2012 Season Promises New Experiences

Welcome back to the 2012 edition of “The Captain and HarryD” SEC travelblog. Our last post was in November 2011 from LSU, with great hospitality and a unique experience. We start this season in Missouri, the newest addition to the SEC (along with Texas A&M). During the interim of 2011 until now things have been changing for both the Captain and me. The Captain and his lovely wife Ann (my sister in-law) have purchased a home in Foley , Alabama and are in the process of moving from Northern California back down south to God’s country, a.k.a. Crimson Tide territory by MANY in the SEC.

I on the other hand have had many opposite experiences including another round of cancer, a visit to M.D. Anderson, visits to many different doctors at my home hospital of Kennestone (in Marietta) to see if they actually figure out what can help cure me (jury still out on that one), a PICC line with 8 weeks of antibiotics along with other more personal family issues. But in the midst of this I have seen so much love, prayer and support from my church (HBF), my family and my community (Cherokee County, Ga.) and, most importantly my wife Susan, that I do feel blessed to be here and am thankful for each and every good day. Those days are coming more and more frequently and I am excited to share good days with my wife (I always look forward to the ‘best time of the day’), kids and grandkids, and (of course) I am excited that it is again time for SEC football. My favorite radio host and legendary UGA quarterback, Buck Belue, writes a very good blog for UGA football and I can tell he is excited about the upcoming season just like the rest of us. The Captain roots for Alabama’s Crimson Tide and they believe they are always in the mix for the National Championship. With many other outstanding teams in the SEC, LSU, Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina and Auburn, we now add Texas A&M and Missouri. I have been reading blogs about Mizzou and know that they are PUMPED for their entrée into the SEC AND their first conference game against #6 Georgia. Since our focus is more about the travel and traditions of each school, stadium and fans (our trip to Oxford vs. Alabama last year was everything it was touted to be) I have been asking questions of the Mizzou fans about their stadium traditions, and tailgating experiences. I hope we find some hospitable Mizzou fans although it will be hard to top the hospitality we enjoyed at LSU (but we can always hope!). Let the GAMES Begin!!

Headed to the Legendary Grove @ Ole Miss!

Sorry folks for being so long away, circumstances have dictated that I spend more time at Kennestone H. and less time traveling to SEC stadiums BUT I have not stopped dreaming about getting on the road again and The Captain and I (and another brother in-law Mike H. and Bruce, the Cap'ns brother) will set out tomorrow for Oxford Mississippi and the Legendary Grove. Tickets this round are compliments of the Captain who is a Tide fan from California. He grew up on the panhandle of FLA, retired from the Air Force and a teaching career in Cal., and vacations every summer in Orange Beach. He and his wife are slowly but inexorably moving their way back to their roots and have recently purchased a year-round home in the area close to Foley, AL. The Captain has chosen to spend his fall days remodeling the house, watching SEC football and being in closer proximity to the Nirvana that is the SEC, the best football conference in the country!

We are visiting Ole Miss because of #2 University of Alabama playing in Oxford but since only one of the 4 of us is a Tide fan, (a Ga. Bulldog, Kentucky Wildcat and Fla. Gator make up the quartet) we all come to pay homage to the Holy Grail of Tailgating, The Grove at Ole Miss!

More to come after Saturday -"Hotty Toddy" Ya'll!!