Adiós España - 9/4/10

MADRID, Spain - After the game last night, forward Chase Hallam asked where we were playing tomorrow.

He was told it was in a town about 90 minutes away, and the incredulous look on his face told the story: This team has been on the bus A LOT this trip.

In fact, the Pioneers traveled 1,752 bus miles last season. That's the entire season combined.

By the time the team returns to campus on Sunday night, we will have surpassed that total during this two-week trip.

Of course, it's all been worth it, since Francisco the bus driver took us from Madrid to the Pyrenees to Barcelona to Andorra through France to San Sebastian and finally back to Madrid.

It was very nice to be in Madrid today with most of the early part of the day off. The players jumped on the subway and headed downtown. Most of them simply walked around exploring and shopping, but Blake Foeman and Alex Pickert ended up touring a castle.

There's so much to see in this city, and while the organized tours have been great, everyone seemed to enjoy the opportunity to wander off and do his own thing.

Overall, as the trip comes to a close, the entire experience has been amazing with a perfect combination of touring Spain and playing basketball against teams of varying levels.

And, without question, the team has gotten better on the court, which was the primary purpose of this adventure. The players and coaches learned things that will help them better prepare for this season.

Everyone seems to be ready to head back to Denver, but everybody on this trip will carry memories of these two weeks in Spain for years.

But, the best part? The first official practice of the season is just 41 days away.

Cleanliness is next to what?: As you can probably imagine, a certain odor has morphed into an extraordinary funk during the past two weeks. Although the players have a few uniforms, which were washed in San Sebastian, playing six games and then stuffing your clothes in a bag takes its toll.

I don't want to be overdramatic, so I will say simply that the bus and team's hallway in the hotel have developed a smell that can only be described as a cross between a hockey locker room and tear gas.

At this point, everybody on the trip is searching for those last remaining pieces of clothing that are at least cleanish. Mitch Hyder, in fact, was caught rubbing deodorant directly onto the shirt he's wearing to tonight's game.

Warning to those waiting back home: Please make sure all washing machines are empty, ready and working.

Run for the Border: When guard Alex Pickert was asked if he was ready to be home. This was his answer: "I just want Taco Bell. If I could get a chalupa here, I think I could stay for a lot longer. And you can quote me on that." Hey Pick, guess where you're playing on Nov. 27. That's right, Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.

Just Filling In: Someone asked the waiter tonight for a recommendation. His response was that he needed to ask the manager, which seemed odd.

When pushed further he replied, "Really, I'm just one of the security guys, but I'm the only one here who speaks English, so they asked me to take your order."

That, my friends, is customer service.

Special Thanks: I would like to send a personal thank you out to General Jim Head, who helped immensely in compiling unofficial statistics during the six games in Spain. The General is a friend of the coaching staff, who traveled with Joe Scott's teams at Air Force, and was a welcome addition to the travel party. The game recaps would have been considerably more difficult without General Head's assistance.

Estimated Statistics of the Tour of Spain*:
Miles by Air - 11,220

Miles by Bus - 1,752+

Number of Photos Taken by Andrew Hooper - 2,242

Number of Meals Chris Udofia has Eaten at McDonald's - 6

Number of Times Justin Coughlin Has Eaten Gelato - 7 (although he lost count)

Number of Bull Fighting Arenas DU Played In - 1

Number of Puns, such as "Spained Ankle" and "Basque-etball," that Mitch Hyder Made - 4,386

Rolls of Tape Used on Ankles - 50

Number of Side Items at Disco Burger in San Sebastian - 0

Number of Hand Driers that Actually Dried Hands - 0

* Estimates upon return to Denver