Buckeyes Arrive on West Coast – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
LOS ANGELES – Two charter planes carrying approximately 180 members of the Rose Bowl-bound Ohio State football contingent arrived in Los Angeles just before midnight Dec. 25 (about 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time) after an approximate four and one-half hour flight from Rickenbacker Airport. The two charters – Buckeye 1 and Buckeye 2 – left a rainy Rickenbacker at 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively.
On board the two Miami Air flights were players who are from the Columbus, Ohio area (about 30 were on Buckeye 1; others were flying in from their respective home areas), Coach Jim Tressel and the team’s coaching staff and their families, team administrators, doctors, managers, trainers, video and equipment staff. Additional Athletics Department staffers on the trip who have daily responsibilities with the team included Director of Athletics Gene Smith and members of the department’s development, communications, business and ticket offices.
The flights were smooth and, writing only from the perspective of the Buckeye 2 air space, most pleasant. The numerous children on board, including some as young as 20 months, seemed to enjoy the holiday travel, the snacks on board and the numerous technology gadgets – portable DVD players and electronic games – that can capture their attention for long periods of time.
Nothing like a turkey dinner on Christmas Day, and that is what was served during the in-flight meal. And the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy dinner was good…exceptionally tasty for many of the adults who, for the first time this holiday season, were experiencing some hunger pangs after going about five or six hours without snacking, nibbling or taste testing comfort foods and sweets that are always within reach this time of year.
After perhaps the smoothest landing those on Buckeye 2 ever experienced, the travelers were charter bussed to the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, home of the Buckeyes for the next eight days.
A Few More Travel Notes and First Impressions:
- Even in Los Angeles, with its freeways as busy at 9 p.m. (PST) Christmas Day as a Columbus rush hour, the busses to the hotel received an expertly executed police escort from the California Highway Patrol motorcycle division.
- There was no rain upon arrival and the temperature was about 50 degrees.
- There are some slick-looking high rises and buildings in this Century City area of Los Angeles.
- Two dogs were sitting with their handlers at the lobby restaurant/bar area of the Hyatt and neither looked like a dog some Midwestern folks had ever seen before.
- Some light refreshments were available once at the hotel. The Gouda cheese was good. The pineapple and cantaloupe was juicy and sweet. And the cookies were distinguishable not by a name plate but by the contents of their glass cookie chairs: the peanut butter cookies rested in a bed of peanuts; oatmeal in oatmeal and chocolate chip in chocolate chips.
- The hotel is located on the Avenue of the Stars.
- Speaking of stars: one member of the travel party literally saw stars Friday. Trying to lift an overstuffed suitcase wedged between others by its shoulder strap, the strap snapped and the traveler socked himself in the eye. All is well, except for some broken blood vessels. Talk about taking the “red-eye” to Los Angeles…
- Today: the team will practice for two hours Saturday morning at the Home Depot Center and then spend the afternoon and evening at Disneyland. No rain is in the forecast and temps are expected in the low 60s. Expect a post later today that includes more news, notes and audio.
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