July 10, 2026 – Mount San Antonio College, Walnut, California
I am sitting in the shadow of the Mt. San Antonio College Student Center at a comfortable table. Tonight is the DCI Western Corps Connection. This show features an expanded lineup, including California DCI Open Class and the World Class corps from last night, as well as the addition of Seattle Cascades.
I have decided to be a lark in the lot again, as I did in San Bernardino in 2023. Tonight I will follow the Bluecoats hornline throughout the evening and maybe even into the stadium with them. I also hope to catch up with Professor Bentley, horn instructor with the Blue Devils. He took me in under his wing back in 2017 when I ran away with the Boston Crusaders. So, with some time to kill, I will muse for a while with my fingers.
The question from friends and family in texts and emails is, “How is California?” My answer was, “Hot, sunny, and dry. Too many people. Too much traffic. But if you find the right trail, it’s a great place to walk in the morning.”
Today was such an experience. My original plan was to walk to a famous breakfast place, but lo, there was a sign for the Santa Clara River Trail that immediately steered me away from my original path to explore the river. The thing was, the river was missing. That is, if you think of a river as water. This arroyo has a broad base, indicating that water comes and goes with extremes. Today, it was bone dry but the vegetation was still green. The multi-use path system is very extensive. I decided to head for a one-mile out-and-back, then head to breakfast.
At 8:00 AM, the day was already heating up in the sun. Deviating from the pavement, I chose the natural path that shadowed the main trail and provided some shade. The dry soils were similarly hard-packed, but the gravel felt like home.
Native vegetation areas were prevalent, once again a demonstration that man can make just as much positive impact on the environment as we have made detrimental to it. Our voracious energy consumption was highly visible in the view sheds. Rows of high-powerlines dominated the sky; this area seemed to be the crossroads for all of the electricity in California. I kept thinking about what a great location it would be to film the next Godzilla movie.
Deciding to turn around, I picked up my step to get to that breakfast place. However, once again, I was drawn to continue past to complete a longer section of trail. Biting off perhaps too much for the morning walk, I returned to the hotel by way of the ubiquitous Scottish restaurant with the arches and great coffee. Time to shower and pack was slim before checkout.
The drive here to Walnut, CA, from Valencia was another slog along the economic lanes of life. Today was going to be a day of rehearsals. I had researched both the Blue Devils and Bluecoats and came up skunked, as there was nary a bus or beat of a drum at either location I sourced by ChatGPT.
So, Jersey Mike’s and Holiday Inn allowed me to complete my previous post. A relaxing dip in the pool washed off the miles. I may have time to share some of my experiences this evening with an update. Time for another campus walk, then some lot time. Peace out.
July 11, 2026 – Diamond Bar, California
I am poolside at the hotel in Diamond Bar, of course, in the shade. It is right next to a very busy main thoroughfare. What a contrast to the quiet downtown location the night before. Time to catch up on last night’s DCI Western Connection.
This hotel is not far from the Mt. SAC stadium, but it’s too far to walk. So, last night I parked on campus and walked the lot near the stadium, where I noticed all of the trucks and buses.
I noticed the Bluecoats mellophone section and a group of bandos walking with purpose, coolers in the other hand. I immediately followed them to where they were headed because I knew there would be audio gold at the end of their rainbow. I was not disappointed. When this entourage arrived at our destination, about a quarter of a mile and on the other side of a hill from the stadium, there was an expansive parking lot filled with corps warming up and throngs of fans loitering around. This was the scene of some otherworldly DCI moments.
I was immediately drawn to the Bluecoats drum line in an arc with a person, an instructor on a small kit. They were going through a series of warm-ups, perhaps quite familiar to those surrounding them, who listened, cheered, and applauded at the conclusion of each.
Then, I migrated to the horn line that had just assembled nearby. As they staked out their territory, they established a perimeter of a circle about 50′ in diameter. I was up close, taking a photo of the strange instruments, including an axe, sledgehammer, and staff, when the instructor asked them to enlarge the circle by stepping back five steps. The Bluecoats, I, and others around me all moved in unison.
I moved with the Bluecoats!
The hornline did a series of warm-ups in the round and huddles in the middle, with the low brass accompanying the members’ voices singing the tune, not quite audible to these compromised ears amid the din of the lot. They then broke into sections and spread out into four corners.
Meanwhile, I roamed over to the Blue Devils horn line warming up across the lot. Professor Steve was welcome eyes. I missed him in Castleton this Spring. He is a Blue Devil after all.
As I returned to the golden zone in the middle, the Bluecoats sections were breaking up with rousing chants and shouts as they broke their huddles and returned to the circle for ensemble warm-up. Then, reassembling in lines, everyone around moved to the front. They belted out some show music that I will work on words to describe later. Simply otherworldly.
As they assembled in parade formation for the walk to the stadium, darkness had fallen. Instead of following them via the road we entered, I chose an off-road route to the top of the hill above the stadium. Leading me to think of how I became hooked on drum corps again back in 2012 after a 40-year hiatus, in part due to the Bluecoats reaching in and grabbing my heart with “Unmasked.”
I had to go into the stadium and watch the show. So, through the magic of personality, I secured a seat at the 20-yard line in general seating and watched the show with the moms and dads and bandos with great enjoyment.
Today is the third and final show of my 2026 California tour, and it will be my third visit to the Rose Bowl. It’s time to check out of this place and hit the road for the next adventure of the day.
My research led me to the perfect venue for my walk and a great place to hang out for the afternoon: the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area. I have two tickets at the 50 tonight, and that is it. I will consider my lodging options while I walk.
MORE FROM DRUM CORPS 2026