So it was another picture perfect fall weekend in the SC and I do in fact have the pictures to prove it. The weekend agenda had nothing special in store. Yes, there was mountain biking. And yes, the conditions were nothing short of ideal, but I’ve been singing that tune for the last couple of weeks so I’ll give you a break from talk about the sweet sweet singletrack. This weekend (like 6 others this time of year) included a good old fashion tailgate and football game. An added bonus for this go-around involved all the excess that comes along with homecoming including lots of extra people in town to participate in the outdoor circus that is a Penn State tailgate.
Not only is the crisp fall weather we’ve been experiencing incredible for mountain biking, it’s tends to work well for grilling, drinking beer, playing games constructed from plumbing supplies, eating too much food, slurping gelatin desserts made with booze, and oh yeah, football. Where else but a tailgate will perfectly reasonable people spend all day and night outside in the elements eating all their meals and getting their fill of entertainment? Imagine organizing all the gear and food you would need to go camping for a weekend, going to a really crowded campground and setting it all up, consuming everything you brought in about ten hours, then deciding to go home instead. If you’re fortunate enough to have tickets to a game in Happy Valley, you get to participate in one of the truly great shows in college football.
Beaver Stadium is big. Actually, it’s enormous. I don’t mean “cheeseburger as big as
your head” enormous, I’m talking planetary scales. Upon entering the second largest stadium in the country you can’t help but get swept up in the emotion and energy that radiates through the stands. It’s a feeling that can’t really be put into words. Sure, people go to the games all the time and after a while it probably becomes a bit pedestrian. For me, however, being part of the crowd in an environment like that is electric. Everyone is there for the same reason as you and the 110,000 plus fans you’re with become one united force that has a common goal. You’re not just watching a football game; you’re part of an experience that is the culmination of the day. It is truly an awesome sight (and sound) to behold.
The game itself was full of excitement, but in the end Penn State won handily, and I was fortunate enough to be there with my friends to watch it all.
Not only is the crisp fall weather we’ve been experiencing incredible for mountain biking, it’s tends to work well for grilling, drinking beer, playing games constructed from plumbing supplies, eating too much food, slurping gelatin desserts made with booze, and oh yeah, football. Where else but a tailgate will perfectly reasonable people spend all day and night outside in the elements eating all their meals and getting their fill of entertainment? Imagine organizing all the gear and food you would need to go camping for a weekend, going to a really crowded campground and setting it all up, consuming everything you brought in about ten hours, then deciding to go home instead. If you’re fortunate enough to have tickets to a game in Happy Valley, you get to participate in one of the truly great shows in college football.
Beaver Stadium is big. Actually, it’s enormous. I don’t mean “cheeseburger as big as
your head” enormous, I’m talking planetary scales. Upon entering the second largest stadium in the country you can’t help but get swept up in the emotion and energy that radiates through the stands. It’s a feeling that can’t really be put into words. Sure, people go to the games all the time and after a while it probably becomes a bit pedestrian. For me, however, being part of the crowd in an environment like that is electric. Everyone is there for the same reason as you and the 110,000 plus fans you’re with become one united force that has a common goal. You’re not just watching a football game; you’re part of an experience that is the culmination of the day. It is truly an awesome sight (and sound) to behold.The game itself was full of excitement, but in the end Penn State won handily, and I was fortunate enough to be there with my friends to watch it all.
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