College THEN and NOW Series - Part 20: On the Road to Pasadena

Caitlin H.

December 13, 2009 - 2:28 PM

This morning I successfully secured my ticket to spend New Year's in California! As I'm sure you've heard by now, the Duck's are on their way to the Rose Bowl and I'm looking forward to one last college road trip with friends this winter break to go enjoy the festivities. Oregon has won the Rose Bowl before...in 1917. I was at least old enough to remember the last time we were there, in 1995. But how much does a trip to the Rose Bowl mean to a 7 year old? And I certainly didn't bother making the trip down at that age. But 22 and on my way out of college a Rose Bowl trip has never sounded better. I hope to add another favorite Rose Bowl story to my memories.

This won't be the first time Oregon has met the Ohio State Buckeyes in Pasadena. In 1958 the two schools met and a bet was placed between them. Oregon lost the game, but was sent a Yellow Buckeye tree from the governor of Ohio and Ohio State University that now resides in front of our School of Business. As much as I love that tree, I'll take the win this year boys.

A few days ago I was reading the local paper online and saw an announcement that the Register Guard was looking for some folks to participate in a possible road trip story. Thinking it would be amusing to have one last football game, one last road trip with some college friends covered by a newspaper; I emailed them and suggested, ‘why not us?' It isn't for certain yet but I think they may actually be interested in running a story! Below you will find the letter I sent, and an intro for some blogging in the weeks to come. I'll be sure to let you know all about my Rose Bowl experience!

Dear Mark Baker,

If you are interested in a group of travelers to Pasadena, I know just the group for you.

I am a current UO 'Victory Lap' student - a 5th year senior who kept adding additional majors and minors to my academic curriculum and am taking a glorious five years to finish up my undergrad instead of four. Six friends and I are planning on making the trip to Pasadena leaving Roseburg or Eugene Monday, December 28 and returning January 2nd after what we hope will be a Duck victory. I know you are interested in knowing some details about our trip, but we are college students still finishing up Finals week - many details are yet to be ironed out!

However, let me give you the lineup:

Stefanie Arnold - queen duck. Stef is as die-hard a duck fan as they come. This season she only missed two games, UCLA and Arizona. Yes, that means she traveled to all the other away games. She hails from the state of Idaho, though if you were to meet her, you'd think she was a Eugene native. Her enthusiasm and constant presence on the sidelines throughout her time at the UO has extended to most all Duck sports, but I think football is her true love. I know she is at least involved in the International Studies, Geography, and Political Science departments at the UO, but she is such a determined and intelligent young lady she may have four or five other degrees I don't even know about. Most exciting for Stefanie, she finished up her undergraduate coursework this fall, and so the trip to the Rose Bowl will be the ultimate cap on her college career. I can't imagine a better way to leave things.

Ryan Hodges - Guy in the number 22 jersey. Ryan was featured this term in a "Game Day" publication for his role in the front of Section 8 - that's the student section where our crew of 'never-miss-a-game-need-to-be-close-to-the-action' friends sit. A former offensive and defensive lineman in high school himself, this guy knows all about the game. He actually quarterbacked an intramural flag football team that Stef and I also played on last year. Ryan also is a classic case of a household divided; his mom was a Duck, but his dad a Beaver. I remember thoroughly enjoying watching the 2008 Civil War in Corvallis with him, and this year's 2009 War for the Roses was even better.

Kara Krosner - Dear, sweet Kara. Kara is currently earning her Masters in Elementary Education from the UO. She is so kind and has such a soft, polite demeanor about her it always makes me smile when I see her turn on the Duck Spirit and start cheering at a football game.

Scott Kitzrow - The groom to be. You may know Scott from when he invited his girlfriend (Kara) out onto the floor during a UO volleyball game to propose. What a special moment! And for our group, how fitting that he would pop the question at a UO event. Scott is a hardworking architecture student and providing the car for the trip. You might, MIGHT be able to catch a glimpse of its silver exterior underneath all the other green and yellow.

Keith Bassett - The twin in the yellow hair. Keith met Stefanie, Scott, and Kara living on campus his first year in the Bean Residence hall. It is my impression that they have all been friends since move-in day. And they've been going to football games, basketball games, volleyball games and more since. Keith was at one time the R.H.A. President on campus, and took time off from school to work at the Legislature in Salem. Now he is focusing in on his Political Science degree and, (maybe it goes without saying) enjoying one last season of Duck football in the student section.

Steven Bassett - The twin in the green hair. Steven experienced his first game at Autzen Stadium this year. I was so excited to share with him something that has been obviously quite meaningful to the rest of us. Steven was a relatively recent transfer to the UO from Montana State. He has been successfully converted to a Duck fan through-and-through, although I think he has always been one even during his time in Montana. After all, it runs in the family. Mr. and Mrs. Bassett happen to be Ducks too; as a matter of fact, Mr. Bassett is a former ASUO president.

Caitlin Hutchison - that's me. UO Senior from Ridgefield Washington who has been a Duck fan since the early years. Although I missed the 2007 season while studying abroad in Australia, I have attended all other home football games, (even some away ones), and spent countless hours on sidewalks waiting for admission to games so that I might get front row seats. That's actually how I met this amazing group of individuals, going to Duck games and waiting in lines. It makes me laugh to think some of my most meaningful friendships have been born out of talking to the person standing next to me at a sporting event. Not that I mind, the UO has such a strong community I have made friends just about anywhere, why not a sporting event too? I'm an environmental studies and geography major student with minors in business and geology. If you are interested in some of my other interests on campus you should look at my blog for the University.

As you can see we are a diverse crowd with at least a few things in common: our devoted friendship for each other, and our love of the Ducks. You won't find a car full of more enthusiastic fans. The number of games we have been to isn't nearly as impressive as the number of times we have been doing this together. This bowl trip is one last college road trip together, one last Duck football game together. There have been Holiday Bowl trips, Vegas Bowl trips, and even trips to WSU, UW, OSU, Stanford, Boise State, and more, but this one will mean the most. Because at the end of it, we might be wearing nothing but green and yellow for a week and living out of a car, cheering our Ducks to victory and singing the fight song so many times we can't hardly stand it anymore, it is also going to be about being together one last time. Just a car full of college kids who love their Ducks.