Louisiana State University - Gumbo Yearbook (Baton Rouge, LA)

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' Hey Mister, Throw Us Some Beads! ' And down they came. Late in the afternoon on Mardi Gras Day after a long weekend of drinking and parades, beads and doubloons no longer held their precious positions of esteem as treasures. Mardi- Gras ' ers casually caught what they could and waited until the next float lumbered by. Mardi Gras, Feb. 1, 1978, was totally different from preceding ones. It was raining and the coldest Fat Tuesday ever. Celebrants had to be exceptionally creative with costumes in order to keep warmly bundled up and dry, yet still carry off that unconventionally outland- ish image characteristic of Mardi Gras maskers. Hey, throw us some beads! was the common appeal to the swaying rows of warmly-clad bod- ies above. They sloshed their cock- tails (cocktails? since 1 1 a.m.?) in plastic cups, then leisurely let go of one strand of beads. Costumes consisted of lots of coats and scarves, although there was one queen in a red ballet leo- tard, work boots and a tiara on his head, dancing on the corner of Bourbon Street and St. Ann with a very soiled chiffon shawl. There were a few coneheads, who remarked in their monotone voices, We are enjoying the festivities. Mailboxes arrived equipped with ladders, lawn chairs and cool- ers. Bikers in appropriate motorcy- cle drag, with goggles, gloves, leather jackets and chains cruised around, and of course, Rocky Hor- ror Picture Show characters abounded. While the hard-core enthusiasts spent the day fighting over some cheap plastic string of beads, hop- ing no one stepped on their hands, the less brave souls watched it on TV. Some of the strangest characters came out at Mardi Gras. 1., 2., 4. Mardi Gras enthusiasts continued the cos- tume tradition. (1 and 2 Bill Feig; 4 Long) 3. New Orleans ' famous Olympia Brass Band joined in the festivities at the I.Sl Mardi Gras parade the Friday before Fat Tuesday. (Zietz) 5. Specta- tors reached for beads from Rex float ' s riders on Mardi Gras day. (Feig) 164 Main Ingredients

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Vacations Provide Fun and Relaxation 1 Skiing Breckenridge hills, canoe- ing white water in Mississippi, tub- ing the Tangipahoa River and sightseeing in London were just a few of the locally sponsored trips for fun and enjoyment offered to LSU students this year. The Backpacker and the Union Travel Committee, the most active of the local trip organizers, both organized ski trips to Colorado resorts. This year the Ski Brecken- ridge trip, sponsored by the Travel Committee, provided round trip air transportations, six nights in a con- dominium, five days of equipment rental, five days of lift tickets and a wine and cheese party for $295. The Backpacker sponsored trips late in December, early in February and in March to the Aspen. Snow- mass, and Steamboat resorts. The Union Travel Committee also offered a wide variety of other trips including the European Win- ter Holiday in Spain and Portugal and the London Theater Tour. The Europea n Holiday trip included stays in Lisbon, Madrid, Granada and Paris for $799. Sixty people went on this tour of 15 days which also included a stay in Torrenolinos on the Mediterranean Coast. The London Theater tour included nine days in London as well as four days in Paris over the Christmas holidays for $780. This year ' s group consisted of over 40 people. The Backpacker offered canoe trips to the Atchafalaya area and backpacking tours to Aspen. For $15 a person, the shop escorted canoeing groups into the Atchafa- laya basin emphasizing the wildlife in the area. Of course, Florida has always been one of the favorite retreats for LSU students, ranging from week- end excursions to week-long spring break stays. Panama City. Destin. Fort Walton. Pensacola and Orlando proved to the favorite places to stay. The Backpacker also sponsored an economical trip to the Bahamas in May after graduation. Trael 163

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