Occasional Musings by Kevin Russell
August 3, 2023 – Lawrence, Massachusetts. Yay, I’m in the Boston area for a live DCI show tonight! Yesterday, I detailed the Silver Bullet, my aging Volvo XC70, and loaded it up for my two-week tour auto tour of Drum Corps International (DCI) competitions. First is the Boston Area Show in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The Boston Crusader will host a smallish show with only three … Continue Reading →
July 27, 2023 – Along the Mill Brook Here, I sit on my deck along the Mill Brook. It is the middle of the DCI season, and I am left with only my computer to enjoy the shows before hitting the road for my auto tour. We received another saturating rain today. It cleared around 4:20 pm, so I headed out for my daily … Continue Reading →
July 16, 2023 3:00 pm – Downtown Denver My return of the rental car took a hybrid route of major highways and county roads across the flat upper plains past the watered cornfields. Water isn’t the only thing extracted around here. Several well-heads and storage tanks are evidence of significant hydro-fracking for fossil fuels. One wonders about the air quality of the communities and … Continue Reading →
July 16, 2023 – Fort Collins, Colorado It is an absolutely perfect day in Fort Collins. After a hearty Mexican breakfast of Huevos Rancheros, I found the Mason Trail. It is a busy Sunday morning with bikers, runners, and walkers. I strode about at a fast pace for about 30 minutes before stopping at this intersection with signs and benches. Looking at the map, … Continue Reading →
July 13, 2023 – Along the Mill Brook When it rains, it pours! That is the story here in this humble valley nestled in the eastern foothills of the Green Mountains of Vermont. The Mill Brook has been doing its job without incident while I was away on my mid-west DCI tour of Illinois and Wisconsin, shedding copious amounts of water off Mount Ellen, … Continue Reading →
July 7, 2020 – DeKalb, Illinois Friday 7:00 am Well, here I am in DeKalb, Illinois. I am on my early-season Mid-west tour of Drum Corps International shows. The corn may be knee high in Vermont, but it is head-high out here in the fields the stretch almost as far as one can see. This land is flat. Tonight, I will join friends for … Continue Reading →
June 12, 2023 I am sitting in the shade of a sugar maple tree on the campus of Castleton State University in Vermont. Repetitive riffs resound off the buildings from the various sections of horns spread out in nooks under the mature trees. Trumpets, mellophones, baritones, euphoniums, and tubas work on different parts of the musical book that depict Captain Ahab’s obsession and the … Continue Reading →
May 1, 2023 – Along the Mill Brook Well, the 2022 summer transitioned to fall, then to winter, and now it’s mid-spring 2023. The skis are almost put away, and it is long overdue for me to update you on my goings-on. Coaching high school golf, substitute teaching, serving on two boards, backcountry guiding, skiing, and general outdoor recreation have occupied my time and kept … Continue Reading →
August 16, 2022 – Mill Brook Road, Waitsfield, Vermont Do not underestimate the power of drum corps’ persuasion. The 2022 DCI season has left an indelible impression on my mind. Riffs and revelations from the last two weeks were constant companions while I cruised home for two days on the high side of the left lane. I did not need the radio. Memories and … Continue Reading →
Saturday, August 13, 2022 – Lucas Oil Stadium 3:00 pm Tonight is the final night of DCI here in Indianapolis, and the excitement cannot be more intense. Especially after last night’s soiree, a great experience hanging in Military Park, the warm-up area for the horn and drum lines. I did not have a ticket for the show, so that was my destination for Friday … Continue Reading →