Rollin' with a new crowd

The Torch's hectic trip to Cincinnati for the NCAA Midwest Regional

The bus stopped where we lost our older passenger and his grandson. Both returned safe and sound. Photo by: Harrison Watt, Sports Editor
The bus stopped where we lost our older passenger and his grandson. Both returned safe and sound.
Photo by: Harrison Watt, Sports Editor
I’ve been writing about Ferris hockey for the Torch since the beginning of the 2012-13 season, and now I’m seeing what makes the program special.

There are wins on the ice and there have been some wild games and finishes. It certainly seems to me that just when I’ve seen the craziest Ferris hockey game that I can remember, they one-up the madness.

Through it all, are some real fans, who took their weekend and invested it in traveling the Cincinnati, Ohio to see the Midwest Regionals of the NCAA Men’s Div. I Hockey Tournament.

Here’s just some of the hilarity and fun that ensued on our way down to Cincinnati from Big Rapids.

4:22 a.m.
Me (Thought): I still have an hour to sleep Shuts off alarm clock

5:33 a.m. (Bus leaves Ewigleben at 6:00 a.m. sharp)
Me: Eyes shoot open CRAP!

5:47 a.m.
Boarding bus but forgot that my headphones are at the very bottom of my backpack…human interaction is now a necessity for survival.

5:59 a.m.
Bus rolls out of Ewigleben Parking lot.

8:47 a.m.
Bus stops near Ann Arbor. People hop out to stretch, relieve themselves, and get some food. I take to a nerf football game with Ferris Hockey “Super-Fan” John Milan and a few others while wearing my very restrictive blazer. I lean back and launch one that the wind catches, nearly hits and elderly woman. I proceeded to turn quickly back for the bus, head down in embarrassment.

11:00 a.m.
Bus stops again, crew gets out for quick food stop.

11:35 a.m.
Most of the crew is on the bus, some guy hasn’t come back yet with his grandson. Bus population worries. Milan gives me a few quips about my lack of ability to play Euchre in the interim. Seems to ease the mood of the bus. But in all honesty can somebody teach me Euchre?

11:42 a.m.
Bus elects me to look in nearby restaurant. I walk in, and don’t see him, return to the bus.

11:52 a.m.
Bus rolls out to the main road to see if we can find him.

11:55 a.m.
Found him and his grandson safe. He was sitting in the back of the restaurant where I couldn’t see him. (Whoops…)

2:00 p.m. (Now 30 minutes behind schedule)
Prior to our incident with the missing passenger, we were 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Now we’re reaching Cincinnati and a massive traffic jam.

2:15 p.m. (Now 45 minutes behind schedule)
We venture for a different bridge, as there is a major accident on the main bridge to Kentucky (Where the band and Fans are staying in separate hotels).

2:25 p.m. (55 minutes behind schedule)
Off the bus! Now my adventure back across the river begins.

3:00 p.m.
Taxi shows up

3:20 p.m.
Unpack in my room

3:30 p.m.
Aimlessly iron my clothes while talking on the phone, burn finger. This is my kind of day.

4:05 p.m.
Leave room for rink on foot

4:23 p.m.
Arrive at rink, get lost in a very confusing stadium.

4:28 p.m.
Arrive in press row, miss entire National Anthem, just barely get the line up card down to the student section (Torch tradition) and doff my blazer.

4:31 p.m.
Puck drops.