The BIG HOUSE-- it's everything AND more. We learned firsthand as we sat six rows from the field, on the 10-yard line behind our #HawaiiFB team, amongst over 110,000 people.
But our HSF experience began the night before, Friday 9/9/22, at a popular Local sports bar located near the Detroit Airport, Wheat & Rye. We gathered for drinks, dinner and celebration with fellow Road Warriors who traveled near and far-- some came in from the Islands but we also got to meet some who came from even closer. We had our old friends Jimmy and Turner - "Nebraskans For Hawaii" - and got to meet new ones, like Brandon, a UH alum born, raised, and still living in the Detroit area. Former Warrior Running Back Alonzo Chopp brought along his BLING-- the rings for winning the WAC Championship and participating in the Sugar Bowl.
Saturday 9/10/22, some of our crew slept in while some found a local Farmer's Market to attend, but after breakfast in our hotels, we headed off to Ann Arbor for lunch. Located just south of U of M stadium, Mediterrano has been one of the area's premier restaurants, featuring tantalizing dishes from 14 countries on the Mediterranean coast. Our group enjoyed the finest salmon, lamb, gnocchi, and more, filing our stomachs up for what was to come...the tailgate.
We arrived at the U of M Golf Course around 3:30 for the 8 PM kickoff, giving us the perfect amount of time to get ready for the game and to meet and fellowship with so many new faces. We had everyone's favorite drinks flowing out of the cooler, as we got to know some of the Blue & Maize fans, who were mostly generous and friendly. We also got to meet some new UH fans on the road too, like the family of Eliki Tanuvasa, who drove in from Ohio. One of the O-Lineman's cousins even did a hula for us! With the game turning torrential as the game got closer, many of us had to remain out of the stadium once the official kickoff was pushed an hour back to 9 PM.
Once the game started, our 'Bows fell behind pretty quickly, but we remained positive in our speck of green in the wave of blue. We cheered hard for all of our good plays and earned the respect of the Michigan fans around us. 56-10, but at least we scored a touchdown! They also caught us on TV, again. For the full effect, go check out our Instagram reel here.
Sunday 9/11/22: we departed after breakfast around 10 AM and arrived to the sights and sounds of Game Day in Detroit - the rooftop bars, the brass ensemble on the corner, the fans shuffling in line outside Ford Field - which provided the soundtrack as we entered the Club & Suites entrance at 11. Once inside, we were able to go directly to the Hall of Legends, an exclusive area reserved for a certain amount of fans each game---count us among those at the Eagles game! We had hot food, buffet-style, all game long, coffee, tea plus two adult beverages to stay in the spirit all game. The air-conditioned room and plush couches made it easy for lounging when you needed a break from it all. We also received a Coach Dan Campbell bobblehead and were able to get autographs from Lions legends Scott Conover and Jimmy Williams. On the field, the Lions dropped a close one to the Eagles, 38-35 but we saw 10 touchdowns on an offensive-heavy day.
After our game, while listening to Hall & Oates, we headed to the Suburbs, Dearborn, to be exact. The home of Henry Ford himself and also a location for Buddy's, home of the original Detroit-style pizza. We got the pizza, the sodas, the beer, but we also wanted more, so we got nitrogen-made ice cream down the street. This town showed us a lot, like original Model T's and other vintage cars we saw going down the road, but also a unique diversity. Dearborn has the highest percentage of Muslims per-capita in the United States, allowing us to appreciate even more of the cultural richness of this country.
"RING THE BELL!" - Wayne
Come join us on our next adventure: www.hisportsfans.com/tours
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