It was nice to be back at the bank

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Word said:
Parking was a nightmare last night. Worst I've ever seen. Got on campus around 5:30 and didn't park til after 6:30. Wash st ramp was full. Went to oak st but that was pass only (even though gopher website says cash and pass). Ended up at the river road ramp behind Coffman with a very long walk to the stadium. Made it just in time to see the team come out the tunnel.
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That stinks. I've just learned that for the first game, I park in a ramp on the west bank. It's a full mile walk to the stadium but so much easier to get in/out after the game. About $15 cheaper too.
 

Thought there a few too many drunks spilling their beers and stumbling around.
 



Word said:
Parking was a nightmare last night. Worst I've ever seen. Got on campus around 5:30 and didn't park til after 6:30. Wash st ramp was full. Went to oak st but that was pass only (even though gopher website says cash and pass). Ended up at the river road ramp behind Coffman with a very long walk to the stadium. Made it just in time to see the team come out the tunnel.
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We arrived around 5:00 and parked in the Washington Ave lot (we buy a parking pass). Because the day workers are leaving the ramps at the same time (Coffman, Hospital and Washington etc.) it's always a slow drag driving the river road and Harvard into the ramp. But we got our normal spot. For some reason, exiting after the game was way easy last night.
 


We left our tailgate 15 minutes earlier than usual because our gate (D) was a nightmare for the Wisconsin game in '19. The security at that gate for that game was ridiculous. Waited about a half hour IN LINE to get in the stadium that day and got to our seats just in time to see Bateman's TD. Anyway, figured with the new electronic tickets it would be a cluster-fleck at Gate D last night. But, they must have thought better of rolling out the airport style security and it actually moved pretty quickly. I hope it is always like this going forward. It is really frustrating to not know when to head to the stadium to get there in time for the kickoff.

But, to be able to be in the stadium, not taking it for granted after covid 2020, and be able to yet again witness how electric the atmosphere can be in there - was a great way to spend the evening.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Gates did move faster ... but I couldn't figure out why. The email said you don't have to take stuff out of your pockets and then at the gate .. you still had to.

Nobody was enforcing anything in the bathrooms. I didn't even see a sign. They made a couple stadium announcements and that's it.
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You weren't supposed to, and at my gate, we didn't have to remove anything. Gates did move significantly faster than usual.

But to your point, honestly my main beef with the stadium experience itself is F'n security. Their understanding of the rules are poor at best, and your experience varies wildly based on who you get. Case in point, last night I brought our seat cushions like I normally do, and was told "we aren't allowing these this year". Huh? My security person was quite aggressive with me and very confrontational. So I had to just leave them at the gate and forefeit them. So I go and look up "prohibited items" for Huntington Bank stadium this morning, and alas, if they fit within the guidelines that have always been stipulated (not more than 1" thick, no back support or pockets), they are allowed. I have brought them to every home game at TCF/HB (so what, like 70 games), and never had a problem with them until last night.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
That stinks. I've just learned that for the first game, I park in a ramp on the west bank. It's a full mile walk to the stadium but so much easier to get in/out after the game. About $15 cheaper too.
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Another strategy is to park in the Prospect Park neighborhood area and walk that way.

Granted, you take a risk either way, walking at night down there. Walk in a group if at all possible.
 

Unregistered User said:
Been a minute since I paid over $10 for a beer.

Also me:

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That always amuses me.

Online everyone complains about the prices.

At the game ... I see guys trucking down the stairs with an arm full of a pile of beers like they just robbed a store ;)

Me: Holy is that like $100 in beers there?

Me: Guess I could use a beer.
 



They the "quick consessions" setups worked pretty well I thought with the refrigerators with drinks if you just needed a drink. Still lines but I felt like they thinned out the lines elsewhere.
 

Never gone that way. But walking to the west bank is no big deal. Plenty of college students are making their way back to the Middlebrook dorm that you are never alone and the 23rd Ave ramp is just a half block from there. I don't get the chance to walk through the heart of the campus anymore so that's my annual chance to do so.
MplsGopher said:
Another strategy is to park in the Prospect Park neighborhood area and walk that way.

Granted, you take a risk either way, walking at night down there. Walk in a group if at all possible.
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Anyone ever bought just a parking pass off StubHub? Are the passes digital now too?
 




PoockItInfor6 said:
My parking passes are digital for what that’s worth!
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I think I already gave up on my stub hub idea when I saw that most parking passes there are $80+!!!
 


DarrenTheGreek said:
Never gone that way. But walking to the west bank is no big deal. Plenty of college students are making their way back to the Middlebrook dorm that you are never alone and the 23rd Ave ramp is just a half block from there. I don't get the chance to walk through the heart of the campus anymore so that's my annual chance to do so.
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10th Ave bridge being closed threw me off on walk back. Very annoying.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Late summer and fall is TCF (er ... I mean ... the bank?) time for me.

After the the Outback Bowl I was so pumped to go back to the stadium in 2020 and see the folks sitting around me after such a great season in 2019, but it wasn't meant to be. So this time going back was in a way like coming back from the Outback Bowl.

I was a little nervous about who would show up around me. At the ages of the folks around me ... you never know when someone can't go anymore. Thankfully the regulars eventually filtered in around me as the game started.

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It was SO good to be back.
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Are you Jim or Tim? I saw this photo and was like this was my exact view also! 😆👍 If you are Jim or Tim, then I was that Asian sat next to you with my son and wife!
 

After reading all of the parking issue posts, I am so glad my buddies still like to ride bikes to the tailgate/game. Even avoided the rain on both rides. Great night despite the L and injuries.
 

Parking sucked big time. Sat in traffic on University to get into church st garage for an hour. When we were 10 cars away, they were full and directed us to east river garage. We saw a traffic cluster there too, so we popped into the almost empty Weissman garage. The arm was up on the way out after the game, so free parking I guess?
 

Yah-E said:
Are you Jim or Tim? I saw this photo and was like this was my exact view also! 😆👍 If you are Jim or Tim, then I was that Asian sat next to you with my son and wife!
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I don't think it will be wise for me to disclose my knowledge or lack of it of other people's wives...
 


Word said:
Parking was a nightmare last night. Worst I've ever seen. Got on campus around 5:30 and didn't park til after 6:30. Wash st ramp was full. Went to oak st but that was pass only (even though gopher website says cash and pass). Ended up at the river road ramp behind Coffman with a very long walk to the stadium. Made it just in time to see the team come out the tunnel.
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FYI - just found out you can buy a parking pass if you are Gopher Pass holder, but you have to do it over the phone. Wish I would have known before the OSU game - I would have bought one.
 


Breakin' The Plane said:
Just reading through this to prepare for tomorrow. Can you park in the Oak St. ramp if you don't have a pass?
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According to the person I talked to at the ticket office, yes. But I would not bet on them being 100% correct.
 

Word said:
According to the person I talked to at the ticket office, yes. But I would not bet on them being 100% correct.
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Thanks. I guess we'll give it a shot. We're supposed to meet up with some guys who have a tailgate spot toward the SE corner of the stadium. Oak St. looks like our best option.
 

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