To Dave and back

Dave is in our summer plans every year....sometimes twice, this year maybe three times..... Anyway, we chose to camp in Saratoga Springs, NY with Dyleva, and then check out Dave.











I have always heard how beautiful it is there; about five hours from Buffalo.  We thought it would be a nice family getaway.  We camp every year, so it made sense to combine the two.

The site itself was just ok; it was a little tight.  I like space when I camp.  Not just a plot with electric hook up.



But they had a pool, lake, golf.  Not bad.

It helped that almost everyone on the site was going to at least one of  DMB's shows.


The next day we explored the park.  It was beautiful!  There were hiking paths, and natural springs all through the park.  (BTW wouldn't recommend drinking from them...)

There were also tailgaters all through the park.  From 10:00 in the morning.

But these firedancers were cooking, playing baseball, frisbee, using the playground.

Families just like ours, excited to see Dave!

Tailgating in the creek! Brilliant!

Later, after a nap, a swim and a dinner picnic in the park, we were off to see Dave!  So exciting!

We took a beautiful hike in to the venue, which is inside the state park.

The beautiful trek in!

And then my balloon deflated quicker than ever thought possible.

The venue was awful.  At least for lawn seats.  It was daylight, and I couldn't even see the stage.  There was no green area (well, very little) to sit down.

Can YOU see a stage?

Firedancer!

Oh Dave. 
Did you need to sell 90 f-ing thousand tickets?

It had way to many, thousands too many people, for us to enjoy this concert as a family.  

I don't need a lot of space.  There is four of us, maybe 5x5 so we have room to sit, stand, and maybe put my kids on my lap.

This was impossible to do in a safe manner.

We toughened it out.  The first hour.  We stood and picked the kids up (to see the screen!)

The next half hour I sat with Dylan on my lap.  And that is where we got in to problems.  It was so crowded people were cutting through the middle of the blanket and almost stepping on our kids.  We would have moved back further, but there was no further!  Behind us was concessions and concrete.

We eventually moved, walked around, and then left.  We enjoyed the concert for the first two hours.  We missed the last 5 songs.

I don't want to brag.  But I've been to a lot of concerts.  It's kind of my thing.  This venue was truly disappointing.

Tailgating and park: A+
Venue: D
Concert: A-
Too bad it was so hard to enjoy it!

Something hit home.  One week later, I took my car in for an oil change.  I was in the waiting room with the kids.  Couldn't even hear the elevator music in the background.
Eva looks up.
"Mommy?"  
"Is this Samurai Cop?"
That's my girl!!! I've never been prouder!