Well I just got back from the Halo ODST Mobile Tour and I have to say that it was pretty awesome. It involves a wonderful picture filled tale of my experience with Bungie, the local GameStop, and a very LARGE truck driver. Before I begin this amazing tale I would like to take the time to thank Bungie, GameStop, and "Moose" (the truck driver). They made this trip such an awesome experience and it would not have been nearly as fun without there support and generosity.
The Story Begins in a wonderful little town called Peru , Indiana. Me (Jacob)and my three friends Braden, Jace, and Clifford started our trip with a pack of smokes and 18 dollars in pocket. When we first started the trip we were pretty excited to get going... well maybe a little to excited. We pulled off our street and were immediately pulled over for cutting off an officer of the law. GREAT! This just so happened to be a K-9 unit and the officer suspected drugs. We were immediately removed from the vehicle and searched while the other officers trashed our tents and what little was brought with us. After a vigorous feel up from a cop that he called "searching for illegal substances" we happily continued on our trip to see our oh so beloved friends at Bungie. With high hopes and a few comedic cracks about cops we finally left Peru. Eventually we made it to highway 31 N. and started heading South (Jace sleeping the whole way...).
As we continued south on the highway we couldn't help but be curious and excited as to what was coming. Would anyone else camp? How many people would be there? Would we meet Bungie? Did anyone else make Halo 3 weapons to show off? What would the truck look like in person? But most of all "Would we get one of those sexy little ODST 2" scale helmets?! As we arrived closer to Indianapolis, Indiana are stomachs began to turn as we choked on a mountain of butterflies swelling in our chests. Finally we arrived at our location and instantly removed our sore corpses from the car. Glad to be outside after a 2 hour drive we started walking to a near by grocery store in the plaza to grab some food when out of nowhere a red van pulls up. A tattooed man leans his head out the window and with a desperate look on his face says "DUDE! you guys know where we can get some dank?!" Surprised and taken back by the outward approach we replied "no...". Continuing on our walk to the store now a little freaked out we arrived inside and started browsing the delectable foods that only a dollar store grocery can offer. Finally leaving the store with a sack full of hard bread and lunch meat we stopped at the car to unload. Eventually after minutes of stuffing our faces and indulging in gourmet food we decided to walk to the GameStop and meet the crew. We immediately befriended the workers and they helped us learn a little more information on the events that would be taking place the following day. When we got bored standing around we walked outside and proceeded to set up our tents and get bedding arrangements situated. Not knowing where the truck would arrive we had to think fast of a way to let them know we were first in line... So we came up with this.
I know, I know, pretty sexy right? But anyways/ now that we knew Bungie would recognize us as the first to arrive we were set to sleep. Setting/arranging our pillows and blankets we awkwardly spooned and later became completely unable to sleep.
After hours of desperately struggling for much needed sleep interrupted by semi trucks, random people asking us what where doing, a constant war against mosquitoes and a set of extremely annoying kids with a mega phone. We had finally fallen asleep... Only to be interrupted 5 minutes later by the store manager of GameStop. Who congratulated us on being the first to be in line and explaining that he needed us to watch his gondola because the alarm would go off that late if he tried to go in. So after conversing with the manager of GameStop and finally heading back to bed we soon dozed if into a much deserved sleep... My eyes opened. It was still night. Jace was sitting up with wide eyes. Seconds later he bolted out of the tent in a frantic state with me close on his tail. As we looked at the front of our tent we realized something was missing... OUR SIGN!!!!!! Some jerk wad kids stole our sign that was going to let Bungie know that we were first. Puzzled, angry, and even frightened we marched back to bed determined to get rest before the long day ahead. Finally! sweet sleep at long last... Until we heard a semi that Immediately angered us all! It was three A.M. who was out there? We peered outside of our tent to see the culprit and there it was....
THE HALO 3 ODST TRUCK!!!!!!!
EXPLODING! out of our tent we dashed toward the truck screaming and letting out a rip of wooohoooooooos! We approached the driver of the truck and waited for the large semi door to open excited and slightly dazed from lack of sleep. Finally, as if it took hours, the semi door swung open to reveal a large man with a beard that would remind you of a character from American Chopper. He got out of the vehicle and instantly greeted us with a warm smile and plenty of talk that would come from such a person that was cramped and alone in a semi all day. As we stood in awe at the side of the massive 14.5 ton armored truck realizing we were the first in Indiana to see or feel it the trucker reached into his semi and pulled out the flier for the game that wasn't supposed to be given out until the following day. Eventually the trucker, who we later found out was nicknamed "Moose", Had to get to work and unload the semi. Naturally bored and unable to sleep we offered to help. Releasing the 1" thick chains from the body of the semi we slowly started to get the truck unhooked. Happy that we decided to stay and help the semi driver offered to let us STAND ON THE TRUCK!!!! We had a miniature photo shoot of us on top of the truck and standing in front of it. After taking photos with my camera(that has a broken screen making it impossible for us to check the quality of the photos) Picture HERE!the driver started up the truck and backed it off the trailer. Our eyes glowed like a child's would on Christmas morning, looking at our towering gift from Bungie. The driver slowly pulled the truck beside us and opened the passenger door asking "Who's going first?" Awe struck by what the driver had stated I stood dazed watching my friends sprint to be the first one in. Riding in the truck was absolutely AMAZING!!!!! The driver took us up and down the parking lot driving over parking blocks seeming to ignore them. Looking around the interior like giddy school girls we asked the driver "how many people had done this?" He replied stating we were the first... The first people in the world to ever get to ride in the Halo ODST truck. Braden stated "As soon as my ass hit that seat I started creaming... It didn't stop until I got out." As the ride came to an end Moose told us that we could camp by the truck so that Bungie would know we were first. Amazed and stricken by the unbelievable gift we had received we realized we needed some sleep and soon after drifted to bed.
