Wednesday, May 2, 2007

After meeting at the OFC office parking lot in the light 4 a.m. rain, the members of Lyrica, Fiero and Aria boarded the Oregon Coachways bus for the first leg of our tour: Eugene to Portland International Airport.

In order to ensure the punctual arrival of all choristers and chaperones, each chorister was instructed to call their chaperone's cell phone between 3 and 3:15 a.m. to verify that they were awake and on track for getting to the departure site on time. (The motivation for calling was the consequence that the chorister's household would receive a call at 3:16 if they had not checked in.)  All went  as planned and the surprisingly cheery (or at least cooperative) group was loaded on the bus and ready to pull onto 6th Avenue and the Washington Street Bridge five minutes ahead of schedule, perhaps a new personal best for OFC Tours.

Though tired, the excitement of heading out on our adventure was obvious in the chatter throughout the coach. Choristers were given the few minutes until we reached I-5 to say anything they needed to say before the implementation of an OFC personal discipline: Voice Rest.

For the next 75 minutes, the tour coach was dark and silent, allowing some to catch a few extra minutes of sleep before arriving at the airport.