Kansas City Here I Come

The road to Kansas City (KC) starts here. I promised myself I wouldn’t mention the Jackson 5 and their hit “Goin’ to Kansas City” but how could I not? It’s been in my head for the last 5 days.

I’ve been looking forward to this trip since the win in Denver. Alot of people are writing the Pack off thanks to them having to back up from the Monday Night Game so soon. A short week thanks to that followed by an away game in KC is most people’s definition of a “tough ask”. Personally, I think we’ll do OK.

My plans for getting to the game, 10 and a half hours south west of Green Bay, were to hire a car, take off around lunch time today and arrive sometime before midnight. That was before our story aired on Milwaukee TV as described yesterday. One of the 100+ emails we received was from a friend I hadn’t met yet, Paul, who with his friends and family, blokes only I should say, were taking an RV down from Milwaukee this morning. They gave me their details and suggested I stop by to say hello before the game and tailgate with them. Initially I thought this sounded great. It gave me a place to be Sunday morning without roaming around aimlessly. On second thought I wondered, if they were taking an RV down, was there room for one more?

Long story short I replied with my self invitation, Paul was happy for me to hitch a ride, his son Brian sent me directions to our meeting place and the rest is (or will be) history.

I left Green Bay at 4:40 this morning, in the dark with only my Googled directions as a guide. Having never driven further south than Appleton (30 minutes) I knew I could very well have had my morning cut-out for me. I didn’t mind, in fact I was excited. Another new experience, another game to see and more friends to make. If you’ve got to drive on a few unfamiliar roads to get there then so be it.

Surprisingly I made great time down the 43. I was able to see Milwaukee for the very first time and even got to drive by Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers Major League Baseball Team. I arrived where I had to be in Waukesha just before 6:45, 30 minutes early for the first time in my life and went to find myself some breakfast.

I must say I was a little apprehensive. I was looking forward to the trip without question. Having not met or spoken to a single one of my new roommates though left alot to the imagination. I found my way back to the RV at 715, we all said our hello’s for the very first time and it was off to Kansas City once and for all.

So my new friends, in no particular order are Brian, Paul, Duffy, Wally, Butch, Mike, Tommy, Dan and Sam. The first 8 have been together in one way or another forever. Sam is the designated driver, in more ways than one. I suspect this is going to be one heck of a trip. (You’ll have to excuse the photo from the future, i was a little camera shy this morning.)

We left at around 730 and made a quick stop via Starbucks. I’m not quite sure why though ‘cause by 8:00 it was Miller Lights all around. Man what a start to the morning. For me, I was happy. It had been years since I’d had Light Beer with my Rice Krispies so I couldn’t complain. Ok, so that’s not entirely true, I was on orange juice but still it was a good indication of how the day was going to turn out.

The Miller’s had barely been cracked when it was time for breakfast - Bloody Mary’s. It was about 9:00 and I was assured that, because Mary’s were served with celery, pickles and jerky they were easily considered a meal aswell as a beverage. I must admit I was tempted by these. They looked delicious, I hadn’t had one before and let’s face it, who doesn’t want to eat vodka dunked beef first thing in the morning? Woe is me though, I have to consider my queasy little stomach when it comes to being the passenger on such a long trip so I passed.

By now it was 10 ‘o’ clock or so. Only a couple of hours had gone by but it felt like the entire day. I was made to feel so comfortable right from the start and I can’t even begin to tell you how re-assuring that was. I mean, without going into too much detail this was the 17th Road-trip being taken by the “Brunner” clan. It included Father’s, Son’s, Uncles and friends. Relationships that have fostered over decades of sharing the good with the bad and here I was right in the thick of it, as if I had been there with them all along.

I’ve said this a number of times throughout this trip so far and I’ll say it again here. Football is more than “just a game”. Sure, these guys I am travelling with have known each other forever but once a year they get out on the open road and see the this country for what’s it’s worth, sharing the experience with one another and creating memories that will last a lifetime. For me? I wouldn’t be here if not for football. Not in the USA, not in Green Bay, not on my way to Kansas City. Yes we’re there to see what some people may consider “just a game” but it’s what happens before, during and as a result of, that makes these games what they are.

It’s funny you know, alot of people have told me there’s not much to see between Green Bay and Kansas City. I guess that’s because they’ve lived here their entire lives. To me, the corn fields are amazing, the open land is inspiring and the roads that spider web this country are like a free ticket to anywhere you want to go in life.

We stopped at a gas station somewhere in Iowa, it did actually feel like we were in the middle of nowhere. I thought that was cool. I’d never actually had the chance to circumvent a station that was surrounded by nothing but land and highways. Do you ever wonder where all of the trucks are going? Or where they’ve come from? I do. I wonder too of the drivers and where they’re from. Do they have permanent homes? How often and for how long do they get to see their families? I digress.

Thankfully our television was working again. Aside from gas, which we seemed to have plenty of inside the RV (a whole ‘nother story) the other reason for our stop was that the television had all of a sudden gone on the blink. So too had the fridge, microwave and anything else requiring the generator as a power source. This was definitely not good news. We had already watched “Brett Favre 4 Ever”. We were ready to watch the complete history of the Green Bay Packers 1966 (where we beat the Chiefs co-incidentally enough), 1967 and 1996 Superbowl winning seasons and we had had a whole host of other blokey movies to watch along the way.

We saw some of the history but watching movies gave way for some serious “close the box” and beer drinking action. I‘ve a feeling I’m going to say this more than a few times on this trip but these guys can put it away. I’ve heard about Wisconsin drinkers but this I think will be my education. Close the box was interesting to me also. I really do think it was more about the drinking than the die rolling but what a great way to hang out with your mates, have a few laughs, risk a few bucks and drink a few (plus a few) beers.

We didn’t stop again on our way and made it to KC just before 5. That was time enough for Sam and I to relax a little and for my new friends to head quickly to church before a few more drinks and a trip to find some dinner.

By 8:00 we were off to Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque downtown. The significance of it being 8pm is that it marked the 12 hour point at which operation “copious alcohol consumption” had begun. I’m almost obliged at this point to crown Wisconsin men as the beer drinkingest men on the planet but we’ll wait and see before we hand out any awards. Anyway, onto Arthur Bryant’s. Here is a place that came with so many recommendations you’d have thought it was full of single supermodels just waiting for us to arrive.

Honestly, in talking to anyone about where we should go this place was it. We got there and I think for the most part we all expected a sit-down a-la-carte type restaurant. We were greeted with a line some 20 people out the door and another 50 or so inside. This led to a Disneyland styled maze where you zig-zagged to a small window in the kitchen and tell the cooks what it is what you want. They slop it onto your plate, atop scales weighing you meal by the pound and you walk it down cafeteria style to the cashier.

You pay before perusing the restaurant for a seat wherever you can find one. Congratulations, you’ve now made it to heart-attack heaven. Population at least 1 as witnessed on the walls of this world famous establishment. If you’re reading this Butch, post a comment about the letter from that guy’s wife. What was his name?

I might be going on about it and I’ll keep my opinion reserved but everyone else at our table thought the meal was out of this world. Courtesy of the pictures on the wall (see below) so too did the likes of Steven Spielberg and Cate Capshaw (middle bottom), Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Bryant Gumbel, Tom Watson and ex-President Jimmy Carter (middle top).

I learned that despite it’s first impression, this place was amongst the top eateries in all of the USA. So much so that a caricature in the Kansas City Star following Mr Bryant’s passing in 1983 had he, under the guidance of the big man himself going through the pearly gates being asked “Did you bring sauce?” If that doesn’t say something for the life this man lead nothing will.

Not surprisingly we, all bar one, had a little to drink at the restaurant, both in line whilst we were waiting and at the table. That continued on through the night until only the bar closing put a stop to it. Hang on, put a stop to them having to pay for it. There was always the RV stock to call upon when all other avenues ran dry. The night closed for most at about 4am. To say that I was happy I retired straight after dinner would be an understatement. We had a big day ahead and I wasn’t going to do with a headache. Not for anyone.

Stay tuned, game day (plus game night) and road trip home entries still to come.