Good morning, world!  I hope that you had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend and unofficial start of the Summer.  (Another quick shout out to thank our soldiers, especially those that paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  Thank you for all that you do, have done, and will do for us!)  This weekend, Ray and I headed out to Indianapolis for the 100th running of the Indy 500, which ended up being the perfect way to celebrate.  This is my sixth year out of seven that I attended the Indy 500, and just as usual – it did not disappoint.

Just a small portion of the 350,000+ people in attendance!

Retired and active military members ride around in the beds of these trucks to start the race.

Every year, the Indy 500 is an event that can only be described as proud “America.”  Yes, there were Canadians sitting behind us, but other than that, we’re talking about the singing of “God Bless America” and the National Anthem, multiple flyovers, release of red/white/blue balloons as Skrillex plays on a stage in the infield… America.  It’s so beautiful to be in a space where people stop walking in the aisles and actually do stop conversations during the moment of silence.  And where the majority of the crowd listens to and respects the prayer that’s said prior to the race occurring, whether or not they have the same faith.  This, of course, is not to say that this doesn’t occur elsewhere in the world, but I do feel it’s rare in an event of Indy 500’s scale and caliber.  (Getting a sold out crowd of 350,000 people to be quiet, even for only a few seconds, cannot be an easy task.)

Love meeting up with my old college roommate, who also attends the races regularly.  Such a fun catch up!

My cousin regularly brings vodka soaked gummy bears.  A surprisingly delicious treat if you’re looking for something to bring to the tailgate!

Since the time that I started attending the Indy, I’ve stayed in the same place, tailgated in the same space, attended with relatively the same group of people, and we’ve sat in the same seats.  When they say it’s a “tradition unlike any other,” for many that attend (myself included), the event has become a tradition of it’s own for each of us.  It’s a separation from everyday that we have the ability to look forward to each and every year.  Whether or not you’re into Indy Car Racing, I suggest finding an event that is all your own that you can look forward to all year like a holiday.  If you’re lucky, it will become happy thoughts that are incredibly close to your heart.

The tailgate this year – see y’all in just under a year!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Do you have any semi-unique events that you attend annually?

What special events do you enjoy attending each year?

Create a great life!