Random Question

[Contra94]

Where do out of towners park their cars during tour?

At SCVC, they parked them at the corps hall (and around it), BD/BDB parked their cars at Mars. Just a random thing going through my head.

[contraBand]

Regiment members parked at a local Rockford business that was in some way (not sure exactly how) affiliated with the PR organization.

[burgerbob]

Left mine at a middle school. I think my parents came and picked it up, one of those things I just expected the world to work out.

[Michael Boo]

I imagine that today, there aren't that many cars around when members fly in for move-ins, and since they're gone all summer and flying to move-ins and flying from the DCI World Championships, they might as well just leave the car at home.

[SpiritVet]

Spirit of Atlanta as of late has required everyone to be dropped off by family/friends at spring training. There have definitely been some arrangements with local alumni, family, and friends for people that need to drive in and don't have anyone to drive their vehicles back.

[drilltech1]

I am no mechanical genius and not by any way an expert on every corps, but I do share some experience including the bumps.

Michael Boo (above) evidently only relates to the elite class in World class as a good number of the participants live no where near major airports; often it is cheaper to car pool a number of members and drive, even at $4 a gallon to get to the corps assembling point. And there are still a number of MMs who hitch a ride home with their own corps busses or bivouac with other corps busses to get home from Indy back to where cars may be parked. As less corps own their own busses today, that isn't happening as often as the past; but it is still happening. It also happens with kids trying to get to Dayton and Cincinnati airports where many flights home are available and cheaper than the mobs that cram Indy airport on Sunday after finals. (I already tried to get my frequent flier points for a free ticket to and from Indy; no luck; they are already all gone unless one wants to cash in all the points for a few first class seats. I'll leave those to the likes of Boo.)

The other problem is that in the world of today's corps, Spring training and tour is usually a total of 10 weeks, meaning that someone will probably have to check the car and start it a few times over the summer so that it doesn't go dead.

I have known of a number of MMs who have sold their cars totally, or at least for the summer in order to pay tour fees. That's drum corps in 2014

[Tim K]

I am no mechanical genius and not by any way an expert on every corps, but I do share some experience including the bumps.

Michael Boo (above) evidently only relates to the elite class in World class as a good number of the participants live no where near major airports; often it is cheaper to car pool a number of members and drive, even at $4 a gallon to get to the corps assembling point. And there are still a number of MMs who hitch a ride home with their own corps busses or bivouac with other corps busses to get home from Indy back to where cars may be parked. As less corps own their own busses today, that isn't happening as often as the past; but it is still happening. It also happens with kids trying to get to Dayton and Cincinnati airports where many flights home are available and cheaper than the mobs that cram Indy airport on Sunday after finals. (I already tried to get my frequent flier points for a free ticket to and from Indy; no luck; they are already all gone unless one wants to cash in all the points for a few first class seats. I'll leave those to the likes of Boo.)

The other problem is that in the world of today's corps, Spring training and tour is usually a total of 10 weeks, meaning that someone will probably have to check the car and start it a few times over the summer so that it doesn't go dead.

I have known of a number of MMs who have sold their cars totally, or at least for the summer in order to pay tour fees. That's drum corps in 2014

I'm not a financial guru, but my guess would be that "the elites" are not the ones who would be flying, it would be the "non-elites." A car would still have to be insured if it's on the road and my guess would be that you could not drive to a camp, keep the car parked there, and take it "off the road" for two months (off the road being paying insurance, keeping plates in the car, etc.). You'd have to keep up with the insurance which would be a good chunk of change in addition to marching fees.If the car is parked at home, that would mean that the car could come off the road for a few months and save money.

Also, a few months back in Allentown (I hate saying that, it seems so long ago and next August seems so far away), a few members of the senior corps composed of a large group of alums from a beloved junior corps that calls Massachusetts home, no names, went to Yocco's for a meal their wives and doctors would probably kill them for eating, and realized a few of the kids had trouble paying, and picked up the tab because they heard a kid say he couldn't go to the ATM. Translation--he ran out of money. I was moved by what I saw and shared the story with a friend who told me about picking up the tab for eight kids at the airport in Indy who were low on funds. While I'm sure there may be some kids who fly who can't wait to get home to join Mommy and Daddy at the country club to enjoy a polo match with honored guests Charles and Camilla who snuck in a quick flight across the pond while escaping the paparazzi, most will be returning to the non-elite life of a college student. Flying is probably the less expensive option and it guarantees getting home.

And while I do not know where Mr. Boo sits on a plane, I would venture to say that judging from his contributions to drum corps he is a first class guy, yet his friends seem to include the upper echelons of DCI and the average fan, and some of the more colorful DCP posters, so I'd say he's a pretty democratic "coach" kind of guy, which I say as a compliment.

Edited October 1, 2013 by Tim K

[drilltech1]

I'm not a financial guru, but my guess would be that "the elites" are not the ones who would be flying, it would be the "non-elites." A car would still have to be insured if it's on the road and my guess would be that you could not drive to a camp, keep the car parked there, and take it "off the road" for two months (off the road being paying insurance, keeping plates in the car, etc.). You'd have to keep up with the insurance which would be a good chunk of change in addition to marching fees.If the car is parked at home, that would mean that the car could come off the road for a few months and save money.

Also, a few months back in Allentown (I hate saying that, it seems so long ago and next August seems so far away), a few members of the senior corps composed of a large group of alums from a beloved junior corps that calls Massachusetts home, no names, went to Yocco's for a meal their wives and doctors would probably kill them for eating, and realized a few of the kids had trouble paying, and picked up the tab because they heard a kid say he couldn't go to the ATM. Translation--he ran out of money. I was moved by what I saw and shared the story with a friend who told me about picking up the tab for eight kids at the airport in Indy who were low on funds. While I'm sure there may be some kids who fly who can't wait to get home to join Mommy and Daddy at the country club to enjoy a polo match with honored guests Charles and Camilla who snuck in a quick flight across the pond while escaping the paparazzi, most will be returning to the non-elite life of a college student. Flying is probably the less expensive option and it guarantees getting home.

And while I do not know where Mr. Boo sits on a plane, I would venture to say that judging from his contributions to drum corps he is a first class guy, yet his friends seem to include the upper echelons of DCI and the average fan, and some of the more colorful DCP posters, so I'd say he's a pretty democratic "coach" kind of guy, which I say as a compliment.

For the record, I am not the one who red negged Boo.

I agree with your character assessment that he is certainly a character.

I was obliquely hinting at his annual cross pond venturing to get some fresh Chinese food. I'm guessing his birthday card monies recently gets him the seat he deserves.

Seriously though, you bring up some great anecdotes to which I also have witnessed at Ham Fam as well as Yocco's in Allentown and at Shapiro's in Indy (the great Jewish deli just south of LOS.) Unfortunately by the time of Indy, some corps stop feeding their kids once the unit's last performance is done. Many times we've been part of those who shared snacks and treats with the Open Class and lower tier World Class marchers who were getting back home hungry, tired, and poor but ready to dream of the next season's growth. Kudos to all who have been so generous as sponsors for full tour, some tour, camps, transportation or refugge status.

[laundryday]

Where do out of towners park their cars during tour?

At SCVC, they parked them at the corps hall (and around it), BD/BDB parked their cars at Mars. Just a random thing going through my head.

Never had to experience it, I was always dropped off and left my car at home.

All members I've seen before have done the same.

[TRacer]

The first couple of years I didn't have my own car so my parents drove me up and dropped me off. My first year at SCV I parked my car at the corps hall and threw a car cover over it, my last year I left it in my summer host's driveway and paid the MM's brother to fire it up twice a week. The MM's brother (who was a car buff) was really cool and made sure the car was washed/waxed, vacuumed and full of gas the day before the busses came home; as one of SCV's age-outs who was not in a celebratory mood I was particularly touched by this gesture. My favorite tape was in the cassette deck too, cued up to my favorite tune.