Replies

Michigan Trump Rally Slide...

So, I’ve been working with a number of people local to Michigan to help politically clean things up from our “neck of the woods” per se. A few of us were volunteers to help out at the rally. I originally wasn’t going to volunteer. The first hundred volunteers would be guaranteed one of the inside spots close to the speaking podium (why WOULDN’t you want that?). However my son was going to be coming from his house 1.5 hours away and only having three or four hours sleep after working the midnight shift of the night before. So I only went in for a couple of “normal” tickets as I didn’t want to strand him alone in another area during the rally (that’s how we roll).

After thinking about it a while, I figured I might as well volunteer anyway, even if I don’t get the perks (you know, ‘cause that’s how we roll). So as a volunteer, they set me up as being there to help with parking. “Be there at 6:30 AM”.

So this being Michigan still in early spring, I put on the flannel lined jeans and some warmer stuff and was there a few minutes early. Parked my truck, looked around, couldn’t see any registration place, but plenty of vendors were already parked there from overnight with tents & campers. More people (other volunteers) were arriving and parking in the open field, and the pattern wasn’t getting very good for fitting as many cars as we could. So as often I find myself when there’s a need for volunteers and I didn’t notice everyone else when they took a step back, I went semper Uber and started figuring out showing folks where to start parking better (still not sun up yet). ‘Cause that’s how we roll.

More volunteers showed up through the next hour or two, along with diehard supporters (”Trump Groupees” were the names I gave them as clearly they had attended other rallies in various states). Eventually I got my volunteer pass and registered after more volunteers had shown up to help out.

We filled in the one harvested soybean field with vehicles and started filling the second one. Luckily the sun had come out to try and help dry out the field. But our luck was running out on the second field. Without going into the geological analysis of Michigan, suffice it to say we have a clayish mud the consistency of which can fill the treads of all but the best “mudder” tires and stop just about any vehicle flat in its tracks. One of the local politicians trying to outskirt our guiding volunteers found that out as he came out of his vehicle in a nice suit and looked at his camper’s back drive axle down 4” deep in mud. Followed by an all wheel drive Traverse, four wheel drive Land Rover, Honda Accord, nissan sentra and at least 5 other cars before I jumped in and told the volunteers at the front of the guide line to STOP SENDING VEHICLES and guided them to another area. Other volunteers may have had other versions of that, but I’m putting mine here ;-).

Trying to shorten up the story, a bunch of Trump supporters and 4WD pickups eventually got everyone unstuck (KUDOS to the Dodge Power Ram guy with a strap I never did get the name of). We eventually circled the mud spot with traffic cones, and I dubbed it to be known as the “Bay of Biden”. One elderly guy I was working with I had to help dig Michigan mud out of his ear as some people don’t have a good feel of the phrase “just give it a LITTLE gas”.

The day got better, but stayed cold (~43F). My son showed up and we managed to finally get in line to get in the building (as not everyone was going to fit) but didn’t have his heavy coat with him due to “crazy schedule”. We got to know the people in front of us (local residents, pretty much had everything known regarding what Q alerts had shown), and the Yoopers (Upper Penninsula residents) behind us that traveled from Escanaba (~9 hours) the day before. We were in the cold line for about 4 hours before finally making it inside around 4:30(?) where most the seats were taken and standing room only in back.

We got to listen to the local officials including Kristina Karamo for Secretary of state and Matt Deperno for Attorney general. But after hearing Matt (and I know you may not understand this)...we had to go. Trump was still on his way (not sure when), my son only had 3 hours of sleep, and I’d been standing almost the entire time there (11.5 hours). As much as I wanted to see Trump, I knew it would take me 2 hours just to get out of that parking lot.

Got home in short order, made myself dinner, turned on RAV covering it live, sat down and watched as Trump arrived from the comfort of my living room. I texted my son to make sure he made it home okay (he had). Told him I was watching Trump on Real Americas Voice. It’s almost like I was there... :-D