Moxley Carmichael intern Martha Ashe boarding the Big Love Bus for a ride to her first baseball game ever!
After a crazy, busy week at Moxley Carmichael (not complaining), we were all looking forward last Friday to our planned company excursion on the Big Love Bus to the Tennessee Smokies game.
The Big Love Bus is a client of ours. And Alan and I had purchased at a charity auction a suite at the Smokies — generously donated by Phillips and Jordan. We thought it would be a great combination — and it was.
We stocked the bus with our favorite refreshments (another client is the local Miller distributor, Cherokee Distributing) and when the bus stopped on Union Avenue beside our offices in downtown Knoxville, we all piled on for the 30-mile trip during Friday rush hour traffic. It was the most pleasant evening commute we’ve ever had, thanks to our friendly bus driver, Carlene Collins.
The Big Love Bus operates in Knoxville and Nashville. It is a wonderful way to get a group around. An old fashioned school bus, it has been completely renovated into a party bus on the inside with two air conditioners, a sound system, comfortable seating, a built-in cooler and other fun amenities, including a chalkboard ceiling for expressing your creativity. And the wild exterior paint job brings a big smile to everyone who sees it. It seats 30 comfortably (we only had 20), and it costs $200 per hour to rent, with a four-hour minimum after 5 p.m.
When we go to the Smokies games, we always pick a Friday because of the impressive fireworks at the end of the game. Last Friday’s did not disappoint. And, even better, the Smokies beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 2 to 1, in 10 innings.
Our group, from left, Brandon Barger (Amy’s fiance), Chase Bailey (Natalie’s fiance), Amy Foster, John Miller (Lauren’s husband), Catherine Norris (Martha’s friend), Alan Carmichael, Martha Ashe, Hannah Parker, Natalie Lester, Amanda Jennings, Roger Hyver (Shaun’s husband), Shaun Fulco Hyver, Erica Beck, Linnie Sexton (Charley’s wife), Cynthia Moxley, Charley Sexton, Maria Cornelius and Lauren Miller. Great group! Staff members Scott Bird, John McCulley and Savanna Howie couldn’t be there. (Photo by Carlene Collins)
On the bus, Natalie took charge of the sound system. Hannah, our newest coworker, had created a mix tape of songs that reminded her of each member of our account team. It was fun guessing which song went with which person.
Shaun was in charge of . . .Well, I think you can figure that out!
Charley and Linnie on the bus ride.
John and Lauren with Maria, right.
Martha and her friend Catherine Norris.
Erica Beck and Amanda Jennings.
Amy Foster and fiance Brandon Barger.
Lauren and Natalie
Bus at the stadium.
I have no idea what Linnie and Charley are doing!
On the way into the stadium, Shaun met up with Wivik the Frog from radio station WIVK.
We loved the decor in the Phillips and Jordan box. Lauren especially liked this little ballplayer.
Shaun and Charley liked the bats.
Chase liked the food! (We ordered all our food from Calhoun’s, which has a rather new presence at Smokies Stadium.)
More of our favorite brand!
From left, Roger Hyver, Alan Carmichael, Hannah Parker and Chase Bailey.
Obligatory picture of the field.
Maria brought her baseball mitt to protect us from errant foul balls! She loves baseball. When the game went into extra innings, she called it “free baseball!” (I called it being held hostage in order to get to see the fireworks!)
From left, Maria, Natalie, Chase, Amy and Brandon.
Catherine and Martha watching the game.
Shaun and Roger. (Photo by Charley Sexton.)
And then, wouldn’t you know it, some breaking news happened involving one of our clients. Amanda grabbed Erica’s laptop and issued a news release! (We have the greatest team!)
Smokies’ owner Randy Boyd dropped by our box. He brought Anne Buckle, who had sung the National Anthem at the beginning of the game. Many of us are friends with Randy. And Anne also knows Hannah. We were glad to see them.
This is Slugger, one of the Smokies mascots, posing with Martha and Catherine. He is supposed to be a bear. But Randy, the founder and CEO of PetSafe, has introduced a new mascot, Homer the Hound. He didn’t visit us, though, so I don’t have a pic of him.
Slugger and Chase.
John Miller.
Finally, at the bottom of the 10th inning, the Smokies won. And it was time for fireworks!
Boom!
Boom!
I just love them!
And our sweet driver, Carlene Collins, left, got us safely back to downtown Knoxville.
It was Star Wars night at the ball park, but I think the Love Bus got just as much attention.
Let’s do it all again!
What a good lookin’ bunch!
What a fun night! We truly do have the best team ever. The Big Love Bus was perfect!
Wish I could’ve been there! Looks like the Big Love Bus was a big ole’ time! Maria was definitely in her element at the game. What an awesome/fun-loving group!
Maria: We will do it again if you can promise the game will be over in 9 innings!
Cynthia: I promise. No free baseball next time. 🙂
Martha’s first baseball game was memorable on many levels! What a treat.
Joan: We have loved having her this summer. We will miss her and her great writing ability.
What fun! Love the picture of Shaun holding what we all know is your favorite wine!!
What fun! I love the Big Love Bus. Did you turn Martha into a baseball fan?
What a great outing! I can’t believe Martha Ashe had never been to a baseball game! Our girls grew up attending Smokies games!
Regina: I think perhaps your girls’ father was a little more athletically inclined than Martha’s dad!
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