PASADENA, Calif. — $1,793: the cost of a standard five-day
Alumni Association Rose Bowl package for one person.

$589: one airplane ticket from Detroit to Los Angeles, with a
connection in Milwaukee.

$285: splitting the cost of a rental recreational vehicle
between eight friends.

But no matter how fans traveled there, and despite the loss,
they showed their support for the football team and University.

Many fans opted for one of the Alumni Association’s
Official Bowl Tour packages, including hotel accommodations, game
tickets, and other optional excursions.

In total, the association accommodated about 6,000 to 6,500
people on both five-day and two-day land/air or land only
packages.

Rita Werthman, manager of the Alumni Association Board and
Employee Relations, worked at several of the organization’s
events, including the pre-game tailgate.

“We thought it was a great trip, the weather cooperated,
which we were concerned about. We loved being with the Michigan
group — they were very enthusiastic,” Werthman
said.

The day before the Rose Bowl, University President Mary Sue
Coleman spoke at a pep rally held by the association in front of
the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The marching band and
football team also attended, as well as parents of band members and
players.

The Alumni Association sponsored the official tailgate party,
drawing about 8,500 fans, said Catherine Niekro, director of
marketing and communications for the Alumni Association.

Alumni and fans listened to Coleman speak again during the
tailgate as they enjoyed food and live music. Also, fans watched
other bowl games on a giant screen television that hung as a
backdrop.

The athletic department allotted game tickets to the Alumni
Association.

Still, many of the students who traveled on the tour purchased
tickets in the student section, Werthman said.

But few students could afford spending the amount of money
necessary for the tour. In an effort to cut back costs, LSA
freshman Taylor Engers rented an RV with eight friends and drove to
California.

“It was pretty wild at the RV park because they put all of
the students together and there was mad tailgating. It was a lot of
fun, though,” Engers said.

“We drove to California. That’s an accomplishment in
itself,” Engers said, who made the drive nonstop in about 40
hours.

LSA freshman Adam Winski traveled with friend R.J. Caldarazzo,
an LSA sophomore and strength coach for the football team.

Despite Michigan’s loss in the bowl, the two fans said
they enjoyed their trip, which began with skydiving earlier in the
week.

“It was the best trip I’ve ever been on, and I had a
great time with all of my friends. I’ll probably go to every
bowl every year,” Winski said.

For Caldarazzo, the game was especially meaningful because his
roommate is on the team, and his father was a starting right guard
when he was a senior at the University.

“My dad was on the Michigan team during Bo
Schembechler’s first team. He was a senior when Bo had a
heart attack the night before the game,” Caldarazzo said. His
father also attended the game in Pasadena.

All in all, the loss didn’t seem to dampen many
students’ spirits.

“Of course we were disappointed, but when we were talking
about it on the way back, it was just so much fun that you
can’t even explain it,” Winski added.