Sooooo, while it's been expressed around these parts that the Official 2011 Black Heart Gold Pants Roadtrip should be Minnesota (and I could hardly blame you), I am attempting to put together an unofficial roadie for our first official rivalry game against Purdue on November 19 (we've always hated them, you know).

 

First off, I need to gauge interest because game rates fluctuate depending on tickets purchased.  We must have at least 25 takers in order to receive the most basic benefits (block seating, parking, discounts).  If we can get 50 tickets sold then we're only looking at a rate of $40 per ticket, which isn't too shabby.  Please reply in the comments section or email me directly with interest.

Second order of business, where to stay.  Having been to Purdue multiple times I can say that the people of West Lafayette are extremely courteous and friendly.  This is because the town itself is such a smoking crater of humanity that if they were anything but there wouldn't be a single redeeming factor in it's favor.  As a result, my vote is to choose Chicago as a jumping-off point and driving down and back (only about 2 hours either way) that day.  This is where the choice could get contentious.  Do we:

1. Drive down independently and try to meet up down there (parking is included with the 50-ticket rate), thereby limiting/increasing the risk associated with tailgating or
2. Charter a coach bus(es) so we can drink it up on the way down and back without risk and have the benefit of centralized gathering.

I personally favor the second option although majority rule will carry the day.  Again, the sooner I could get a feel for either of these options the better as chartering a bus will take a little effort and a sizable deposit.  The other benefit I see for the day-trip option (as opposed to spending the night in W. Lafayette) is that many of us actually live in/near Chicago or have friends with whom we could stay thereby significantly decreasing the cost of the trip.  
Special bonus: if there's enough interest, I'm designing a special BHGP soccer jersey for the occasion to be personalized with the handle of your choice.  Admit it, seeing a bright gold, ringer jersey with the text "O'Chicken" on the back is too cool for words.
Please rec the post so we can keep this alive for a bit.  Thanks!