Concert Choir Day Two: The best thing to come out of Iowa all day (Part Duex)

Aloha – 

My apologies for not getting the blog finished last night.  That happens sometimes.  Here is what you missed.

When we last left our polo’d heroes, they were just waking-up for their “nappy-wappy”.  We were still well ahead of schedule, but we just didn’t come across any real great souvenir stores.  Instead, we called ahead to the church and asked if we could stop by early, which is rarely an issue and wasn’t this day either.

Rolling Hills Presbyterian is a wonderful church.  The people are amazing, the facilities are amazing, and the food they serve is outstanding.  We came here last year with the Voyager Choir and they asked us to come back this year with our Concert Choir.  We were very happy to be able to make this work out!

So after getting our things settled and our jobs completed at the church, the boys were treated to a chicken nugget dinner –perfect!  We then proceeded to warm-ups and prepared for the concert.

 

In the midst of all the preparations, Aaron met with their director of music for the church, Mr. Charles Bruffy.  He is a wonderfully talented musician for several organizations:. He currently conducts the Kansas City Chorale, the Kansas City Symphony Chorus and the Phoenix Chorale, and is Director of Music at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church.  You can read more about him here: http://www.kcchorale.org/conductor.html .  He wasn’t able to make our concert because of symphony practice, but agreed to come on Friday morning and conduct a short workshop with the boys.  What an opportunity to work with this two-time Grammy Award winning conductor!  (Be sure to watch for more in tomorrow’s blog!)

The concert went great!  Because there wasn’t really a great spot to record from, I didn’t, and now I regret it.  Right from the get-go, the boys had energy and really entertained the audience.  It was a fun show to be at.  In the crowd was Mr. Pete DeMars, one of the original 18 choirboys of the LOLCB from 1976.  He was a real treat to talk to and share where our organization is headed.  He seemed very impressed with the boys and program.  We were able to take a quick picture with him before saying our goodbyes for the evening and heading to our host families.

I am happy to report that all of the boys are in good health, great spirits, and the odor level is still at tolerable levels in the bus…but that will be changing in the next 48 hours.  Keep those emails and letters coming!

 One final note - we had another donation towards our tour from former Land of Lakes Choirboy and Prefect Cullen Graner.  Thank you, Cullen!  If you would like to donate towards our tour, please visit http://givemn.razoo.com/story/2012concerttour.  Thank you!

-P.J.

Concert Choir Day Two: The best thing to come out of Iowa all day

Aloha!

The boys are resting right now so I have a few minutes to update you all.  (Prefects don’t take naps – it’s a sign of weakness.  Prefects never show weakness.) 

 

The rain pushed through and left us with beautiful puffy clouds floating amongst the sun and blue sky.  The temperature is on the warmer side, about 86 degrees or so, but the bus AC is working okay so far.  From the looks of things, it’s going to get a good work-out on this tour.  Later in the week when we get to Evansville, it is supposed to be pushing 100 or so.  That will be a real test for us.

This morning went very well.  The host families in West Des Moines were very good to these boys and I think they really enjoyed having them in their homes.  Lots of hugs and email exchanges were going on before we boarded the bus.  Our Tour Jobs are starting to come along better as well.  Landon has his crew figuring things out with the suitcases and Jeffrey is handling the cooler crew efficiently as well.  As the tour goes along, we invent new jobs for the boys to do as well.  This morning, Camden added “GPS Setter-upper Guy” to his list of accomplishments.

Another new job is something we have been dreaming-up for a few years now.  You’d probably be surprised to know how little some of these boys retain when we go through the itinerary with them.  Generally, in the morning only a handful of the older boys actually could even tell us what direction we are traveling during the day.  To help combat this, (in theory), we are now tasking a boy to give a general run-down of the day ahead, including temperature, concerts, sight-seeing plans, and any other information that may be helpful to the boys.  This *should* help to alleviate some of the 14,298 questions we get in a typical day.  (Last year’s “Question King” was Joey…James is making a good, solid run at claiming that title through the first 29 hours.)  Jack was our first victim to give the spiel.  He did really well and set a good example for what we are looking for with this job.

So after some announcements and reflection on the previous 24 hours, we made our first stop at a Wal-Mart so we could replenish a few last minute items we weren’t able to get back home.  (One young lad bought a new toothbrush, toothpaste, and some deodorant with his spending money to replace the ones he left in his host home last night.  That is a $4.97 lesson that is sure to be remembered.  The LOLCB can buy a ticket for a boy at a cost of $20 and they won’t blink, but the second they have to “throw-away” money out of their personal account…that is when you really get their attention!)

Kenny handed-out the mail from the day before.  I must apologize about the email problem.  We are now receiving emails from parents to boys through mail@lolcb.org.  For some reason, that account stopped syncing to my phone, but it is fixed now.  The past day’s letters will be printed this evening and handed-out today for the boys.

A few miles down the road near the Iowa/Missouri border we stopped for lunch.  The boys had a chance to stretch their legs and relax.  It was an awesome rest area, complete with automatic doors!  (That’s a big deal in our world.)  After we finished lunch, we went through the state facts and Aaron gave the boys some local weird laws to know so they didn’t get arrested while in Missouri.  The last thing we need is some boy going to jail for putting a bathtub in his home that has four feet that resemble an animal – that will not be tolerated in the “Show-Me” State.

Well, the boys are probably ready to get-up now.  We are about an hour ahead of schedule, so chances are fairly high we are going to find a big old truck stop and do some souvenir shopping.  Before the boys wake-up though, I need to research “How many calories does typing burn”.

-          P.J.

Concert Choir Tour - Day One: We came, we saw, we got rained on.

Aloha!

The boys should all be snuggled into their beds after an awesome first day of tour!  I can't ever remember having a first day go as smoothly as this did.  Let me tell you about it!

This morning went by so fast.  After the hugs and pictures at the building, the boys boarded the bus and we made our way south.  Aaron and I had the feeling that we forgot something, in part because we always feel that way, but also in part because despite the fact that we have 6 boys more than we usually travel with, the bus had oodles of spare room in the bays and above.  So far, we can't think of anything (or anybody) we forgot.

Our first stop was for lunch in the rest stop near Elko.  The rain held-off the entire time we were there, so that was nice.  Ethan was pretty proud of his sardines he brought for lunch.  (The deal was, as long as I didn't have to smell them, see them, or taste them, he could bring them.)  To the best of my knowledge, he actually ate them and was able to keep them down.  Go Ethan!

After lunch, we tried something a little new for rest period.  Since Day One is always a bad day for getting the boys to actually nap, we let them put their headphones in and fall asleep that way.  I am fairly certain a higher percentage of boys slept this way compared to the other.  As we crossed the border into Iowa, we woke the boys to the sound of the state facts of Iowa and took potty break #3 at a cool barn-style visitor center just inside the border.  (It took a little while to explain to the boys that in Minnesota, we adopted a state tree as a symbol - in Iowa, they really just have one tree to call "The State Tree".)

Before last year's tour, I bought "An American Tail" for the boys to watch, but we never got around to it.  I took the shrink-wrap off of it and we watched that while boys played games and checked-out the incredible scenery outside the window.  (Just kidding - not many boys spent much time looking out the windows.)

Before we knew it, we were coasting into Des Moines!  We changed the boys into their spiffy travel uniforms and met with the members of the Heartland Youth Choir.  They treated us to a wonderful dinner at St. Mark's and told us about their choir and where they tour/are touring.  (They will be headed to the World Choir Games next month.)  The concert was a shorter joint concert between our two groups to a mostly full house.  It was a great crowd, (especially for a Wednesday).

Just as the concert was finishing-up, a decent band of rain came through and messed-up our routine.  The boys managed to only get mostly wet while gathering their things, loading the bus, and going home for the evening.  There was a lot of smiles in the process, so I think they had a good time, given the circumstances.  Tomorrow is another relaxed trip down the freeway to Kansas City.  In the morning, we have some time to kill, so we might see if we can get a letter done.  (FYI - nobody sent me any emails to print-off today, so I am getting worried the process is not working correctly.  It's mail@lolcb.org if you get bored and want to send a letter - you cannot possibly send too many!  I promise!)

Well - Be sure to share this with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or anything else you would like.  We have great boys doing great things on this tour and we want the world to know about it!  (Especially send this to your rich uncles!)

Shameless plug:  We are trying to raise some extra funds to help offset some of the costs of the tour.  If you support what we are doing for these boys, please Click here to donate!  Our goal is to raise about $4,000 by the end of the tour - the approximate number of miles we are traveling.  We are up to $11!

Adios - Fanberg, Out.

Voyager Tour Day 3: Now face West...

Greetings!

Today was definitely as restful and peaceful as yesterday was exciting and busy. With our last church service in the morning, we turned our faces west on our journey towards home.

We packed up our bags and departed from the Best Western Hotel that had been our temporary home for the past two nights. After getting so comfortable in a single spot, the boys learned a few extra lessons in how to properly pack and depart from a hotel.

The Mass for St. James Catholic Church was held in a different church building this morning and the boys got to present themselves once again before a new set of faces in the large congregation. They sang extremely well, and despite their small size, their voices gradually filled the entire chamber. Our host was extremely generous, and treated the boys to a large brunch in the basement of the church after the service. A wide variety of coffee cakes, pastries, fruit, and other breakfast items were displayed before them, in addition to some very fancy strawberry and chocolate crepes! After having said their thank you's and goodbye's, the boys once again boarded the bus. Now facing west, we began our drive back towards Minnesota.

Thankfully, we were ahead of schedule throughout the day so the boys got to relax and enjoy themselves for the leisurely bus ride. After code "green" was declared, an array of journals, game boys, and books emerged as they all entertained themselves for the long drive. Pulling out a few decks of playing cards, Aaron set up a large game "golf" and other card games on the bus. Utilizing folders, journals, and notebooks many of the boys recreated a makeshift, individualized card table upon their laps.

We took our time at the different rest stops along the way. At the information center on the border of Wisconsin and Illinois was a large memorial at which PJ explained to the boys the great distinction of the Congressional Medal of Honor. The boys sat spellbound as he related a few heroic stories of men who had earned this high honor. We also took time at these rest stops to continue to whittle down our count-off time. Through much concentration and practice, the boys finally got the time down to 4.0 seconds. With a few more tries, I am certain that they will be able to break four seconds before they arrive home tomorrow.

Once we arrived at our Best Western hotel, the boys were given some free time within their rooms. We ate dinner in a small restaurant that was attached to the hotel. Having the small restaurant largely to ourselves, we took our time and got to brush up on our table manners. The boys were extremely well behaved and I received several complements form guests and hotel staff alike. After the meal, we took advantage of an outdoor swimming pool to go swimming once again. With the temperature being in the 90s today, this was a very refreshing experience.

Once changed and back in their hotel rooms, the boys were given one last chance to do some souvenir shopping at a small shop/gas station that was attached to the hotel. Finally, right before bedtime, PJ gathered all the boys together in one hotel room and recapped the entire tour experience. The boys shared favorite memories and lessons learned as they munched on some sample Wisconsin cheese. With one last moral story, we sent them off to prepare for bed and pack for tomorrow. After checking all their rooms, I am assured that everything is packed up and ready to leave for tomorrow morning. They are really becoming quite the little professional travelers in their experience. The first half of our return journey is now complete, and we all greatly look forward to our Homecoming Concert tomorrow afternoon!

See you tomorrow!
Adam 

Voyager Tour Day Two: Up, Up, and...still here.

Hello everyone back home!

Wow, what a fun packed day! Looking back upon it from our hotel room, it is remarkable how much was accomplished within a single twelve hours.

This morning we got the boys up early and enjoyed the continental breakfast at our Best Western hotel. As always, the waffle maker was an instant favorite. With breakfast complete, we all loaded up the bus and headed into the great city of Chicago.

First up in windy city was the great Willis Tower. As we entered the primary exhibits for the Skydeck, vast amounts of fun facts and trivia popped out at us from dozens of different signs and animated images. (Did you know that 43,000 miles of telephone cable run throughout the building?) The assent to the top was relatively short considering the distance traveled. The boys were mesmerized by a little TV screen mounted over the elevator door that compared the Willis tower to other skyscrapers in the world. The views were fantastic, as it was possible to see four states from the commanding height. Easily the most popular attraction on the 103rd floor of the Willis tower was the "The Ledge": a 4 foot, composite glass platform that jutted out of the building. Although a little intimidated at first, the boys quickly abandoned all fear of heights and had some fun posing for a few silly pictures. Finally, after a quick stop at the gift shop, we descended the tower and boarded the bus again.



 Just a few miles away was our next major attraction: the Field Museum. This extensive museum was of colossal proportions and easily dwarfed our small Minnesota Science Museum. Running a little behind schedule, we immediately launched into our first major exhibit which described the epic accomplishments of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire. With the first exhibit done, the boys walked onto the main floor of the museum and were promptly confronted by the towering figure of Sue: the largest, most complete T-Rex ever found. This dinosaur was soon brought to life for the boys as they watched a 3D movie which depicted the recreated exploits of the extinct giant. This short video was an immediate success and was frequently cited as the coolest experience at the museum by the boys. We hit two more exhibits before checking out. First, we stood in the shadow of several large mammals in "Extreme Mammals." Seconldy, the choir was shrunk to the size of a penny to experience the tiny critters that populate the underground soil in "Underground Adventures." Walking through the underground tunnels and viewing enlarged bugs and grubs, this site also proved to be a very memorable experience. We stopped for lunch at a McDonalds in the basement of the museum, and made sure to stop by the gift shop on the way out. As we waited for PJ to pick us up with the bus, we managed to squeeze in one last group photo in front of the museum. :)

With a full day of sight seeing under our belt, we stopped by our hotel for a quick breather before the boys' performance at Mass in St. James Catholic church. Considering their long day in Chicago, the boys held up remarkably well. They had a sizable congregation before which to perform. Arriving back at the hotel, the boys had a few minutes to relax before embarking on one of the simplest yet most anticipated events of the entire day: swimming. We had a pizza/pool party in the hotel during which we ordered pizza to enjoy during a break from swimming. After eating a full share from a variety of pizzas and bread sticks, the boys got to return to the pool for one final showdown of Choirboys vs. Prefects. Between the pizza and the swimming, the boys had a blast! I just know that PJ and I might be a little bit sore in the morning. :)

After our pizza/pool party, the boys headed back up to their rooms to shower and get ready for bed. At first glance, it appears that most of the packing for tomorrow's journey is almost done.

With sight seeing, performing at a Mass, and swimming, the day passed by rapidly; the boys have definitely earned a long night's rest. As I was checking their rooms tonight, the conversation was filled with all the fun events of the day as many of the boys scrambled to show me their new souvenirs.

Until tomorrow!
Adam

Voyager Tour Day One: Are we there yet?

Hey!  Welcome to the 2012 Voyager Choir Tour!

First things first:  the boys are all safe and sound here at the hotel, getting ready for an exciting day of sight-seeing in tomorrow.  Now that you can relax a little, here is how the day went.

This morning went very smooth as the boys boarded the bus and made their way towards Chicago.  Usually, there is at least one teary-eyed traveler, but it was very nice to see nothing but smiles and dry eyes the entire day!

The morning drive took us through the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities and onto Wisconsin.  Adam filled their little heads with trivia about Wisconsin as we crossed the border.  Be sure to ask your sons about some of the strange laws Aaron shared with them from our neighbor to the East.

Lunch was at a rest stop where we ate our bag lunches.  It was here that we tried our first "count-off" with the whole group.  Five seconds flat is the time to beat - I bet we manage to get it down to 3.5 by the end of the trip. 

After lunch, we put the boys down for a rest period.  They probably could've gone without since they really didn't have a lot to do other than play with their handheld games and chat all morning, but we thought it would be better to be safe than sorry.  The rest period actually went pretty well, with a number of the boys getting plenty of rest.

When rest period was over, we stopped for bathroom break #3 and tried to get a movie going for the boys, only to find out the DVD player wasn't functioning properly.  I am going to take a look at it tomorrow and see if we can't get it fixed.  I can't imagine us getting home without some proper introduction to Dudley Dooright. 

We made it to Chicagoland for our dinner reservations at  the California Pizza Kitchen.  Our host here at St James Catholic Church in Arlington Heights were gracious enough to pick-up the tab for the boys.  It was a great meal for the boys!


We loaded-up the bus and went the short 10 minutes to our Best Western accommodations in Des Plains.  The boys should be finishing-up their journals right now and taking showers.  (Key word:  "should")  We'll see in a few minutes if that is happening or not.  :-)


All in all, it was a terrific day!  The boys did wonderful and are very pumped for the sights and smells of downtown Chicago in the morning!


Until later...


P.J.
 

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