The reason that prompted our father daughter trip to Fort Collins is that the Rams are getting a new stadium next year. I may be biased, but I think Hughes Stadium is the absolute best setting in college football. No, it's not nearly the fanciest or the biggest, but it has the most beautiful views, amazing tailgating, and some awesome history {the Stones played there!}. Hughes is situated a few miles from campus, at the base of the foothills of the Rockies in a huge open field. Students, alumni, and just regular fans drive out to the stadium on gameday and have the biggest and best tailgate around - there really isn't anything like it. Since it's not on campus, you don't have people running up right before gametime or tailgating in random parking lots around the city - everyone is out there together, sharing a beer, reminiscing about the team, and playing games while waiting for the game to start. There's a big Aggie "A" up in the foothills behind the stadium reminding you of the CSU roots, and on a sunny and gorgeous day like the one we had last weekend, it's the best place to be. Dad and I had purchased tickets to the Ag Day BBQ before the game and I was blown away by the hundreds, if not thousands of people in attendance at this pre-game bbq. We ate our weight in local meat and side dishes while listening to live music and running into everyone in their bright orange gear {it was the "Orange-Out" game after all, and I'm glad we sprung for the orange shirts to help blend in}. On our way back to the stadium for kick off, we ran into none other than Cam the Ram, and I was beyond excited to snap a few pics of this local celebrity :) Inside the stadium, we celebrated the 1970's with decade trivia and music while we cheered on the Rams to an extremely convincing win over University of Northern Colorado {they killed them, prompting repeated versions of our awesome Fight Song and touchdown sprints in the end zone by Cam}. Everyone we talked to agreed - while the new on-campus stadium will be good for recruiting and sponsors, we are all going to miss the atmosphere and history that goes along with Hughes. There really is no place like it, and I'm so glad Dad and I got to go there for one last game to say our "farewell".
our plates of meat
ag days
the one and only cam the ram!
cam's fancy trailer
the aggie "A" in the foothills
the parking lot full of tailgating fans
tear 'em asunder!
hughes was one of the only stadiums when i was in college that sold beer......so i had to have a local coors light for old time's sake :)
our selfie made the big screen!
see? beautiful
Farewell, Hughes - you were spectacular :)
xoxo,
stephanie marie
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