Hello everyone,
I apologize for the lengthy gap in between posts.
Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I will no longer be updating the blog for the road trip. But please stay tuned for a BIGGER, BETTER version of chrisjung.com coming very soon!
I appreciate all of your support.
Until next time,
Chris
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Nice Change Of Pace
Park visited: Schaefer Athletic Complex
City: Denver, CO
Food of the day: Sirloin and Loaded Baker @ Champps Americana
iPhone song of the day: "Forever" by Walter Meego
Miles traveled: 40
Hot chocolate during the ride to the park? Jackets and windbreakers while we are unloading the trailer!? This was reality this morning as we awoke to the very chilly Colorado air...but we certainly were NOT complaining. Being used to heat and sweat and more sweat during traditional set up, we welcomed the uncharacteristically cool Summer weather, and it really seemed to make the day go fast.
Today we worked a tournament at the Schaefer Athletic Complex further into Denver. The view was breathtaking on the way there, as the mountainous areas were woven with countless bike trails and parks. The baseball facility even had a pretty good-sized mountain range in the background, which also made for an enjoyable time all morning and afternoon.
When we pulled into the gates of Schaefer, we drove past a guy who looked familiar to me. "I think that's Vinny Castilla," I told the guys. I didn't really think about it again until we were putting up a tent, and I overheard some of the players talking about how Castilla was indeed at the park, as the former Colorado Rockies' third baseman acts as a coach for his son's little league team.
Sure enough, I walked over to his field later in the afternoon, and not only was it really him, but he was hitting infield, giving hitting tips and even coached first base! It was really neat to see such a well known MLB star just hanging out on the little league diamond, and I literally did not see him turn down one autograph or photo request, even while he was standing on the other side of the fence during parts of the game. He seems like a genuine good guy, and it was a cool experience for me.
As the afternoon wore on and the heat finally showed up, we called it a day. Taking down and cleaning up went a tad faster today with Candra and Erica's help. It's nice to have some estrogen around, considering that four guys (three of whom have been in a car together since May) are with each other virtually every second of the day. So needless to say, having the girls around was definitely a breath of fresh air.
After we left the park, we headed back to the hotel where I was able to catch a VERY quick catnap. We got cleaned up and went to dinner at Champps Americana. I had never been to one of these, but basically it is a classy sports bar, with a menu that is certainly not your average bar food. We absolutely feasted and I can say without hesitation that the sin of gluttony was taken to a new level at our table. The food was fantastic and it was really a nice reward after a hearty day of work. We also found out that Champps does Texas Hold 'Em poker with free buy-ins on Wednesday night, so I have a feeling we may be returning fairly soon.
After dinner, we caught the late showing of Pixar's newest gem, WALL-E. Without going into great detail, this movie was AMAZING. Even though I have come to expect magical things from the Disney-Pixar relationship, I was blown away by the thoroughness of the film's structure and couldn't help but have a few childlike reactions at several points throughout the two hours. It was also incredible to me that such a story could be told with basically zero character dialogue. It really takes a super talented writer to pull off such a feat, and I am in awe of the abilities of the people who brought this together. SO, needless to say, go check this movie out ASAP....you won't be disappointed.
I guess that's all for now. We have the day off tomorrow, and I am looking forward to a little relaxing Colorado style. I appreciate your readership, and look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow. I hope you continue to enjoy following our journey and am glad that so many people are able to come along for the ride with us!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Until next time,
Chris
City: Denver, CO
Food of the day: Sirloin and Loaded Baker @ Champps Americana
iPhone song of the day: "Forever" by Walter Meego
Miles traveled: 40
Hot chocolate during the ride to the park? Jackets and windbreakers while we are unloading the trailer!? This was reality this morning as we awoke to the very chilly Colorado air...but we certainly were NOT complaining. Being used to heat and sweat and more sweat during traditional set up, we welcomed the uncharacteristically cool Summer weather, and it really seemed to make the day go fast.
Today we worked a tournament at the Schaefer Athletic Complex further into Denver. The view was breathtaking on the way there, as the mountainous areas were woven with countless bike trails and parks. The baseball facility even had a pretty good-sized mountain range in the background, which also made for an enjoyable time all morning and afternoon.
When we pulled into the gates of Schaefer, we drove past a guy who looked familiar to me. "I think that's Vinny Castilla," I told the guys. I didn't really think about it again until we were putting up a tent, and I overheard some of the players talking about how Castilla was indeed at the park, as the former Colorado Rockies' third baseman acts as a coach for his son's little league team.
Sure enough, I walked over to his field later in the afternoon, and not only was it really him, but he was hitting infield, giving hitting tips and even coached first base! It was really neat to see such a well known MLB star just hanging out on the little league diamond, and I literally did not see him turn down one autograph or photo request, even while he was standing on the other side of the fence during parts of the game. He seems like a genuine good guy, and it was a cool experience for me.
As the afternoon wore on and the heat finally showed up, we called it a day. Taking down and cleaning up went a tad faster today with Candra and Erica's help. It's nice to have some estrogen around, considering that four guys (three of whom have been in a car together since May) are with each other virtually every second of the day. So needless to say, having the girls around was definitely a breath of fresh air.
After we left the park, we headed back to the hotel where I was able to catch a VERY quick catnap. We got cleaned up and went to dinner at Champps Americana. I had never been to one of these, but basically it is a classy sports bar, with a menu that is certainly not your average bar food. We absolutely feasted and I can say without hesitation that the sin of gluttony was taken to a new level at our table. The food was fantastic and it was really a nice reward after a hearty day of work. We also found out that Champps does Texas Hold 'Em poker with free buy-ins on Wednesday night, so I have a feeling we may be returning fairly soon.
After dinner, we caught the late showing of Pixar's newest gem, WALL-E. Without going into great detail, this movie was AMAZING. Even though I have come to expect magical things from the Disney-Pixar relationship, I was blown away by the thoroughness of the film's structure and couldn't help but have a few childlike reactions at several points throughout the two hours. It was also incredible to me that such a story could be told with basically zero character dialogue. It really takes a super talented writer to pull off such a feat, and I am in awe of the abilities of the people who brought this together. SO, needless to say, go check this movie out ASAP....you won't be disappointed.
I guess that's all for now. We have the day off tomorrow, and I am looking forward to a little relaxing Colorado style. I appreciate your readership, and look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow. I hope you continue to enjoy following our journey and am glad that so many people are able to come along for the ride with us!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Until next time,
Chris
Saturday, June 28, 2008
It's Simple: We Love Colorado
Park visited: Columbine Sports Park
City: Littleton, CO
Food of the day: Chang's Spicy Chicken @ P.F. Chang's
iPhone song of the day: "A Few Short Years" by Ty Herndon
Miles traveled: 25
Between the sunsets, the endless mountain ranges acting as a backdrop and the thin air creating extremely comfortable working conditions, it's easy to say that we are big fans of Colorado. Even our hotel is great, and in my opinion it ranks right up there with the best we've stayed in since Holiday Inn in Orlando. The Internet connection is fast (and actually accessible IN the rooms), the shower has great pressure, the pool/hot tub is functional and they let us stay in it late, free breakfast includes a waffle iron and they actually leave FOUR towels in the bathroom when they tidy up the room. I really think it's the first time (since Matt's arrival) that a hotel hasn't left a mere three towels. Oh how the little things are so significant.
After a twilight dip in the pool on Thursday night, we woke up refreshed and ready for action on Friday, as we made our way to Littleton for the South Jeffco Liberty Blast youth tournament. From the start, the kids were excited for our arrival, as an announcement of our stop was advertised on the tournament's web site during the registration process for all teams involved. There was even one coach who admitted that the sole reason for signing his team up for this particular tournament was due to the presence of the Baseball Youth Road Trip. Good stuff.
The work portion of the day wasn't bad, but we were a man short during the taking down of our area, since Kohrs had to drive to the Denver airport to pick up his lady friend. Despite his crappy Avis GPS device, they made it back safely, and brought an unexpected visitor. Clink's girlfriend Erica decided to surprise him and flew in to spend the weekend in Colorado....awwwww. He seemed heavily (yet very pleasantly) stunned.
Following our day at the fields, we went for a nice dinner at P.F. Chang's. Now THIS place knows how to do it right. The six of us enjoyed a nice meal and conversation, including my "bowl" of soup, which literally looked as if they had simply lifted the pot off the stove and brought it to the table. It even had a ladle in it!! Luckily we were able to get some smaller bowls and divide it out. But of course, I still got made fun of.
Tonight, I am once again enjoying a whole bed to myself, a privilege I have apparently taken WAY too much for granted during my years. And now, after a little Baseball Tonight and more feverish music downloading and adding on to my iTunes, I am off to sleep so that I can be ready for an early day tomorrow.
Oh, and Happy 50th Anniversary to my grandparents (Nonny & Poppy)! Thank you for continuing to shine as exemplary models of marriage and for always continuing to teach us all how to forever unconditionally love.
Tap the Rockies,
CMJ
City: Littleton, CO
Food of the day: Chang's Spicy Chicken @ P.F. Chang's
iPhone song of the day: "A Few Short Years" by Ty Herndon
Miles traveled: 25
Between the sunsets, the endless mountain ranges acting as a backdrop and the thin air creating extremely comfortable working conditions, it's easy to say that we are big fans of Colorado. Even our hotel is great, and in my opinion it ranks right up there with the best we've stayed in since Holiday Inn in Orlando. The Internet connection is fast (and actually accessible IN the rooms), the shower has great pressure, the pool/hot tub is functional and they let us stay in it late, free breakfast includes a waffle iron and they actually leave FOUR towels in the bathroom when they tidy up the room. I really think it's the first time (since Matt's arrival) that a hotel hasn't left a mere three towels. Oh how the little things are so significant.
After a twilight dip in the pool on Thursday night, we woke up refreshed and ready for action on Friday, as we made our way to Littleton for the South Jeffco Liberty Blast youth tournament. From the start, the kids were excited for our arrival, as an announcement of our stop was advertised on the tournament's web site during the registration process for all teams involved. There was even one coach who admitted that the sole reason for signing his team up for this particular tournament was due to the presence of the Baseball Youth Road Trip. Good stuff.
The work portion of the day wasn't bad, but we were a man short during the taking down of our area, since Kohrs had to drive to the Denver airport to pick up his lady friend. Despite his crappy Avis GPS device, they made it back safely, and brought an unexpected visitor. Clink's girlfriend Erica decided to surprise him and flew in to spend the weekend in Colorado....awwwww. He seemed heavily (yet very pleasantly) stunned.
Following our day at the fields, we went for a nice dinner at P.F. Chang's. Now THIS place knows how to do it right. The six of us enjoyed a nice meal and conversation, including my "bowl" of soup, which literally looked as if they had simply lifted the pot off the stove and brought it to the table. It even had a ladle in it!! Luckily we were able to get some smaller bowls and divide it out. But of course, I still got made fun of.
Tonight, I am once again enjoying a whole bed to myself, a privilege I have apparently taken WAY too much for granted during my years. And now, after a little Baseball Tonight and more feverish music downloading and adding on to my iTunes, I am off to sleep so that I can be ready for an early day tomorrow.
Oh, and Happy 50th Anniversary to my grandparents (Nonny & Poppy)! Thank you for continuing to shine as exemplary models of marriage and for always continuing to teach us all how to forever unconditionally love.
Tap the Rockies,
CMJ
Friday, June 27, 2008
Rocky Roads
Park visited: none
City: Highlands Ranch, CO
Food of the day: Meat Me Individual Pizza @ Old Chicago
iPhone song of the day: "Cumbersome" by Seven Mary Three
Miles traveled: 566
The Road Trip eclipsed the 4,000-mile and 100-hour marks for the trip today, as we made the 566-mile trek from Omaha to Highlands Ranch, Colorado. During our trip, we met up with Matt's uncle for lunch at Old Chicago (amazing place) in Kearney, Nebraska. Get to one of these places if you have the chance. They have 110 different types of beer available and the food is incredible.
A little later on, we stopped for gas in North Platte, NE, which is the home of Fort Cody and Buffalo Bill. Kohrs and I decided to venture over to the trading post/museum that honors these two relatively well known entities while Clink gassed up the beast....and what a site we stumbled upon.
This place was full of the most random artifacts and touristy items that one could ever encounter. Our favorites included a bookshelf full of "Oregon Trail" materials and a rack of "Redneck Briefcases," which were actually large pairs of tighty whitey underwear with a wooden handle attached. We also visited the outdoor area full of stereotypical western landmarks and structures. I even managed to squeeze my face through a Native American stand-up with the head cut out. It was quite humorous, which you will see from the picture below.
During the remainder of our trip, Kohrs and I watched some episodes of The Office and Family Guy in the backseat, and also managed to catch a little shuteye with my newly purchased Louisville College World Series hat (that I bought for $2) pulled over my eyes and my "sleep" playlist blaring in my ear with my iPhone.
With the switch to "mountain time," we gained an hour and arrived in Highlands Ranch (near Denver) around 8:45 p.m. We are staying at a pretty nice Fairfield Inn with plenty of nice eating options close by, so hopefully our lunch/dinner decision making will go better than Omaha. We even managed to catch a late night meal at Chik-Fil-A....my favorite. God bless Polynesian Sauce.
Tomorrow we have our first Colorado tournament at 3 p.m. and will also be welcoming Candra (Kohrs' girlfriend) in for the weekend. We are thoroughly excited about this stop in the Centennial State and will certainly have plenty of great stories and pictures for you over the next week and a half or so. Thanks as always for reading and have a wonderful Friday (and that means 7:30 to 5, Dolan).
Until next time,
Chris
City: Highlands Ranch, CO
Food of the day: Meat Me Individual Pizza @ Old Chicago
iPhone song of the day: "Cumbersome" by Seven Mary Three
Miles traveled: 566
The Road Trip eclipsed the 4,000-mile and 100-hour marks for the trip today, as we made the 566-mile trek from Omaha to Highlands Ranch, Colorado. During our trip, we met up with Matt's uncle for lunch at Old Chicago (amazing place) in Kearney, Nebraska. Get to one of these places if you have the chance. They have 110 different types of beer available and the food is incredible.
A little later on, we stopped for gas in North Platte, NE, which is the home of Fort Cody and Buffalo Bill. Kohrs and I decided to venture over to the trading post/museum that honors these two relatively well known entities while Clink gassed up the beast....and what a site we stumbled upon.
This place was full of the most random artifacts and touristy items that one could ever encounter. Our favorites included a bookshelf full of "Oregon Trail" materials and a rack of "Redneck Briefcases," which were actually large pairs of tighty whitey underwear with a wooden handle attached. We also visited the outdoor area full of stereotypical western landmarks and structures. I even managed to squeeze my face through a Native American stand-up with the head cut out. It was quite humorous, which you will see from the picture below.
During the remainder of our trip, Kohrs and I watched some episodes of The Office and Family Guy in the backseat, and also managed to catch a little shuteye with my newly purchased Louisville College World Series hat (that I bought for $2) pulled over my eyes and my "sleep" playlist blaring in my ear with my iPhone.
With the switch to "mountain time," we gained an hour and arrived in Highlands Ranch (near Denver) around 8:45 p.m. We are staying at a pretty nice Fairfield Inn with plenty of nice eating options close by, so hopefully our lunch/dinner decision making will go better than Omaha. We even managed to catch a late night meal at Chik-Fil-A....my favorite. God bless Polynesian Sauce.
Tomorrow we have our first Colorado tournament at 3 p.m. and will also be welcoming Candra (Kohrs' girlfriend) in for the weekend. We are thoroughly excited about this stop in the Centennial State and will certainly have plenty of great stories and pictures for you over the next week and a half or so. Thanks as always for reading and have a wonderful Friday (and that means 7:30 to 5, Dolan).
Until next time,
Chris
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
CWS Final Caps Memorable Stay In Omaha
Park visited: Rosenblatt Stadium
City: Omaha, NE
Food of the day: Original Cheese Runza Sandwich @ Runza
iPhone song of the day: "This Town" by O.A.R.
Miles traveled: 20
There are only a handful of events and venues that can truly quench the thirst of a cottonmouthed baseball fan, and as the Road Trip prepares to depart from Omaha, Nebraska first thing tomorrow morning, I feel fortunate that I was able to experience one of the purest baseball moments a person can partake in: witnessing the culmination of a college baseball season and a spirited celebration by the biggest underdog to ever capture an NCAA championship.
Wednesday night was one of those that the grandkids will hear about in full detail. Despite the overwhelming beat down from a glowing sun in a cloudless sky, there couldn't have been a better setting for Game 3 of the College World Series than Rosenblatt Stadium. I am thrilled that I was able to be a part of such a historical game and feat by Fresno State, as the Bulldogs beat the other Bulldogs from Georgia 6-1, becoming the lowest seed to ever win the CWS.
Over the past few days, we were able to watch the majority of the games leading up to Wednesday's championship, which also allowed us the opportunity to experience Rosenblatt's half pound hot dog (pictured below). This bohemith comes with a bun that is just as big, and is almost inappropriate during the act of eating it, as you will see from our test subject below.
The first pitch for Tuesday's Game 2 was delayed due to more rain. We braved the conditions to keep our great seats and got soaked during the near 45-minute hold up. The crowd exploded once the grounds crew began to pull back the tarp....then the respective offenses for Fresno and Georgia exploded too. We saw over 30 combined hits and 29 combined runs, as FSU overcame an early 5-0 deficit to win 19-10, avoiding elimination and forcing their eventual championship-clinching Game 3. This drew lots of barks from Clink and myself, who became bandwagon Fresno fans during the CWS.
We've still had difficulty choosing eateries to fill ourselves at, but did manage to find a couple of suitable establishments over the first half of this week. We stopped by Jason's Deli on Monday to help celebrate their grand opening. It was a little pricy, but the food is great. I recommend the Smokey Jack panini sandwich and chicken & sausage gumbo. Today we took in a Nebraska chain called Runza. It was kind of like a combination of Jack in the Box, Culver's and White Castle. Pretty unique place.
As I mentioned, our stay in the Cornhusker State has come to an end, and Fresno's big win was the perfect way to cap off our two-week stay in Nebraska. But while we enjoyed the CWS experience and all of our opening ceremony events and Omaha youth tournaments, it will be nice for a change of pace and in scenery. Next up for us is Colorado, which will include stops in Denver, Littleton, Colorado Springs and Breckenridge.
Thanks for reading and we'll see you in the Rockies!
Chris
City: Omaha, NE
Food of the day: Original Cheese Runza Sandwich @ Runza
iPhone song of the day: "This Town" by O.A.R.
Miles traveled: 20
There are only a handful of events and venues that can truly quench the thirst of a cottonmouthed baseball fan, and as the Road Trip prepares to depart from Omaha, Nebraska first thing tomorrow morning, I feel fortunate that I was able to experience one of the purest baseball moments a person can partake in: witnessing the culmination of a college baseball season and a spirited celebration by the biggest underdog to ever capture an NCAA championship.
Wednesday night was one of those that the grandkids will hear about in full detail. Despite the overwhelming beat down from a glowing sun in a cloudless sky, there couldn't have been a better setting for Game 3 of the College World Series than Rosenblatt Stadium. I am thrilled that I was able to be a part of such a historical game and feat by Fresno State, as the Bulldogs beat the other Bulldogs from Georgia 6-1, becoming the lowest seed to ever win the CWS.
Over the past few days, we were able to watch the majority of the games leading up to Wednesday's championship, which also allowed us the opportunity to experience Rosenblatt's half pound hot dog (pictured below). This bohemith comes with a bun that is just as big, and is almost inappropriate during the act of eating it, as you will see from our test subject below.
The first pitch for Tuesday's Game 2 was delayed due to more rain. We braved the conditions to keep our great seats and got soaked during the near 45-minute hold up. The crowd exploded once the grounds crew began to pull back the tarp....then the respective offenses for Fresno and Georgia exploded too. We saw over 30 combined hits and 29 combined runs, as FSU overcame an early 5-0 deficit to win 19-10, avoiding elimination and forcing their eventual championship-clinching Game 3. This drew lots of barks from Clink and myself, who became bandwagon Fresno fans during the CWS.
We've still had difficulty choosing eateries to fill ourselves at, but did manage to find a couple of suitable establishments over the first half of this week. We stopped by Jason's Deli on Monday to help celebrate their grand opening. It was a little pricy, but the food is great. I recommend the Smokey Jack panini sandwich and chicken & sausage gumbo. Today we took in a Nebraska chain called Runza. It was kind of like a combination of Jack in the Box, Culver's and White Castle. Pretty unique place.
As I mentioned, our stay in the Cornhusker State has come to an end, and Fresno's big win was the perfect way to cap off our two-week stay in Nebraska. But while we enjoyed the CWS experience and all of our opening ceremony events and Omaha youth tournaments, it will be nice for a change of pace and in scenery. Next up for us is Colorado, which will include stops in Denver, Littleton, Colorado Springs and Breckenridge.
Thanks for reading and we'll see you in the Rockies!
Chris
Monday, June 23, 2008
Long Week Comes To An End
Park visited: La Vista Sports Complex
City: La Vista, NE
Food of the day: Steak Fajita Ranchera Burrito (w/ cookie) @ Qdoba
iPhone song of the day: "Some Say" by Rascal Flatts
Miles traveled: 20
This week has been a long one for the crew. And following a late dinner and some recent early mornings, I must bow out early tonight.
Check back tomorrow for some more extensive updates, stories, etc. Thank you for your patience and for stopping by to read. Hope you had a great weekend and that your Monday is even better.
Sweet dreams,
Chris
City: La Vista, NE
Food of the day: Steak Fajita Ranchera Burrito (w/ cookie) @ Qdoba
iPhone song of the day: "Some Say" by Rascal Flatts
Miles traveled: 20
This week has been a long one for the crew. And following a late dinner and some recent early mornings, I must bow out early tonight.
Check back tomorrow for some more extensive updates, stories, etc. Thank you for your patience and for stopping by to read. Hope you had a great weekend and that your Monday is even better.
Sweet dreams,
Chris
Friday, June 20, 2008
Road Trip Goes Prime Time
Thursday (06/19)
Park visited: Council Bluffs Recreation Complex
City: Council Bluffs, IA
Food of the day: Sweet & Sour Chicken @ Panda House
iPhone song of the day: "The Little Things" by Colbie Caillat
Miles traveled: 30
After being spoiled by back-to-back days off, the harsh reality of 6 a.m. reared its head WAY too early Thursday morning, as the Road Trip returned to the Council Bluffs Recreation Complex for "The Road to Rosenblatt" youth tournament. Luckily the Clarino in Omaha offers one of the best complimentary breakfasts I've ever had (minus the strange orange juice that is about four shades too orange), which was essential in helping the "wake up" process.
The fields featured some of the calmer crowds we've seen during our journey, but certainly did not cheat us in terms of numbers. And as the day went on, more and more players were drawn to our booths like magnets....much to the aggravation of some of their coaches, who preferred they warm up instead of trying to win free Airheads. We're such bad influences.
The Baseball Youth Road Trip did get a little recognition, as WOWT (the local NBC Omaha affiliate) interviewed Clink and shot footage of our "village" for the six o'clock news. The kids really took to the cameras as they got up close and personal as they waited in lines, tested bats and hit in the inflatable tunnel. Even Kohrs seemed to enjoy the camera time in the background....I'm pretty sure I saw him checking his hair in the reflection from the metal water fountain. See the news coverage screen shot below.
A few hours later, we called it a day and packed up the trailer....which led to a difficult situation that has become more and more of an issue during our trip: choosing where to eat. You would think four guys who were hungry enough to eat an aluminum bat would be able to make some kind of decision in a short amount of time. Much the opposite, however, we drove around for about 30 minutes, some moments in silence, as we stared at all the great options along the road. Eventually we decided that food quantity was our common denominator, so we stopped at Sizzler. Much to our disappointment though, we discovered that Sizzler no longer offers any kind of buffet. Plus the place was com-PLETELY empty, which drew some concerned looks from each of us. We decided to go elsewhere.
Back in the car, we were desperate for some final decisions, as the Sizzler fiasco had really thrown our lunch destination deliberation back into disarray. So finally, we did what any normal "family" does when making such a decision: we flipped a coin. Heads, I pick where we eat; tails, Kohrs picks. He won and decided on Chinese at Panda House. Whew. Thank God. This restaurant was ALSO empty, but the food was good and hit the spot.
We had originally planned on going to the North Carolina-LSU game at Rosenblatt, but we had spent so much time on the lunch process and all were vocal in the fact that a nap sounded really nice, so we took a detour back to the hotel where we all quickly crashed. It ended up being an excellent decision - we woke up to some pretty heavy rain outside, which we found out led to a LONG rain delay at the stadium, and eventually the postponement of the game.
Before we finally headed back to bed, we were treated to a nice care package that my parents had sent us to the hotel. Along with some DVDs and books for the trip, they also included various snacks and some homemade brownies (courtesy of Mom) that we really enjoyed. Thanks guys!!
Friday
Park visited: Council Bluffs Recreation Complex
City: Council Bluffs, IA
Food of the day: Pepperoni and Double Cheese Pizza (yes, pizza) @ Schlotzsky's Deli
iPhone song of the day: "Good" by Better Than Ezra
Miles traveled: 30
With rain coming down late into the night, the starting times for the tournament back in Council Bluffs were delayed on Friday. To pass some time, we hit up Walgreens so that I could find a replacement pair of sunglasses (success!) and so that we could pick up a few more necessities. Eventually we made our way back to the park for what felt like a pretty short day at the fields.
Later on the afternoon, we made took a shuttle from the hotel to our new home away from home, Rosenblatt Stadium, in hopes of watching the remainder of the UNC-LSU game that was postponed after Thursday night rain. Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones interested in checking out this game....as we approached the right side of the facility, the general admission line was ridiculously long and some people were already being turned away.
Not wanting to go home just yet, we scanned the streets looking for an establishment where we could stop off and watch a few innings of the game. We eventually stopped at an old church that had been converted into a temporary Famous Dave's Restaurant & Bar, complete with stained glass windows upstairs on the dance floor. After settling in, more rain showed up outside, thus bringing the game to yet another halt. We looked like geniuses. But after about 45 minutes or so of hanging out, the live "entertainment" hit the stage, and it was time for us to go.
Now, we're back in our hotel room trying to figure out a way to rent Guitar Hero, but the chances of that happening are beginning to look grim. Tomorrow we have the opening ceremonies for yet another session of the Omaha Slumpbuster Tournament....this time at the La Vista Complex actually located in Omaha. We're hoping to get back to a few more games before the week is up, so I will be sure to keep you updated on those.
A couple of "shout outs" are in order: first, Happy Anniversary to Kohrs and his girlfriend Candra. Also, to the boys in Louisville that are out for Tooth's bachelor party, have fun, be safe and call me if you need an attorney. That's all for now. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend!
Until next time,
Chris
Park visited: Council Bluffs Recreation Complex
City: Council Bluffs, IA
Food of the day: Sweet & Sour Chicken @ Panda House
iPhone song of the day: "The Little Things" by Colbie Caillat
Miles traveled: 30
After being spoiled by back-to-back days off, the harsh reality of 6 a.m. reared its head WAY too early Thursday morning, as the Road Trip returned to the Council Bluffs Recreation Complex for "The Road to Rosenblatt" youth tournament. Luckily the Clarino in Omaha offers one of the best complimentary breakfasts I've ever had (minus the strange orange juice that is about four shades too orange), which was essential in helping the "wake up" process.
The fields featured some of the calmer crowds we've seen during our journey, but certainly did not cheat us in terms of numbers. And as the day went on, more and more players were drawn to our booths like magnets....much to the aggravation of some of their coaches, who preferred they warm up instead of trying to win free Airheads. We're such bad influences.
The Baseball Youth Road Trip did get a little recognition, as WOWT (the local NBC Omaha affiliate) interviewed Clink and shot footage of our "village" for the six o'clock news. The kids really took to the cameras as they got up close and personal as they waited in lines, tested bats and hit in the inflatable tunnel. Even Kohrs seemed to enjoy the camera time in the background....I'm pretty sure I saw him checking his hair in the reflection from the metal water fountain. See the news coverage screen shot below.
A few hours later, we called it a day and packed up the trailer....which led to a difficult situation that has become more and more of an issue during our trip: choosing where to eat. You would think four guys who were hungry enough to eat an aluminum bat would be able to make some kind of decision in a short amount of time. Much the opposite, however, we drove around for about 30 minutes, some moments in silence, as we stared at all the great options along the road. Eventually we decided that food quantity was our common denominator, so we stopped at Sizzler. Much to our disappointment though, we discovered that Sizzler no longer offers any kind of buffet. Plus the place was com-PLETELY empty, which drew some concerned looks from each of us. We decided to go elsewhere.
Back in the car, we were desperate for some final decisions, as the Sizzler fiasco had really thrown our lunch destination deliberation back into disarray. So finally, we did what any normal "family" does when making such a decision: we flipped a coin. Heads, I pick where we eat; tails, Kohrs picks. He won and decided on Chinese at Panda House. Whew. Thank God. This restaurant was ALSO empty, but the food was good and hit the spot.
We had originally planned on going to the North Carolina-LSU game at Rosenblatt, but we had spent so much time on the lunch process and all were vocal in the fact that a nap sounded really nice, so we took a detour back to the hotel where we all quickly crashed. It ended up being an excellent decision - we woke up to some pretty heavy rain outside, which we found out led to a LONG rain delay at the stadium, and eventually the postponement of the game.
Before we finally headed back to bed, we were treated to a nice care package that my parents had sent us to the hotel. Along with some DVDs and books for the trip, they also included various snacks and some homemade brownies (courtesy of Mom) that we really enjoyed. Thanks guys!!
Friday
Park visited: Council Bluffs Recreation Complex
City: Council Bluffs, IA
Food of the day: Pepperoni and Double Cheese Pizza (yes, pizza) @ Schlotzsky's Deli
iPhone song of the day: "Good" by Better Than Ezra
Miles traveled: 30
With rain coming down late into the night, the starting times for the tournament back in Council Bluffs were delayed on Friday. To pass some time, we hit up Walgreens so that I could find a replacement pair of sunglasses (success!) and so that we could pick up a few more necessities. Eventually we made our way back to the park for what felt like a pretty short day at the fields.
Later on the afternoon, we made took a shuttle from the hotel to our new home away from home, Rosenblatt Stadium, in hopes of watching the remainder of the UNC-LSU game that was postponed after Thursday night rain. Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones interested in checking out this game....as we approached the right side of the facility, the general admission line was ridiculously long and some people were already being turned away.
Not wanting to go home just yet, we scanned the streets looking for an establishment where we could stop off and watch a few innings of the game. We eventually stopped at an old church that had been converted into a temporary Famous Dave's Restaurant & Bar, complete with stained glass windows upstairs on the dance floor. After settling in, more rain showed up outside, thus bringing the game to yet another halt. We looked like geniuses. But after about 45 minutes or so of hanging out, the live "entertainment" hit the stage, and it was time for us to go.
Now, we're back in our hotel room trying to figure out a way to rent Guitar Hero, but the chances of that happening are beginning to look grim. Tomorrow we have the opening ceremonies for yet another session of the Omaha Slumpbuster Tournament....this time at the La Vista Complex actually located in Omaha. We're hoping to get back to a few more games before the week is up, so I will be sure to keep you updated on those.
A couple of "shout outs" are in order: first, Happy Anniversary to Kohrs and his girlfriend Candra. Also, to the boys in Louisville that are out for Tooth's bachelor party, have fun, be safe and call me if you need an attorney. That's all for now. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend!
Until next time,
Chris
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
