Innaugural VT Tank Bus Trip/Game 1

14 brave and ambitious Hokies signed on for the trip of a lifetime. The 2K8 season opener (Saturday 30 Aug 08) versus those pesky pirates from somewhere in North Carolina. The trip down was for the most part completely uneventful. There was a very minor side track where we lost a little air in one of the tires and had to get it repaired but it was such a non-issue I can't even recall what tire it was or how long it took. The tailgate was a great warm up for many awesome ones to come. As we all know by now Tank Bus performs a lot better than this young Hokie football team. Hopefully VT will pull out of this tailspin and have a successful season. For now chalk it up as a Tank Bus victory. Special thanks the Gobbler crew for the 45 mph trailer job. See you all in two weeks in the Burg for the GT game. Below are some pics of the ECU trip.

Minor road side issues being worked out

5:30 AM: Arrival in Charlotte and tailgate beginning

Typical Tailgate scene, no big deal

Paul works us through opening credits as Professor Gers pilots the bus

Version 1.0 Tank Bus CREW, Jump on it!

Also Hokie Diplomat and VT-NJ ambassador Melvin P recalled the trip for us all in verse. Such passion and unique creativity derived from only a single trip on Tank Bus can be an inspiration to us all.

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this NoVa port
Aboard this tanky bus.

The mate was a mighty driving man,
The skipper brave and sure.
14 passengers set off that day
For a fourteen hour tour, a fourteen hour tour.

The roads they started getting rough,
The tiny bus was tossed,
If not for the courage of our fearless Ry
The TankBus would be lost, the TankBus would be lost.

The Bus sat tilted on the shore of this uncharted highway
With Williams!
The Loker too,
The would be vomiter and his gf,
The Garber
The professor (omg, that one works) and Katie Collins, (et. al)
Here on VT TankBus.

Actually the trip may have been summed up more accurately by local wise cracker and anti-silver lining visionary Sean when he wrote the following:
"I can only speak to what happened up until about 5pm on Saturday when I tapped out… but I think it’s safe to say it can only go up from here for the Tank Bus (the vanity plate can be read as “think bus” – TNK BUS – which is kinda funny).

I don’t think there’s been a more disastrous maiden voyage since the titanic. Congratulations to Ryan for keeping his head and keeping everyone safe during the blowout. I don’t think I’ve seen a better job of averting complete tragedy than his moves on 81. He deserves the German Bus Medal of Honor for his poise under pressure. Maybe he can teach Glennon a thing or two this week and help salvage the season.

I hope you all were able to go at least 60-65 on the way home… and that you made it home."

-Sean