Brent Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 North Force was a Div. III corps from Fargo-Moorehead, MN. They purchased a used school bus from the local school district for $800. It was a propane bus. Whenever we went on tour we had to plot our course very carefully due to the regulations of filling the bus from a propane stand. Most gas stations were calling in their "one specially licensed" employee to fill the bus before we could be on our way at 3am in the morning, so we tried to call ahead. It was hard to tell how much propane you had left in the bus because temperature played a huge factor in the pressure/gas guage. The by product of propane is also a very, very smelly bus, so the students used to tape about 100 of those christmas tree car odor things from the ceiling of the bus. That is the most memorable bus story I have from 22 years in drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puppet Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) I have always remarked that nothing, absolutely nothing brings a unit, section or otherwise group of individuals together like a drum corps on it's way to a show or on a tour in their busses! And it hasn't changed in 40 years of touring. In August of 1969 we traveled from Brooklyn to Kenosha then Racine and back and for a bunch of mostly inner city kids we had a tremendous experience of the "Heartland." But here's the thing: We'd just arrived in Marion OH for a rest stop and lunch at a Howard Johnson's. A 100 or so kids from virtually every ethnic background you can think of and we rush in after many hours clamoring for the rest rooms (you know what I'm talking about!) much to the horror of many patrons and the staff who do not know what hit them. Of course, under the tutelage of our moderators and chaps and instructors and staff we knew how to act - right up until one waitress said to Raymond, one of our Contra players (nick named "Konga" - he was, (at like 6'-2" / 190) after all the biggest guy in the corps and very dark) she says, trying I think very hard to be polite: "You know, you're the very first Negro person I have ever seen in person and you're not scary at all!" We howled! Later, after we finished eating someone suggested that we play a couple songs from our rep for them - we had Pagliacci as our opener and Chester and who doesn't like "The Circus Song" our closer was Candide to choose from but our truck had moved on it's merry way but somebody noticed a concession stand that had kazoos - we only had 34 horns in the line at the time (maybe 32) - we got in an arc in the parking lot and played the whole rep - all like 10 minutes of it from start to finish and I have to tell you kazoos are a great crowd pleaser! It was so satisfying to just play with abandon and still hear the separation of all the different parts. We went on to Kenosha and then Racine and did pretty good against the locals coming in 3rd against St. Paul's Scouts and the Anaheim Kingsmen and then the next day meeting up with The Troopers, the Kilties, the Des Plaines Vanguard, and Blue Stars. What a ride! And the next stop would be the World Open In Lynn, MA. We really felt world class for the first time. And of course I have to post a timeless shot of what drum corps people look like on their bus - when they're not asleep, that is. Much respect to anyone who has ever ridden over 1,000 miles in a bus with their drum corps family! Puppet Edited July 30, 2008 by Puppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apoch003 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I have always remarked that nothing, absolutely nothing brings a unit, section or otherwise group of individuals together like a drum corps on it's way to a show or on a tour in their busses!And it hasn't changed in 40 years of touring. In August of 1969 we traveled from Brooklyn to Kenosha then Racine and back and for a bunch of mostly inner city kids we had a tremendous experience of the "Heartland." But here's the thing: We'd just arrived in Marion OH for a rest stop and lunch at a Howard Johnson's. A 100 or so kids from virtually every ethnic background you can think of and we rush in after many hours clamoring for the rest rooms (you know what I'm talking about!) much to the horror of many patrons and the staff who do not know what hit them. Of course, under the tutelage of our moderators and chaps and instructors and staff we knew how to act - right up until one waitress said to Raymond, one of our Contra players (nick named "Konga" - he was, (at like 6'-2" / 190) after all the biggest guy in the corps and very dark) she says, trying I think very hard to be polite: "You know, you're the very first Negro person I have ever seen in person and you're not scary at all!" We howled! Later, after we finished eating someone suggested that we play a couple songs from our rep for them - we had Pagliacci as our opener and Chester and who doesn't like "The Circus Song" our closer was Candide to choose from but our truck had moved on it's merry way but somebody noticed a concession stand that had kazoos - we only had 34 horns in the line at the time (maybe 32) - we got in an arc in the parking lot and played the whole rep - all like 10 minutes of it from start to finish and I have to tell you kazoos are a great crowd pleaser! It was so satisfying to just play with abandon and still hear the separation of all the different parts. We went on to Kenosha and then Racine and did pretty good against the locals coming in 3rd against St. Paul's Scouts and the Anaheim Kingsmen and then the next day meeting up with The Troopers, the Kilties, the Des Plaines Vanguard, and Blue Stars. What a ride! And the next stop would be the World Open In Lynn, MA. We really felt world class for the first time. And of course I have to post a timeless shot of what drum corps people look like on their bus - when they're not asleep, that is. Much respect to anyone who has ever ridden over 1,000 miles in a bus with their drum corps family! Puppet Great story! And great picture of the first six hours on a bus. Of course, after that, everyone boards and sleeps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skajerk Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) Valley Fever always chartered their busses. (Storer Coachways). The Dons? heh... we had 3 old BD busses. One of which didn't even make up to the half-way point on tour. And I was on that bus! Had my seat all decked out... NO seat partner... stereo system.. the whole works. We then had to finish tour in 2 busses. One of which dropped it's tranny on the way home in Little America. And I was on that bus! But that's a story for another time. Edited July 30, 2008 by skajerk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apoch003 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Ah! Little America! I remember it well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathie Wiener Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Great story! And great picture of the first six hours on a bus. Of course, after that, everyone boards and sleeps. Not in my five years and two corps!!! Especially on the drum bus in 96. I can't tell you how much of an "honor" it was to sit in the seat with the headrest the bass drummers used for sectionals on the bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skajerk Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Ah! Little America! I remember it well. Oh yes. So do I. Well, the bar that we hung out in all day, that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puppet Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Great story! And great picture of the first six hours on a bus. Of course, after that, everyone boards and sleeps. You slept? Wow. Puppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 When I started with the bluecoats we had a combination of school busses (painted blue) and a couple old army busses. Then we got the 1969 GMC tour busses in 1985. No bathrooms, no air conditioning, and a lot of the windows wouldn't open by my age out in 1988. In 1989 of course the corps got new busses, new drums, and new uniforms. I was just born one year too early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puppet Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 When I started with the bluecoats we had a combination of school busses (painted blue) and a couple old army busses. Then we got the 1969 GMC tour busses in 1985. No bathrooms, no air conditioning, and a lot of the windows wouldn't open by my age out in 1988. In 1989 of course the corps got new busses, new drums, and new uniforms. I was just born one year too early. Don't let it get you down - some of us were born decades too early - what I wouldn't give to march just one SCV, BD or Phantom show in this era. Puppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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