Penn State Blue White Game Trip
April 24, 2004
By Dave English
At the March 7th CPTC Board Meeting at the Elephant & Castle,
Rich Roenigk offered to organize a trip to
the Penn State Blue/White game in the spring. As the March meeting weather was
still "a bit chilly", this seemed like a good idea as it should be
warmer by the April 24th game date. Rich offered his friends would
provide parking in their RV area. All we needed was our tailgate supplies.
Everything else is free! I expected a good turn out of CPTC members as our first
run of the season, the Spring Run, was cancelled just 20 days prior because of
snow flurries. Besides, who but a group of guys driving 30 year old cars would
maintain their Nittany Lion fan loyalty and be optimistic about the upcoming
season after last year?
I had the 6 out for a short drive the week before to check it out. After it
warmed up, I remembered the low RPM hesitation from last year. Several new
breather hoses "resolved" that condition and I was ready to make the
drive to Happy Valley. Although the forecast for the 24th was for possible
showers, I met Rich at the Front Street McDonalds the next morning anyway. This
would be a little test for the 6 and the Lions. To my surprise, only Rich and
his son Landon showed up.
Before we left, I had a McD’s for breakfast and offered to help push Rich and
the TR3B up the mountain. Rich and Landon donned their windbreaker coats. Rich
added his PSU blue wig hair since the top was down on the 3B and there ain’t
much there on his noggin. He offered to help me put my top down. As it was still
in the 60’s, I was fine with the rear window out and the side windows I could
roll down. Rich said he needed to stop along the way to get gas. I knew I was
good for the trip, although my gauge wasn’t currently working, I still had 180
miles on the trip odometer.
We started up Rt. 322 and got a lot of looks. I wasn’t sure if it was the cars
or Rich’s blue hair blowing in the wind with the top down. The sun was shining
in the sparsely cloud scattered sky. The temperature was rising nicely. Driving
along the Juniata River was especially nice with the leaves beginning to emerge
and the vistas from the road along the river. At this stage of spring, the
colors of the newly emerging leaves and blooms gives as much or more color
variety than what you see from the foliage’s fall display. The variety and
subtle pastel shades of green of the shrubs and softwoods, a few oaks scatted in
their early leafing attempts, the reds of maple buds pushing out, the white
blooms of wild cherry, and my favorite, the flowering redbuds which we first see
just above New Bloomfield. The promise of spring with the new growth, the sun
warming the ground and new plants sprouting seemed to fit with the optimism of
seeing the Lions scrimmage, and my 6 repairs. That’s about when the low RPM
hesitation returned. The 6 had warmed and it was doing it again. Like the Lions,
maybe it just needs another "little adjustment". Hope springs eternal.
We noted the progress of construction work at the narrows below Lewistown and
stopped for gas at the new Milroy exit. It was the first time I had been there
since the new road was built. I get another coffee and Rich gets his gas and we
are ready to go up the mountain. I expect it will be quite a bit cooler at the
top of the mountain and over on the other side in Happy Valley. With Rich again
in the lead (in case he needs a push), I notice he is going to pass a tractor
trailer at the bottom, just before the re-paving of the mountain narrows it down
to one lane. I speed up and get up fairly close to Rich to also get around the
truck before the construction. Suddenly Rich realizes he isn’t going to get
around the truck before the lane ends. Luckily, I know where the 3B’s small
brake lights are. Even then, it is hard to see them in the now bright sun. It’s
also good we didn’t have a Lucas moment. We slowed behind the truck, all the
way up the mountain. How did these cars survive without the big brake lights -
and a third brake light? We get to Beaver Stadium almost without incident –
other than my coffee, which is now on my PSU sweatshirt and a missing tail lens
reflector. How did we get by without cup holders?
Rich’s friends had a front row parking spot for us. We were cordially
welcomed, offered refreshment and the hospitality of the RV group. They had many
questions about the cars and several reminiscences of the cars they had at the
time. The student population appears to be younger than usual and many were
intrigued by the cars - that were older then they were. With the now very warm
spring temperatures, it was evident they were having a good time and sporting
warm weather attire. It must have been the first ‘spring’ day weather at PSU.
This definitely raised Rich’s outlook on things. With his blue wig, you would
have through he was one of the students.
Some of us went into the stadium to watch the scrimmage, some basked in the warm
sun. The scrimmage was not as eventful as the ride up. Like the 6, there were
quite a few spits and sputters from the White team that cause me concern.
However, the sights of the season were still able to lift our spirits. In Happy
Valley, hope was really springing.
We made the home trip without event, except for the sunburned faces and the
recurring low RPM hesitation. Hopefully, I will find the right combination and
be able to resolve that last hesitation problem with the 6. From the look of the
Lions during the scrimmage, hopefully Joe will find the right combination also
and improve their performance for that last 10% improvement. If not, it will be
a frustrating driving season and Nittany Lion football season.
I think Rich had a great idea for this trip and look forward to doing it next
year – weather permitting. It would be hard to beat the spring atmosphere we
had for this trip. Hopefully, the 6 and the Lions are running better this
season.