Who is coming to St. Paul?

[sk8addict]

Returning to Nationals after a 9 year absence. Had tickets, reservations and transportation paid for 9years ago when Nationals were in St. Paul. Unfortunately bacterial meningitis had other plans for me. After two near death experiences and $60,000 in medical debt even with my insurance I have regained my life and am finally heading to St Paul. It will be like a reunion for me. Can't wait.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Returning to Nationals after a 9 year absence. Had tickets, reservations and transportation paid for 9years ago when Nationals were in St. Paul. Unfortunately bacterial meningitis had other plans for me. After two near death experiences and $60,000 in medical debt even with my insurance I have regained my life and am finally heading to St Paul. It will be like a reunion for me. Can't wait.

We all need to get together! I just got my seat assignment....in am in 123, second row, right next to the kiss and cry....I will have my Golden Skate vest, Goldenskate Jacket, and Goldenskate Flag. What could possibly go wrong?
Prelim schedule:
http://www.2016uschampionships.com/files/6714/4650/2764/2016USFSC_ScheduleOfEvents.pdf

 

[sk8addict]

I am directly across from you. Second row. Where r u from? Austin, tx here.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I am directly across from you. Second row. Where r u from? Austin, tx here.

My avatar says I am from Spokane, so it must be true! LOL! Dont bring any fire ants to nats! Just send Spokane your rain.....

 

[FSGMT]

Oh grammar! :dumb:

 

[CoyoteChris]

Oh grammar! :dumb:

Please dont look to me for anything like correctness in the English language! As a scientist, I have little respect for any language with rules like, "I before E except after C and Neighbors weighing ancient glaciers....":giveup:

 

[MFarone]

Oh my :rofl2:

Please dont look to me for anything like correctness in the English language! As a scientist, I have little respect for any language with rules like, "I before E except after C and Neighbors weighing ancient glaciers....":giveup:

 

[CoyoteChris]

Oh my :rofl2:

It seems when I was learning French, there were no rules like that.......:clapper: Well, attempted to learn French anyway.....

 

[doze]

Love how nationals is in Mn! I don't have to pay much to experience it and I can just go chill in the X or downtown.

 

[b-man]

Well, just returned from an overseas trip and am now planning for Nationals. I usually watch all Sr. ladies pratices. Has anyone figured out if these will be in the main arena, or this twenty miles away Bloomington ice center, or probably a mixture of both? Has the detailed competition schedule come out yet?

 

[MFarone]

Detailed practice/competition schedule usually comes out the middle of December. 2015 Greensboro, the schedule was not officially released until about a week before Nationals. Someone with access did post a link to the tentative schedule for 2015 in December, but the real official schedule (with a few minor changes) didn't come out until about a week before the event which made planning difficult.

Don't have any idea about how the practices will be set up. Since the Bloomington Ice Garden is quite a distance and no shuttle will be provided for fans to that facility, I won't be going there.

 

[b-man]

^ Thanks, I couldn't remember when the detailed color coded schedule came out last year. I likely will have a rental car, but would much prefer to watch practices in the main rink. In Greensboro and other Nationals, about half of the practices were in the main rink and half in the practice rink, but Greensboro (and Omaha) had the advantage of the practice rink in the same building.

 

[MFarone]

B-man I went back and checked on the detailed schedule for 2015 and discovered that the link provided by a fan came out on January 3. The "official" link from USFSA didn't come out until a week before the competition.

I am not completely sure that an All Event Ticket will give access to practices at Bloomington Ice Garden. I found this in the FAQs on the LOC 2016 website; All-Event Ticket Packages include general admission to specified practices at Xcel Energy Center and general admission to intermediate and juvenile competitions at the secondary venue.

Note that what I quoted above does not include any mention of practices at Bloomington Ice Garden.

^ Thanks, I couldn't remember when the detailed color coded schedule came out last year. I likely will have a rental car, but would much prefer to watch practices in the main rink. In Greensboro and other Nationals, about half of the practices were in the main rink and half in the practice rink, but Greensboro (and Omaha) had the advantage of the practice rink in the same building.

 

[b-man]

B-man I went back and checked on the detailed schedule for 2015 and discovered that the link provided by a fan came out on January 3. The "official" link from USFSA didn't come out until a week before the competition.

I am not completely sure that an All Event Ticket will give access to practices at Bloomington Ice Garden. I found this in the FAQs on the LOC 2016 website; All-Event Ticket Packages include general admission to specified practices at Xcel Energy Center and general admission to intermediate and juvenile competitions at the secondary venue.

Note that what I quoted above does not include any mention of practices at Bloomington Ice Garden.

I remember the detailed competition schedule is normally updated a number of times, but the updates are generally minor, with the initial schedule being very close to the final schedule.

I remember being given access to practices at alternate venue practice rinks in San Jose and Boston. Hopefully, my all Event Ticket will give me access to any official practices at this Bloomington venue.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Thanks to MFarone for further ideas for a healthy hearty breakfast. Liffey's Irish pub, Downtowner, Citizen's supper club, Mickey's diner, and even two Subways.......Lots of places for dinner....if any local has any suggestions, that would be welcomed.

 

[MFarone]

Another comment about practices. On the LOC website under Frequently Asked Questions there is a question specifically about practices. The LOC says the Xcel Center, Bloomington Ice Garden and Pleasant Arena will be used for practices. Select practices will be open to All Event Ticket holders. All of the practices at Pleasant Arena will be closed.

My take on this: All practices at Xcel will be open, some practices at Bloomington will be open, no practices at Pleasant Arena will be open. If anyone is considering taking a taxi from Xcel to Bloomington Ice Garden, fare would be approximately $50+tip one way.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Another comment about practices. On the LOC website under Frequently Asked Questions there is a question specifically about practices. The LOC says the Xcel Center, Bloomington Ice Garden and Pleasant Arena will be used for practices. Select practices will be open to All Event Ticket holders. All of the practices at Pleasant Arena will be closed.

My take on this: All practices at Xcel will be open, some practices at Bloomington will be open, no practices at Pleasant Arena will be open. If anyone is considering taking a taxi from Xcel to Bloomington Ice Garden, fare would be approximately $50+tip one way.

I am thinking that most of the practices I would want to see are going to be at the XL. There are so many comps going on anyway that I doubt I will be traveling to other areas....I am trying to pace myself in my old age and not get overly tired at nats anymore.....I want to see the detailed comp/practice schedule.....

 

[MFarone]

I'll be arriving in St. Paul on Monday. I'm in Section 123 at the top of the lower bowl.

 

[PaulE]

I'm on my way. I boarded the Amtrak train in Portland Oregon about 5:00 PM this afternoon. We should be passing Coyote Chris' town between 1:00 and 2:00 AM. If the train doesn't freeze up in North Dakota or northern Minnesota we should be in St. Paul on Sunday. We have two seats in Section 111, Row 2. We are in almost the same seats we had in 2008 (one of the seats is the same).

I would love to say hi to any of the Golden Skaters. I should be recognizable in a yellow ball cap that says Golden Skate on the front. I hope everyone, including the skaters, makes it safely to St. Paul.

I plan to read about Hercule Poirot and "Murder on the Orient Express" while we are traveling through the snow country.

 

[karne]

If the train doesn't freeze up in North Dakota or northern Minnesota we should be in St. Paul on Sunday.

If it doesn't do WHAT?!