Bell Ringing with the Cloud City Garrison

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Under the guise of visiting friends I was in Portland Oregon last weekend to drink beer. That Saturday the Cloud City Garrison held their yearly Salvation Army bell ringing troop. Because I only get to troop a few times a year I decided to shlep my armor across the ocean and join them.

 

According to their CO there were a combined 19 evil rebels and us good guy costumes. The bank clock across the street registered 41 F (5 c) and of course it was raining. Not only was my coldest troop it was the coldest I have been in about 4 years.

 

 

I busted out my red union suit and glued on a ladysewforus santa hat that was too small for me. Between the bulky union suit and my long undies I felt like a bright red sausage bulging out of bright white tupperware. Most everyone else sported some manner of holiday accouterment, even Chewie (I may have been taller than Chewie btw) had a santa hat on. Staying in character Boba wielded a very large candy cane over his wrist and Jango kept pulling his two john woo style dual candy cane pistols out of his holsters.

 

The group met in a parking garage where we all changed. I somehow managed to forget the entire torso portion of my TK and my friend's wife was forced to drop it off for me. The CCG had a pop up tent, urns of hot cider and cookies for after the troop. These folks were really on it and organized. Not to say that the pac501 isn't organized, but we have a smaller group and less need to be as orderly.

 

This was a new sort of troop for me. Rarely do the few that såhow up in Hawaii for a troop require direction. We were told to stand in a certain spot and we had folks were directing when we were to move back and forth between the two bell ringing locations on the block. I felt the urge to perform some sort of chorus line can-can routine lined up along the windows at Macys

 

The CCG experienced some sort of incident the week before involving someone stealing a blaster. I was only slightly aware of the issue when I arrived. It was advised that I not carry my blaster down to the street. Against my better judgement I complied as not to be that visitor jerk. It turns out that I have no idea what to do with my hands without my blaster. I kept them clasped in front of me most of the troop.

 

Between a lack of blaster to shoot people during photos and not wanting to be the only jerk behaving like my usual silly self I was uncharacteristically quite still for the 2 hours. I was the only one with a voice amp which afforded me some ability to heckle and make a general an impolite person out of myself.

 

The CCG crew was stunningly welcoming, gregarious and full of Aloha. I am grateful to them for taking me in for a few hours so I could get a taste of trooping before the year ends.

 

Mahalo nui loa PDX'ers.

 

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These are a few snaps my buddy took:

 

 

Wow through the window:

 

 

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Here are some photos the CCG folks took and posted on their forum:

 

Why/where am I looking?

 

What a wookiee:

 

Tall:

 

I need a wireless mic and shorter chest/ab straps:

 

I think my fan had died by this point and I was too fogged up to join in the gangnam style action:

 

Dos Pistoles:

 

Mistletoe awww:

 

 

Hey Pickles... it seems the key to getting tons of hugs is to wookiee up:

 

I don't normally dig random mandos but this gilded guy was badass:

 

 

 

I miss my blaster:

 

Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka,

 

-Eric

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

WOW it must have been cold, you've got your red long jons on lol. Awesome photos well done

[Clamps[TK]]

Looking great there guys. I love the holiday add-ons! the red undersuit is a cool idea for the holidays.. gonna have to grab a set next year perhaps, maybe a green set in case we St. Paddy's day troop I need to get a Hat big enough for my bucket, the one I had did not work out well for the TK... but looked pretty good on my Tusken.

[zebrabuse]

Good work! Jango might want to keep the receipt on his new blasters...

[TK Keith[TK]]

Very cool troop. The red body suit is a cool idea. Very festive!

[LadyInWhite[TK]]

I just want to say, in the spirit of the season and the general spirit of ribbing the heck (or heckling the rib) out of Eric, that it doesn't take much for him to make a general an impolite person out of himself.

 

Looks like fun and i'm glad you got to troop on a trip!

[Teach]

Awesome stuff. Great photos! Merry Christmas

 

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Great pics! Wookie looks really good. Love the red tights!

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

I just want to say, in the spirit of the season and the general spirit of ribbing the heck (or heckling the rib) out of Eric, that it doesn't take much for him to make a general an impolite person out of himself.

 

Looks like fun and i'm glad you got to troop on a trip!

 

It may seem like second nature but the prideless an impolite person making takes effort and setting a real intention. We all have to be good at something and TK jestering is my gift.

 

-Eric

[Pickles[TK]]

Hahaha awesome Eric! Other than the rain that is perfect trooping temperature! lol Love the window shot, that's really neat.