July 7, 2026 – Albany, New York
I am at the Albany International Airport in upstate NY at gate C3 awaiting my departure for the first leg of my California trip on Southwest Airlines. My friend from San Diego is a 45-year employee, so he graciously provided me with a discount fare. Unfortunately, this airline does not serve the Burlington, Vermont airport that I usually depart from. The three-hour drive in the Silver Bullet went smoothly in the early AM. Now, I settle in to putting my faith in the wings of man. Southwest Airlines is an official sponsor of DCI, helping to return thousands of marching members to their homes after the finals in Indianapolis. Their mission statement: ‘to connect people to what is important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost travel.’ That is just exactly what I need. We’ll see how the day goes.
My flight schedule actually includes three airports today with a change in Baltimore and a stop in Boston. I did not notice this when I booked. So, it looks like I will be doing about 4 hours of senseless flying along the East Coast before heading west. Note to self: read the fine print. It will be a fun story to write about in any event. So far, everything is on time.
As I officially begin my 2026 DCI summer tour, I want to reflect on the past 9 years since I ran away with the Drum Corps in 2017 and I began my blog, alongthemillbrook.com. Little did I know that I would be such an avid fan and writer. Since then, I have written a dozen blog posts during each summer tour, contributing them for reprint to Drum Corps World (DCW) magazine throughout the off-season. DCW is the definitive source for current information on all things drum corps, with a strong focus on the history and legacy of this unique American youth activity. Now in my tenth year covering DCI shows (minus one – 2020), it is time for a fresh look and perspective. Welcome to DrumcorpsBEAT.com. Alongthemillbrook.com will remain to showcase the many other interests and activities that I engage in.
My boarding group has been called.
I am now at Baltimore-Washington International Airport waiting for my connecting flight. So far, so good. All flights are on time. I have a couple of hours to continue this musing.
For a fresh perspective this season, I will focus on branching out and spending time with other top DCI corps. The Giants of the Boston Crusaders are heading to the south, while I am heading west. I hope to attend a rehearsal by the Bluecoats, Blue Devils, or Santa Clara Vanguard while I am in California. Early scores indicate that the Bluecoats are starting out in a leading position over the California corps. Of course, it is too early to tell how things will stack up. Will it be another neck-and-neck competitive year between Bluecoats and BAC, or will another corps surge into the mix? Early scores indicate a strong showing for the Midwest corps touring in the West. The DCI California gold phenomenon may prove true again; eastern corps go west and win the gold in the end.
Time to board.
Update: I am sitting in seat 24A waiting for others to board the 737-MAX8. Because I wasn’t paying attention well, I chose flight connections that included an extra stop – Boston. Given that I left my home in Vermont for Albany at 4:00 AM, I am no farther west now than I was when I started 12 hours ago. Big mistake for choosing such an insane flight schedule. I will be on this plane for more than nine hours before reaching my destination, San Diego.
My horse for a crossword.
Nine hours later, and almost frozen in the sitting position, my haunch was exaggerated as I finally deplaned at SAN. The 19-hour travel odyssey is over.
The final hour in was spectacularly beautiful, looking out at the mountain/desert west from 30,000 feet. The low-angle sun provided shadows that brought out the subtle details of the terrain shaped by wind and water over the millennia. Rich textures of rocks and sand glowing in tan, beige, with brush strokes of pink as far as the horizon. This gave an otherworldly sense, like I was in a space capsule transiting a faraway planet, but for the straight lines, angles, and perfect circles of man’s intervention. Then, as the mountains ended, trees and homes spread across the hillside and the seaside metropolis appeared, signaling that the end of my trip was near. From the Rockies to the runway, the glide path in was quiet, smooth, and serene.
I will be staying at a friend’s hacienda for a day before heading north to Santa Clarita on Thursday for the Gold Showcase, then to Walnut, CA, on Friday for the Western Corps Connection, and finally to Pasadena for Drum Corps at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. This will be my first competitive shows of the season. I will be researching where the corps are staying and hope to catch a couple of rehearsals as well. I am on reckless abandon, as I have no solid plans of how and where my California DCI adventure will play out yet. It may include using the train to head north, Uber, and a rental car to get me around. I do not have a flight home reservation yet, so I might stay an extra day or two. Now it is time to settle into relaxation, California-style. Peace out.
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