Day 1: Bus Travel to Elizabethtown, Kentucky

A day that started at 5:35am, rising to what is always a pleasant scent; fresh brewed coffee that started on the "Automatic Brew Timer" (an invention worthy of Nobel material). My colleague picked me up at home and we made our way to Brock's campus. Everything began wthout a hitch. To everyone's amazement, the bus driver actually was spot on with his ability to locate our pick up point! We loaded up, handed out our T shirts to the students and hit the road. Not even an hour later, we hit the Peace Bridge, entering into the good 'ol U.S. of A.

Predictably, they asked our bus to pull over to be inspected. All 55 of us filtered out of the burly machine and made our way into a small room, where each of us had a nice face to face meeting with one of the US Customs finest. Everyone went through with remarkable ease, everyone that is except for one. One of our finest student leaders seemed to forget to shave. In addition, he was simply oozing the scent of happiness when he had to get up at 6:00am that morning. He stands about 6'4", at the current moment has some "longer" hair, and was born in Poland. His face to face interaction wasn't quite as pleasant. All in all, a success.

3 hours later, our first restroom stop (we "recommended" all #2's be saved for rest stops), then back to the bus.

Several more hours after that, we stop for lunch, and then a few more after that, many of the students are getting their cameras prepared as we fly through downtown Cincinatti. Those that are sports fans get a chance to see the Bengal's and Red's stadiums. Those that simply enjoy a sight that leaves you saying "Damn, that's cool", take an extended look out the window as we cross over the river, leaving Ohio and entering Kentucky. I've done this portion of the drive countless times, and if you ever have the chance to be heading along the I71 or I75, and going through Cinci, enjoy this piece, it truly is a remarkable view of the transition of landscape from what I see as the endless bore of Ohio to the beautifully renovated downtown Cincinatti, and into the start of the foothills of Kentucky.

Not even a couple hours after that, we arrive at our hotel. Dinner at a cool restaurant, where we were treated with wonderful hospitality and back to the hotel for a quick swim (aka, a battle royal, indoor frisbee, water polo type of game). 6 back scratches later and a half gallon of Kentucky's Chlorinated Best, and onto the computer for a quick moment to summarize the day.

Movies watched on the bus, from those that weren't chatting away, playing cards, or reading Cosmo; Invictus, Taken, Old School, Friday Night Lights, and Juno.

Card games taught to some students: Euchre and Hearts. Some I won, others I lost.

Food ate: Whopper Jr, Fries, Tuscan Penne with Shrimp (even though I ordered it with chicken; it was mouthwatering by the way), pretzels and a granola bar.

That's about it for now. We're back onto the bus at 7:15am, and should be in New Orleans in the evening.

Take care ya'll! (only appropriate, seeing as we're in Kentucky)

-Curtis