It was the only bowl game that we would be able to attend this season, given our other travel commitments. And it ended up being the one that ASU was invited to.
We got the official word that ASU’s bowl game would be in Las Vegas while we were on the other side of the globe in Fiji. Luckily, with some hotel wifi and fb messenger, we organized a ticket order with our tailgating crew—and even managed to score a free hotel room. Even better, my dad and his girlfriend would be able to attend as well.
Since this was an unscheduled trip, we’d have to squeeze it into a short weekend. That meant leaving after work on Friday and returning Sunday night—a quick turnaround from our Tuesday night return from the South Pacific. We’d also need to take Jen’s vehicle, as Sam the Subie was overdue for some new struts, so that meant no dirt road adventures on the way home.
Unfortunately, we returned from our big trip less than healthy, which made the pre-game celebrations with our tailgating group at the casino on Friday night a bit muted. Nonetheless, we enjoyed a few hours collecting free drinks at the slots while our friends won and lost money. We’re not really gamblers—those casinos aren’t built out of free money—but we’ll definitely pretend to play for some free drinks and a chance to hang out with friends.
I was feeling pretty awful after another sleepless night nursing a worsening cold, but I wasn’t going to miss the game. We grabbed breakfast and arrived early at Sam Boyd Stadium. We skipped doing a tailgate and instead caught up with our group for a remarkable tour (sorry—I can’t say what the tour was, but it was pretty darn cool).
Ain’t no cold gonna keep me away 
My first time at the Vegas Bowl
Sun Devil take the field 
Big flag, but no fireworks 
Sun Devil Marching Band performs
Given a long list of injuries and some other circumstances surrounding the game, we didn’t expect a victory. And, unfortunately, the game played out much as we anticipated. But in spite of the outcome—and some chilly weather in the shady part of the stadium—we had an enjoyable time.
By the time we had returned to the casino, another friend had joined us, and the five of us spent the remainder of the night enjoying a number of drinks and a huge pizza in a corner food court of the casino. It wasn’t your typical Vegas celebration, but it was a perfect way to end the day.
We added on a short lunch stop with one of Jen’s friends before heading home the next day—another college football season in the books.