Driving from Wyoming

Five of us from Wyoming are coming to this Saturdays game. Been waiting to do this for 20 years. Any advice
For us for any pregame stuff?

...above all, have fun

...and bring watermelons

There is a big tailgate before the game just outside the stadium. They have a Practice field that is used for the tailgate. Also since ur coming from so far, if u contact the Rider office and tell them that they would be able to walk u thru the routine on game day and what's happening. Thier is also a Rider store at the stadium. Another at the Northgate Mall on the north end of the city.

Riderville website may have some info of use. Awesome to see people from Wyoming coming to a game. I hope it's a better game then last week.

Also we are also in a heat wave like you guys are. Hope your AC is working. Have a great time at the game, too bad it won't be in the new stadium. Mosaic is, ah, let's say it has character. :roll:

yeah, Starbuck23 hit it pretty good. Depending on what all is happening they may also be able to give a stadium tour. The tours can actually be pretty good depending on who is giving it, as some explain the history from back in the say it was pretty literally a field surrounded by a racing track.

There is also the Casino if you are into that type of thing, with a spa right there as well.

The game is at 1, so there may not be a pile happening prior to the game, but a fun place to go before the game is the Press Box pub...decent food and good atmosphere. After the game there are a few pubs on Dewdney, located a few blocks East and 1 North. McNally's often fills up fast, especially on Saturdays, because they generally will have a band. It is a fun little pub, especially after a win. The pubs can be hit and miss after an early game.

I assume you are coming in early...like the day before? check-in at most of the hotels, especially around the Casino, will hamper showing up at game time, though most will be happy to hold your luggage for you, but I imagine you are coming up the day before. If you are staying around the Casino, call it a 15 minute walk to Taylor. If you intend on taking in the pregame festivities, and hitting up the Rider Store, I would recommend being at the field at 1040 and heading directly to the store to beat the lineup...it cane get huge (obviously...look at the annual sales). I believe both will open at 11am. If you happen to go for a custom jersey it will be ready that day, but they are pressed on, not stitched.

There will be bands and cheers going on around the stadium, and a local radio station is in attendance at the tailgate playing music. The beer tokens at that are the same as inside (useful tip). Burgers are paper thin at the tailgate (but good inside the stadium), the rest of the grub is ok...assuming you will be grabbing something unless you hit up a brunch somewhere.

The tailgate is usually a good time, and the opposing team fans are generally mixed in there and taking it in stride. There is limited seating / chairs at the tailgate. have not heard if there is anything special happening at the tailgate...sometimes there will be alumni there signing stuff. If you phone they will let you know.

I believe the secret garden tours are on Friday, not too sure of anything else happening that weekend.

Have a great time!

I have nothing substative to add to what the fine gentlemen above said, but I do want to say both a big welcome and an "I am impressed"!!! That's really great when we hear that some folks are coming from far away - and from another country.

Just curious: you couldn't have made a better CFL choice but why the Riders? Know or related to someone who is playing for us? If not, how did we capture your interest?

started watching CFL games in the early 80's on ESPN, and since the Roughriders are straight north of Wyoming, I
"adopted" them as my team to watch and root for. It will be a long drive for us, but so looking forward to the game, and especially against the defending Champions. Do we know if they are wearing either their "white" or "throwback" helmets this week? the whites were sweet in week one. GO RIDERS!!!

question for depopulationINC, what local radio station does the tailgate? i happen to own the radio station in the town where i live, i was just curious.

104.9 the Wolf

very cool...they have a decent setup...some big arse speakers, a couple reps. Usually mix up the rock music pretty well for the party.

One other note I guess...there is no smoking in the stadium or on the practice field. Doesn't effect me, but I know a few people that generally go outside at at least halftime. most NFL stadiums I have been to recently (I went to I 6 or 7 different stadiums last year) I noticed had smoking areas within them.

Minor note, but a fairly big pain for smokers I would imagine, especially because you cant take your drink with you.

Oh, and it is a pity the CFL never took off in the US…the locations selected were rahter silly…3 down football in the deep south? Not likely. Baltimore did well, and I always thought places like Spokane, Billings and Bismark seemed more logical.

That's terrific that you're coming this far for the game! I hope that you guys have a great trip.

One more thing to add to what you've seen here already: the pre and post game radio shows are on AM620. They start quite a few hours before kickoff and will cover everything and then some about the game.

Welcome to Saskatchewan!

Thanks for all the great info and already warm welcome. I wish a network would pickup the CFL here in the states. Looking forward to the pregame to visit with people and definitely the game. Any parking suggestions?

depending on where you are staying I would walk (especially if having a few sodas).
otherwise, if you show up1/2 hours early you will have no issues parking. 11am should give you stadium parking, after that there is lots of residential parking…it will be 5 or so bucks there, which is cheap…just try to get a spot you won’t get boxed in because they jam em tight.

If u end up going for some drinks after, as mentioned earlier to the east (5 blocks) and 1 block north on Dewdney street (north side of street) is a couple of bars and you can leave your vehicle there before the game at no cost. It's normal street parking in a commercial like area. So your truck (I assume) is there near to the bars. An early game the night clubs won't be open yet but the pub style ones will be. I'd recommend the Press Club which is further north on Albert Street (about 7 minutes by car from the stadium) but it can be tough to get in too, but tons off Rider fans.

Warning though as in that bar area near the stadium, the further north u park away from dewdney(a busy street) there could be kids cruising to see if there is something to steal. I haven't seen it often but I have seen it. don't leave any valuables in site inside the truck and it should be fine. Sad that that kind of stuff happens.

The only other thing I can mention is the older Jerseys use pressed on numbers and the new 100th year Jersey they've brought out this year uses pre-stitched player names on a patch that you pick and that patc his stitched on to the Jersey. Not sure if I described it properly but at the Rider store they can explain your options. I'm close to putting my favorite current player Weston Dressler on my new Jersey, got to love the heart of that guy?

Have an awesome trip and try to recruit more Rider fans back in Wyoming, Cheers!

About the only thing that hasn't been mentioned is that if your seats are on the east / sunny side (sections 22 - 28), make sure you've all got hats and plenty of water. That's where my season tickets are, and an elderly man passed out last week in the 2nd quarter. He did come back for the 3rd quarter though. Pretty sure it was the heat and not too many wobbly pops. You can bring in your own water in a backpack, just no booze, and they search random backpacks.

The wobbly pops (beer) is always good and cold at Taylor Field - but we always sell out of Pilsner fist. Coors light is the other option for beer.

There also is a huge country music festival on the same weekend at Craven, just north of Regina about 30 minutes. Craven website: http://www.cravencountryjamboree.com
If you have connections with your radio station, 620 CKRM is one of the major sponsors of the event. They may be able to get you some tickets, petty late though, but you'll never know unless you ask.

GO RIDERS GO

Good point about Craven. It's one of the top 100 tourist attractions in North America. Hell you see some people from Europe at it. BIG party. Alot of people go there for the party and don't even go to any of the concerts.

Perhaps another idea for something to do on Saturday...

The 620 CKRM Cheerleaders will have their calendar launch party this Saturday at Pure Ultra Lounge. For information or tickets, contact the Rider ticket office or one of the members of the 620 CKRM Cheerleaders.

I haven't ever been there though, so no promises.

Well it looks like they chose a good game to attend. Hope the trip went well.