A Gold Medal For Peoria In The End...Then Off To Springfield

So I lied yesterday...the trip to Springfield is SOUTH from Peoria. Not North. My apologies to anyone who caught my mistake.
You will be happy to know that our travelers made it to Peoria (some with luggage...some without), our AMAZING Tech Staff set a Load-In Record for 3 hours, our 2 shows went great and the kids were pretty receptive to it all, and we hit the road and made it to Springfield, Illinois and found a great city waiting for us! A SIDE NOTE ABOUT TODAY: I have to give a HUGE shout out to Elisa, Torg, Emily, Todd and Chris and their amazing dedication to keeping this show rolling! Today, they had the unbearable task of loading in the show in Peoria (starting at 6 am and having it ready for us to take the stage at 9 am for a 10 ams show), running the show twice, loading the show OUT of Peoria, packing it and driving down to Springfield (about 75 miles) and then loading the show IN again here at our venue for our 2 shows tomorrow! On all accounts, that is a LONG day and the 5 of them did it and did it with flying colors! We are a lucky cast to have the tech crew that we have running this show - and my hat is off to them for their amazing work all the time, but specifically for today.
The rest of our day was doing our own things. We got to Springfield just as everything was closing - but I still took a couple of hours and walked around the city and checked out all the Abraham Lincoln stuff in the area that I am going to go BACK to tomorrow, when it is open!
(For those who don't know what I'm talking about - Lincoln lived in Springfield from his early 20's to his 50's, when he left to go to the White House.) I will be checking out, among other things: Lincoln's Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln's Tomb, Lincoln's Home and the Abaraham Lincoln Capital Airport. (I guess I didn't even realize Lincoln had his pilot's license.)

This is the Old State Capital Buidling. Both in color - and in black & white. It was here that President Lincoln delivered his famous speech which included "...a house divided against itself cannot stand."

Outside the Illinois State Capital Building. You first come to a statue of Lincoln - and then as you walk closer to the Capital, you come to a statue of Stephen Douglas. (Remember our lesson yesterday - the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debate? It's all coming together!) FYI: for more information on just WHO Douglas was...click HERE.

Anyway - the SURPRISE of the day in Peoria was looking up and seeing 1994 Gold Medalist OKSANA BAIUL standing backstage with us. She was in town doing promotional stuff for ICE WARS 2005 that take place in Peoria next week. Evidently, they wanted to trot her out to the kids and have them tell their parents they want to see the skate show! Hope it works. She was nice enough to get a picture with us...but not nice enough to sit through our hour-long show - before she had to come back and do her announcement at the second show. Perhaps she had to go wrap her rental car around a local tree or telephone pole. (OH YES I went there....)

Here we are with Oksana. Tara knitted her that scarf really quickly while we were standing backstage. Still don't recognize Oksana?

Maybe THESE will help. Or scare you. Either way - that's her.

Now it's time to sleep in the Land Of Lincoln. Stories and pictures from an exciting day tomorrow. (I can just feel it...I can't explain how...)
Good night!
G


Andrew manages his iTunes in our room in Peoria. He gets VERY serious when it comes to his music.


THIS ONE IS FOR THE GIRLS OF TEAM MM - CHRISTINE AND SHANNA! Here is my dressing station in Peoria. Notice anything FAMILIAR? Thanks for sending him along...the floating head is seeing the country with me!


L: Eric inthe dressing room in Peoria. And the shadow of Chris' head looms large. R: Elisa smiles backstage as she grabs something out of her stage manager bin.


Tonight, at Sammy's Sports Bar...we all were just chillin'. Jen will be happy to know that I chose the picture where she DIDN'T have a french fry up her nose...although this IS the one where Andrew looks...um...SULTRY. hahaha (ask Andrew....)

The other side of the table at Sammy's. Aren't we CRAZY?

Chris and Jackie....um...deep in discussion...and a final explanation from Jackie. For further information on this discussion, you'll have to check with Chris or Jackie. My feeble attempt at explaining it here just wouldn't do it justice.

At Sammy's Sports Bar in Springfield, DELIGHTFULLY entertaining signs abound.


2 more of those ZANY Sammy's Signs. These 2 are over the urinals in the Mens Bathroom. A HUGE thanks to Chris Sizemore and his stealth photography skills for getting the pics!


OK - so this ad was in a magazine for Springfield Tourism. It just struck me as....ODD, I guess. They make it sound like Jesus wore Lucky Jeans and a sweatshirt to church. Anyway - if you don't find it funny...um...deal with it.

These are just some shots from my walk around town today. These are all 'ART SHOTS' from the Illinois State Capital Building. I had a good time...and felt like an ACTION PHOTOGRAPHER...on assignment.