I don’t mean to be Cavalier about Saturday night but…

Sixteen years ago I had visited the University of Virginia with my family as we had started to look at prospective colleges. The Cavaliers were hosting the Richmond Spiders so it was not exactly a big game. The review was a light one and I have always intended to get back to UVA to get an update.

When I saw this game on the schedule, it looked like a perfect fit. It is hard to beat early October in Virginia, especially in Charlottesville. As I planned the tailgate menu, I was assuming either a noon or late afternoon kickoff. This would be perfect because we would be able to catch the Georgia – Alabama game that night, either in a bar or at home.

Alas, much to my disappointment, the Syracuse-UVA game this week is at 7:30pm. I guess because there’s going to be big ratings for a battle of two middling ACC teams? There goes watching the Dawgs vs the Crimson Tide which is the real game of the week.

It also complicates the tailgate arrival time. If it was a noon kick-off, I’d feel pretty comfortable arriving at 8am even with it being homecoming. With a night game, it is really hard to figure out when the lots are going to fill up. I am going over to Reddit to get some advice, but I will happily take feedback from any experienced UVA tailgaters here.

And, if you are tailgating and see the Somanystadiums flag flying – stop by. We will give you a free koozie.

Oh, the Highs and the Lows

In what seems to be recurring developmental opportunity for me, I found myself rushing to get out the house and on the road to Blacksburg by 1pm. According to Google Maps, Lane Stadium is about a four hour drive away. Experience has taught me (although clearly not well enough) that it is at least five hours and on game days it can easily stretch to six hours.

The minute I jumped in the car, my arrival time slowly started getting later and later. I am sure Maps thinks that getting a late arrival update every five minutes is helpful, but it is not. It makes the drive feel like watching the Pittsburgh Pirates slowly, but surely, blow a lead. A phenomenon I am very familiar with. As I cursed the constant double trailer trucks on I-81 passing each other with sloth like efficiency, my frustration only grew. I wasn’t tailgating, but I wanted to make sure I caught “Enter Sandman.” It was slipping away right in front of my digital eyes.

MiraculousIy, I made up some time late and got to my preferred lot at 6:30pm. Of course, it was filled. Luckily, I found a nearby spot where I could park for free. A brisk 1 mile walk later, I was in the stadium just in time for Enter Sandman and an accompanying brief shower. Rain was not in the forecast, btw.

However, it stopped raining as quickly as it started. What followed was a great game. It was a back and forth affair, that if not for a missed(!?!) field goal, I would have left nearly satisfied. Nonetheless, I was reminded that once you get there, Lane Stadium is a fantastic place to watch a game.