Minnesota VIKINGS : part I

A couple of months ago ALSCO started a competition at work for all their employees in the sales department. The goal was to see who could get the most product in the door of new businesses as well as existing accounts. Cash prizes were going to be awarded to the top three employees. As the contest began Brent was doing quite well and we decided that there was a good chance he could be one of those top three. He came to me one night and said “If I win some cash I think we should fly to Minnesota to see the Vikings play. They have a home game on December 20th." “OK,” I replied!

Well low and behold HE WON and I quickly made plans for our getaway!

About three days after I'd purchased our airline tickets, booked the Courtyard and Brent found stadium seats that appealed to him (after days of searching)...the Metrodome roof collapsed…as the whole world witnessed on TV. Needless to say we were GLUED to the TV for over a week, on the phone with the ticket office, frantically watching Vikings.com for updates and even blogging to the NFL commissioner BEGGING for information…but to no avail. Finally the day before we were set to leave they announced that ALL ticket holders would “MOST LIKELY”…but not “POSITIVELY” be allowed to enter the "OUTDOOR" TCF Bank Stadium. So we packed our suitcases with hope and anxiety…and every piece of warm clothing we could get our hands on…not to mention I bought out Wal-Mart's hand and foot warmer section…and we were OFF!

Brent came up with the bright idea that we should take the airport shuttle down to Vegas so that we would not have to park the car or worry about driving…even though it would put us at the airport 3 hours early it still seemed to be one of his better ideas UNTIL…enter STANLEY.

(Stanley exiting the Shuttle in ALL his GLORY)

Stan is from Cedar, was abused as a child, was removed from his home at the age of 8 and put into the custody of the state for 12 years. Stan has had recent brain surgery (with scars for proof), has blocked out his entire childhood due to his “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, has a photographic memory…which he uses to recite MULTIPLE memorized scriptures and poems…in character no less, has many siblings who are on drugs and who are no longer religious. Stan was headed to Alabama to visit his Guatemalan girlfriend whom he met three weeks ago on LDS Planet…who he often refers to as “BABY”. Stan told the entire shuttle…full of 8 strangers…his entire life’s history…sparing NO details about the pain and hardship he calls his existence. I couldn't say we were thrilled to be listening to his rantings…mostly he caused us stress and sent my “Chiari Malformation” into FULL swing.

By the time we arrived at the airport Brent and I were so exhausted that we didn’t even speak a word to each other or anyone else until we landed in St Paul 6 hours later.


(Top: Brent in the Vegas airport completely irritated by Stan
Bottom: Brent still irritated by Stan arriving in Minnesota)

We were welcomed with 8 feet of snow on either side on the runway, icy roads, extremely low temperatures and a wind chill of sub zero.


(Top: our hotel. Left: the near by gas station covered in snow. Right: Outside our room...the ICE WAVE)

We checked into our room, showered, ate breakfast and headed STRAIGHT to the MALL OF AMERICA! It is AMAZING…to say the least, almost overwhelming. It took us an hour and a half to go HALF WAY around the first floor…and there are 4 floors…with an Amusement Park smack dab in the middle and an aquarium below ground.

(left: a beautiful shot of all 4 floors on the east side of the mall)

(Brent's Heaven on Earth...a store dedicated to the Vikings...everything Purple and Gold, everything on sale, everything half dressed with POM POMs)

(MY Heaven on Earth...the world's LARGEST shoe store. The picture only shows 1/4 of the main store...plus in the back there are two small doors that lead you into the LUXURIOUS clearance section which is bigger than my entire house...who needs half naked men to be satisfied???...not this girl...give me 24 rows of just boots and I am taken care of for life!)


(The Corona Cantina...I felt right at home. This place had the BEST Shrimp Tacos I have EVER eaten...now I will dream about them until we meet again)

We stayed for 8 hours that day and barely scratched the surface. We walked every floor and went into maybe 30% of the stores. We ate dinner at “Corona Cantina” which was DELICIOUS! Then with swollen tired feet we called it a night…and then we came back early the next day for more!
We hit the Aquarium, watched a movie…“The Tourist” in the theatre and visited the “Nickelodeon Universe” for a couple of coaster rides.




(Dinner at Old Chicago)

The next day was GAME DAY…we spent most of our morning getting dressed in our…no kidding…8 layers of clothes.


(before and after shots...first 2 layers of clothes followed by the last 6...I think we were WELL prepared)

That was the trip up until Game Time...I will let Brent do the honor of blogging about this event!
Stay Tuned...