day 72 Tallahassee still resting

---

Nov 29 The big game is upon us here in Tallahassee, the fervor is very remeniscent of European football passions, on the radio people talk of their childhood memories of the post thanksgiving game being the highlight of their year. I venture out at 10.00am some 5 hours before the game to get my spoke fixed and am confronted with 'tailgaters' on every available parking space and patch of land within a mile of the stadium. The tailgater opens the trunk of his car, full of booze and snacks, gets out his deck chairs, puts on his radio and has a pre-game party. I am impressed at the sophistication (if thats the right word) of some tailgaters, pagodas, barbeques, tables, colour tv's, beer kegs etc. The bike repair man tells me that most dont even have tickets.
In the two hours before the game starts a most torrential downpour assaults Tallahassee and my heart goes out to the hordes of tailgaters who must resemble refugees in the mud and squalor. I take in some of the game in a Sports Bar which is fulll to capacity. Its a bad day for the Tallahassee 'Noles' as they are thrashed by the 'gators'. In the bar thered are fans of both teams but I am most impressed that the fierce rvalry is good humoured and never gets ugly.

---