Groundhogese and Magical "Groundhog Punch"

America is a beautiful wonderful country.  People are allowed to practice their own religion.  Speak their chosen language.  And celebrate the most ridiculous holidays ever as if they were completely and ultimately the most logical celebration ever.

Enter February 2... aka Groundhog Day.

In a small town, population less than 6,000 in 2009, lives a groundhog.  His name is Phil.  According to the official website of Groundhog Day Phil has been alive for as long as Groundhog Day.  First one was in the 1800's.  He manages to surpass the life expectancy of 6-8 years for a groundhog by taking "a drink of a magical punch every summer during the annual Groundhog Picnic, which gives him 7 more years of life."  Every year on the morning of February 2nd, between 7 and 7:30 a.m. Phil comes out of hibernation to predict when spring will arrive.  It's either just around the corner, he doesn't see his shadow, or there will be six more weeks of winter.  (Fun fact: In the past 10 years he didn't see his shadow one time, 2007.)  One year it was recorded up to 18,000 people turned out to see ol' Phil's prediction live.  

I have been one of the, uhh... lucky? ones to experience Groundhog Day live from Gobbler's Knob.  And the experience is something I would recommend to any and everyone.  It's a once in a lifetime experience (because I can't believe anyone would want to experience it more than once!).  And it is also an experience that I have determined to be an experience I love to hate.  

To begin to describe my experience I'll start with a quote from the 1993, Columbia Pictures, Groundhog Day.  (Really, they did make a movie about the holiday.  I couldn't even begin to make this stuff up.)

Rita: You're missin' all the fun! These people are great! Some of them have been partyin' all night long! They sing songs 'till they get too cold and then they go sit by the fire and they get warm, and then they come back and sing some more! 

Phil: Yeah, they're hicks, Rita! 

I attended Groundhog Day 2006.  My senior year of high school. (Don't tell my h.s. though, my mom wrote on my note that I wasn't feeling well enough to go to school that day, bc I convinced her that really who ever feels well enough to go to school :) ! )...

Going to bed at a friends house around 12 a.m., only to wake up to leave by 3 a.m. to make the 50 minute drive to Gobbler's Knob, the journey begins!

We arrive before 4, and say to ourselves "Hey we're h.s. seniors, we have no money!  Let's save $5 and just walk the mile or so up the hill!  No big deal!"  (How young and naive we were.)  Around half-way up were tired and cold.  The sun hasn't even began to wake up yet.  

We arrive at the top, with a little bit more jump in our step as we see some classmates, and a giant (55-gallon) drum bursting with flames.  

(It was some time ago, but I'm fairly certain it looked something like this!)

We rejoice in the expereince for about... 5 minutes.  Then we realize if we really want to get a good view of Phil himself we better go claim our spot.

(I didn't take this picture... I credit it to Google Images)

That's a pretty accurate depiction of what it looks like without the people....

This is more accurate with people.  So we claimed our spot by 5:30 a.m.  About 40-or-so yards from the fire drum.  Also, away from the, I-wouldn't-dare-imply-this-would-occur-on-such-a-beautiful-holiday-but-hypothetically-speaking, intoxicated crowd.  

We are entertained and wooed by the magic of the morning.  (By a quarter 'till 6 I was ready to go home.)  There are girls on a stage.  Four or five, calling themselves Phil's squad ,or something of the sorts, who cheer and dance every hour.  What do they cheer and why do they dance you wonder?  I'm still wondering the same thing 5 years later.  There are fireworks and a band at some point.  (While seeing them was impossible I'm positive they were neat.)

Eventually the moment we had all been eagerly waiting for arrived.  The crowd was buzzing.  And a group of older fellows, calling themselves the "Inner Circle," appear on stage dressed to the nines, and do their thing... for an hour before Phil even appears!!

ESPN

Finally on February 2, 2006, "Phil saw his shadow while wearing his Steeler "Terrible Towel" at 7:25 a.m.  The temperature was a balmy 38 degrees."  And then.  At 7:26 a.m. thousands of people walked back down Gobbler's Knob.  Some in satisfaction, some in disbelief.  Others in handcuffs.

While for me the morning ended there, as my parents had implied I should return back to school.  But the fun doesn't stop there.  The town continues to celebrate the day with breakfasts, sales, and events galore.

But if like me, you drive straight out of town you can't help but notice the numerous groundhog statues all over town.  I've heard it being a challenge to go and count them all...

So if you can't make it out to this glorious holiday, celebrate at home, or sometime throughout the year visit Punxsy, PA.  Some suggestions can be found here of things to do.  Or check out the Groundhog Day website for live footage, or even to have Phil text you... personally I'm sure.

UPDATE: 7:54 a.m. (2/2) - Phil didn't see his shadow... spring is on its way.  And there is only about half an inch of ice on my car this morning.  So I'm betting he's right.... 

Explanation/terminology: Phil predicts the weather by telling the handler if he see's his shadow or not.  He does so because the handlers and Phil all speak Groundhogese.

*Also, if you paid close attention, you noticed none of those pictures were actually my own work... that's just the fun of being on a hill, in the cold of winter, with thousands of other people, in an area I'm going to throw a wild guess on as 50 square yards.