Last Dance In The 'burg?

So I've been up and down on whether I want to go down to Blackburg tomorrow night for the Virginia Tech game against the University of Maryland.

1) Everyone I know that's headed down from the DC area is coming back early Friday. Now, I don't know about you, but driving 9 to 10 hours in less than 24 hours for a football game seems mighty crazy to me. In my younger, more vibrant days maybe, but come on, not now that I'm old and decrepit.

2) I'd really like to save the money. It'll cost a few hundred in lodging, transportation, and food. With a trip to Russia, mounting anticipation of leaving work to travel the world, and various other nitpicky things (it is almost Krishnamas time,) I'd really like to save some money.

Plus, if I didn't go, I could make a killing on my tickets. I could have one of my friends scalp tickets for my and make face-plus on the tickets.

3) I'd mess up my workout schedule. I've got a really good schedule going and I'm afraid to interupt it. I know that I can bring my sneakers with me. I know I can say I'm going to at leastgo for a run while I'm there. But face it, it's rare that it'll happen. I know me.

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Then, as I was talking to my friend Dom about it, it dawned on me. This may be my last trip down there until at least fall 2006. And THAT'S a big maybe too! I mean, if I end up living in say Australia, don't think I'll be making many trips to Blacksburg, let alone America!

Another thing just dawned on me! I could use my Blog to start piecing together my plans for my world trip. Well, it's more and more looking like my European trip + India.

More on that later, now back to the 'burg.

Blacksburg is an amazing town. It's a little college town situated in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. I remember visiting colleges when I was a junior in high school. I fell in love with Virginia Tech before I even stepped foot on the campus. The drive to Tech was amazing enough. Then the campus was situated dead smack in the middle of these hills. It was a no-brainer to me then, it's a no-brainer to me now.

It's a funny thing about the football team. The year I was visiting, the team was a pathetic 2-8-1. No one had ever heard of "Virginia Tech." (Those that did knew it by its initials "VPI" which stands for Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Actually, its official name is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI&SU) which is one of the longest names for an academic institution).

I was the only the second graduate of my high school to ever go to Virginia Tech. I obviously went there for its academics and topology (good cycling hills!).

Then that first year I was there, the Hokies went to its first bowl game in over 20 years. They haven't stopped yet! They went on to play in a national championship game in 1999, and now are perennial powerhouses, almost always in the top twenty-five.

I don't know if this would be a true statement, but I think I'm going to make it: I think I'd be a fan even if they sucked.

So here I go down to Blacksburg. I will be going to the game. I will be able to sell one of my tickets. I will enjoy the game win or lose. I will have myself a Blacksburger... but I'm going to run in the morning!

GO HOKIES!