Back in the day, I could pump out these summation posts the day after I got back from Baseball Road Trips with no problem at all. I would be so wired and amped that the words could flow and the typing would come easy. As I have become older and more experienced, I'm beginning to take more time to reflect and analyze my trips; really studying to see what went well and what I could improve on. I think that tactic has really made every single Baseball Road Trip I do, whether it is a local trip here in SoCal or a multi-city, multi-state marathon, a cherished event. In the case of this latest trip to Phoenix, I found myself leaving the area with my mind aflutter of what I can do differently and better for when I make my inevitable return trip in March.
After this past weekend, I think I have got this Phoenix trip down pat. Leaving super early on the day of that first day game is the way to go, and set me up perfectly for the rest of the trip. I end up saving money, saving on gas, sleeping in my own bed for a night, and logistically making the trip to comfortable. Sure, the drive on the 10 freeway east of here through the desert is really boring and innocuous, but the sunrise is something to be witnessed first-hand for its beauty. Chasing that sunrise, putting me in Phoenix by mid-morning, is something that I will do in March.
Staying in Tempe by ASU acts as a perfect "base camp" for me. From that general area, I can bike, relatively easy, to six ballparks. ASU is also on the light rail, so I can extend my reach with the bike and/or public transportation. Add to that the hip vibe on Mill Street with neat brew pubs and restaurants, and the hike up "A" Mountain to kick off the mornings. This is the second time I have stayed in Tempe with fantastic results, so I will be doing that again in March.
I managed to snag a new park on this trip as I made my first visit to Sloan Park. The Spring Training home of the Chicago Cubs certainly is nice, but I think it is reflective of how the Spring Training experience has changed in the past five years. Sloan Park is huge and cavernous, and was obviously designed to handle massive crowds of people. When I was watching the game, I could see 10,000 fans packed in this stadium. With that demand, you can also see how the ticket prices would skyrocket to levels that weed out the die-hard fans. I definitely liked Sloan Park, but I will stay with my backfield action for the future.
As for the other three parks I went to, Salt River Fields still holds the title for my favorite. No disrespect to Peoria and Scottsdale, but I'm convinced that Salt River Fields is one of the best parks in all of baseball, both Minor and Major League. I think what makes it so appealing to me is that it is on an Indian Reservation, it incorporates true desert landscape into its design, and it has a great roof that provides wonderful shade. The only thing I have to knock it for is that it is not accessible via public transportation or bike. Other than that, I can't complain about anything else.
On the fourth Sunday of every month, the City of Phoenix shuts down all the roads in South Mountain Park to cars. This event draws out a wide array of bikers, walkers, and hikers to traverse this large urban park without the clutter of the automobile. This is the second time I have done this event, and I am now going to add it to my routine. Whenever I go to Arizona, I'm going to shoot for that fourth Sunday so that I can do that ride. I wake up very early and try to hit the ride as the sun rises. This means I can get a great workout in on desert roads and be done in time to return to my hotel for a quick shower and nap before checking-out.
My final adventure before leaving Phoenix was to go to the Phoenix Zoo. It seems like zoos are becoming synonymous with Baseball Road Trips. If we want to look back, I've been to the Portland, Mexicali, Central Park, Washington National, and now the Phoenix Zoo. While they certainly aren't joined at the hip with Baseball Road Trips like breweries or biking, they are a neat activity that I always seem to seek out while traveling.
In the end, the Arizona Fall League trip for 2015 was a massive success. All the logistics I developed went off without a hitch, and I gained some great ideas for future trips to the Valley of the Sun.
The World Series is in full-swing, so baseball really will be slowing down. However, the college Fall Ball season is just getting going. These off-season practices feature scrimmages that I have decided to go to. As of now, the only one I have scheduled to see is at Cal State Fullerton the week before Thanksgiving. Some programs keep these practice and scrimmage schedules close to the vest, so sometimes I have to find out via social media the schedule. Regardless, I'll throw out an update after the World Series and before Fullerton.
Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)
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