Nashville pick(me)up

Sorry for the late blog posting today. I've been in airports most of the morning and just now got home and rested up enough to tackle the BOVB.

It was a whirlwind, travel-heavy weekend for the Brumley family. Saturday morning I flew from Jax to Nashville, then drove with my brother and dad to Russellville, Ark., where we met up with my mom at my aunt's. Sunday the four of us drove two or so hours north to Branson, Mo., to attend a memorial service for my uncle, Tom Brumley, who died unexpectedly a couple weeks ago at age 73. (Click here to see his Web site). Then we made the long haul from Branson to Nashville Sunday night and I was back on a plane Monday morning.

Physically, it was an exhausting trip. But emotionally, it uplifting to see my aunt, cousins, their kids and hundreds of others who turned out for the memorial.

That said, it was also great being back in Tennessee, because I-40 between Nashville and Memphis was crawling with Orange vehicles of all makes and models. And that reminded me of this sweet Orange and white Jeep pickup snapped by Jeff Hite in Nashville recently. He snapped it driving by LP Field (home of Titans).

"Love the orange blog. I'll be sending many more. Keep it up..." he wrote.

That you can be sure of. Keep the pics coming.

Jeff

Dreaming in Orange

So, like, wow, I had a totally Freudian/Jungian Orange experience during sleep this morning.

In the dream, I was driving behind an Orange sedan when a bunch of money and documents fell out of it somehow without the driver knowing. So I pulled over to gather the stuff and was about to take it to the police station (for real) when the car pulled up.

The dude was grateful and offered me a cash reward, but instead I asked if I could take pictures of his car for my blog, instead. He sure sure. But when I started photographing I noticed that he had parked beside some Orange construction equipment, effectively camouflaging the sedan. I then became frustrated that I couldn't get a usable photo of the car.

OK, so my question for Lauren in Colorado is: what does THAT mean?

While we're waiting for her answer, let's gaze upon these Orange trucks, which I photographed in January and February in Jacksonville. Just as the Vols' Orange does in college athletics, these trucks add a bright spot in on otherwise gray setting.

Jeff

Texas/burnt "Orange"?

I'd be curious to know what people think of this Harley I captured on I-95 northbound Tuesday night.

Speciifically, is it true Orange or not? Seems to me more like a Texas "Orange," what is called "burnt Orange." I don't buy it. If you have to stick an adjective in front of it, it ain't really O.

But that's just me.

Jeff

A club I'd love to join

So I wanted to relaunch the BOVB in style and on Saturday the Universe saw fit to put this gorgeous Orange Porsche 914 right in front of me. I was headed north on Jefferson Street in Jax. As I veered right to get on Riverside Ave., the 914 veered left to head toward I-95. That's when I snapped this pic.

I saw a lot of 914s as a kid growing up in LA. I had totally forgotten how much I love this model of Porsche. I used to fantasize about owning one.

Seeing this Tennessee Orange one not only revived but intensified that wish. Of course I'd have to find an Orange one. If I did, I would join 914 owners' clubs, constantly surf 914 Web sites and add my pics to the gazillions of photos already out there (including a lot of Orange ones).

Jeff

Taking a few days off

Due to a death in the family, I am going to take a few days off from the BOVB. I appreciate the handful of folks who've been reading regular, like. Look for a resumption of OVs either this weekend or early next week.

Jeff

In a hurry today, so . . .

. . . I am just going to leave you with this Orange Charger, which I saw heading northbound on I-95 in Jacksonville in late January.

I took the pic despite having run a photo of a similar OV last month. I do so because I am seeing these all over town. They're all over the Web, too.

At any rate, since I'm in a hurry and need to rush off to school, I figured I post a pic of a fast car.

Jeff

Finding Orange in unexpected places

If you ever wanted proof that there's an Orange lining to every cloud, it's this beautiful 1979 VW bus. The reason it's so joyful, in addition to his high-vibrating positivity, is because the pic was provided by a Gator fan.

"This is my son Brett's beloved 1979 orange Volkswagen bus. Sad to say it's more Tennessee orange than Gator red, though don't tell him I said that."

That was from Sandy in Jacksonville, a co-worker and devoted UF fan/alumn. And here she is, showing she can tell good Orange from bad!

Of course Tennessee fans are desperate for anything positive these days, and we sure ain't getting it from the gridiron. News from Knoxpatch is that UT had a "rocky" recruiting weekend. Yikes.

But there is good news in Orange Nation if only we look for it, y'all:

* Like how about that men's hoops team putting the chomp on the Gators Saturday night?

* Or hows bouts the men's golf team kickin butt and taking names out Arizoni Way?

* Our baseball team is getting a lot of attention, and not just because it's fixin to start its 100th season.

* Tennessee's softball team has been picked to finish strong in the SEC East this season. Rock on!

* Oh and let's not leave out track and field, where our men and women are tearin' it up!

The BOVB is grateful for the pic, Sandy. Thank you! Because it's a reminder that Orange comes in all shapes and sports.

Jeff

This (pic) doesn't suck

So it looks like Tennessee is expected to have a sucky National Signing Day this week. GoVolsXtra.com reports that a lot of dudes Coach Kiffin hoped to snag, and who may have shown some initial interest in the Vols, retreated from the scene. That sucks.

But what totally doesn't suck is this badass armored personnel carrier/tank that my nephew Andrew spotted in Knoxville, the Mecca of Orangeness, last week. Apparently it belongs to a unit known as The Big Orange Army.

"i saw the tank on tuesday but didn't have my camera so i went back on thursday and took several pictures," Andrew said in his e-mail. "i even ran out in the middle of the road in order to take the best pic but do to shutter delay it was just a picture of the f-150 i was almost hit by, but i got a couple good ones."

The BOVB discourages anyone from running into the road to snap pics of OVs, but I must agree with Andrew that he got a couple good ones.

Jeff

NFL "Orange," Pt. 2

Orange can be found just about anywhere if you look for it.

Anywhere, that is, except the NFL.

Please don't respond that the Cincinnati Bengals use Orange. OK, it might be a cousin of Orange, but their tiger-striped helmet is closer to UF red than anything.

The Cleveland Browns, you say, have Orange helmets. Don't go there. I'm sure Syracuse fans would say that's Orange. Vol Nation knows better.

And what about Chicago and Miami, which use splashes of Orangeyness and occasionally break out the OJ's (Orange jerseys)? Well I'd say they're closest to real Orange. But compared to the Tampa Bay Bucs' former unis, you can see why they aren't authentic O, neither.

But what is Orange, I say on this Super Bowl Sunday, are these shoes I photographed Jan. 31 at a Jacksonville thrift store.

Notice how they draw the eye. Notice how they radiate joy in that sea of drabby brown and gray. Tennessee-Orange jerseys taking the field do the same thing in the college sports world. It's too bad it doesn't happen in the NFL.

Jeff

PS -- Shoes are considered modes of transportation here at the BOVB. My friend Dan said they aren't, because they essentially function as tires do on a vehicle, but aren't vehicles themselves. My brother Rod says they are vehices, I reckon because you get in them to travel. The BOVB is adopting the latter policy.

NFL "Orange," Pt. 1

Here's all the "Orange" the NFL has to offer. At top, the Browns' helmet, followed by the Bengals' helmet, then the Bears and Dolphins in "Orange."