Detroit / Monster Jam

Saturday night was our annual trip to downtown Detroit to watch us some monster trucks!  We seriously have only missed going one year (since 2000) because of a bad ice storm. That night we sat at home and watched the history of Monster Jam at the Silverdome.  Seeing it on TV is NOT like seeing it in person!  And last year sucked because we couldn't find a parking spot, so Randy sent us in without him and he missed over half of the show. This year we were determined to get there early to avoid hassle.

it was actually quite nice. Normally, Monster Jam coinsides with opening night of the North American International Auto Show, and sometimes a Red Wings game, so parking is scarce!  But the Auto Show doesn't start til this weekend and the Wings haven't started playing yet.  The only crowd we had to deal with was all the rowdies coming out of the Fox from the 2 pm showing of Yo Gabba Gabba.   That's a hard core Detroit bunch right there!

Ford Field peeking around from behind Comerica Park

We parked the car around 3.  We were blessed with sunshine & almost 60* weather, so it was nice to roam around downtown in just a hoodie.  There are a couple gorgeous old churches, the Fox theater & the Hockeytown cafe all within a block of each other and Comerica Park the next street over and Ford Field on the other side of that!

 It has been suggested that there be an Apocalypse themed park set in Detroit.  

Maybe the suggestion is true?

 Tigers on Comerica Park

 Hockeytown Cafe

 Mere photos cannot do this place justice.  It's just beautiful. 

St. John's at night.  

It's lit up by spotlights from the top of Hockeytown across the street. 

The Fox Theater

detail of the top of the Fox

Another truly beautiful church. 

 I love this shot!

Jet powered smart car.

I never did get a clear pic of this damn little thing!

 Ground Pounder

Crushstation (yes...a lobster!) 

Wrecking Crew

 Mega-Bite

I was having technical difficulties & missed most of his very short run. 

Krazy Train

He ended up on his lid & still sounded the train whistle.

 

 Shock Therapy got shocked.

 El Toro Loco

 Rollin' Thunder spun down to the bare ground!

Then the truck stopped and the driver got out, pretending to be dizzy.

 Brutus 

his tire is against the wall behind him.

Aftershock

 Zombie

 Close up of Zombie

Zombie's driver on the Jumbotron with his creepy yellow eyes

 

 Avenger.

My truck of choice

 Northern Nightmare

A very sweet truck, also.

 Grinder

Gravedigger!

Angela's truck of choice

Gravedigger did a lot of his run on 3 wheels

 Maximum Destruction

Close up of Max D's new body style.

Very cool & shot sparks all over. 

Another really cool thing.  There was a guy in our row with his 2 kids - they were dressed like the drivers of El Toro Loco and Gravedigger.  After El Toro Loco did his freestyle, the driver came up in the stands and gave the little boy (dressed like him) a part of the door panel of the truck.  When Gravedigger finished his freestyle run, the driver came up in the stands and gave the flag off the back of the truck to the little girl (dressed like him)  How awesome is that??  And when Max D won both the racing and freestyle, he picked random kids in the audience to give the trophies to! 

We had a lot of fun, as usual.  Monster Jam is coming back here in March.  I'll have to ask Randy if we're going again.  If not - next January!