St. Louis to Chicago

We have been fortunate that all of the rain we've had has been on the traveling days while we are on the bus. We arrived at our hotel in Chicago shortly after 2pm and had a few hours to get settled and rested before heading out for dinner at Red Robin. After dinner we drove to downtown Chicago to see Blue Man Group, and what a show it was! Here are some quotes from the boys:

"It's not easy being blue, but is sure is fun!" - Graham

"Blue Man Group is a source of mindboggeling entertainment and comedy so funny you'll get sick from laughing." - Austin K.

"It was an exhilerating performance of percussion and comedy. You will never see another mix of show business like this." - Monte C

"The Blue Ban Group was the most totally awesome performers I have seen in my small awesome life span so you should watch them every chance you get." - Sam

Think they liked it?

Updated Pictures

We've added some pictures to the previous posts. Enjoy!

St. Louis - Day Two

Whew! What a day! Our day's activities began in downtown St. Louis at the Riverfront / Arch with a tram ride up to the top of the arch. For those of you who have not been, we do not mean the Disney-parking lot kind of tram; this was more like a pod for 5 small people! The cramped, creaking ride up to the top was very much worth it, as the view at the top was spectacular! Look at this great picture of the shadow of the arch that Mr. Randall took from the top.

Next, we had a little bit of time to explore the museum, which centered on the Lewis & Clark Expedition, as well as the gift shop before watching a movie about the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Once the movie was over we boarded our bus and headed to the Old Courthouse, for a short performance. Not only was the Old Courthouse a historical building (the Dred Scott cases were argued here), but it was also a beautiful space to sing in. Next we boarded our bus to go back to the Riverfront to enjoy a one hour lunch cruise.

The late afternoon found us back in the hotel for a brief bit of rest before returning to downtown St. Louis for the Cardinals game. While not the most exciting game, nor a win for the home team, members of the Chattanooga Boys Choir had a fun time cheering them on.

We're off to bed so that we can be ready for our early start tomorrow as we head to Chicago - we'll be seeing the Blue Man Group tomorrow night!

St. Louis Day One

The second day of our tour began with a hearty breakfast and a four hour ride into St. Louis, where we visited the St. Louis Science Center, one of several museums and activities in Forrest Park. At the Science Center the boys explored exhibits about the environment & ecology, the human body, cyberspace, space, dinosaurs, architecture, and more. We made a quick stop at the hotel to check in, freshen up and change before making our way to the mall for a quick bite, and to St. Charles Community College for a performance with the St. Charles County Youth Choir.

We're looking forward to a busy day tomorrow - visiting the arch, singing at the Old Courthouse, a boat cruise, and a Cardinals game. Time to get some sleep!

Away We Go!

Bright eyes, excited smiles, and anxious laughter met at 7:30am this morning to embark on Summer Tour 2009. Our favorite bus driver, Shelton, welcomed us onto his bus - luggage, garment bags, water, snacks, movies, programs, pillows - you name it, we packed it! Once it was all, miraculously loaded onto the bus, the boys paused for a few pictures before waving goodbye. Three hours into the trip brought a quick rest-stop, followed by lunch shortly thereafter.

Perfectly on schedule, the bus pulled into the lot of the Louisville Slugger Muesum at 2pm. Recently renovated, updated, and expanded, the boys roamed the museum, watched a breif movie, and toured the working factory where bats for amateurs to major-leaguers are produced. They learned about the process from tree to billet to bat, and even got to swing a Babe Ruth bat!

A short drive down the road brought the boys to the Cathedral of the Assumption, a truly amazing space in which to sing. Following a short rehearsal the boys gathered downstairs for pizza and some quiet time before the 7:30 performance. Warmly received in Louisville, the boys are ready for a full day of travel, museum and performance in St. Louis tomorrow!

Ambassadors of Goodwill

Last night was the final night of rehearsal and send-off party for the Touring Choir. Following a full run of the entire program, the boys joined their families in the fellowship hall for a brief program and pizza party. Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield offered the boys words of encouragement and praise for representing the city of Chattanooga well. He presented each of them with certificates naming them "Ambassadors of Goodwill," and gave them pins of the City Seal to give away to friends they make along during the journey. With the aroma of pizza in the air, the boys previewed for their families a few pieces they will be singing while in Louisville, St. Louis and Chicago. In honor of their stop in Chicago, the pizza was Vinny & Tony's Chicago style!

The boys with Mayor Littlefield