Great Midwest Tour...Day 3

The first full day of our trip away from home had us get up at the crack of 9:30 and head for a yummie complimentary breakfast. A friend of mine told me, "the more you pay, the less you get". Boy howdy! I am now typing this from the Crowne Plaza hotel in downtown Indianapolis, and you think there is complimentary anything...NAAAA.

We finally boot scooted about 11am and headed towards our next stop in Fort Wayne. We were to meet with a long-time colleugue of mine, Dawn. She is the Greenways Director for the city, and with trails in our blood, we make good friends. We arrived in Fort Wayne in time to meet Dawn at a downtown dive called Coney Island. It's "famous" for hot dogs, so that's what we ordered. Not bad. Quick too which gave us time to get to the park.

We walked down to Parkview Field, which is home to the Tin Caps. This is a fantastic stadium, with a lively fan base. It looks a lot like Gary's, but more inviting. Maybe it was the colors, but it sure seems to feel a lot cozier. Of course Gary has US Steel and the tollroad in their outfield, while Fort Wayne's downtown is shown off at Parkview's. This is the second largest city in Indiana, so the view is pretty impressive - especially with the county courthouse in the background.

The game did start on time even though the skies above looked threatening. In fact, Dawn had traveled east to her mom's home earlier in the day and it was raining. Checking my phone, it looked bad, but thankfully, it only "spit" rain for a spell...and that's all. It was quite humid however, and I did work up a sweat easily. Dawn seemed a bit miserable, but we did have some tasty libations to help refresh us.

Before the game, as I did last year, I arranged for a tour of the press box. We meet this representative named Michael during the 5th inning, and he proceeded to take us up and around the whole field. We were quite surprised at how small the press area was...the control room looked so packed as to consistute a fire hazzard! After that he took us to the place called the "Treetop" - or a special outfield section way above the concourse...great views! Afterwards we decided to sit in the outfield seats by the wall for the rest of the game, which the Tin Caps ended up winning 2-1. That's 3-0 for the hometeams we visited.

From there we bid Dawn adieu, and hit the road for our next visit in Indy. On the way the skies finally opened up, and how. While driving, I talked Sam into visiting Muncie and Ball State's campus. Being a small-time college fan, he was very agreeable. We managed to get ourselves a bit lost looking for the football stadium, but finally located it. It was off to Indy from there, where we are now awaiting a 2am visit to Steak 'n Shake to enjoy their "happy hour". Sam REALLY wants to do this, and we have nothing planned for the morning...so here we go!

Great Midwest Baseball Tour...Day 2

Getting out of bed ahead of a big travel day is either exciting or overwhelming. Maybe a little of both for me...but much more excitement for Sam. Of course he's not having to think of every last detail - fretting about missing this or that. We did hit the road...at 3...after one false start after another. This is where keeping a list REALLY comes in handy...maybe next time (and the next time...etc forever).

So we hit the road and ride into South Bend about 5pm Eastern time. We get to our hotel and check in, just to find the room isn't too my liking. I didn't like the fact that we were right next to the stairwell...so we do get another room...but as I type this we are surrounded by LOUD pre-teens who are on some sort of little league trip. Awesome.

We finally make it to the stadium...Coveleski Field, the home of the Silverhawks. We were here a couple of years ago during our first trip, and I was surprised to see that the place had undergone a multi-million dollar renovation. Before we got to see the inside details, as we walk from the ticket booth we find out that the National Anthem is being sung...I boo-booed on the time. I thought it was 6...but it was actually 5:30...yikes! Anyways we do get in and catch the first pitch. We end up sitting right behind home plate...why not?

As we watch the game I am very impressed with the improvements. There's a giant new video scoreboard, and new seating beyond the outfield walls. Looks much better, but there is one major drawback...they installed that fieldturf as their playing surface. Now I understand why that works with football...but it just feels sterile for baseball. There is simply something romantic about newly cut grass...like you are actually in a "park". For all the advantages of this new stuff...it can't replace that intangible. The place was pretty empty as well...makes me think they overdid it with the upgrades. Sometimes simple is best.

The game was great, and even greater was that Sam STAYED with me the WHOLE game...a first for a minor league game! He always wants to run around and find other kids to play with...but not tonight. It felt great having him around...he's becoming a lot of fun to talk to as he grows up. We'll see how the rest of the trip goes. The game was close but the Silverhawks pulled it out 4.3. It was pretty early when we returned so we swam in the hotel pool for two hours...while we played with this new rubber ball I bought a few weeks back. Kept us occupied and hopefully I didn't throw out my arm.

2011 Great Midwest Baseball Tour..Day 1!

Well Sam and I are at it again, doing a tour of baseball teams. This will be our third go-around, and Sam wanted to keep it close to home, so we are (high gas prices didn't help either!). Tonight we officially "started" our tour in Gary at the US Steel Yard. The South Shore Railcats play there, and it seemed to be a very fitting start. It was quite hot when we got there, and stayed muggy most of the game.

As for the game, Sam did his usual bolt for the lawn area to play with other kids, while I sat back chatted with some good friends. First was Lauren who complained right away it was too hot, then Rob, who used to date my sister, and who was there with his two kids. He always sits by the opposing team's pitchers bench to chat with the players. Apparently he's made some good friends with the Fargo team that was there. We had a good time catching up.

The game went into extras with Gary winning 7-6 on a walk-off double. Great way to start our trip! Tomorrow we hit the road for South Bend for the rest of our journey :)

A Final Four Weekend

I am seriously behind in posting this, but better late than ever. This actually belongs before the Rush post...but oh well.

On April 1st, pretty much a whim, I took Sam to Indianapolis for the weekend during his Spring Break. My intention was to simply do some sightseeing, and enjoy some time in a hotel. As usual we booked it through Hotwire, and scored the Hyatt. Before we left, I found out that NCAA Women's Final Four was to be over that same weekend in Indy. I didn't quite know what to think...since the women are not nearly the draw like the men. I was even surprised we found a room at a host hotel.

When we arrived, we found out soon enough that a very significant event was in town. It seemed like the entire city was ga-ga over this...pure overkill. Well done overkill, but overkill nonetheless. As we checked in we found out we were staying at the host hotel for the Connecticut women's team. This UConn squad was the same that won the previous two championships...and was favored again. However, the men were playing in their Final Four too...which took a lot of steam away from their fan base.

We found out that there was a mountain of activity going on the next day (Saturday). The largest event was called "Tourney Town" at the Indiana Convention Center. This was a mighty impressive spread - basketball courts, games, pop-a-shots, games, more courts, and a big stage for musical events. Needless to say we ended up there most of the day instead of a planned visit to the State Museum. By late afternoon, we found out that the teams were practicing at Conseco Fieldhouse for free viewing, so we took some time and checked that out.

As night approached, I began to put into action an idea I had from when I planned the trip - to see the Butler Bulldogs play their Final Four game...on their campus. Surely they would have some sort of viewing party...and sure enough they did...right at Hinkle Fieldhouse...their home court. We arrived with about an hour to spare, and the line was HUGE already. When we finally shuffled in, we were impressed with not one, or two...but FOUR huge screens set up on the floor. There was even a DJ. As we made our way up the stairs, I heard my name being called...it was my friend Angelo from Crown Point. His daughter attended Butler...so there he was...and even had two seats open. Nice.

As the game tipped off the atmosphere was simply electric. THIS is where I love to hang out - where the energy is! (In 2005, when my beloved White Sox won the World Series, there I was in their Chicago neighborhood of Bridgeport.) It was a pretty tight game from the start, but in the end Butler pulled it off, and in turn set off a rowdy campus-wide celebration that Sam wasn't old enough to enjoy. We did take a nice stroll on their football field though. Off we went back to our hotel, took a late dip in their stainless steel pool...and off to slumberland.

On Sunday, our main game plan was to get to Conseco, and get Sam signed up in what was dubbed "Circle City Dribble". This was simply over-the-top. The idea was to gather as many kids as possible downtown, fit them with shirts, give them a ball...and have them dribble from the Fieldhouse to Tourney Town. This meant a LOT of shirts...and a LOT of balls...all FREE! Remember when I mentioned "overkill?" Well we got there in plenty of time, and Sam proceeded to dribble with thousands of others down the street. It was quite the scene. We all arrived and overran Tourney Town in the process. There was a nice battle of the bands going on...so we stuck around to check it out.

After this Sam started to REALLY press me about attending the first two games that night. I had no intention of doing this, but then again, I'm all about "making memories." After some haggling, I found a ticket broker and got a great deal...and off we went to the game. Once inside we found ourselves WAY up in the nosebleeds for the first game - which was a duel between Texas A&M and Stanford. Texas ended up winning this...and afterwards we made our way to the floor level for the featured matchup between Notre Dame and UConn. That was an amazing contest with ND pulling away for the upset. Two days later, Texas A&M completed the unscripted weekend with another upset of the Irish.

What was to be a simple getaway became a treasure trove of memories for the both of us...and Sam will never see a women's game the same way again (neither will I!).

Return to Rush

Last night, I stepped into my own "way-back machine" and attended a Rush concert at the United Center in Chicago. I was joined by my Lovely Lady Friend, Liz...who happens to front a cover band, and thus has an interest in live music in general. That...and she's also a GREAT sport! First, a bit of background...

25 years ago, in March of 1986, as a acne-covered 17-year old, I attended my first real concert with my friend Dave. I say "real" since I don't count Sha-na-na as such when I attended that with parental units as a boy. This was certainly different. The show was at the Rosemont Horizon on the north side of Chicago (now the Allstate Arena). Walking in I can recall a couple of things vividly - the size of the crowd (a sellout of probably 15,000), and the smoke. LOTS of smoke. There was literally a cloud hanging above us before the show started. Apparently there was also an opening band, which Dave reminded me about recently. Guess not very memorable. The smoke had all different aromas, most prevalent cannabis (shock!). Rush had a very large following in the rock world (still does), and being only a few years removed from the "up in smoke" 70's...this scene was quite familiar.

Not for me however, and maybe it was the contact high kicking in, but when Rush hit the stage, it began a roller coaster ride of utter glee from the very first riff. This was their Power Windows tour, and honestly, I didn't know many of their songs. I was lost in my ELO/Elton John world to care. So the lights go down, and then some strange music plays - it was the theme of the Three Stooges...barely recognizable over the din from the drug-saddled crowd. Then a blast from Alex Lifeson cracking out the instantly recognizable first riffs of "Spirit of the Radio", and from there...sheer ecstasy! Little did I know I was now witnessing probably the best live act in rock, and even though many songs were foreign to me, I was caught up in the music, and especially the various video montages playing behind the band. Our seating location directly in front, and just up on the first level provided an absolutely perfect view. All said, even after many subsequent concerts, this still remains far-and-away my best experience.

Which brings me to last night. I haven't been to a concert in so long I simply can't recall. Maybe the mid-90's? Anyways, it's at least a decade ago. One thing that has changed quite dramatically is ticket prices...whoa! I was able to get seats last week, but at $80 a pop, mid-top level of the arena. I know the floor was going for $300 a pop...OUCH! The merchandise also has skyrocketed. Now Rush is an iconic band, with a rabid following, so they can pull these prices off. It also helps that their core fan base is OLD, and can afford it - as well as sending their kids too. The crowd, as I predicted, was upper-middle aged. There were a few youngsters - but mostly with their ex-burnout parents. I did comment to Liz that the younger set looks strangely like their counterparts in the 80's - now carrying cell phones around instead of lighters.

We made it to our seats which were dead center, third level. Great view! Since Rush is an "arena band", they tailor their shows to keep everyone involved - no matter how crappy your seat is. This is accomplished with a large video screen and a gaggle of lights that seem to fire out at you from everywhere. Not that they really needed them - these three are considered the most accomplished musicians in the rock world. Having these "frills" just made the experience even more memorable. As the concert time approached, I found myself with a curious excitement I have not felt in many years. Both Liz and I truly felt that we had traveled back in time once again, which was very fitting since Rush had named this their "Time Machine Tour".

As for the concert, it was simply amazing...as expected. They started this one off with "Spirit of Radio" following a humorous opening video parodying their start as the band "Rash". I give this band a lot of credit for not only keeping together for 35+ years, but doing so with a tongue-in-cheek style that keeps them modest and appreciative to their fans. Their concerts are also a tribute to their legions of supporters - they are amazingly well-choreographed and enthralling. You don't have to be a huge fan to follow-along...and Liz was a testament to this...she was caught up as well from the opening, and stated to me afterwards "I'm a Rush fan now!"

I won't detail the actual event since you can search that out on Google. I'm sure there are many that have taken a good chunk of their lives out to explain this - and there are also MANY You Tube videos as well. Have fun. The only interesting thing was the intermission - about an hour into it. Geddy Lee, their uber-talented lead singer, explained that as old men they needed quick break. No argument from me and probably most of the "old" crowd in attendance. As for "old" men (I think late 50's), they rocked just as good as when I first saw them...maybe even better. The concert clocked in at over 3 hours, with an amazing encore. It concluded with another video - a nice touch.

Maybe this experience will re-awaken my love for concerts once again - just as my first experience with Rush did. I know there are a few artists out there that I would spend a small fortune to see, so who knows. As for now, I will take the time to relish this amazing experience which linked my past to my present.

Xtreme Tour Days 10 & 11

Yet again I am late...WAY late in updating our trip. We concluded our great journey over a week ago, but memories are still very fresh...so here's the wrap-up:

We took our "suite" time getting up on the 10th day of our trip. Our goal was to visit the St. Louis Arch...located in the Thomas Jefferson Westward Expansion Memorial site. The museum, with theaters, is located under the Arch. We made our way from the hotel to the Arch...a pretty good walk considering how HOT it was. Once there I waited in a bit of a line, but we nabbed tickets for a show on Lewis & Clark, and a tram ride up the Arch. Getting to the top is a unique experience with visitors shuttled up in egg-like, claustrophobic contraptions that take about 4 minutes to rise to the top. Once there the view is amazing, but the area a wee-bit tight. They let you stay as long as you want, but there's not a lot to see - especially with the small windows - but well-worth the visit. We left, and soon headed north to Normal.

The drive went well, and after finding our hotel we made our way to the "Corn Crib" to check out the Cornbelter's - an Independent team in their first year. Can't say I liked the stadium that much - pulled back from the field, and the scoreboard was pushed back as well. The foul territories were HUGE thanks to this. I made arrangements for Sam to shadow a reporter, who was in an unused, but air conditioned suite...THANK GOD! It was totally hot, humid and zero wind...by far the worst weather at any game we experienced. The funny thing was the Cornbelter's were playing the Evansville Otters...and so we made our way to their broadcast booth were we found Mike once again...this time sweating it up since no air was in the press boxes (???). After that Sam settled in with the reporter, Randy, and followed what turned out to be a great game by the Cornbelter's pitcher. Here's a guy who had a woeful 0-2, 8.5+ ERA but goes seven NO-HIT innings. He comes out for a reliever who takes the no-hit into the 9th. Sam is going CRAZY at this point, but alas the Otters' first batter slaps a single. Fantastic way to finish the last game tho. When we got back to the hotel, we found out the pool was closed, but he gates were open and the lights underwater on. Hence "Operation Cool Pool" began as we snuck in for a good hour + swim while no staff noticed...NICE!

The final day of our trip was spent at a children's museum in Normal. Not sure what to expect, we actually spent a good 3 hours at that place while Sam interacted with other kids, climbed stuff and splashed around in the water exhibit. More good times :) From here we hit the road for home, but not before an unplanned detour for gas north of Normal where a monument to the old Route 66 was erected next to the station. This monument consists of several hundred feet of the actual roadbed of the 66, with signs alongside guiding visitors to significant places on the road in that town. REALLY COOL!

Then it was finally off for home. As I pulled into our driveway I noticed that we covered 2700 miles in our 11-day jaunt - an amazing trip that Sam called his best ever. I have to say the Lord was VERY good to us throughout...and we both thank HIM for bringing us through safely...with a HUGE pile of memories to cherish always!

Xtreme Tour Days 7, 8 & 9

Ooookay, I guess I'm not keeping up so well. Let's see, last time I checked in we had arrived in OK City. That day we visted the site of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995...where 168 perished in a terrorism attack. At the time it was the worst attack on US soil...eclipsed by 9-11. There was a monument where the building fell, and an incredibly moving museum across from it. This was an amazing display vividly capturing this sad episode and focussing squarely on the people who were victimized by this act of cowardace. I was especially pleased to have Sam experience this since he had no idea it had happened.



From there we drove our longest stretch of 5+ hours to Kansas City, MO. There was a spectacular vista as we drove thru Kansas called the Flint Hills. This looked like a scene from Dances with Wolves...just stunning landscape. Well we needed to go straight to the game, and thankfully we made it in time. BEAUTIFUL STADIUM! Probably the best I've ever been to. Just something about it made it feel really comfortable. A CRAZY MASSIVE scoreboard didn't hurt either! I mean this thing had to be at least 10 stories tall...just colossal! The game went well...KC won on an 8th inning homer - and then we went to our hotel. This took FOREVER though horrible traffic, and then a hotel which was booked with a bunch of party rats. Anyways we did enjoy the pool, then retired for the night.



We woke up on our 8th day by visiting what is called the College Basketball Experience (CBE) which was in downtown KC. I had NO idea this existed, and big kudos to Sam for finding it in a guide. Simply put, this place ROCKED! Talk about interactive-overload! This place was decked out with a working basketball court, and many other areas to test your shooting, free throws...whatever! There was small part for a hall of fame, which was also well-done. Sam was able to get a pick up game with some other kids, and came away stating that this was his favorite part of the trip. Nearly 5 hours at this place testified mightily to his feelings.



After just about dragging Sam out of there, we headed off to Springfield, MO for a minor league game. We arrived (after being bombarded by Branson billboards and "Fantastic Caverns" ads), and made our way to the stadium. Very new and very nice field...home of the Cardinals AA squad. Sam as usual took a walk around and made fast friends by the lawn area. I just enjoyed the game, which the Cardinals won. Back to the hotel for some more swimming and sleep.



I planned to awake on Day 9 by going to Fantastic Caverns. However I felt suspicious about an attraction I never heard of, and one that was being blitzed in every ad around us (seriously). I took a look online on reviews, and sure enough they were lukewarm at best. Apparently it also cost $20+ each. No thanks. I convinced Sam to visit a Civil War site...and so we did. It's called Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, and we were both impressed. We took a leisurely drive thru the site (for $5!), and met with some National Park folks at an old house regarding the history of the place. Good stuff. We stopped several times to get out and view the battlefield. We topped it off with a very well-done movie at their visitor's center. Oh yeah, we were DRENCHED after all the stops...it had to be near 100 degrees. The theater was a Godsend, and we were then off to St. Louis.



The journey to St. Louie went well...but getting to the hotel was a bit tricky, and I did myself no favors by losing the camera...in the car. We needed to get to the stadium by 6pm so Sam could get a tour of the press area. Well thanks to the camera issue, we ended up just about running 6 blocks from our hotel to the game. We did make it up to the press area (wasn't easy), and our guide Melody escorted us through the press area and broadcast booths. GREAT experience for Sam once again. We exited into the snazzy club area, where we found some seats and stayed put. Another new and gorgeous stadium with the rabid fans to go along with it. When the game concluded we made our way back to the hotel, where we found out we had a suite. SWEET!