America's Best Idea

I had circled today on my calendar as my final trip to LA to see the Dodgers play at Chavez Ravine. Well, after seeing how tickets were topping $40, and an actual desire to do nothing on a Sunday for a change, I decided to sit this one out and conclude the season for the Dodgers after only making one trip in this season. I'm perfectly fine with my decision, and I'll go into some more of it later on. So, for the first time in a while, I am being lazy on a Sunday!

When I was on the Angels Road Trip at the beginning of this month, I wrote about how often I merge my hobby of Baseball Road Trips with another hobby of mine, visiting our country's National Parks and Monuments. After visiting the Presidio, Fort Point, and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, I decided to post something how these two hobbies have come together frequently.

Before I started blogging about Baseball Road Trips, I made a trip to New York City for five games in and around the Big Apple. During that trip, I visited Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty with stops at Federal Hall, where George Washington took the oath of office as our country's first President. I was just a young Baseball fan, and I wish I had gotten wise then and began blogging with that trip. But, I think that was the the first time I had brought National Parks and Baseball Road Trips together.

In 2009, I made a big trip to the Midwest and hit up Pittsburgh, Chicago and St. Louis. After my first day in Pittsburgh, I had a day to kill before an overnight train trip to the Windy City. I was staying with some relatives there, and on that day off, they drove me out to a field in rural Western Pennsylvania for probably my most emotional National Park visit. The Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA is where the doomed United Flight 93 crashed on September 11th, 2001. I can't put into words just how moving of a sight that place was and the effect it had on me.

Keeping on the Midwest theme, after hitting up Chicago on that trip, I made my way down to Jefferson National Expansion Memorial on the banks of the Mississippi River, or more well-known as the Gateway Arch. While I didn't go up in the arch itself, I did have a fantastic visit to the museum below it that chronicled the westward expansion of Lewis and Clark and the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. I remember my first thought when seeing the arch was "how is it that this thing hasn't toppled over before?"

Before I moved here to California, I crisscrossed the Pacific Northwest on Baseball Road Trips. One of those trips incorporated a unique experience at a National Park in Washington. In 2010, I went to Fort Vancouver and saw the Old Time Baseball exhibition on the grounds of the Fort. Probably one of the most fascinating experiences I've had, seeing 1880's baseball played amidst the setting of the old Fort was very intriguing. While watching that game, you could actually see members of the Lewis and Clark expedition or trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company maneuvering the grounds.

I would love to hit more National Parks while on Baseball Road Trips. The challenge is, however, is that my Road Trips tend to be car-free and very urban. As a result, I don't have the means to venture off the beaten path to visit the National Parks. One thing about the National Parks is that you really need a car to visit them. But, as you have seen, sometimes the experiences just happen to coincide by chance. And, when they do, they make for a real fun addition to Baseball Road Trips.

Well, the Minor League and Major League seasons are done as the playoffs begin in earnest. I have no plans to go to any playoff games because of my work schedule, and also because the only Southern California team to make was the Dodgers, so there's the whole going to Dodger Stadium thing. However, this upcoming weekend will see me make my third trip in three years venture to Phoenix for the Arizona Fall League. I have four games planned in a three day jaunt to the desert. I'll post an itinerary later on this week.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Final Thoughts on Angels Road Trip 2016

This is the second year in a row that I have gone on the road to see the Angels play. Last year, I saw the team play in Minneapolis as part of the larger Hiawatha trip. This has turned into a fun annual trip that can now be my one exotic trip for the entire season. I'm incredibly lucky to live in Southern California, where I have ready access to local baseball pretty much all year long. There isn't a lot of opportunity for me to do trips like this, so I'm looking forward to next year. I'd like to analyze this trip from top to bottom because I feel it went off without a hitch. I planned very well, hit up some great sights, and I'm coming away with a sense of appreciation.

While the bus up was convenient, it certainly wasn't comfortable. After the ease of taking Southwest Airlines back, and for a relatively cheap fare, the bus just wasn't practical for the overnight trip. I think the bus to travel between cities without an overnight, like last year's Hiawatha trip, is where the bus can be a good idea for the future. Aside from that, every piece of transportation I took was smooth and easy. I love the BART and the San Francisco Muni system. Of course, I loved the Cable Cars, and while they were intended to be just another touristy thing for me to do, I did use them to travel to and from Chinatown. The only thing I wish I could have done was incorporate my bike into San Francisco and Oakland. Maybe next time...

San Francisco is a beautiful city. I'm glad I put in the effort to get outside the normal tourist traps and see some unique sights I had never been to before. The only thing I was disappointed in was that while the weather was absolutely perfect during the day, the fog never did roll in. 

Fort Point was my favorite place to visit. In fact, I could have spent the entire day at the Presidio and been ok with it. I had never known that such a unique piece of history was there, almost like hiding in plain sight. Maybe being underneath the Golden Gate Bridge obscures it from our sight and mind. In looking back, I think I rushed myself a bit at the Presidio and at Fort Point. All of it is very accessible, and as I'll explain below, I should have traded in some of the Cable Car riding I did for more time exploring around the grounds of the Presidio and Fort Point.

Second, and by a narrow margin, was just walking in Chinatown. Again, I could spend the entire day just walking the neighborhood and listening to the sounds. Back when I was in college, ironically on the same trip I went to the Coliseum for the first time, I made a visit to Chinatown and was just as intrigued then as I was now. Unlike some other things in San Francisco that I have seen, Chinatown never ceases to amaze. While I have my memories from 2007, the memories I gained on this trip were brand new and unique.

Going in to the trip, I was so excited to go on the Cable Cars. I was certain that they would be my favorite part of the trip.  While they were fun, I only went on the California Street line because all the rest were super crowded. That was kind of a let down.

Look, my opinion on Oakland has changed. I think it's a city with a lot of charm and potential. The area down by Jack London Square seemed to be a bustling hipster district. Contrary to what I'm used to in San Bernardino, I didn't feel unsafe at all walking around the City after dark. There's a neat brew culture that's developing there, so if I were to go back, that might be fun to explore a bit.

But, with both these cities, I can't get over what I saw on the streets with the huge homeless population. These cities are so beautiful and have so many wonderful gifts based solely on their locations, and I can't seem to wrap my head around how it can conceal this darkness.

I've warmed to the Coliseum. It's rundown, ugly, and it's probably the worst ballpark in the Majors. But, that charm, though. I just can't get over how much character it had. Let's be honest though, the fans have a major part in that role. The A's have some of the best fans in baseball. In my opinion, the fans are really making the best of a bad situation in Oakland. I hope that one day, they can have the ballpark they deserve, whether it is at the Coliseum or at another location.

Bottom line: this was a great trip. For the second year in a row, I have put together a fantastic Baseball Road Trip. In looking at the schedule for next season, I really want to make a return trip to Seattle to see the Angels play. I think that I could really make that trip as good, if not better, than this one. I had a ton of fun and, while I am totally exhausted, it was well worth it.

As September plugs along, I'm planning on doing nothing but the Majors. I have two games planned for the next two weekends, one in Anaheim and one in LA. This will be my penultimate visit to Angel Stadium for 2016, but it will be my second and final visit for the season to Dodger Stadium.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

A Stranger in a Strange Land

When I got back to the hotel last night after the day in San Francisco, I literally collapsed on the bed. After one of the most exhausting days in Baseball Road Trip history, I couldn't put on foot in front of the other. I slept like a baby, and I woke up refreshed and energized. My itinerary for today was pretty simple as my only plans were to go to the Coliseum to see the Angels play the A's. This gave me the opportunity to sleep in, eat the breakfast at the hotel, and make my way down to the Oakland Coliseum at a leisurely pace.

My first stop was to this coffee shop that I had read about online and heard from the concierge at the hotel. Called the Bicycle Coffee Shop, it was billed as a hipster shop catering to the cyclist crowd. As I was walking, I started to get a community feel for Oakland's Jack London Square. In a way, it reminded me some of Portland. Also, like Portland, you got the sense that the hipster vibe of the neighborhood concealed depressing poverty and homelessness. As I left the coffee shop (which was the most overpriced coffee I've ever had) for the BART station in Oakland City Center, you could see people sleeping in the streets and living under bridges. Look, I love the hipster lifestyle of big city living, riding our bikes everywhere, craft beer and liberal politics. But, even I recognize that the manifestation of it effects some of our brothers and sisters that are struggling.

The BART train to the Coliseum heads south through some rough patches of Oakland. As the train pulled into Fruitvale Station, which was the site of an officer-involved shooting of a young African American male that sparked violent protests, I asked myself what it would be like to live here. Sure, my musings were from inside a BART train, but seeing the inner city like this, and making these self reflections make you respect community even more. One of the great things about Baseball Road Trips is that they take me to some beautiful cities and some fantastic sights. Maybe it's my commitment to public transportation, but I also get the chance to see some of the less desirable places. I appreciate them more because of these experiences.

And then you get to the Coliseum. Oh, the Coliseum... Generally regarded as the worst ballpark in all of the Majors, the Oakland Alameda Coliseum doesn't really have a lot going for it. When you exit the BART Station, as you approach it, you feel more like you're coming in for visiting hours at San Quentin. The hulking concrete structure was built in the 1960's and is the home of both the Athletics and the Raiders of the NFL. On this day, the gridiron was clearly painted perpendicular to the field, reminding you that the Coliseum is the only stadium that now shares tenants of both MLB and the NFL.

While I definitely agree that the Coliseum is probably the worst ballpark, it does have some fantastic character to it. That character comes from the fans. Even though I was dressed in my Angels Red color, every fan I came across was genuine and friendly. The section out in right field, where the drum-beating and flag-waving crowd sit are an absolute ball to watch during the game. Heck, even where I sat in the upper deck, I was closer to the action than the upper deck of Dodger Stadium. Sure, the stadium sucks, but I really did enjoy myself.

The conversation inevitably has to come back around to the ballpark situation in Oakland. Both the A's and the Raiders want to get out of the Coliseum, and probably Oakland for that matter, and I can understand and see why. But, charm in ballparks isn't something you see every day. Let me put it to you this way: yesterday I visited AT&T Park in San Francisco. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful park. But, Giants fans and the atmosphere can be a little much. Sometimes I think that the atmosphere there, and in a lot of other parks, can be forced. I didn't get that feeling at the Coliseum. So, while I get the whole moving to a new park thing, part of me has an affinity for the Coliseum.

The biggest step forward I think that can be made is for the Raiders to leave. If the Coliseum can just be for the A's and baseball, then the situation can progress. From there, I think if they knock down the hulking "Mt. Davis" section in dead center field, which is the prison-like exterior you see walking up from the BART station, you open up the ballpark to great views. The immense foul territory that people complain about I think is a small price to pay. Outside of that, I'd be ok with the Coliseum. It won't be Petco or PNC, but I think it would be a serviceable and functional ballpark. Add to that the energy the fans bring, I think it could be one of the best atmospheres in all of baseball. 

Albert Pujols hit a two-run double, and Mike Trout added a three-hit day, as the Angels beat the A's 10-7.

After the game, I took the BART back into Downtown Oakland to get my overnight bag I had left at the hotel for the day and begin making my way out to the airport. I stopped at one more craft brewery, this time in Downtown Oakland, before getting the BART back to Oakland Airport to fly home. That late afternoon walk allowed me to sort of decompress from the last 24 hours and kind of get to a mental state of review and reminiscing about the trip. I was pretty tired, and my feet were sore, but this was definitely a successful Baseball Road Trip.

I'll probably post a Final Thoughts in the next couple days. My work is very busy, so it's tough to find the energy to sit and write a post summarizing everything that's happened. I'll find the time, but it may take a while.

Thank you all again for joining me on this adventure to the Bay Area. While I went by myself, I took comfort in knowing that all of you were, in a way, alongside me on this great thing we call Baseball Road Trips.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Frisco

When I was looking at the weather report for San Francisco leading up to my arrival, I broke out my long pants and closed-toe shoes. I was so used to going to games in Southern California, where the apparel is shorts and flip flops, where you could easily go to the beach before or after. I'm glad I prepared not because of how cold it was, but also because of the amount of activity and walking I did. My first day here was very busy, exhausting, but a ton of fun.

First, let's talk about this bus. Yeah, it was like trying to sleep inside of a clothes dryer. Every time I would doze off, the bus would hit a pothole or rough pavement jostling me awake. My sleep was all out of whack when we got into Oakland a half hour early. I don't blame the bus for this, but I was pretty beat up when I got off the bus to head to the hotel to drop off my bag.

I've been to some pretty gritty cities over the course of the last few years, and Oakland ranks right up there. Compared to Palm Springs or San Diego, Oakland doesn't even come close. But, I have to admit, it does have it's charm. I had a few hours to kill before heading into San Francisco, so I used the opportunity to take a nap in Jack London Square and do some railfanning on the adjoining street-running tracks.

After a quick breakfast, I boarded the BART train into San Francisco. BART stands for Bay Area Rapid Transit as their system stretches to almost all corners of the Bay Area. For a person who follows public transportation, it has been maligned a bit in the media due to service shortages, faulty and failing equipment, and operational deficiencies. However, on this day, my trip to San Francisco was smooth sailing. The really cool part is when the train goes under the San Francisco Bay, you have to pop your ears because of the pressure of being under water.

After getting off at the Embarcadero Station, I made my way down to AT&T Park. There wasn't a game, but I wanted to get my Passport stamped. It had been almost four years since I had visited the ballpark, and while I wasn't able to get inside on this visit, I was reminded just how pretty of a ballpark it is. Most people talk about the view as being the best attribute, but I think what makes AT&T Park great is how it integrates so well into the city. I have a hard time imagining AT&T Park, or the Giants for that matter, being anywhere else in the world besides San Francisco. It's a far cry from the across the Bay in Oakland, but I'll get into that tomorrow.

After getting stamped in at AT&T, I made my way back into the Financial District to catch a bus to the Presidio. I have been to San Francisco many times before, but I had never been to the Presidio. I was definitely missing out. The Presidio was the headquarters for the Western Defense Command in San Francisco. Since it was acquired from Mexico in the 19th century, it served active western garrisons on the grounds. It gained worldwide fame as it became the headquarters for the Army's response to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. When it closed in the early 90's, the NPS took it over, rehabilitated the buildings, and now administers it as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It encompasses more than 1400 acres and has more than 800 buildings.

One of those buildings was my first stop after getting my NPS Passport stamp at the visitor's center. The corporate headquarters of Lucasfilm is on the Presidio and features an ornate fountain and a statue of Yoda. I'm a big Star Wars fan, so I had to make a special trip just to take the picture of the fountain. If I ever come back to the Presidio, I'll be sure to put in a call to see if George Lucas can come meet me!

After Yoda, I took a shuttle bus to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center. After getting a stamp there, and with the bridge as my backdrop, I descended a half mile long trail at the foot of the bridge to the massive Fort Point. Again, I had never been there, and I was disappointed that it took me this long to check it off my list. The Fort was built during the Civil War and was engineered to protect the entrance to San Francisco Bay. The four-level fort has gun and cannon parapets along the outside perimeter to protect the fort against any intruder from both the sea and the land. As you walk around the cavernous structure, you could really get a sense of the fortification.

This was probably my most interesting stop of the day. It's easy to overlook the Fort because it stands below the massive pillars of the Golden Gate Bridge. I had been across the Bridge a few times, but you never think to look underneath it. To be honest, this Fort was way more interesting than the Bridge is. The history of how it was built, the purpose for its design, and the feeling you get of power from the caverns are pretty cool. Here's a post for a different day, and I bring this up because I so enjoyed Fort Point: best National Park or Monument visited on a Baseball Road Trip?

I wanted to get one more NPS Stamp at San Francisco Maritime, but after being cooped up on a bus the night before, I just wasn't feeling taking one back into Downtown. So, with a smile on my face, I decided to hoof it three-and-a-half miles along the San Francisco Bay Trail from Fort Point. I was afforded gorgeous views of the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz. Totally worth the 90 minute walk or so, but it got me thinking. With all the walking I do on Baseball Road Trips, I need to get a pedometer to track my steps. I do have Mapmyride for when I am on my bike, but that's been a pretty recent development over the past few years. When I'm not biking on Baseball Road Trips, I'm walking. In fact, I'm walking A LOT! It would be cool to track that progress while on the road.

I got stamped in at Maritime, boarded the old time trolley and headed back to Ferry Building where my day started. However, the adventures continued as I was committed to some serious cable car riding. Probably the thing I was most anticipating throughout the day, and teasing me as I made my travels seeing them ply along, was just about to get going.

I started my adventure on the California Street line at the Ferry Building. The cable cars are the last remaining cable supported and driven rail line in the world. The premise is that cable cars utilizing the cables embedded into the roadway, can climb the steep inclines of San Francisco easier than regular motor vehicles. They are an homage to a bygone era that really don't serve much of a practical use except for the tourists. A few commuters do use the California Street line, but modern transit options are quicker and more reliable.

The California Street line heads west up the insanely steep street in the middle of the Financial District. What I like about this particular line is that it is nowhere near as crowded as the two other lines that end at Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf. I made four complete circuits, up California Street and down, and only dealt with a completely full car for a small part of one decent. I never had to wait very long and I always had the option of sitting or standing along the running boards.

I think what was the most enjoyable aspect of riding he cable cars is imagining what it was like 100 years ago. The cable cars were such a vital piece of San Francisco in the past as per movers. They were one of the first things to operate after the San Francisco Earthquake in 1906, and they have been synonymous with the city ever since. Sometimes, I wish we could jump into a time machine and see what life was really like back then. I'd love to just listen to the sounds of the past.

Speaking of sounds, in the middle of my third trip up California Street I got an itch to jump off and explore Chinatown. It was getting later in the day, the crowds had died down a little, so I was hoping to get the authentic experience there. I'm glad that I did because it was remarkable what I saw. Unlike other Chinatowns that are really touristy, San Francisco Chinatown is a real, working Chinatown. Walking the streets, it made me think I was in Shanghai or Chengdu. The sounds of the Chinese language, the smells of the food coming from the tiny restaurants, the exotic food items being sold on the sidewalk markets all combined to make for a sensory overload of sorts. I could walk around Chinatown all day and do absolutely nothing but listen and people watch.

Only behind Fort Point, this was my second favorite part of the day. I ducked into a restaurant to get some food in Chinatown, and while I was eating, I thought it would be an awesome Road Trip to go to China. My parents moved there last month and speaking to them has really gotten me interested in going there. I'm shooting for October 2017 to visit, and maybe I'll hit up a Chinese Baseball League game!

After my visit to Chinatown, I hit up a new brewery by AT&T Park called 21st Amendment. The beer was good, but the best part was getting off my feet for a little bit. All told, I think I ended up walking around 10-15 miles around San Francisco. My feet were definitely aching, and while I had the stamina to keep going on this adventure, I knew I had a busy day planned for the next day, so I called it after the beer.

Yes, I did a whole lot, and I am beat. For tomorrow, I plan on sleeping in, grabbing coffee at this place a few blocks away from here called Bicycle Coffee Company, then heading out on the BART down to the Coliseum for the game. Depending on what time it gets done, I'll come back here to Downtown Oakland and hit up another new brewery called Pacific Coast. My plane leaves Oakland at 2130, so I'll head out back on the BART about two hours before that.

So, I'm off to bed. I'll talk to you all tomorrow!

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Angels Road Trip 2016

I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, and I mentioned that Baseball Road Trips are becoming few and far between. Sure, I'm making the yearly trips to Palm Springs and Arizona, the occasional trips to San Diego and LA, but I've written to all of you about that before. Granted, every single one of those trips has been beyond awesome and fun like no other, but the "old days" of an extended trip to a far off place and seeing the sights just aren't happening. Southern California has its pitfalls, but a lack of baseball certainly isn't one of them. However, this weekend, I'll be embarking on one of those trips as I head up to Oakland to see my Angels play the A's.

Like all Baseball Road Trips, the game spawns the experience. I'm leaving San Bernardino on Saturday night on the Metrolink to LA. Once there, I'm going to try out the new LA Bike Share and ride down to a new brewery in the Arts District. I'm interested to see how the bike share is in LA and how it may fit in with my current trips to Dodger games. I do bring my own bike, but having the bike share option there intrigues me. I've done bike share before on Baseball Road Trips with great success, so I'll be looking for ease of access, quality of the bike, and sufficient locations of the docks.

While I'm always down for a new craft brewery, the beer will help with my next leg which will see me take an overnight bus trip from LA to Oakland. I'm doing the Bolt Bus for the very first time because of the ridiculously cheap fare I got for the trip of $20. I'm not looking forward to being cooped up on the bus for the 8-hour ride up to the Bay Area, so maybe a few brewskies will assist in me going to sleep. If not, heck, it wouldn't be a legitimate Baseball Road Trip if I wasn't going on little sleep for an adventure.

After getting to Oakland and dropping my bags off at the hotel, I'm going to take the BART into San Francisco and spend the day in the city. I do have a few things planned for the day including making a stop at AT&T Park to get a stamp in my Ballpark Passport. I'm going to backdate the stamp to 2013 when I last visited the home of the Giants for the Final of the World Baseball Classic.

After AT&T, I'm going to make my way back up to the Ferry Building and catch the shuttle bus to the Presidio. I've been to San Francisco numerous times, but I've never been there for a look around. I'm really interested in seeing the old barracks and taking a tour at Fort Point. Since the area is all a National Park, I brought along my NPS Passport to get stamps there. Oh yeah, there's also a statue of Yoda I want to take some pictures of to fulfill my Star Wars fandom.

After that, I really have no other set plans except to ride cable cars. The last time I was in San Francisco, I couldn't get enough of those things. They are such an icon and I love everything about them. Since I have a free day of sorts, I'm going to ride the three cable car lines as much as I can. If you follow my Twitter feed, be prepared for lots of posts about cable cars.

In and around the Financial District in San Francisco is a plethora of breweries. Keeping in the spirit of seeking out craft beers, I'm going to hit up 21st Amendment Brewery. They're pretty well-known here in California, and getting a beer from the source will definitely be an experience.

After BARTing it back to Oakland and overnighting at my hotel, I'm going to sleep in on Monday until around 10ish. From there, I'll walk to the BART station and go down to the Coliseum to see my Halos play. I haven't been to the Coliseum since 2007, which seems like forever ago. The Coliseum is regarded as probably the worst stadium in all of MLB, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. The Coliseum was my first ballpark I went to on a Baseball Road Trip. I'll go into the story in a little more depth after the game, but it was that ballpark that launched the wonderful world of Baseball Extravaganza and Baseball Road Trips. Yes, the Coliseum deserves a tip of my hat.

I'm flying back to Ontario later on Monday night, so before departing, I'd like to hit up a brewery on the Oakland side of the Bay. There's a couple that seem interesting, so we'll see where my travels take me.

Follow along on my social media platforms for updates throughout the next two days. It will be a whirlwind trip, but certainly one for the books. I'm so excited to bring all of you along for this journey!

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

The Week Ends

My Minor League season came to an end this past weekend, and it is of endings that I will be talking about today. Sure, it was my final games at Inland Empire and up in the High Desert, but it also was a send-off of an all-to-familiar feeling. The bottom line is that the 66ers are facing an uncertain future, and the Mavericks are picking up and leaving the California League for North Carolina.

Saturday was the last 66ers game of 2016 for me. In all, I went to 34 games at San Manuel Stadium, which is 8 more than last season. It certainly didn't hurt matters that I was getting paid to be there and getting free tickets to keep score for Baseball Info Solutions. However, it's my home park, and I very much enjoy going to games there. The atmosphere is so fun, they draw great crowds, the food is good, beer is cold, promotions are unique, and staff is friendly. I don't think I had established such roots for a home park since my heady days with the Emeralds at Civic Stadium.

The storm clouds are gathering, however, when it comes to San Manuel Stadium. It doesn't seem like it, but the ballpark is 20-years old this year, and in certain places, it's starting to show her age. The concrete is cracking, some painting needs to be done, and some other things I've noticed in my limited building rehabilitation knowledge. Since the ballpark is owned by the City of San Bernardino, the team is asking for their help in paying for these repairs. Well, the City of San Bernardino doesn't have a whole lot of money as their beginning to emerge from municipal bankruptcy. From what I can see, there is a desire by the City leaders to fund the repairs, but the money just simply isn't there. Negotiations are on-going, so hopefully something can be worked out. The 66ers did renew their player development agreement with the Angels for another two years, which has to signal their optimism in a deal being reached.

It's the same story up in the High Desert, but with a wholly different ending. High Desert became my "easy" road trip. I made six trips up to Mavericks Stadium this season. It reminded me of those trips to Portland I used to do a few years ago.  I had developed a good routine while there, got to know some of the people who worked there, and became familiar with the intricacies of the stadium. While it certainly didn't have the charm that old PGE Park in Portland had, it did have a unique niche that I enjoyed.

I had written earlier in the year about the troubles the Mavericks franchise was having at that stadium. They were in a bitter legal struggle with the City of Adelanto over the stadium where it eventually crested into the team being forcibly evicted from the stadium. A County judge put a moratorium on the eviction until after the season, but us baseball junkies had an inkling that the writing was on the wall. This past week, High Desert and Bakersfield announced they were departing the California League for good and moving to Kinston and Fayetteville, NC, respectively. The move will be done the minute their seasons place over, which for both teams will be after postseason play.

So, as a result, Sunday was my final visit to Adelanto. It was bittersweet seeing the Mavericks take the field for that last time. It dawned on me that I had been party to now three separate teams departing stadiums as I witnessed the Eugene Emeralds leave Civic Stadium, the Portland Beavers leave PGE Park, and now the High Desert Mavericks leaving Mavericks Stadium. Trust me, folks, this is a distinction that I do not relish.

As the next weekend approaches, I'm about to set off on my now-annual Angels Road Trip for 2016. Last year, I went to Minneapolis to see the Halos play, combining it with trips to Milwaukee and Chicago. This year, I'm heading north to the Bay Area to see them play the A's at the Coliseum. I haven't been to the Coliseum since 2007, so I'm due for a return. I'll post an itinerary tomorrow.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

The Silver Strand

In the three years I have been crisscrossing Southern California on various Baseball Road Trips, San Diego is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It seems that whenever I make a trip down there, I pack a full day of fun activities that leaves me not wanting to go home. Also, I find that every time I go down there, I explore something new and enjoyable. This past weekend, I made my second trip of the season down there.

I strapped the bike rack on my car, loaded the bike, and headed out down the 15 to San Diego. Like always, I parked at Qualcomm Stadium and jumped on the trolley towards Downtown. En route, I got to thinking about my last trip down here with my girlfriend for the Futures Game. We stopped in Old Town for some shopping and also for those ridiculously tasty handmade tortillas at the Coyote Café. I think for future trips down, I will leave an hour earlier so I can stop in Old Town for those tortillas, maybe a jaunt into the coffee shop, and just some walking around the Historic District.

I got off at the Little Italy stop with about 30 minutes to kill before heading to Petco. My definition of a “joyride” is pretty simple: ride just for riding sake. No predetermined routes or paths, just indulging myself on my two-wheeled chariot. My best example of this was last season on the Hiawatha trip when I just rode around Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago with no real path of travel and for the intention of seeing the city from the bike. So, with a half-hour at my disposal, I did a San Diego joyride through the streets of Downtown. To put it bluntly, it was freaking awesome and I loved every second of it. While the bike routes I have developed through my experiences in Orange County and LA are fun, just deciding whether to go left or right at a stop light with no real plan made things interesting and enjoyable. I have a trip coming up to San Francisco in a few weeks, and with the bike share system there, I am inspired to do a “joyride” through that Downtown.

There was an article that came out in USA Today around the All-Star Break that said that Petco Park was the best stadium in all of the Major Leagues. I don’t know if I would rate Petco higher than PNC in Pittsburgh or Wrigley Field, but it is growing on me. Every single time I visit, I think I come to appreciate it more. The view from the upper deck of the Downtown skyline is definitely top-notch, but the view from behind the seating bowl is just as spectacular. For this game, as I was walking the concourse finding something to eat, I could look out and see the entire Harbor, Coronado Island, all the way to Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument. Especially with this 360-degree view, I can see how it rates high in the media. For once, it seems like what the media reports is accurate!

The Philadelphia Phillies got a Triple Play in the 7th, and some timely hits, to beat the Padres 6-5. 

After the game, I embarked on my big bike ride. Boarding the trolley at 12th and Imperial by Petco, I rode it south to Palomar Street where I got off and set out on the Silver Strand Bike Path. It had been more than a year since I've done this ride, and I'm sad that it took me that long. The path encompasses the southern and western parts of San Diego Bay. As it turns north on the narrow strip of land called the Silver Strand, it parallels both the Bay and the gorgeous white sand beaches of Coronado. It passes he Navy SEAL base where you can see all their training apparatuses. It ducks under the massive San Diego-Coronado Bridge before ending at the ferry terminal in downtown Coronado. 

I grabbed a quick beer at the Coronado Brew Co. before getting on the ferry back to San Diego to catch the light rail back to my car. As I was on the ferry, with the skyline of San Diego in front of me, I committed to coming back and doing this trip at least once more before the end ofthe season. 

I had planned on going to LA this weekend, but my plans have changed. I'll update all of you on that here in a few days. 

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)