"LA, USC, TG, CG, MG, & CP"

My old friend Tom and I jam to LA to meet up with his sons Chris and  Matt and tailgate prior to the USC Trojans opening football game with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

                   One of 3 or 4 mishaps we saw on the way down.

                                Typical LA freeway traffic.

                                      Embassy Suites, LAX

                              Ralphs, the LA tailgate supply center.

                           These folks will not be going to the game.

             Neighborhood entrepreneurs getting ready to collect cans.

                We begin the morning with rather potent Bloody Marys, compliments of Matt and Major Peters spicy Bloody Mary mix.

                     Trojan fans completely surround the Coliseum on home-game day...garbed in cardinal & gold, eating and drinking in grand secret fraternal debauchery, ala some kind of public weekend picnic frenzy in So-Cal 'h'or deurves-speakeasy' tradition...weather was perfect throughout the afternoon and the breeze picked up just in time.

                .

                                             Elvis and Tom

                                      My date for the game.

 Tom takes a picture of me in front of the famous 'Tommy Trojan' statue on the USC campus, but cuts off everything but his feet.

                              Tom's date for the game...lovely girl.

 Waiting for the USC Marching Band, Spirit Leaders, and USC Song Girls getting  ready for the traditional march to the stadium,  pre-game festivities, and just generally wondering how strange it is to be '40-years older'.

                                      Chris, Matt and Tom

                                         "Hota-hota-hot dogs!"
   (I'm thinking this wouldn't be my first choice for a business location)

    The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, located in the University Park neighborhood adjacent to the campus of the University of Southern California is the home of the USC Trojans football team.
    The Coliseum is the only stadium to have hosted the Olympic Games twice, in 1932 and 1984.  It is also the only Olympic Stadium to have also hosted Super Bowls and World Series.

 The new jumbo-tron screen where you too can share your naked chest with the world, LIVE on broadcast television.

                    A mere millisecond before a USC touchdown catch.

               Game over...final score: Trojans 19, Golden Gophers 17

                                        Sweet Airstream RV

          Tom is back to captaining the spaceship in more LA traffic.

 

              The famous LA landmark, Randy's Donuts in Inglewood.

                                 Just another freeway roll-over.

 

                   Beautiful golden summer hills on the ridge route.

                                     Sunset over Gorman

            Descending into that now infamous San Joaquin Valley smog.