The Comeback is Complete

I had ended the 2011 baseball season on such a morose note. It just sort of tapered off into a quagmire of shame and ignorance. I felt like I had been real passive when planning baseball road trips, and, outside of the Cactus League, didn't really break any new ground. At this time last year, my conclusionary post was a little embarrassing.

At the beginning of this season, I said I wanted Baseball Extravaganza 2012 to be the "Year of the Comeback." I wanted to sluff off the demons from last year and put forward a new foot of baseball road trips that would put everything back on the map. I had some lofty goals for travel, but I had a system built that would allow me to achieve everything I wanted. There were some ups and downs, but Baseball Extravaganza 2012 was a fitting comeback worthy of a good step in the off-season and excitement aplenty for next year.

Way back in April, my excitement was brimming with the Rocky Mountain trip. This was the absolute perfect road trip; meeting up with friends, two new parks and cities, a few days away from the chaos here, and just overall fun. It didn't fail to disappoint as I had such a great time that it completely altered my perception of how I do road trips. Whether it was catching up with old friends or families, taking buses around Denver and Colorado Springs, or hiking three miles to a ballpark gave me so much confidence for the season.

It is funny how you can learn so much from failure, though. And failure would be the best way to describe my first trip up to Seattle. All on my part, my negligence in tying-up loose ends and planning caught up to me in a swath of flames. Having to cut a road trip early is something I never want to have to do again. Despite the massive failure, it was a learning opportunity and opened up the door for the best decision I have probably ever made when it comes to this hobby.

Taking the month of June off was a brilliant decision. I was able to deal with a bunch of Council stuff, save up a huge wad of cash, and give myself an opportunity to really plan out every single detail of the upcoming baseball road trips. The month did go by fast, and it allowed for my anticipation to build. There were times when the layoff was unbearable, especially when I would recall the Rocky Mountain trip, but I kept my eyes on the prize and came back with probably the most well-planned and well-executed road trip of all time.

NWL East was such a perfect road trip that, even today, I am amazed that I was able to accomplish all that I did. In two unfamiliar cities, I made all my transportation connections and schedules. My "pre-game" activities were perfectly planned and executed. Not to mention the fact that I saw two new parks and my hometown Emeralds play as the visitor. It was that trip that set me up for the next two road trips that equaled the success of the NWL East.

Then setback came again. Two days before leaving for Yakima, SeaPort Airlines cancels the flight from Portland. Once again, I had to cancel a baseball road trip I was super excited for. I thought that karma was preventing me from replicating success consecutively on trips.

Instead of defeating myself, I faced a comeback, and in mid-August  I made a return trip back up to the Puget Sound. This time, things were different. I scheduled a game against a bottom-tier opponent, slept in for the later train, and made my transit connections easy. I didn't think it was possible to be more successful than the NWL East, but I think I did it with the Puget Sound Part Deux. I saw two of the best games of the year, had a great time at Safeco, and finally saw the renovations at Cheney. I assimilated myself into the two cities, especially in Seattle where I am now very comfortable walking around downtown and knowledgeable of the sights and sounds.

The last road trip of the season could be classified as epic. I-80 had been an idea for two years, and it finally came true with trips to Reno and Sacramento. That trip is now the gauge of success when it comes to "pre-game" activities, seamless transportation, social aspects, and great games. I absolutely loved going out to Virginia City and touring the Sacramento Tunnels. I loved meeting up with my friend from high school and with the widow of the fallen officer. I said it in one of the tweets from that trip, but I challenge anyone to match what I went through on the road trip.

This blog would not be complete without some mention of my softball team this season. Winning the championship was such a thrill and I loved playing with my teammates. Playing games during that month of June kept me active and involved in the sport. I cannot wait for next season and defending our title.

To end the season, I was able to do something that I have always wanted to do: throw out the first pitch at a game. The last Ems game saw me throw a looping strike on the outside corner. Sure, it was for a campaign event, but it was neat to hear my name be called out on the p.a., stand on the mound in front of 4,000 people, and deliver a strike to the catcher.

I have to ask myself what I learned through the season:

First, hostels are the enemy and I will never stay in them again. I gave myself three separate chances to enjoy myself in hostels, and they all failed miserably. Look, I've said it on here before, but it is worth it to spend the extra few dollars to get a real hotel. When I was in Reno, it was so nice to be able to come back to the hotel, take a nap, watch some cable tv, and have a hot shower. I was not able to duplicate that, even to the slightest, at the hostels in Seattle and in Boise. Hostels have to be my last option, and I have to be willing to spend the extra money for a hotel.

Second, I am designating Southwest as the official airline of baseball road trips. I had zero problems with Southwest the entire season. They have cheap fares, great service, and serve some great destinations from Portland. In addition, using Southwest for my first multi-flight road trip worked out perfectly.

Third, I still love taking the train to baseball games and on road trips. For some reason, I get the train. It was really weird doing the Rocky Mountain trip without any travel on the train. The train just fits in with the baseball road trip experience.

Fourth, if given a choice, I would prefer to take public transportation over renting a car. I'm serious about this. I had no choice but to rent a car when I was in Reno, but I really didn't give myself the opportunity to see the other side of the city not overwhelmed with casinos. In the cities I went to this season where I took public transportation, I gained an appreciation for all of them. Maybe it was because I was outside of the relative anonymity of a car, but being able to get out and see the people of the cities and the sights away from the interstates gave me an outlook that I have never seen before. You just don't get that from the comfort of an automobile.

Fifth, the short road trips of two or three games only work out perfectly for me. I'm able to squeeze them in over a weekend and preserve my vacation days. They also force me to crunch activities into a small time frame, thus preventing me from having down time. I also think that they are cheaper to do than longer five- or six-day trips. When I took off the month of June, I did it with an eye to these smaller road trips that hit only two games. Boise-Spokane, Seattle-Tacoma, Reno-Sacramento just worked out great.

Sixth, when looking to go to MLB parks, try and find games against bottom-tier opponents. I had a much more enjoyable time at Safeco when I saw the Mariners play the Minnesota Twins than when they played the LA Angels. I also noticed that when I went to Coors and saw the Rockies play the San Diego Padres. While I definitely would love to see teams play the Yankees or the Red Sox, they draw out a different type of fan. I need to isolate the games against lesser-known opponents and circle them on the calendar.

Finally, I have to deal with the loneliness. While I really do appreciate meeting up with friends and family at the games, it's the other twenty hours of activities where I am totally by myself. The Rocky Mountain trip was great because I got to hang out with friends and family outside of the baseball game itself. No other trip had that, and it took its toll on me. There are many times when I really would like to have someone to talk to. It would have been awesome to have someone come with me to Virginia City or to the Old Idaho Penitentiary. It would have been awesome to have someone come out for drinks while waiting for the train in Spokane. It would have been awesome to have someone grab a bite to eat with me after a great time at the Mariners game. I don't know how to address this, but something has to be done. While I will definitely continue this hobby in the future, this is the biggest change I have to make.

Now, on to next season. While the past three blogs have really been "pie-in-the-sky" when it comes to this section, I think I might focus solely on two distinct road trips. The first is down to San Francisco in March to see the semifinals and finals of the World Baseball Classic. Secondly, I want to go to Florida and see my brother. I going to focus on those two trips and make them happen for next season.

Last night, after the final Ems game, I bought myself a beer and toasted to a successful season. It really was and I am so glad I was able to share it with all of you.

So, for the last time in 2012...

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Final Thoughts on I-80

The dust has settled on yet another baseball road trip. Just like the other road trips I have taken this year, the I-80 was filled with adventure and experience. However, the I-80 had some elements that will make it stick out as a unique trip unlike any I have taken before.

Minus a trip on water, I took every conceivable form of transportation on this trip. Bus, plane, train, car, walking...this trip had it all. I was amazed at how seamless all of it went and how I didn't miss one thing and it was all on time. I credit my planning and flexibility of allowing myself to move out of my comfort zone.

My lodging experience was a little scattershot. At first, I thought there was no way anything could be worse than a hostel, but the floor of PDX probably will take the cake. However, I think that with a little more preparation and some different circumstances, that experience could have been doable. After getting into Reno, the Sands was fine and a welcome relief. Finally the train home was easy to sleep and was, actually, kind of comfortable.

Reno is a very interesting city. While I don't think I got the same chance for community analysis as I have done in other cities, what I did see was a little depressing. Maybe I came in wanting to compare Reno and Las Vegas, but the empty streets in downtown and the barren casinos were kind of a drag. Walking around before and after the game, Reno kind of had this dark vibe behind it that was ever present.

Yet, you drive 30 miles to Virginia City, and your opinion changes. My trip up to Virginia City was absolutely fabulous. I love the whole ambiance of the place and you really get the feeling that you have stepped back in time. The old buildings, solitary whistle from the steam locomotive, and the scenery of desert just made you believe you were Wyatt Earp or Butch Cassidy. All I needed was a horse, and I would've been set.

Back into town, I was a little disappointed with Aces Ballpark. I understand that the park was built in 14 months and some features just simply couldn't be put in, but my apprehension in giving it a good rating is larger than that. Set in between busy railroad tracks, a beautiful river, and a large skyline, Aces Ballpark failed to incorporate any of these elements into the park. From my seat, I couldn't see any of these elements. PNC Park in Pittsburgh wouldn't be lauded as much if it weren't for the view. It's the same for AT&T Park in San Francisco. How you incorporate elements outside of the park is incredibly important, and Aces Ballpark just didn't do it for me.

My second day in Sacramento was a little too quick, I think. I got in, took some tours, went to the game, and then boarded the train. From what I could see when coming in , Sacramento looks like an overall shady place. There's a lot of poverty and shantytowns surrounding the tracks. Again, I may be completely off target with this assessment. Old Town was fine, but I got the feeling like I wanted to stay away from the outlying areas.

I had been to Raley Field before, but I was younger and nowhere near as experienced. I haven't done it yet, but I'd like to look at my old blogs and see how I ranked Raley Field. Now that I'm older and wiser, I'm compelled to give Raley Field a little more credit. I do think it is one of the better parks in the PCL. Is it better than Tacoma? That's a toss-up. Fresno? No. Colorado Springs or Reno? Yes.

There's been some talk of the A's moving to Sacramento. I think this would be a bad idea because the city has embraced Triple-A ball. The stadium is filled almost every night, and people are pretty devoted to that team.

To close out Baseball Extravaganza 2012, I can think of no better way. Making my way across a part of this country I've never seen and engaging in the communities where I'm staying epitomizes the concept of the baseball road trip. While I'm glad to be home, I am satisfied with how the trip went and the stuff I saw. 

This was the final baseball road trip of the summer. I will throw out a final update after the week is over mainly because I'm closing out the season on a high note with something I have always wanted to do. On Friday, I'll be throwing out the first pitch at the last Emeralds game of the year. It is related to my Mayor campaign, but it seems like a fitting way to end a very successful Baseball Extravaganza 2012.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Sac-Town

Day 2 of the I-80 has drawn to a close as I an now on the train back home. Today was another whirlwind day for this road trip and I will certainly add today's experiences to the baseball road trip Hall of Fame.

Waking up in Reno gave me the opportunity to seek out something that I came to love when I was in Las Vegas two seasons ago. I woke up and walked down to the El Dorado and had their breakfast buffet. For $13, I ate so much food that I just about popped. French toast, bacon, fruit, pancakes, you name it, they had it. It was the best deal I found while in Reno.

When I first left all of you, I was on the California Zephyr over Donner Pass. When I wasn't busy updating the blog, I was gazing out the window at the fabled mountain summit. Arguably the most challenging bit of the Transcontinental Railroad, Donner Pass has stories of receiving thirty feet of snow during the winter. Yesterday, however, not a flake was present as the Zephyr went up and over the pass getting in to Sacramento 20 minutes early.

After getting off the train, and made my way into Old Town for my first scheduled activity. For the second time this season, I toured a city's underground. Also featured in Ghost Adventures, the Sacramento Underground was created by yearly massive floods by the Sacramento River. By raising up the buildings, it prevented them from being inundated.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't really impressed with the tour. The Portland Underground really took advantage of it's dark past and vice activities. The Seattle Underground really used humor and engagement. The Sacramento Underground had nothing. In fact, the tour guide was very adamant about how the Underground was NOT haunted and how the TV shows made such a big deal of "a basement of a bank."

After the tour, I ducked in to another Ghost Adventures haunt in Old Town, the Eagle Theatre. I was enticed in by the lure of a period-piece show. It was free, so I decided, why not?

The show was great. It featured a show that was modeled off a late 19th century act with live music, the can-can, and a Mark Twain impersonator. Once again, going to the theatre proved to be a fun and enjoyable activity on a baseball road trip.

After the theatre and a bite to eat at Subway, I kept up the theme of railroading and boarded the Sacramento Southern excursion train. This six-mile long excursion goes from Old Town, paralleling the Sacramento River, and terminating along the I-5 freeway at a place called Baths.

The second excursion train in as many days was fun, but it just could not compare to the V&T. The smell of the soot, the Old West ambiance, and the whole experience of the town of Virginia City made the V&T so special. The Sacramento Southern, while a nice railroad, just couldn't compare.

Once I finished riding the train, I made my way across the Tower Bridge to Raley Field. The home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, Raley Field is one of the better draws in baseball. Sacramento usually leads all of Minor League Baseball in attendance, regularly drawing 9 or 10,000 a night. this night was no exception as Raley Field was a sell out.

Despite being built in 2000, Raley Field has held up well. It sits on the banks of the Sacramento River with a great view of the skyline and bridge behind the right field wall. Compared to Reno, Raley Field is engineered perfectly for Minor League Baseball.

I had been to Raley Field five seasons ago. I was still in college and I was pretty new to the baseball road trip concept. Being able to see it now with all the experience I have gave me a greater appreciation of the park and how it stacks up amongst other parks in professional baseball.

The Salt Lake Bees crawled back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the River Cats 4-3. Sacramento had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the 7th, but a collision between the Sacramento base runner and the Salt Lake catcher at the plate didn't produce a run as the catcher held on.

After the game, I had about two hours to burn before my train left. As I was walking to the park, I saw a Comedy Club that looked like fun. I googled it and saw that there was an act that night. It was a little spendy, but I had a few drinks and listened to some incredibly funny comics. It was the perfect way to end the day.

The train got into Sacramento twenty minutes late. I got my seat and passed out. From everything that happened, I was just exhausted.

I'm due back into Eugene around noonish. I'll write-up a Final Thoughts sometime tomorrow.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

The Biggest Little City in the World

From the banks of the Truckee, welcome to Reno and the first stop on the I-80. I'm updating on the beginning of the second day because of how tired and plum worn-out I was yesterday. Nevertheless, it was a fun day and I'm excited for today's events.

Despite my optimism, this trip started unconventially and rather uncomfortable. Due to my super early flight departure, I had to take the Greyhound up to Portland. While my preferred method of travel is train, I was forced out of necessity to take the bus. I was reminded how I'm glad I take the train. Greyhound, while they mean well, attracts a different sort of crowd than Amtrak. Less than savory characters were replete at both the Eugene and Portland stations. The bus itself wasn't bad, but I hustled through the stations as quickly as I could.

When I got into Portland, I decided to call an old friend from high school to see if she wanted to meet for a late dinner. She agreed, and she picked me up at the Max stop for a late dinner at Shari's.
I'll allude to this a little later on, but it is very interesting listening to people I went to high school with. The different paths we have taken to our present lives and situations. Sometimes it's enlightening, but a lot of the times it's disturbing. Either way you look at it, I was glad I got to see her once again for a brief time.

When planning this trip, I went back and forth on my first night's lodging. My flight left at 0645, so I didn't want to spend the sixty or seventy bucks for a hotel. I decided to take a page out of the adventurers playbook and crash at the airport for the night. I thought that it couldn't be any worst than the hostels I've been staying at.

It was just brutal. Plain brutal. The constant noise from the airport being the announcements over the pa, the cleaning crew, or just the movement of people made for a difficult night. I tried my hardest to get some shut eye, but it just didn't happen.

After the biggest cup of coffee, which I normally don't drink, I got on my Southwest flight to Reno.
When I got here, I boarded the hotel shuttle into downtown to rent my car for the afternoon. One of the benðefits of finally turning 25 allows me to pay a reasonable rate for rental cars. This being said, my family has had some bad luck recently with cars, so I opted for the cadillac insurance package. With that added in, renting a car for just a few hours was a little too expensive for my liking. Since I had no other activities planned, I sucked it up and forked over the money. But I did learn something out of it.

The reason I rented a car was because I was planning on driving out to Virginia City. Set in the rugged mountains about twenty miles outside Reno, Virginia City was the king of the boom towns. When gold was discovered in and around Virginia City, a gold rush ensued swelling this small village to nearly 15,000 people. Saloons and brothels originally lined the main drag in town, C Street. Gunfights weren't uncommon as the old time cemetery signifies.

Nowadays, Virginia City is a tourist mecca. The town has retained its Old West flavor as many of the old time buildings are still in use, albeit with more honorable intentions. After driving for about 45 minutes in some of the most beautiful desert country, I parked the car and set out on foot to explore this city.

My first stop was the Virginia and Truckee railroad. Originally built to extract the ore from the hills surrounding Virginia City, the V & T is now a tourist excursion railroad. Sometimes referred to as the "Queen of the Shortlines", I knew the allure of this particular railroad before I left on this trip. I knew I had to seek it out.

Pulled by a vintage early 20th-century steamer, the train goes on a 35 minute ride out to another rough-and-tumble town of Gold Hill. Before we left, however, I went and talked to the engineer and fireman, who were gracious enough to let me climb in the cab and see the inner workings of the mighty steam driven machine. It was so neat to hold the throttle and feel the intense heat from the boiler.

When the ride started, I sat myself in one of the open-top cars. I wanted to smell the smoke and feel the wind rustle through my hair as I was reminded of a by-gone era. Wild mustangs lined the route as it wove through two wooden-plyed tunnels. You really got the feeling of being in those Old West movies. I half expected Butch Cassidy or Jesse James to ride over the hill and rob us. Bottom line was the Virginia and Truckee ranks right towards the top of my all-time favorite activities on baseball road trips.

After the train, I made my way back into the heart of the city and ducked into the Old Washoe Club for a drink. Featured in such paranormal investigative tv shows like Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters, it is said that the Washoe Club is one of the most haunted places in the United States. When I got my drink, the bartender said I was free to wander the premises and check out the little museum they have. Considering I was the only one in the establishment at the time, I took up the offer by the bartender, had a drink, and began to tour.

Towards the back of the club is a room called the "Crypt". Occasionally,when temperatures in Virginia City got cold enough, it was impossible to shovel dirt for grave making. The dead bodies had to be stored somewhere where they couldn't decompose and wait until the ground thawed enough to bury them. The Crypt was this place. When I went into the Crypt, the staff hadn't turned on any of the lights, so it was pitch black.

I decided to take a picture with the flash to briefly illuminate the room. I figured that in this perfect setting for ghosts and spirits, if I just point and shoot, I might come up with something cool. While I didn't see any visual evidence, after I took the picture I got this feeling of ambivalence and anger. All of sudden, I got really scared and hastily left them room. I also seemed to walk right out of the establishment. It was kind of freaky how my instincts took over and got me out of the building.

I spent the next hour just walking around town and breathing in the history. At around 1230, I decided to head back into Reno, drop-off the rental car, check-in to my hotel, and take a little nap. I had a 3pm appointment that I wanted to be ready for.

At 3pm, I was picked up at the hotel by the widow of the Creswell police officer who was killed in the line-of-duty in 1971. I worked really hard to honor the officer for the fortieth anniversary of his death and it was actually one of the few things that I was able to convince the City Council to go with me on. This was the first time I had met her and it was a very interesting experience.

She took me out to lunch at Sizzler and we talked about her late husband, how Creswell has changed in the last forty years, and my campaign for Mayor. It was a nice meeting and it was good to finally have that personal contact with her.

After the late lunch, I had a few phone calls and emails to return. Once that was completed, I started to make my way to the ballpark.

Aces Ballpark is located right in the middle of Downtown Reno. It was built in only 14 months as Reno was awarded the old Tucson franchise back in 2008. Since then, Reno has perennially been near the top of the standings in the Triple-A PCL in both records and attendance. The new ballpark was intended to be the lynchpin for a brand-new entertainment district not aligned with the casinos. Their plan is progressing, but it still has a long way to go.

The park itself is rather utilitarian. Considering Reno is lacking the rich baseball history as some other PCL teams, the park lacks a lot of the historical gimmicks that I like enough. I do, however, like the Fenway-esque tall outfield wall in left. I do like the stadium's location wedged in between the railroad tracks, skyscraper casinos, and the Truckee River. But, because of the super tall wall, none of these things are visible from inside the park. You would think that they would have aligned the park in such a fashion where at least one of these attributes were in view.

In a departure from the norm, I actually met another friend from high school at the game. Like before, it was interesting to see him and hear what he is up to. Listening to the path they have taken to now really gives you a sense of how people have changed since graduation.

The Fresno Grizzles used five pitchers to stifle the Reno Aces bats. Only allowing four hits, the Grizzles pitched a shutout defeating the Aces 2-0.

After the game, I went back to the hotel, ate some food, watched a little tv, and went to bed. I was so tried that I curled up in the comfy bed and was out like a light.

Currently, I'm on the train to the next city on the I-80, Sacramento. I'm expecting to be there sometime late afternoon, so I'll throw out a blog update of today's events tomorrow morning.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch :)

I-80

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A trip that has been on the backburner for at least two years has finally come to fruition as tomorrow I leave for my final baseball road trip of the season, the I-80. This finale trip will be one for the record books as I have an exhaustive list of activities planned and a new ballpark to see.

Tomorrow evening, I jump on board of a Greyhound bus to Portland. This is the first time I have used Greyhound on a baseball road trip as I usually prefer to take the train. However, in this case, taking Greyhound is a necessity because of my flight on Friday morning. I will be getting in to Portland at around 9:30pm, and after a late dinner, I'll head out to the airport on-board the last Red Line train around 11:30. 

My flight on Southwest to Reno, NV doesn't leave until 6:45am on Friday morning, so I'm planning on getting to the airport, getting my boarding pass, and finding a quiet place to curl up for a few hours of sleep. I've never done this before, and I'm a little worried I'll be rousted by security. If worse-comes-to-worse, I have enough money to book a one night's stay at a hotel. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

I will get into Reno at around 8 in the morning. This is when the fun starts. My first stop is to pick-up a rental car in downtown Reno. Hoping to be on the road no later than 9:00am, I'm going to drive down to the old-West enclave of Virginia City. I really want to tour this historic city and see the sights, but the most  important thing is to ride on the famous Virginia and Truckee Railroad. 

I plan on being back into Reno by 3pm. I will drop off the rental car, check-in to the hotel, and meet with a very interesting and significant person. 

Back in October, I spearheaded an effort to honor a fallen police officer here in Creswell. I was able to get the City Council to pass a proclamation honoring the fallen serviceman's life and commitment to our community. On Friday, I will be meeting the widow of the police officer. I'm a little nervous to meet her, but, at the same time, I'm excited to hear more about her late husband, who I have worked hard to honor.

After meeting with her, I'll make my way down to Aces Ballpark in downtown Reno. I have been wanting to go to this park for a long time, and I am really excited to finally see it. I have heard pretty good reviews of the park, so I'll see how it matches up in comparison to other Triple-A parks.

Once the game is over, I have to do the obligatory Reno scene. I might check out some of the casinos along Virginia Street, gamble a little, and just community analyze. I'm really looking forward to comparing Reno and Las Vegas, where I went two seasons ago. I have heard multiple people list comparisons and differences, but I want to see it for myself.

After crashing for the night at the Sands, I'll wake up and find the nearest breakfast buffet. I have to be ready-to-go, however, no later than 8am as I have to catch the westbound California Zephyr out of Reno. It what is supposed to be about a legitimate day ride over Donner Pass and the Sierra Nevadas, I am scheduled to get into Sacramento around 2:30 in the afternoon. 

Now, depending on the train schedule, I have a scheduled 3pm tour date at the famous Sacramento Tunnels. I have done the Portland and Seattle Undergrounds, so I am looking forward to the Sacramento version of such a unique aspect of history. It all just depends on the train not being late!

I've been to Sacramento before, so I have an idea on some activities before the game. I think I'll probably hit up the Sacramento Southern excursion train ride, check out some of the shops in Old Town, and grab a bite to eat. At about 6pm, I'll head over the Tower Bridge to Raley Field.

I haven't been to Raley Field in about four years, so I have some recollections of it, but I am excited to view it now with all of the experience I have behind me. I'm older, wiser, and much more seasoned when it comes to going to ballgames, so I guess this my opportunity to be reunited with the home of the Sacramento Rivercats.

My train back home to Oregon doesn't leave until around midnight, so I might hit grab a few drinks before the overnight train trip back to Eugene.

As you can see, this trip is going to be pretty intense and action-packed. I'm glad all of you will be along for this ride as I embark on the final road trip of Baseball Extravaganza 2012.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Final Thoughts on Puget Sound Part Deux

Normally I don't author up Final Thoughts the day after I get back, but with such a short turnaround with baseball road trips, I am forced to. This being the case, I think I have a good handle on how this trip went and what I can improve on for the future.

First off, this trip was vindication for the disaster of the first Puget Sound. I had plenty of money, little to no distraction, and two really good games to go to. It was the result of a little bit of luck and some good planning.

The time I had at Safeco was a hundred times better than the first time I went. Maybe it was the combination of the earlier soccer game and less-than-scintillating matchup of the Twins and Mariners, but I got the distinct impression that the game I went to had a more sedate crowd that the majority of whom were families and true baseball fans. Gone were the drunken idiots and obnoxious college students. For the future, when planning out MLB games, I'm going to try and design the games around these unstellar matchups. Sure, seeing the Yankees and Red Sox would be cool, but that draws out a different crowd. I noticed the same thing when I was in Denver earlier in the year for the two Padres-Rockies games I saw.

Seattle as a whole is a fun city with a lot to do. I really liked walking around the town, finding neat restaurants and bars to duck into, and the fun urban vibe that is present. It is a little expensive to do stuff, but it is no where near as bad as San Francisco or Vancouver.

I have had it with hostels. The reservation I made to stay in a hostel for this trip was born of necessity as I didn't want to pay the $100+ for one night in a hotel in downtown Seattle. To be honest, I would have paid ten times that amount after my experience in the hostel. I don't even think in my heady days of college would I have found the hostel experience glamorous. Sharing a room with five other strangers and dealing with the eccentricities of strangers just doesn't appeal to me in the least. Knowing that I will probably be doing this trip again in the future, I need to figure out a more suitable alternative for lodging.

Then it is on to Tacoma. Poor Tacoma is a real unsavory place. It just doesn't stack up to some of the other cities I have been to. You can really tell that it is the "smaller cousin" to Seattle. Being able to finally walk around, see the vibe it gives off, and evaluate the community character for the first time gave me a suitable analysis of Tacoma. It lacks the charm of a Spokane, Colorado Springs, or Vancouver. You can really get the feeling that Tacoma is based on industry and the gritty nature of blue-collar work.

Cheney Stadium is, in my opinion, a brand-new ballpark. Gone is the dark and foreboding concrete structure, and in is the brand-new design of improved concessions and suites. Even though the general seating area hasn't changed much, you get the sense that the park is Triple-A worthy of the anticipation and level of ball being played. Cheney Stadium is now on par with the better of the Triple-A parks like Fresno and Sacramento.

This trip was fun and I gleaned a lot, but something is gnawing at me. It has been a subject that I have breached a few times on this blog, but now it is becoming a large issue that I really need to address after the season. I am getting really lonely on these trips. Flying solo is easier to plan for and cheaper in the long run, but, just like the hostel, is the price really worth the grief? It helped a lot being able to listen to the radio and keeping score at the games, but walking around the cities, eating meals, and the hours traveling with anybody there with me is becoming a real drag. Sure, maybe I need to use these vacations as an opportunity to meet new people, but familiarity and consistency are really big for me. Being able to go on these adventures with someone would add to the allure of the road trips.

As I indicated earlier, there is a short turnaround time between this trip and the next one. On Thursday, I leave for my final road trip of the 2012 season. The I-80 trip has finally come to fruition and it will be happening in the next few days. I plan on seeing Reno on Friday and Sacramento on Saturday and being back into town on Sunday. I write out the itinerary in a couple of days just before I leave.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Day 2 in Tacoma

Day 2 of the Puget Sound Part Deux has come to an end. After a day packed full of activities, I'm now on the train back to Eugene. Today was exhausting, and I am excited to be going home.

When I left all of you last night, I was experiencing some trepidation about the hostel I was staying in. To be honest, it was an absolutely brutal night. My opinion of hostels hasn't changed since I started and I am kicking myself for stooping low enough to make a reservation at one.

I was in a dormitory with five other grown men. The dorm was scarcely bigger than my small apartment, meaning that it was hot and smelly the entire night. In addition, the upper bunk wasn't even close to being long enough to accommodate my 6'3" frame, meaning I had to sleep at a weird angle all night. I was so stiff that I could hardly move. Finally, one of my dormmates decided to come in to the room at about 2am and start talking loudly about how we all were slobs and invading his personal space. He was obviously drunk.

I had a plan in the morning to get breakfast at the hostel and retreat into my room for another hour of shut-eye, but I scrapped that immediately. I couldn't get out of that place fast enough, so I checked out early and went for a walk to try and stretch my legs out. I had had enough of hostel life and even thinking about it now makes me sick to my stomach.

I caught the Sound Transit bus down to Tacoma after walking nearly a mile along its route to stretch my cramped body. I got to Tacoma at around 10am, dropped my bag off at the train station, and headed into downtown.

I have been to Tacoma a couple times before, but never in the day time. Even around late morning, downtown Tacoma is a dump. There are a ton of weird people, zero vibe, and nothing in the way of stuff-to-do. It isn't as bad as San Bernardino or Fresno, but it came close. I got off the light rail link and immediately headed to a coffee shop where I figured I could "hide out" for an hour until my bus left for the ballpark.

After being in cities with "hip" downtown cores, like Spokane, Boise, and Denver, Tacoma just felt like a ghost town. I understand that it was a Sunday morning, but even finding a bakery or coffee shop was hard because there weren't any. It's kind of sad to see, and the people hanging out were rather unsavory folk. I kept my distance, but I felt sympathetic for the city.

As I was getting my coffee, I decided to kill some time and head a few blocks to the Central Tacoma YMCA. Like in Spokane, I thought I would tour the facility and assimilate some information for my job. And, just like the Y in Spokane, the Tacoma facility was incredible. It stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the drug dealers and gothic buildings.

While walking around and seeing the shiny Tacoma facility, I was incredibly impressed. I love our quaint facility in Eugene, but the grandiose amenities and features of Tacoma just blew my mind. If there is any more indication on why we need a new Y, take a look at the two other YMCA's I've been to. Neither Tacoma or Spokane are much bigger than Eugene, but their YMCA's are both better by leaps-and-bounds than ours. Their donor bases are huge and they have a dedicated capital stream from a community that recognizes the inherent value the Y provides to the community.

Once I finished touring the Y, I headed back down to Commerce Street to catch the city bus out to the ballpark. I was reminded, once again, just how much I enjoy taking public transportation around the cities I visit on road trips. By traveling around communities in this fashion, seeing the people who take public transit, and interacting with the drivers, you gain a real handle on what is going on in the city you're in. Today was no different as the bus I was on was really busy, but the driver was very social and helpful in pointing out the sights and sounds of Tacoma.

Cheney Stadium has undergone a huge makeover. It's been two years since I've been to a game there, but I didn't even recognize the ballpark. Gone is the dark and dingy concrete concourse and roof, and in with the open-air and revamped concession stands and five-story suite level. This being said, the renovations the Rainiers did to the park are worthy of praise. In my opinion, Cheney Stadium now sits among the upper echelon of Triple-A parks. I don't think it's nicer than Durham, Fresno, or Sacramento, but is well-above that of Colorado Springs or Las Vegas.

The huge suite level towers over a modest seating bowl that stretches from base-to-base. The seating pitch is really steep and the layout reminds me of a smaller-scale of Durham Bulls Athletic Park. You're closer to the field than at newer parks like PK. Overall, I was very pleased with the new park and everything about it.

For the second night in a row, I was witness to a great game. First, Tacoma pitcher's held the Reno Aces hitters hitless for the first six innings. Then, after giving up two runs, the Rainiers tied it. In the bottom of the eighth, the Rainiers 3rd baseman untied it when he uncorked a two-run homer to give the Rainiers the lead. The Aces scored on in the ninth, but Tacoma held on to beat Reno 4-3.

After the game, I made my way by bus and light rail to the train station. I had about 30 minutes to relax before jumping on the train. I'll be back in Eugene around midnight.

It was a long day with a lot of adventures. Like I said earlier, I'm glad I'm going home. I'll author a Final Thoughts sometime in the next day or so.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)