Buenos Dias! I am back from my annual trip down to Mexicali, and what a trip it was. I added some new things, saw some new sights, caught a great game, and already am making plans for my return trip next year. All the things I had planned for the day went off without a hitch, and I was reminded just how exhilarating a Baseball Road Trip in a foreign country can be. The sights and sounds are truly unique. As I was driving back, I kept saying to myself, "what a way to end the season."
The two-and-a-half hour drive to the border from here in Highland takes you through some of the most desolate places in the entire country. The expansive desert with the bare rocky mountains and rolling sand dunes seem otherworldly. I plugged in some tunes, set the cruise control at 70, and made my way past the huge Salton Sea and into the seedy border town of Calexico. During the drive, however, I kept thinking back to how this season has seen me traverse some interesting landscapes. From the desert vistas down to the border, the suburban charm of Orange County, the green rolling hills of Wisconsin, and urban density of Los Angeles and Chicago, I have really experiences quite the array of settings. On this drive however, while there is beauty inherent in the desert, it was probably the most boring out of all them.
I parked my car at the huge outlet mall that is right on the border with Mexico. I unloaded my bike and made my way the border crossing into Mexicali. I really wanted to get a stamp in my passport before heading into the country for a souvenir. However, I ran into what was going to be a challenge for the day: My Spanish language skills. I tried my best to articulate what I wanted to have done (getting my passport stamped), but I just couldn't communicate. I think through my action of taking my passport, acting like I had an imaginary stamp, and saying "para colleccion", which apparently was the completely wrong phrase. Thankfully, another border guard was able to translate and I got my stamp.
After crossing the border, I made my way down to the Mexicali Zoo. It took me about twenty minutes to ride down the Calzada de los Presidentes, and I was surprised to see the bike infrastructure still intact from last year. There is a very nice protected bike lane that runs the length of the road to where I turned to go to the zoo. It did appear that it continued on past my turn out. While the road itself is rather busy and cars go pretty fast, it was refreshing to see an effort to make biking feasible in a place like Mexicali. I would venture to say that there are cities here in the US that could take a lesson from Mexicali when it comes to making improvements to biking infrastructure.
I had been to the Mexicali Zoo last year, and it didn't look like there was any additions or subtractions. I mean, zoos are cool, and that's why I have made them a part of Baseball Road Trips. I love seeing the bigger animals like the lions, hippos, and alligators. Mexicali Zoo has a couple lions, a white tiger, a hyena, two hippos, a bunch of monkeys, a fairly impressive herpetological display of venomous snakes, and a gnarly alligator. Something I didn't do last year and did this year was go into the expansive aviary. Flying around without cages were parrots, flamingos, parakeets, and a couple of peacocks.
The Mexicali Zoo is pretty good, but isn't as expansive as some of the other zoos I have been to. However, what was frustrating about the Mexicali Zoo was that I couldn't read any of the placards or information booths about the animals. It became a sort of see-animal-sleeping-for-a-few-seconds-then-move-on type of deal, so I really don't think I got the full experience. The zoo was only 20 pesos, which is pretty cheap, but I really felt like there was more I could've gotten from it had my language skills been better. I'm what definitely a nerd when it comes to that type of stuff, and not being able to analyze and research made me feel like I was grasping at straws.
After the zoo, I embarked on my crosstown bike ride to my lunch spot I had researched out. I made sure, this time, to really try and take my time without rushing a whole bunch. Sure, my ride was intended to be a workout, but this was going to be the only time I was going to have during this entire trip to really "smell-the-roses", as it were. Mexicali is a gritty and dirty town, but there is an heir of charm to it. While it is right on the border, and I was literally riding a stone's throw away from the US, it felt like a whole different world. While riding, I kept thinking about all those pictures I have seen online and on television of pristine beach resorts and tourist havens in Mexico, and how it contrasts with what I was experiencing here. I didn't feel threatened or insecure while riding, but instead I was more fascinated by how different it was. Riding your bike gives you that immersive experience that you can't get from inside a car, and it is something that I am so glad I have embraced on Baseball Road Trips.
The past two years I have done this trip, I have gotten super, super hungry. I decided to add a stop for lunch before the game for this trip. Ordinarily, a stop for lunch wouldn't warrant attention in this blog, but in this case, a seemingly normal activity can be fraught with its own challenges in a foreign country. I did some research on TripAdvisor that said that there was a particular burger place about a mile from the ballpark that was pretty good, but also carried the local craft beer variety. When I got to the place, I was surprised at how Americanized it was. There were signs in English promoting American products, there was an American NFL game on the television, and the menu with all the beer selections was in English. However, when I got the food menu, everything was in Spanish, and I couldn't hardly understand any of it. I did recognize "pollo" as "chicken", and "papas fritas" as French Fries, so when the nice waiter came to take my order, I just pointed to the "pollo" and "papas fritas" dishes. Additionally, I just pointed to the local craft brew I wanted.
The burger and beer were pretty good, and despite the infamous "Montezuma's Revenge" side effects, I felt great afterwards. The local beer was good, too. However, I can get a chicken burger anywhere. Next time I go to Mexicali, I really want to find something more authentic to the experience. I mean, if I'm going to be in Mexico, I should probably find some Mexican Food, wouldn't you agree? However, what I found while researching beforehand and then riding around during, it's tough to find places in Mexicali that sell the local craft brew on Sundays. The place I went to, in fact, was the only one I could find. So, maybe for next year, I can find something to eat that's more traditional before the game, then afterwards hit up the burger place for a local craft beer and some fries.
My third trip to Estadio BAir was very interesting. First, Estadio BAir was selected earlier to year to host the opening rounds of the World Baseball Classic in 2016. As a result, I found the stadium to be much cleaner and organized than my previous two trips. Second, I found that the people who go to those games are both very passionate and also very nice. I sat behind this group of guys who spoke some English and were very interested in my keeping score and Baseball Road Trips. It made my visit there very enjoyable.
Noticeably not a burgeoning tourist location, I found the Mexicali business don't normally take American Dollars. So, starting last year, I just brought all Pesos that I had exchanged for at a place near me here in Highland. This year, I exchanged $40US for about $450 pesos. What I found, especially, at the ballpark is that the peso is incredibly weak right now. I bought admission to the zoo, lunch, a beer, admission to the game, a tshirt for my brother, two bottles of water, and a bag of popcorn, and I still have more than $100 pesos left over. I couldn't imagine doing a day like that for less than $40 in LA or San Diego. Moral of this story is that if you're a baseball fan, Mexicali is a VERY cheap trip.
Hermosillo broke out to an early lead off a solo homer in the first, held fast during the middle innings, and added some insurance later on as they beat Mexicali 5-1.
After the game, I jumped back on my bike and rode the three miles back to the border crossing. Just like last year, traffic was brutal going in, but my bike allowed me to lane split between the standsti traffic and go into the motorcycle lane. I gave the Border Patrol agent my passport, and he asked me a series of questions about where I live, how long I was in town, purpose of my visit, last visit to Mexicali, and a few others. He went around my bike and checked my bags and my Baseball Road Trip backpack. The whole process took about two minutes. I sped off back to my car and drove back to Highland.
As you can see, it was a long and very exciting day. I was exhausted and worn out by the time I got back to Highland. On my way back, I realized that the 2015 season was over. A season that had some incredible experiences had concluded, and I think 2015 went out with on a high-note. I'll post a Season Ending Wrap-up in the next few days.
Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)
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