Toss

Toss, originally uploaded by RodR.

Photo from December camp by Rod R.

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Check out the new music!

New Music, originally uploaded by RodR.

Photo from December camp by Rod R.

December camp album

Rod has sent in a batch of photos from December's audition camp. Click the "2006" link at right to check them out.

Guard staff

Photo from December camp by David S.

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Colts at DCI Honor Corps

Sue and Rick Harris gave us some photos from their trip to see the DCI Honor Corps in the Christmas parade at Disney World. Click on the "2006" under Photo Galleries at the right side of this page to see the link to the album.
Thanks to the Harrises!

Brianna is the dci.org interview

Click on this post's title to see the article at dci.org.

Tuba trek

Photo from December camp by David S.

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All out already

Photo from December camp by David S.

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Mug Shot + 1

Mug Shot, originally uploaded by RodR.

Photo from December camp.

Saturday night

Photo from December camp by David S.

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Merry Christmas, Colts

I hope you all got what you wanted for Christmas. ****grin****

The Cooktruck Management

In form

Photo from December camp by David S.

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Pickin' up where they left off

Photo from December camp by David S.

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Bari magic

Photo from December camp by David S.

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Guard cheers

Photo from December camp by David S.

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A reminder

If you had a good time at camp this weekend and enjoyed the new school building, please remember to let folks in Dubuque know about it. I got the following from John and Marie Reidelbach this morning, which will make it easier for you to drop an email to school officials. John also posted a comment to the entry below about a letter to the editor he sent to the Dubuque newspaper. Please consider writing your own thanks to the schools and the community.
The cooktruck management

I just sent an e-mail off to both Mr. John Burgart (superintendent) and Mr. Dale Lass (principal) thanking them for allowing the Colts to use the fantastic facilities of the Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School last weekend.  Handle this any way you wish, but I would like to strongly encourage other Colts parents to consider e-mailing a brief thank you to these individuals as well.

The e-mail address for superintendent Burgart is jburgart@dubuque.k12.ia.us
The e-mail address for principal Lass is dlass@dubuque.k12.ia.us

Great to see all of the Colts members, staff and parents again.  See you again in January.  Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

John and Marie Reidelbach

Great camp!

Dec. 16-18, 2005, Camp Schedule
Welcome to the Colts
Good luck!

Always wear your nametag. No street shoes on the gym floor. Meet everyone you can!

Friday Dec. 16, 2005
7:30 p.m. Unload equipment and food
8 p.m. Registration
9 p.m. Full staff meeting in cafeteria
9:30 p.m. Full meeting in cafeteria. All members, parents, staff
10 p.m. Rehearsal. Brass main gym, guard multi-purpose room, perc vocal room #165 and orchestra room #157, pit cafeteria
10:30 p.m. Parents meeting. Band room #167
11 p.m. Snack. Wear your name tag
Midnight Lights out. Men main gym. Ladies main gym closest to cafeteria

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005
7:30 a.m. Wake/breakfast
8:30 a.m. All stretch in main gym
9 a.m. Guard leave for rehearsal facility
9:15 a.m. Brass rehearsal in cafeteria. Percussion marching main gym. Front ensemble main foyer.
10:15 a.m. Individual brass auditions begin: trumpets room 243, low brass rehearsal rooms next to band room
12:30 p.m. Lunch: brass/percussion/guard
1:30 p.m. High brass marching at fairgrounds, low brass sectionals room 147 and multipurpose room; percussion music wing; guard main gym
3:15 p.m. Low brass leaves for fairgrounds
3:45 p.m. Low brass marching at fairgrounds, high brass sectionals room 147 and multipurpose room, Percussion music wing
5:30 p.m. Dinner: brass, guard, percussion
6:15 p.m. Full corps meeting in main gym
7 p.m. Guard main gym, percussion sectionals multipurpose room and music wing, high brass marcing main gym (far court), low brass sectionals rooms 147 and 146
8 p.m. Low brass marching in main gym (far court), high brass sectionals rooms 147 and 146
9 p.m. Brass ensemble in cafeteria, pit in foyer
11 p.m. Snack
Midnight Lights out. Men main gym. Ladies main gym closest to cafeteria

Sunday Dec. 18, 2005
7:30 a.m. Wake/breakfast
8:30 a.m. Stretch in main gym, guard in multipurpose room
9:15 a.m. Guard in multipurpose room, brass main gym, percussion ensemble in cafeteria
11:15 a.m. Purcussion lunch
11:30 a.m. Guard lunch
11:45 a.m. Brass lunch
12:15 p.m. Percussion in multipurpose room
12:30 p.m. Guard main gym
12:45 p.m. Brass cafeteria
2 p.m. Dog and pony show in main gym
3 p.m. Meeting in main gym
3:15 p.m. Clean/pack
4 p.m. Dismissed


MENU
Friday night snack
Corn dogs
Chips
Peanut butter and jelly

Saturday breakfast
Waffles
Sausage links
Cereal
Peanut butter and jelly

Saturday lunch
Grilled chicken sandwich
Green beans
Peaches
Brownies
Peanut butter and jelly

Saturday dinner
Salisbury steak
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Corn
Cookies
Peanut butter and jelly

Saturday snack
Postcard Pizza
Leftovers
Peanut butter and jelly

Sunday breakfast
Egg casserole
Muffins
Cereal
Peanut butter and jelly

Sunday lunch
Sloppy joes
French fries
Veggies and dip
Pudding parfaits
Peanut butter and jelly

Sometimes, you never know

I ran across this picture by accident the other day. I took it in March 2003. It's in the first batch of photos I ever contributed to colts.org. (Before I went on to bug the heck out of webmaster Katherine about photos, just because she said she liked my pictures.) The photo shows Charlotte, Polly, and Barry. They were three people I had barely met, but they are three people who grew to be very special to me.

It just goes to show that you never know when something extremely cool and important to your life is about to happen. Pay attention.

Colt dad wins weekly dci.org giveaway

John Reidelbach (Adam's dad) won! Click on the post title to read more.

Camp info posted

Information for this weekend's camp is posted HERE. The camp is at Roosevelt Middle School in Dubuque. Be sure to check colts.org for official updates or news about changes, not here at the Virtual Cooktruck. We'll be on the road or getting ready for camp, just like you.

Weather report and forecast for Dubuque

Google map


Most state road condition reports can be found by going to Accutraffic
Iowa road conditions link
Minnesota road conditions link
Wisconsin road conditions link
Illinois road conditions link
Nebraska road conditions link
Kansas road conditions link
Indiana road conditions link
Missouri road conditions link
Netherlands road conditions link
Oklahoma road conditions link
Texas road conditions link (the Texas maps only seem to work if you turn off your popup blocker, which I'm not willing to do)

Guard

Photo from banquet weekend by David S.

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Have funn in the next continuum

Guys, have a great weekend and enjoy! I'll be watching from the otherside of the ocean.
It is a contant question on my mind, what has the continuum for us in mind this season?
I have to restudy my books concerning quantum theories and other continuums.
Take your time and drive carefully to Colts continuum 2006 in winter conditions

Olaf "Alf"

Road conditions links

Most state road condition reports can be found by going to Accutraffic
Iowa road conditions link
Minnesota road conditions link
Wisconsin road conditions link
Illinois road conditions link
Nebraska road conditions link
Kansas road conditions link
Indiana road conditions link
Missouri road conditions link
Netherlands road conditions link (At Olaf's request)
Oklahoma road conditions link (for Katrina)
Texas road conditions link (the Texas maps only seem to work if you turn off your popup blocker, which I'm not willing to do)

Weather and road conditions links

Weather report and forecast for Dubuque

Dubuque area road conditions link

Brass

Photo from banquet weekend by David S.

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Preview video at colts.org

Nic has done it again. He has a new 2006 preview video posted and available for view. Click on this post's title to be taken to the colts.org page.

Weather and map

Weather report and forecast for Dubuque

Click for Google map of Dubuque. With Google maps you can zoom in and out on a location. Click and hold on the map to drag the map in the window.

Where're we goin' in 2006?

Photo from banquet weekend by David S.

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One last time...

Let's hear it for the postcards!


Photo from banquet by David S.

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Even more age-outs

Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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More age-outs

Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Colts at Disney Honor Corps

Sue Harris sent in these photos from the Disney Honor Corps, showing some of our Colts. Thanks, Sue!
(You didn't know Santa was a Colt? He always wears red, black, and white. Think about it....)




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(We'll continue with age-out speeches from banquet tomorrow....)

Age-out speeches

Photo from banquet by David S.

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So, 2006 begins

Photo from banquet by David S.

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Sign up soon to volunteer for the Continuum Tour in 2006. Contact Bill at colts.cooks@comcast.net to get on his calendar.

This public service announcement was brought to you by the crew at the CVC (Colts Virtual Cooktruck).

Colts' 2006 show is 'Continuum'

Click on the post title to read the item about the show at dci.org.

(Whew. Glad it's finally officially announced. It was hard not to talk about it -- david)

Outstanding Colts

They're all outstanding ... but here are a couple honored by their peers at banquet.
david


Photo from banquet by David S.

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Photo from banquet by David S.

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Colts looking for assistant director/tour manager

Click on this post's title to see the qualifications to be assistant director/tour manager for 2006. The deadline to apply is Dec. 10.

Postcards from the Road: the goodbye to 2005 essay

I know I kept promising an end-of-the-year essay, but I just couldn’t bring myself to write it. I just didn’t want to say goodbye to 2005. I still don’t. But now that the new year has dawned (in my calendar, Saturday night was New Year’s Eve and Sunday was New Year’s Day – without the Rose Parade), so here comes the official end of 2005 at the Virtual Cooktruck. I call it Postcards from the Road.

Things back home that make me miss tour: My sandal tan. I still can see it every morning when I climb out of bed and look down at my feet.

Postcard 1: The photo is at night in a stadium in Saydel, Iowa. Lights streaming down. Bugs bouncing off gazillion-watt bulbs. A sarcastic voice from the pressbox: “Great brass line. You beat the drum line to the end. You win.”

Things back home that make me miss tour: Walking across nearly deserted grocery store/Wal-Mart parking lots late at night. Sometimes I look for tour buses instead of my car.

Postcard 2: A rainy Fourth of July afternoon in a Chicago suburb. A blanket spread out on the grass in the hell strip between the street and sidewalk. A friendly Midwestern family sitting in lawn chairs nearby. “Where ya’ from?” the Dad asks. “We’re from West Des Moines, Iowa,” was the reply. “You came all that way for our crappy little parade? Cool.”

Things back home that make me miss tour: Discount T-shirt racks. It doesn’t have to be the 3-for-$10 rack at the Flying-J truckstop, but it helps.

Postcard 3: Pitch black night in Marlborough, Mass. Flashlight beams crisscrossing in the dark while we try to find a different place to plug in the cooktruck, since we’ve blown another breaker and can’t find the switchbox right away. A voice from inside the cooktruck, “It’s OK. We’re cooking by cell phone.” Huh? The ever resourceful Colts cooks had whipped out their cell phones, flipped them open so the lights came on, and were continuing to prepare snack.

Things back home that make me miss tour: Tour buses. Being on them. Seeing them. Any time. Any place.

Postcard 4: Which brings me to another tour picture. The parking lot of the Meadowlands stadium. Night, of course. “Hey, Jim. Let’s go look at the Marines' tour buses. I wonder if they travel on Van Hools.” A puzzled look from Jim. “Van Hools. They’re really cool tour buses made in Belgium. Top of the line.” Jim gives me a look mixed with admiration and disbelief: “You are a drum corps geek.”

Heard in the food line, about midseason (early days in the losing battle with the postcards and their supports): “By the Columbus Day show those props are going to kick ass.”

Things back home that make me miss tour: The Kool-Aid/powdered Gatorade aisle at the grocery store. “If you mix that and that, you’ll get….”

Postcard 5: Closeup of a striking pink flower, growing everywhere in the lowlands of Massachusetts. At the back of the school’s parking lot. Along the highway. In the swales next to the Gilette Stadium parking lot. We’re making the long walk back from the stadium, while equipment vehicles from the Santa Clara Vanguard stream by going in the opposite direction. Our parade and theirs stops at the same time. One guy on the SCV equipment cart looks at the other and says: “What’s the pretty pink flower?” I can’t resist jumping in with both feet: “It’s not a pretty pink flower. It’s purple loosestrife. It’s an invasive weed that’s taking over the wetlands of America.” The two SCV guys just look at me with their mouths sort of hanging open. Jim J. says, “Trust him. He’s from Better Homes and Gardens” and we start walking again.

Things back home that make me miss tour: Expiration dates on cereal boxes.

The final postcard: The scene is the far upper deck of Gillette Stadium on finals night, nearly down to the endzone. You know, the seats you can find if you have a wristband but no real ticket. Sebastian and I are sitting there watching and discussing each corps after their show. Real drum corps geek stuff. The guy in front of us is on his cell phone between each corps performance, doing pretty much the same thing we are except he’s using the latest technology and using up his monthly minutes. It’s after the thunderstorm break, and we’re pretty much settled with this routine. But after the Blue Devils show, the guy doesn’t pull out his cell phone. He turns to his wife and says, “ Honey, when it’s my time to die and you’ve made the decision to turn off the life support, say goodbye and then give me 22 more minutes before you pull the plug.” Well, his wife gives him this “What the hell are you taking about?” look and Seb and I give each other the same kind of look. “I’ve now seen this show twice. I want the 22 minutes back that I wasted watching the Blue Devils in 2005.”

Full house for banquet

Photo from banquet by David S.

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Trivia question of the day

Who did write the song 'As Time Goes By'?

(post the answer as a comment to this entry. And somebody tell me why I asked the question....)

It's banquet day!

We're in Dubuque. Let's celebrate!


Photo from Foxboro by David S.

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Get excited

Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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On the field, from Dubuque, Iowa ....

Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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Photo from Massachusetts by David S.

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