Show #3824 for RITS, #53 for me, and #4 for Vicky
(The background for this page is my cyberpal badge. Some of us were talking in the chatroom about adding show numbers to our badges, and this was my quicky solution for these shows, and I may just stay with it. It is just the number, attached to the back of the badge, hanging down at the bottom. Easily changed, and each tag becomes yet another souviner! Vickie had one, too, and I think it's a great idea!!! The badges, with number tags [specify # range 1-20, any 20] are available from me)
This is the second time I have been to the Woodstock Opera House to see Riders in the Sky, so I had an idea what to expect. I knew that we (Vickie and myself) were going to get to see TWO, count them, TWO full RITS shows in one day, but I had no idea what a "Stamp of Approval" the Cyberpals would receive at the show!!! WOW!!!!!
I got off to a late start. James and Jessica were staying with me, and arrangements for their transfer to the other gramma's house for the day were, as usual, a little slow, and I was slower yet! After they left, I raced as fast as I could, but still pulled out a full hour late. Fortunately, traffic was light and the "traffic lights" were with me, and I made it to Joliet, where Vickie boards her horse, in a little under an hours. She was
ready an waiting, and after a final goodbye to him, we were on our way. The trip from
Joliet to Woodstock was also a very smooth one, and we had a wonderful time talking "RITS" all the way. There is NOTHING more fun that seeing a show with another Cyberpal!!!! --
Knowing that we would not have time for dinner in between the 5 pm and 8 pm shows,
we stopped at MickeyD's on the way in, and spent a few minutes eating and "talking about RITS", (does this sound like FUN???) and then headed on to the Opera House. Noticing a WONDERFUL poster in the window, before checking out the Merc. or going to our seats, we stopped and asked if we could have the poster after the show. The gal in the ticket both was hesitant, but the owner was with her, and said that he would get us two new ones after the shows. YIPPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! So we happily went off and found our seats.
For the first show, we were in the fourth row, almost all the way to the left, so we waited till the second show for pictures. For that one we would be front and more to the center. - We just sat and enjoyed the first one, although I am afraid that I enjoyed it a bit more than Vickie did. --- turned out that her seat was next to a couple straight off the ranch, --- so so it seemed. She was very relieved when the show was over, and she could breath again!!!!!! Sorry Vickie!!!
The play list was the usual, and I'm only going to list the highlights. One of which was in the intro to the song from south of the border, in which Ranger Doug talks about the border where he comes from..."the border between Wisconsin and Illinois". -- As we were in Wisconsin, the bit went a little longer than usual, in explaining that his dad was in the Navy, and stationed at the Great Lake Navel Station. Slim said that it sounded like Doug's dad had fun in the Navy, and Doug quipped "Yes, and I was the result"! It's not often that I hear a new line, but that one was new to me. :)
Then during the 'Phantom of the Chuckwagon' music, there was a loud crash behind the guys, -- and someone, I don't remember who, came up with the line "What out for the candelabra", as Slim ducked for cover. --- A perfectly time interruption! How DO they do it?
Hoop Dee Doo has become one of my favorite show songs, and the kicks they are coming up with continually amuse! Woody's near misses of Joey are a delight, as are his "bow swings" that almost take Joey out in another song. ------- It's a total delight watching interact.
The winning question during the first show was "What kind of PJ's do you wear"... asked by a young boy. --- But alas, they failed to answer the question. During the questions in the second show, I asked for the answer to the winning question in the first show. Doug said "Sorry, that's not going to win you the tape", - and I responded "I don't want the tape, I just want to know the answer to the question!!" I never did get it though!! Vickie, however, asked Slim in between shows, and I believe he said "one with little cowboys and horses" or something similar.
When the show ended with an "unplugged" "He walks with the Wild and the Lonely,- it was soooooo nice knowing that it wasn't over... that in less than an hour we would get
to see the whole thing again!!!! We hung around till most everyone was gone, to get
autographs, and I gave Woody a printout of the Baraboo pictures webpage, -- The Bearcreek pictures page, Mooey's "Kiss" and Tiff's last hug (Which he already had the photo of) - to give him an idea of what I am doing with them on the web. Woody does not do computers, so has not see the pages, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting out of line with anything. He look though it, and seemed delighted with I told him it was for him. Then we were off to find something to drink before the next show.
The Opera house sits on a square, so we walked around it, but could find no where to get a drink, until we saw a movie theater. "We can get some pop there" we both realized, so we went in and asked if we could just buy some pop. -- The theater folks were of course delighted, --- and we realized that in a theater you pay dearly for a glass of pop!!! --- After walking back to the theater with them, we couldn't bare to throw away a single drop or ice cube, --- it was soooooo valuable!!!!
Back in the theater, and in the front row, we pulled out our cameras and settled down for another show, and the second show was even better than the first. The audience was much more responsive, ---- and great audiences make for even greater shows! The guys were wonderful, - and we laughed, and cried, --- clapped and sighed as we listened to their antics and songs. --- The show was almost identical, -- but I could watch it a hundred times and never tire of it!!!!
The winning question in the second show was "we drove two hours to hear "Riders in the Sky"...ARE we going to get to hear it?? ----at least I think that's what it was, -- sure doesn't sound like a winning question now. I can't remember "why" it won.
But of COURSE the highlight of the evening came when the internet was brought up. I don't remember if it was in response to an audience question, or they were just talking about the webpage, but Woody spoke up and said that the "Cyberpals" were always on the internet emailing each other, -- and Doug added that we are in the Chat Room on Tuesday nights, tooo, and we talk and talk, --- and he added that the head of the Cyberpals "Bobbie" was in the audience, and directed a question at me. I don't remember the question, or my answer. -- I was in shock, for sure!!!! Since I had just give Woody the printout of the page, and he was the one that started it, I think we can safely say that we have the "RITS Stamp of Approval" ........... WAHHHHH HOOOOOOOOO!!!
This time when the show ended, the was no way in the world I could be sad! I was floating high about the audience, - and still haven't really come down.
Vickie and I again stayed to everyone else was about gone, so we could get pictures with the guys. We each got one with all four, --- and then it was time to leave. :(
But again, I couldn't be sad, for I had three hours to travel home, and a couple hours of sleep to catch, and I would be off to see them in the opposite direction!!!!!!
Vickie and I again talked and talked about the show, the guys, the songs, the webpage, the wonderful friends that we have made, and how much we both love our "Riders in the Sky". --- When we made it back to the barn where we had left my van, -- and we split up to each drive the last hour home. -------- Driving home after a show is one of my favorite things. I've driven up to four hours, many times, in the middle of the night, - and I love the peacefulness of nighttime driving, --- and rerunning the shows through my head. ---------- It had been a wonderful day, -- and tomorrow was yet to come.
I made it home, hoped in bed and.....................................see next review
Bobbie