I am never sure how any road trip is going to turn out, ya even Creation. This year wasn't any different especially with our numbers slipping from 12 guys last year to six this year.(Ryley, d-Pod, Zac and the Kelowna boys couldn't make it this year.) This year we had Bent, Drew, GeRRald, Max and we added Jonathan Fojt to the fold.
After the guys all got their travel insurance we packed the trailer and headed for Colville. We are never in a big rush at Wal-Mart, but some how this year it seemed like we were in the store for a very long time. This year we added a few things to the menu like Cross Trax, Pizza Bread and Breakfast Sandwiches. (GeRRald, Max and Jon didn't know what Cross Trax were, we had them convinced that Cross Trax was a Band that was playing on the Fringe stage!)
Our next stop was in Spokane at Red Robin. Apparently it was Johnny's first time in a Red Robin because everything seemed to confuse him. (The waitress brought him a refill for his bottomless root beer float and he looked at us with this funny look and all he could say was "I'm confused, what is going on?") I am not sure if I have ever laughed as much as I did that first day in Red Robin.(We weren't even tired yet!)
After Red Robin we were back on the road and on our way to Seattle. We arrived in Seattle early enough that we could set up camp before dark.(So much better that trying to set up in the dark like last year.)
Wednesday morning is relaxing cause things don't start until 5:00 p.m. so we slept in and played a lot of crib and horseshoes(A Creation first for 3739! GeRRald and I slayed at horseshoes, right Drew?) Wednesday was also the day that Johnny realized that we didn't buy any vegetables prompting him to ask "Where's my vegetables?" Johnny later explained to me that he couldn't think clearly without his vegetables.(We did bring Potatoes-fries, chips and hash browns and beans in the chili.)
Shonlock started Creation it was a good way to kick it off, the rotating drummers and the back flip off of the bass drum were the highlights. Next up was speaker Nick Vujicic, his story was very moving.(He was born without limbs.)
The Newsboys added the rotating drum set and the mini stage(This stage rises 30 feet above the crowd.)in the middle of the crowd for Michael Tate to the set that they had last year. The Newsboys always bring it, it is always a lot of fun.
Thursday was Hawk Nelson, Red, Tenth Avenue North and TobyMac. What can I say about Toby that hasn't already been said? He doesn't need all kinds of gear like the Newsboys or Skillet, he has a presence on the stage that most wish they had. "He is a marketing genius!"
Friday was the best day it had KJ-52,(See the sweet picture we have with KJ in the Friday collage.)The Almost, Thousand Foot Krutch, Switchfoot and Aaron Gillespie.(Aaron did a worship set at the Late Night Stage. Definitely a highlight.) Switchfoot is always amazing, probably my favourite right now! (Saturday night was also candlelight, pretty cool although not like it was at the Gorge.)
Saturday was slow getting going so we had Johnny and Max playing bigger or better so that we could get rid of excess food and get us some sweets. I had a change of heart about "Fun Size" chocolate bars after the boys returned with a bag of them. Earlier in the week I had said "Fun Size?! What's so fun about them? Ben wouldn't even taste them!"
Saturday had Brian"Head"Welch, Emery, David Crowder(Never really liked Crowder before, but loved his concert this year.)and Skillet. After watching Skillet I am sure that they will be closing Creation for the at least the next few years. They add something to their show every year, it was unreal! After the Skillet show Creation ended with fireworks, it was a great way to end an amazing week!
Random Thoughts about Creation 2011
1)We missed a set list for the first time in six years when we couldn't get one at the Switchfoot concert. We didn't get one at Newsboys either but they only had one and it was laminated so they weren't going to let us have it.
2)We got the only set list from the Skillet concert. It was off of Jen's drum stage!(It was a spinning drum stage!)Johnny(Our buddy the security guard.) finally helped us out!
3)The security guards at Creation in 2011 were overworked, or so it seems! (They must have been tired because they were grumpy. Except Johnny of course!)We had a couple of run-ins with them this year. The one told us "I will win!" when we took a picture of Aaron Gillespie after he had told us not to.
4)Aaron Gillespie(The Almost), Jason Dunn(Hawk Nelson) and Michael Barnes(Red) all became honorary members of Btln 3739 after we gave them all a Btln Medallion.
5)The Btln 3739 formula at Red Robin is almost unattainable, I am not sure if we have ever completed it since the first time we tried it.
6)I bought Mamba on the way home. Mambaaaaaaa!!!!!!
7)Creation signed a ten year lease with Enumclaw.
8)Creation 2012 is July 18-21! It is going to miss my anniversary again!
9)Creation 2012 will be year 9 for Bent and The Captain!
10)Ryley, Jason and Drew might be back for 2012?
11)Max rolled 100 yards for 2 dollars!
12)Johnny(Our Johnny)told me he can't wait until next year!
13)We will have to buy vegetables next year!
14)GeRRald is spelled with two R's!
15)Only 349 days until Creation 2012!
16)How was Creation 2011? Amazing!
THE CAPTAIN
