Purdue Trip (Oct 16)

A group of my buddies are heading to the Purdue game (October 16). I was wondering if anyone could give us tips on great eating places, traditions, sites, bars, events, etc. MNboiler? Others?

I guess the Gophers are Purdue's homecoming opponent so let us know if you know of any fun Homecoming event suggestions.

Thanks in advance. Hope to see some of you there!

Sounds cool Tub - I did this same trip 2 years ago with some alum buds. A good time, especially since we won.

Much of the Friday night before the game was a haze, but I do remember going to the Triple XXX Diner, which has some phenomenal late night eats. I recall having the 'Duane Purvis Burger' which has peanut butter on it and is surprisingly good. One of my buds had the 'Drew Brees' which was some kind of breakfast with eggs. Good place to hit up after too many pitchers of beer.

I also recall hitting up the "Chocolate Shoppe' bar which was absolutely packed, to the point where you couldn't even move. I'm certain the fire code was severely violated there, and it wasn't very fun at all. We moved on pretty quickly, but I can't recall where. I'm sure there are others 'Holers who can add to my memory of West Lafayette.

Purdue game...MN Boiler?

MN Boiler - where are you? We need your help. Surely you're not back in classes yet are you? I'm thinking about making the trip also.

Also - if anyone has a recommendation for tailgating that would be great too. We're going in a RV.

Thanks for the tips so far. There has to be a few more GH'ers who've been to Purdue before. Anyone?

Tubtastic said:

Also - if anyone has a recommendation for tailgating that would be great too. We're going in a RV.

Thanks for the tips so far. There has to be a few more GH'ers who've been to Purdue before. Anyone?

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Ah, I actually do know that the RV tailgating lot is a ways a way from Ross-Ade Stadium, as we tailgated with the Gopher GridIron Club there in 2008. They run a free shuttle (school bus) to the stadium from there and it was about a 10 minute ride.

Unfortunately, we couldn't find the spot to get back on it after the game, and ended up walking to the lot (about a 25-30 minute walk through campus). In the end though, since we won - it wasn't a bad walk back, since no one could give us sh*t.

When we went two years ago, the Saturday morning of every home game all the college kids do something called "Breakfast Club". By 7 am at a bunch of the campus bars, EVERYONE dresses up in Halloween costumes and goes crazy for 3-4 hours at the bars with deals on drinks, etc. and then proceed to head toward the stadium to tailgate. If you choose to do this, make sure you bring a costume because we were ridiculed for just wearing our Gopher gear instead of having a costume. Not to say you shouldnt wear some Gopher threads but just try to come up with a costume that incorporates some maroon and gold.

As for tailgating, there is a golf course somewhat near there that is essentially turned into a gigantic parking lot/tailgate area which was alot of fun for us, but it got a little confusing to find our way back there after the game. The Purdue people we interacted with were all very helpful too so dont be afraid to ask them for suggestions...hope that helps!

First of it's great that you are coming down to the Purdue game. I hope you have a great time and I am more than happy to answer any question you might have.

If you get into WL on Thursday night going to the Neon Cactus is a must. It's where everybody goes on Thursday, they have a good size dance floor and a great piano bar. For Friday and Saturday night the best bars are on Chauncey Hill. It is literally right next to campus. The Chocolate Shop that Bandanna Guy referred to is Harry's while it is always packed on Friday and Saturday nights it is a classic at Purdue that has been there since 1924 roughly. To me it is a great place to go with a couple of friends and have a few drinks and just talk. There is also Brother's(I believe there is also one in the the Twin Cities) which has become the frat boy hangout. Where Else which is more hard core party bar is right next door. Also there is Jake's which is more sit and have a drink place. All four are within 3 blocks of each other so a bar crawl is easy.

As for food after a few too many drinks Bandanna hit the nail on the head with XXX. It is a Purdue classic and few blocks away from the bars. I recommend the "Duane Pervis Burger", which does have peanut butter on it, which is crazy good get the onion rings and a root beer and you are set. Also there is a "Drew Brees All-American Breakfast" which is HUGE. I once saw a couple of football players linemen come in and they just finished it.

Saturday morning, if you are awake I recommend going back to Chauncey to go to Breakfast Club. All the students over 21 get dressed up in Halloween costumes and go out to the bars which open at like 6 AM. It is quite the sight, you see everything. The Pope, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, literally anything you can think of.

After that tailgating is recommended depending on what your plan is the best place to tailgate is on the IM Gold fields which is about 15-25 minute walk from Ross-Ade depending where you park. I think its like $5 per car, which isn't bad. As for the RV, I honestly can't answer that for you I don't know enough about it.

2 hours before the game the Purdue All-American Marching Band plays a concert on Slater Hill which is about 5-10 minutes from the IM Gold Fields. I suggest getting to the game early enough to see the marching bands pre-game show which is always great. It's full of tradition and I would put pretty good money on a fly-over. (Purdue is very well noted for its Aero and Astro Engineering programs.) Tickets shouldn't be a problem at all, there will plenty on the street. If you are a basketball fan you should check out the renovations to Mackey(right next door to Ross-Ade, see link at the bottom for more info on the Mackey project.)

After the game the marching bands plays on the front steps of Hovde Hall(main admin building) right next the big fountain you see in every Purdue ad.

If you have any other question I would be glad to answer them for you. Sorry, it took a little while for me to get back to you, classes started today so I was busy being quite board reading sylibuses. Overall Purdue should be a great road trip(or at least much better than going to Bloomington), and while the sport here is basketball(currently) our football team should be pretty good(bowl game for sure, hoping to back door our way into the BCS, see Illinois 2007?).

We have a QB transfer from Miami named Robert Marve who everyone is raving about, a great receiving corp, and some studs on D, see Kerrigan, Ryan. Although there are few holes(parts of the O-line, the entire secondary) but it should be a good year for the Old Gold and Black.

http://www.purduesports.com/genrel/mackey-project.html

mnboiler said:

Overall Purdue should be a great road trip(or at least much better than going to Bloomington)

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Words cannot express how vehemently I disagree with you.

Indiana = most underrated trip in the Big Ten.

Purdue = armpit of the Big Ten.

The RV lot is a good 2-3 miles from the Stadium

Harry's chocolate shop is a Purdue staple but it is so damn crowded before and after games, I mean sweaty, ass cheek to face cheek like crowded, you can barely move and barely breathe. Met a nice co-ed in there in one of those "halloween costumes" and we ended up trading some clothing so ladies are friendly there. Anyway's, the boileroom that is down on the other side of the street from Harry's it is not too bad, drink prices are a little high, a lot better looking girls at the boileroom than Harry's, they might even buy you a drink wearing Minnesota gear. All of these bars are near downtown, they are not on the main campus but are pretty close I think just south but a bit of a walk from the stadium. The RV lot I seem to remember being east of the stadium, it was a mile or two out but the fans will share food and beer there like Michigan they are friendly before the game. There is a lot of the crazy costume things going on everywhere with the students and that goes all the way back to early 2000's some of the earlier Mason years we were there attending the Purdue games. West Laffayette is not that nice of a town a bit Makato State like, but the fans and the students were some of the easiest to get a long, most welcoming in the Big 10. With the exception of the Frat guys that tried to pee on us from the top of the parking ramp near the homecoming parade. There are a lot of engineering, not always the best looking girls types at Purdue, Jike is right the girls in Bloomington look a lot more like your typical SEC eye candy Kentucky and Georgia type co-eds than Purdue and they like our "accents".

Jike Spingleton said:

Words cannot express how vehemently I disagree with you.

Indiana = most underrated trip in the Big Ten.

Purdue = armpit of the Big Ten.

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Thanks for dissing my school. I really enjoy hearing about how terrible it is.

I went to the Gophs-Boilers game in WL in 08. It was good times...mainly because we won.

I've made 6 of the 10 Big Ten road trips, and Purdue was easily the worst of the bunch. The bar scene is lacking big time and the chicks are nothing to write home about.

I was there too in '08 (my first time seeing the Gophers win in a true-road game). One note of advice...unless you don't care at all where you stay, and since you're staying in an RV, it doesn't apply, but avoid the Knights Inn. I was down there with my cousin, he told me "The Knights Inn in South Bend is the worst I've stayed in...until now." So they all must suck apparently. But overall, it wasn't as bad as I thought. +1 on the Triple XXX.

mnboiler said:

Thanks for dissing my school. I really enjoy hearing about how terrible it is.

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I'm not saying you can't have a good time there, just that it does not compare to any other place in the conference. And I know this isn't the first time you've heard this, as it is one of the few things nearly all Big Ten fans agree upon.

mnboiler said:

Thanks for dissing my school. I really enjoy hearing about how terrible it is.

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mnboiler - for some reason a few people on this board have a stick up their a$$ about our campus whether it be the "armpit" of the Big Ten or the ugly girls perception. The folks complaining about the ugly females probably spent the evening sucking their thumbs in the corner because they have no game so they just crawl back to their hotel and chalk it up to the girls just being ugly. Simple logic suggests the quantity of good looking females is low because it's an Engineering and Ag school (male dominated fields). I've said this before and I'll say it again, I find it hilarious that a bunch of dorks on some message board in between light saber fights or comic books comment on the quality of co-eds at a certain school.

Jike Spingleton said:

I'm not saying you can't have a good time there, just that it does not compare to any other place in the conference. And I know this isn't the first time you've heard this, as it is one of the few things nearly all Big Ten fans agree upon.

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Incorrect. Bloomington and Champaign are worse.

MinnesotaBoiler99 said:

mnboiler - for some reason most people on all Big Ten boards have a stick up their a$$ about our campus whether it be the "armpit" of the Big Ten or the ugly girls perception.

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Fixed it for you.

I have to think that the people hating on the Purdue and Indiana campuses have never been to Lansing.

I've driven through the Purdue Campus and spent a lot of time in Bloomington and thought both campuses were nice.

Though I suppose in Michigan State's defense, the time I spent in Lansing/East Lansing was not on campus. Though a friend recently attended a conference there and didn't care much for the layout or look of the campus.

Thanks again for all the tips! Sounds like we're in trouble with the normal RV lot. That's usually par for the course. On our road trips each year we try to avoid the normal RV lots and find a house or other spot that charges us to park on the lawn or in a space nearby the stadium. Any chance we can find something like that at Purdue?

Tubtastic said:

Thanks again for all the tips! Sounds like we're in trouble with the normal RV lot. That's usually par for the course. On our road trips each year we try to avoid the normal RV lots and find a house or other spot that charges us to park on the lawn or in a space nearby the stadium. Any chance we can find something like that at Purdue?

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I know a bunch of frats sell parking spaces to cars but I'm not sure with the RV. As I said I don't really know anything about RV parking.

johnnybb said:

I have to think that the people hating on the Purdue and Indiana campuses have never been to Lansing.

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You would be incorrect. The people "hating" on Purdue have been to all the Big Ten schools, which is what makes it a valid opinion.

johnnybb said:

I've driven through the Purdue Campus and spent a lot of time in Bloomington and thought both campuses were nice.

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There's nothing special about Lansing - in fact, I would probably rank it ahead of only Purdue among Big Ten trips.

Purdue bashing aside, I would never discourage any Gopher fan from making a road trip to any game. They're always fun, even if it results in a loss far more often than not.

Jike Spingleton said:

Purdue bashing aside, I would never discourage any Gopher fan from making a road trip to any game. They're always fun, even if it results in a loss far more often than not.

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Well stated. I went to Gophers at Purdue is 2006 and while it wasn't as fun as say Iowa, it was still enjoyable.

Some on here have said Champaign isn't much but I liked it better than Purdue because we got to tailgate much closer to the stadium and we ended up on the field and in the club room at Memorial Stadium in 2008. We drove past the stadium on Friday night and the lights were on and there people on the field. So we found an open gate and walked in, took pictures and then noticed lights on in the newly-opened press box/suites/club room building. So we walked up there and looked around and had a drink with lots of folks dressed in Illini gear.

So, while some places might be more fun than others, its still Big 10 football and you're bound to have a good time. It just all depends what you can get yourselves into.