROM WAKE FOREST - Tuesday, November 13th ~ 2007
This week, Mombo is blogging from Eastern Sectionals.
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Well, I found out the reason Map Quest only allotted five hours for a 350 mile trek—the speed limit in the south is much higher than in the northern hemisphere where we are plagued by the complications of population and a quest for survival. With the posted limit being 70 MPH, most drivers ratchet up their odometers to readings in the triple digits—and I guess to add increased PCS scores they talk on cell phones, text-message, and smoke cigarettes while switching hands and driving lanes.
This changed my plans a bit of having some in-depth conversations with my daughter that ranged from—“why don’t you go out with that cute guy you met at the party and forget the one that tried to treat you like a used Whopper (Jr) wrapper—please- No one puts Baby in the Corner, to this new hot fashion of mixing black and dark blue (not navy of course and nothing brighter than royal!).
Between the speeding Prius’ and tractor trailors around us, and my daughter bringing her extensive CD collection and Ipod that she connected to my sound system, most conversation centered on our Nancy Kerrigan-like commentary on the driving around us….”did you see that couple…I don’t think they were even connected to the road.”
We arrived in Wake Forest around six and checked in to the Host hotel, The Hampton Inn, around 6:00. Our luggage cart made the desk clerk ask if we needed a monthly rate. We quickly ventured out to find the ice rink which is about 2 miles from our hotel.
The Factory Ice House is an amazing complex that houses an indoor soccer field, several Karate schools, a dance studio, a full gym, a music studio, several restaurants and juice bars, and two ice rinks. There is also a go-cart track attached on the side. So, yes, I know what you’re thinking, we might be able to get some of the parents together later for a little bit of fun that I call DodgeBall.
That however, was what was going on in the rink, as eleven dance teams skated around and through each other during an “open” session. While teams avoided collisions and skated five steps of their programs, workmen constructed the judging platform on the side-center for the judges tomorrow. What slowly dawned on the parents was there was very limited seating. Each corner held several benches on elevated platforms and there were several concrete structures that might be termed “stadium seating”. I attempted the Herculean bleachers but discovered that there was a 26-inch rise from one seat to the next, making you feel upon reaching the top that you should plant a flag of your country.
The host club has done a fabulous job of making the skaters feel welcome—there are photos of the competitors on the walls (wow, this is a hard event in all levels!) and the free prize is a backpack that is obviously top shelf.
We went back to the hotel under cover of darkness and I practiced taking deep breaths as if I actually did Yoga instead of watching it in passing on television.
Tomorrow it all begins.
Mombo
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Well, I found out the reason Map Quest only allotted five hours for a 350 mile trek—the speed limit in the south is much higher than in the northern hemisphere where we are plagued by the complications of population and a quest for survival. With the posted limit being 70 MPH, most drivers ratchet up their odometers to readings in the triple digits—and I guess to add increased PCS scores they talk on cell phones, text-message, and smoke cigarettes while switching hands and driving lanes.
This changed my plans a bit of having some in-depth conversations with my daughter that ranged from—“why don’t you go out with that cute guy you met at the party and forget the one that tried to treat you like a used Whopper (Jr) wrapper—please- No one puts Baby in the Corner, to this new hot fashion of mixing black and dark blue (not navy of course and nothing brighter than royal!).
Between the speeding Prius’ and tractor trailors around us, and my daughter bringing her extensive CD collection and Ipod that she connected to my sound system, most conversation centered on our Nancy Kerrigan-like commentary on the driving around us….”did you see that couple…I don’t think they were even connected to the road.”
We arrived in Wake Forest around six and checked in to the Host hotel, The Hampton Inn, around 6:00. Our luggage cart made the desk clerk ask if we needed a monthly rate. We quickly ventured out to find the ice rink which is about 2 miles from our hotel.
The Factory Ice House is an amazing complex that houses an indoor soccer field, several Karate schools, a dance studio, a full gym, a music studio, several restaurants and juice bars, and two ice rinks. There is also a go-cart track attached on the side. So, yes, I know what you’re thinking, we might be able to get some of the parents together later for a little bit of fun that I call DodgeBall.
That however, was what was going on in the rink, as eleven dance teams skated around and through each other during an “open” session. While teams avoided collisions and skated five steps of their programs, workmen constructed the judging platform on the side-center for the judges tomorrow. What slowly dawned on the parents was there was very limited seating. Each corner held several benches on elevated platforms and there were several concrete structures that might be termed “stadium seating”. I attempted the Herculean bleachers but discovered that there was a 26-inch rise from one seat to the next, making you feel upon reaching the top that you should plant a flag of your country.
The host club has done a fabulous job of making the skaters feel welcome—there are photos of the competitors on the walls (wow, this is a hard event in all levels!) and the free prize is a backpack that is obviously top shelf.
We went back to the hotel under cover of darkness and I practiced taking deep breaths as if I actually did Yoga instead of watching it in passing on television.
Tomorrow it all begins.
Mombo
posted by ice-dance.com @ 8:16 AM
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