Today is Thursday, May 31; it's a cornfield tour day

We are in Platteville, Wisconsin.

Click here for weather report and forecast for Platteville, Wisconsin





Today's Menu
Breakfast
French toast
Bacon

Lunch
Beanie weenies
Southern homemade corn bread
Tropical fruit

Dinner
Meatloaf
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Green beans

Meal 4
Ham or turkey sandwiches (2)
Lettuce, tomato, cheese
Chips


May camp rehearsal
Photo by David S.


Today's Schedule
7 a.m. Wake/Stretch
7:30 Breakfast
8:30 Vis: brass and percussion at baseball field; guard at stadium
12:20 p.m. Rehearsal ends
12:30 Lunch for brass and percussion
12:50 Lunch for guard
1:30 Sectionals: brass at stadium; guard at field house; percussion at baseball field
5:20 Rehearsal ends
5:30 Dinner
6:30 Warmup
7 Full ensemble in stadium with lights
9:30 Visual only rehearsal
10:50 Rehearsal ends
11 Meal 4
12 Lights out

Today's Cooks
Luba and Penny, co-head cooks
Tom T.
Jim H.
Judy H.
Ann G.

Today's News
Big birthday celebration with ice cream and cake for Francisco at Meal 4 last night.

A member of the tuba line was surprised to be taking a shower with the instrument. (How else do you clean a tuba?)

The visiting professor and his class members left this morning after having breakfast at the cooktruck.

Things seem to be going along very well there in Platteville.

As always, check colts.org for the latest official word on tour news, housing sites, mail drops, or other corps information.

Today is Wednesday, May 30; it's a cornfield tour day

We are in Platteville, Wisconsin.

Click here for weather report and forecast for Platteville, Wisconsin





Today's Menu
Breakfast
Egg and cheese bake
Sausage
Fresh fruit
Cereal

Lunch
Sloppy joes (2)
Potato wedges
Corn

Dinner
Chicken breasts
Linguini
Salad
Bread sticks
Pears

Meal 4
Deluxe nachos
Shredded lettuce
Tomatoes
Sour cream
Salsa


Breakfast on Memorial Day
Photo by David S.


Today's Schedule
7 a.m. Wake/Stretch
7:30 Breakfast
8:30 Vis: brass and percussion at baseball field; guard at stadium
12:20 p.m. Rehearsal ends
12:30 Lunch for brass and percussion
12:50 Lunch for guard
1:30 Sectionals: brass at baseball field; guard at track; percussion at stadium
5:20 Rehearsal ends
5:30 Dinner
6:30 Warmup
7 Full ensemble in stadium
9 Rehearsal ends
9:10 Rehearsal inside
10 Meal 4
11 Lights out

Today's Cooks
Luba and Penny, co-head cooks
Tom T.
Jim H.
Judy H.
Ann G.

Today's News
Happy Birthday to Francisco M., tenor

The cooks say, "Everthing is nice and quiet. Everybody's doing fine."

As always, check colts.org for the latest official word on tour news, housing sites, mail drops, or other corps information.

Maps

Some of you are seeing a Google map of the Colts whereabouts posted on the daily virtual cooktruck, with those alien-shaped Google pointers that tell you the "Was, Are, Will be" information -- a high tech solution that doesn't really work as well as just sticking pins in the side of the real cooktruck.

Some browsers are not reading the maps, I know, and we are working on the technical aspects of that. Seems to be worst on Macs and older browsers. If you're not seeing maps, but just an empty box, please email me and tell me what computer and browser version you're using. We'll work through the new season bugs eventually.

Also, please be aware that these maps are not correct down to street level, even though you can zoom in on them. I'm NOT using the actual school addresses to locate the corps. These can change at the last minute and I'm not the official source of how to find the corps on any given day anyway. PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO FOLLOW THESE MAPS TO THE HOUSING SITE. THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO WORK THAT WAY, AND YOU WILL GET LOST.

Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.

david

Today is Tuesday, May 29; it's a cornfield tour day

We are in Platteville, Wisconsin.

Click here for weather report and forecast for Platteville, Wisconsin





Today's Menu
Breakfast
Oatmeal
Bagels and cream cheese
Fresh fruit

Lunch
Chicken-tomato soup
Grilled cheese
Chips

Dinner
Hamburger or cheeseburger (2)
French fries
Carrots
Peaches

Meal 4
Corn dogs (2)
Mac 'n' cheese

Today's Schedule
8 a.m. Wake/Stretch
8:30 Breakfast
9:30 Brass and percussion - visual; guard at stadium
12:50 p.m. Rehearsal ends for brass and percussion
1 p.m. Lunch for brass and percussion
1:20 Lunch for guard
2 Sectionals: brass at baseball field; percussion at track; guard at stadium
5:20 Rehearsal ends
5:30 Dinner
6:30 Warmup
7 Full ensemble
9 Rehearsal ends
9:10 Rehearsal inside
10 Meal 4
11 Lights out

Today's Cooks
Luba and Penny, co-head cooks
Tom T.
Jim H.
Judy H.
Ann G.

Today's News
The weather is sunny and humid but only about 75 degrees by mid-morning.

Cliff, a college professor, brought about five of his students to see the Colts rehearse today. The students are observing visual drill and sometimes trying to follow along at the back of the field. This is all for class credit. Cliff helped out with light tasks on the cooktruck.

Happy Birthday to Dan M., baritone

As always, check colts.org for the latest official word on tour news, housing sites, mail drops, or other corps information.

Today is Monday, May 28; it's Memorial Day

We are in Dubuque, Iowa.

Click here for weather report and forecast for Dubuque, Iowa





Today's Menu
Breakfast
Pancakes
Bacon
Cereal

Lunch
Butt chops
Chips
Pudding

Dinner
Sub sandwiches
Salad

Meal 4
Chicken nuggets
Cottage cheese

Today's Schedule
8:30 am Wake/Eat/Pack/Clean school
10:25 am Get on the buses or into your cars
10:30 am Depart for Colts Center (1101 Central Avenue). If you have a car at Washington, please follow the buses to the Colts Center now. There is no opportunity to return to Washington after the parade.
11:00 am Unload battery and tubas at Colts Center and pit eat immediately. Everyone - take everything for the parade off the bus NOW, including your uniform hanger!
11:30 am Truck and pit to Washington Park and set up. (Truck stays at park). Lunch and dress in ½ uniform
12:15 pm Walk to Jackson Park (Kitchen truck to Platteville)
12:30 pm Sectional warm ups
1:15 pm Full ensemble in Jackson Park
1:30 pm Parade begins-we’re last about 1:45
*2:30 pm Summer Premier Concert!
Load all battery, flags, tubas. Do not load brass. Walk to Colts Center as a group in ½ uniform. (Bass/Tenors please stay to help pit load). Change, hang up and lay uniforms on tables and wait patiently.
*4:30 pm Truck arrives at Colts Center. Load brass instruments and then uniforms on the truck. (Pit-clear aisle first)
5:00 pm Full corps meeting - everyone
5:30 pm Depart for Platteville. If you are leaving a car, follow the designated bus to the lot now for pick up.
*6:00 pm Arrive/completely unload buses
6:45 pm Dinner at food truck. Buses depart.
7:30-9:15 pm Sectionals outdoors.
9:30 pm Visual indoors
11:00 pm Snack
12:00 am Lights out

* Approximate times

As always, check colts.org for the latest official word on tour news, housing sites, mail drops, or other corps information.

May camp menu (through Sunday)

Friday
Snack
Nachos

Saturday
Breakfast
Egg bake

Lunch
BBQ pork
Scalloped potatoes
Green beans

Dinner
Chicken casserole
Peas and carrots
Peaches

Meal 4
Beef stew and biscuits

Sunday
Breakfast
French toast
Sausage links

Lunch
Ravioli
Salad
Corn

Dinner
Turkey and dressing
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Fruit salad

Meal 4
Tuna mac and cheese

May camp schedule

Friday May 25
8:00 pm Unload/Check in
9:00 pm Full meeting-everyone-main gym
9:15 pm Rehearsal – Brass main gym, Guard small gym, Pit cafeteria, Percussion band/choir rooms
11:00 pm Snack
12:00 am Lights out

Saturday May 26
8:00 am Wake/Eat
8:15 am Caption Head Meeting – Classroom
9:00 am Stretch – Perc/Brass Main gym, Guard Small Gym
9:45 am Sectionals
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm Visual - brass and percussion, Guard and pit sectionals
5:30 pm Dinner. Staff please eat first.
5:45 pm Full Staff Meeting normal classroom
6:30 pm Warmup – all sections
7:30 pm Full ensemble outside
8:45 pm End rehearsal-move indoors
9:00 pm Music Sectionals-Brass in small gym, Percussion band room, Pit cafeteria, Guard main gym
11:00 pm Snack
12:00 am Lights out

Sunday May 27
Today’s rehearsal blocks are subject to change based on weather and progress!
8:00 am Wake/Eat
9:00 am Stretch – Perc/Brass Main Gym, Guard Small Gym
9:45 am Sectionals
10:30 am Visual brass and percussion
12:15 pm Lunch
1:15 pm Visual - brass and percussion, Guard and pit sectionals
5:00 pm Dinner
6:00 pm Full corps meeting-main gym
6:30 pm Sectionals
7:30 pm Music Ensemble Outside
8:45 pm End rehearsal-move indoors
9:00 pm Sectionals
10:30 pm Load all percussion and tubas on truck. Brass cases on truck empty - (instruments on laps tomorrow).

Guard equipment on truck (except
parade flag). Load all possible personal items in buses or cars. Keep your uniform parts and your uniform hanger with you on the bus.

11:15 pm Snack
12:15 am Lights out

Monday May 28
8:30 am Wake/Eat/Pack/Clean school
10:25 am Get on the buses or into your cars
10:30 am Depart for Colts Center (1101 Central Avenue). If you have a car at Washington, please follow the buses to the Colts Center now. There is no opportunity to return to Washington after the parade.
11:00 am Unload battery and tubas at Colts Center and pit eat immediately. Everyone - take everything for the parade off the bus NOW, including your uniform hanger!
11:30 am Truck and pit to Washington Park and set up. (Truck stays at park). Lunch and dress in ½ uniform
12:15 pm Walk to Jackson Park (Kitchen truck to Platteville)
12:30 pm Sectional warm ups
1:15 pm Full ensemble in Jackson Park
1:30 pm Parade begins-we’re last about 1:45
*2:30 pm Summer Premier Concert!
Load all battery, flags, tubas. Do not load brass. Walk to Colts Center as a group in ½ uniform. (Bass/Tenors please stay to help pit load). Change, hang up and lay uniforms on tables and wait patiently.
*4:30 pm Truck arrives at Colts Center. Load brass instruments and then uniforms on the truck. (Pit-clear aisle first)
5:00 pm Full corps meeting - everyone
5:30 pm Depart for Platteville. If you are leaving a car, follow the designated bus to the lot now for pick up.
*6:00 pm Arrive/completely unload buses
6:45 pm Dinner at food truck. Buses depart.
7:30-9:15 pm Sectionals outdoors.
9:30 pm Visual indoors
11:00 pm Snack
12:00 am Lights out

* Approximate times

It's camp day -- and move-in time

It's time for May camp, Memorial Day, and move-in.

Make sure you go to colts.org and read all the new information you need for camp and for leaving on tour!

Let the tour begin

OK, I'm not even on tour yet and I've already made a late-night (well, sort of late night) Wal-Mart run to pick up enough rotini to make pasta salad for 150. (Graduation party Friday night...)

God, I love summer.

david

Uniform work

Photo by David S.
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Drill work

Photo by David S.
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Guard work

Photo by David S.
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What's the expiration date on that cereal?

Photo by David S.
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Cadets

Photo by David S.
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Toss

Photo by David S.
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Pinned

Photo by David S.
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New cook calendar posted

A new cook calendar is available for download by clicking on the link in the right sidebar. Things are really beginning to look good for parts of tour -- we're even full for cooks for a few days already -- but we still need your help in a couple of places.

Bill sends his very sincere thanks to everyone who has volunteered time on tour this summer. He told me to say, "The members will have much better opportunity to succeed due to the volunteers dedication to the kids, the Corps, and the other cooks."

That said, there's still room for you and time for you to sign up. Contact Bill (the email address is listed on the right side of this page) to get your name on the list and join in the fun!

The beginning and end of July look good. We still need help from the early morning on Sunday, July 8 (Allentown, PA), to Thursday, July 19 (Dallas, TX), and again for the two days leaving San Antonio, TX ,on Sunday, July 22, until we arrive in Lawrence, KS, on Tuesday, July 24.

From then on, we're pretty good until Thursday, August 2 (El Paso, TX), to Saturday, August 4 (Phoenix, AZ).

These are not the only dates that we still have room for you to join in. They're just the most critical "holes" to fill right now!

And remember, we can use your help if you can only stop by to volunteer for a day or two. Every extra hand helps on tour!

Thanks again from Bill and all the rest of us volunteers.

Mail drop information posted at colts.org

Mike Grimes has posted the mail drop information for tour at colts.org. There are also links on the main colts.org page about volunteers needed for early move-in (a week from today) and directions to the National Guard armory in Dubuque, if you're looking to move in early.

You better be checking colts.org at least once a day because there's lots of information coming out about tour that you'll want to know. Mike's doing a great job of using the colts.org website to keep you informed. Take advantage of it.

Don't rely on me to keep you informed of when there's updates. I'll do my best, but there's other things going on at our house -- including a high school graduation -- and sometimes I'm not keeping up as well as I should.

david

Stocking up

Photo by David S.
Click HERE to open a full-size image in a new window.

Don't miss the link

Be sure to read the comment on the "Reflections" picture below. It has a link to the cover of the new DCI magazine, which features Yuka!

david

Reflections

Photo by David S.
Click HERE to open a full-size image in a new window.

Spin

Photo by David S.
Click HERE to open a full-size image in a new window.

Heartland

Photo by David S.
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2007 Colts

Photo by David S.
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Get excited

There are April camp pictures posted. Follow the link in the right sidebar.


Photo by David S.
Click HERE to open a full-size image in a new window.

April Camp Schedule

Friday, April 27
7:30 p.m. Unload equipment/registration
9 – Full corps meeting in cafeteria
9:20 – Rehearsal: brass in cafeteria, guard in main gym, pit in hallway, percussion in music rooms
11:30 – Snack
12:30 – Lights out

Saturday, April 28
8 a.m. – Wake/eat
9 – Brass/percussion stretch main gym, guard stretch in multipurpose room
9:15 – Volunteer organization meeting in cafeteria
9:30 – Sectionals: brass in cafeteria, percussion in music rooms, pit in hallway, guard gym or outside
10 – Cadet trailer at Roosevelt
12:45 p.m. – Full corps meeting
1:15 – Lunch
2 – Buses depart for drill practice field in Farley
2:15 – Guard main gym or outside
2 – Board meeting in Colts office
5:55 – Load buses in Farley and depart for Roosevelt
6:15 – Dinner: staff eat first, please
6:25 – Full staff meeting in band room
7:15 – Guard outside or in gym, brass cafeteria, percussion in music rooms, pit hallway
9 – Full music ensemble
10:45 – Load trucks/cars/buses with everything possible, clean school
11:30 – Snack
12:15 a.m. – Lights out

Sunday, April 29
7:45 a.m. – Wake/eat
8:30 – Clean/pack/load all but cafeteria
8:45 – Percussion to Senior High
9:45 – Brass sectionals in cafeteria, guard in gym or outside
10 – Cadet truck at Senior
11 – Cadets arrive at Senior
11:30-12:30 Cadets rehearse in main gym
11:30 – Guard leaves for Senior
11:45 – Guard rehearse in upstairs gym
12:15 – Brass leaves for Senior
12:30 – Youth Chorale bus from Grand River Center to Senior High
12:40-1:45 – Full Colts ensemble in main gym
1:15 – Senior guard in upstairs gym
1:45 – Colts sectionals, Senior guard set floor for their show

COLTS SPRING DEBUT
2:02 – Introduction and welcome
2:05 – Introduce Senior guard performance
2:10 – Senior guard performance
2:15 – Introduce Colts Youth Choirs
2:20 – Colts Youth Choirs performance
2:30 – Introduce Colt Cadets
2:35 – Colt Cadets performance
2:50 – Introduce Colts Drum & Bugle Corps
3 – Colts performance
3:15 – Meeting/load equipment
4 – Dismiss

April Camp Menu

Friday snack
Pretzels

Saturday breakfast
Egg McMona
Fruit
Cereal

Saturday lunch
Salisbury steak
Mashed potatoes
Corn

Saturday dinner
Chicken Parmesan
Spaghetti
Garlic toast
Salad

Saturday snack
Pork tenderloins
Broccoli and rice
Green beans

Sunday breakfast
Pancakes
Bacon
Cereal

Sunday lunch
Sub sandwich sack lunch

Thanks for a great camp!

Thanks to everyone who helped make last weekend's camp such a success -- and such fun!

Meals got cooked. (Did you get some of my pancakes?) The cooktruck got tweaked and cleaned and set up for tour. Summer plans got made. And the corps got to practice drill under sunny, blue skies.

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers for all your hard work. But thanks especially to the corps for a debut performance that got me very excited for summer to be here. And how about that M.C. for the debut?

TO ALL VOLUNTEERS: If you haven't made your summer tour plans yet, please contact Bill right away. (His email address is listed at the right side of this page.) There are still spots on the cooktruck calendar that are critically low on help. We need YOU to sign up today.
Thanks,
david