Trip Report: Opie & Anthony Traveling Virus - PNC 2008
Opie & Anthony’s Traveling Virus went out well this year. I honestly don’t think I’ve had this much fun in years now. Things went off, for me at least, without a hitch.
I got my ticket a month ago, but I honestly had no intention of going into the venue what so ever. I went down to hang with my friends in the parking lot, not to go inside. I arrived at 1:20ish, and you know you’re in a good crowd when you pull into a spot and can hear people start screaming “GAAAAMBIT” before you even turn the radio down or open a door or window
Immediately I ran into Buf and Heather (who I’m so glad could make it up from FL). It was pouring for the entire two and a half hour drive, yet within 10 minutes of my getting there things cleared up. I was driving the entire time thinking it was going to be a disaster but the weather cooperated with us so it was all good.
PNC Security and NJ state troopers attempted to boot us around 3 or so. Its hard to eject 200+ fans who have been established for 3 hours, are 10+ drinks in, and have grills running. It also would’ve helped their case if they got there before the fans did to turn them away, but that wasn’t the case either. A number of us talked with them, but the credit needs to go entirely to Deb, Anthony and Kenny. Understandably, Ant and CSK had the largest “pull” officially, but you will never in your life find another person in this community more dedicated to the cause than Debbie is.
What was funny for me was, even with this crowd… I’m still Gambit. There are so many “rob”s its just easier for me to go under my nickname. I really don’t mind at all.
I upgrade my camera from my Sony DSC-P72 I got back in 2004 as a gift to a new FujiFilm FinePix S700, mostly for this event. Buf’s party back on the 4th was all I needed to convince me it was time to stop carrying that brick around and get something with some quality. I upgraded 4 cameras in the last 30 days: two digicams and two webcams.
I honestly had no plans on getting photos this year, but I wanted to capture the event as best I could. I still managed somehow to get photos with a bunch of friends, and a big thank you goes out to everyone who took the photos for me.
Quick rundown of my favs:
- kel and me (kel gives good hugs, pass it on)
- ant and myself (i know during this I was vocally thanking him profusely for the photo op)
- bubko and me (gaz took a photo of us at Dave & Caseys wedding, but we couldn’t get a copy from him. Pfui)
- lucci and myself (she disappeared from the community… haven’t seen her since the wedding either. I’m so happy she made it)
- i has a sign (which perhaps might be living on my front lawn right now)
I took some photos for other folks who didn’t have cams, and gave them my business card with all my contact info. No ones emailed me so far to get their pics back, which is too bad. I’m sure they woke up Sunday, fished it out of their pockets and went “Why the fuck do I have this?” Everything’s up in the gallery, so hopefully they’ll find them.
I also had the opportunity to shake Danny and Travis’s hands for the complete douching I was served on last Tuesday’s incomplete walkover. I don’t care, I had a blast anyway, and I completely understand that it was a last minute thing. Whether they realized it had happened or not, I wanted to congrat them anyway.
The night ended basically with PNC/State troopers forcing us into the event, or back onto the road. I had no intention of heading on inside, but faced with the decision it was better for me to do that than head home. Things let out at 11:22, I made by goodbyes and headed back (thank yous to Bob and Kel who offered their hotels and homes for me to crash in)
The ride home was a bitch (you jersey drivers are horrible), but I grouped myself with a number of other pests on the way back. You don’t think you really make an impression, but tons of people whipped past or hung with me on the GSP, honking and waving. Apparently my GAMBIT32 license tags were a good investment.
My entirely gallery from the day is here: http://gambit32.org/gallery2/v/pnc2008/ If you happen across it, and find yourself in a photo you’d rather not be publicized, please drop me an email, PM, AIM, whatever, and I’ll yank it. I’ve already contacted a ton of people who may not have have realized their pic was being taken to make sure things were OK that I post, and took a few down already. Theres no point causing problems with our group, so if you see something you want pulled, please let me know.
Even though they say this is the last year, Im praying theyre wrong. I’ll be there for the next event, and I dont care if I need to take a flight for it to happen.
Best. Community. Ever.
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