Photo Editing – Raven K

Gearing Up for Trekking Out

Family vacation was somewhere remote enough that hiking was a possibility, so I decided to bring my gear and plan to spend some time out on my own. Of course, I would get there and there wouldn’t be much hiking close to me and it would rain everyday, but I did learn some valuable lessons on the one day I attempted to go out.

Sticking close to the cabin, I planned to hike around Krajec Lake, which we were staying on. I have recently gotten some new gear, so I figured a test of full gear in a safe area would be perfect. I did not expect the rain to have such a negative impact on things though. I only made it approximately a quarter of the way around the lake before I realized that continuing would not allow for time for my things to dry out before taking a 6.5 hour drive home the next day.

Still, here is a brief summary of what I learned on this trip with full gear (approximately 35 lbs):

I have regularly kept my multitool on my belt since its purchase in 2020, because I like the security it makes me feel to have it easily accessible. My first walkabout with full gear proved I’ll need to change it up a bit, though. Likely, I’ll place it in a hip pocket and, if I can drop some desired weight in my midsection, I’ll likely forego the belt altogether.
I carry my camera in a 5L hip pack for accessibility as well. The camera and its gear will definitely need rethought as well. For this walkabout, I kept the camera around my neck and brought no extra lenses.
I had run my water bladder through the back of my pack so I could drink easier, but this didn’t work. I don’t think using the hose with the current setup is doable, so I’ll invest in some collapsible water bottles and use the bladder strictly for water storage.
Discovered upon getting home that I did not have my headlamp, which is not something I am comfortable leaving behind.

Gear List and Commentary:

Trekking Poles (x2)
5L Hip Pack: This setup needs rethought to better go with the larger pack. Likely, the smaller pack will be absorbed into the larger one and the hip pack will be used on small excursions not including full gear.
- D3500 Nikon with additional Long Range lens: Great for nature photography for the novice that I am. I will need to figure out a better setup though, and I might drop the weight for longer treks, though I am hesitant to.
- Survival Book: This is a small pocket book I like to have around. It contains useful information and a little something to read at camp.
- PakTowel (washcloth size): Great “sweatrag” and comes on all excursions, no matter how small.
- Vaseline: Small, metal can which is easy to store and useful for many reasons.
- Security Whistle: I keep this hear for easy access. It will likely end up in a hip pocket.
Gregory Deva 60L: I actually quite enjoy the feel of this pack and was surprised to find myself to be a “small” frame.
- Rain Cover: Unused so far, but I won’t hike without it.
- Clothes (Beanie, Pants x1, Shirts x2, Long Sleeve Shirt, Long Sleeve Fleece, Gloves, Socks x4): I wanted to mimic wait of a multi-day hike, plus I was unsure of what the weather would be like. I have worn all my clothes on multiple excursions and enjoy all my layers.
- Rain Layer: I use a 3-in-1 Northface jacket that’s actually a bit small for my wrists, so I often just take the outside shell, which gives more moveability for my body and is protective from the water.
- Garmin inReach Mini 2: While he’s on my pack, I haven’t activated him yet (I use my phone for a beacon), but I really like the features for this beacon.
- Paracord Bracelet and Shark Light: These guys are a nice reminder of my personality and likely won’t make the first set of cuts when it comes to weight.
- Sanitizer: Easy access on my shoulder straps.
- Utensils, Pee Device, Belt, Multitool: Necessities of the day and all easy access. I keep the eating utensils and the peeing device on outside pockets or dangling from the pack.
- Gregory 3D Hydro Reservoir-3L: He’s great and durable for carrying water. Unfortunately, I may need to ditch the drinking hose and just use him for water storage.
- Notepad: I keep notes about treks for blog purposes and personal purposes. I’ll also not the number of particularly nice photos or what I want to remember about my mindset for taking them.
- REI Co-Op Backpacking Bundle (Tent, Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Pad): I haven’t yet used the tent but the pad and bag just remind me of some physical issues I have, so I’m working on it. I don’t think other brands or cuts would provide the relief I need, so it’s more getting used to them again.
- Hat, Fingerless Gloves: I wear my favorite Marshall University hat on all my treks. It’s adjustable, so I can attach it to my pack. I also wear bronze-lined wrist gloves, which help my hands when trekking.
- Sunscreen, Bug Spray: SPF50 and small attempts against the bugs that love to eat me.
- First Aid and Emergency Gear
- Sewing Kit, Cords, Paracord
- Food: Jerky, Chewy Bars, Trailmix
Boots

Nowhere for St. Louis and Casey

*West Salem is home to many fields and plenty of green.*

The family decided to do a vacation to Myrtle Beach, our childhood spot, after a long and hard 2021, but that changed when my older brother decided to remain in Taiwan for the summer. Instead, the rest of our clan decided to squirrel away in West Salem, Illinois. In all honesty, I couldn’t even keep straight what state we were going to, but I was excited for a day trip to St. Louis to add Missouri to my states list. We also had a day trip planned to Casey, Illinois. I supported this strictly to see the World’s Largest Pitchfork. The rest of the time would be spent in relative solitude, with two of my siblings and my mother.

We reserved a cabin on AirBnB in West Salem that had access to a lake and a pool and was large enough for 4 adults. It had something for everyone, but it was a trip that would truly make my mom feel at home. I would say the planning ahead of time made the majority of the trip relatively easy, which isn’t always easy for our family. No longer living at home, we have all become our own individuals and our personalities don’t always compliment each other, but I’d say some hard lessons over the last few years made things easier on us. Boundaries were set (and mostly not crossed) and our own coping mechanisms came into play, until the final day and a half of the trip, when not being able to decompress clearly got to a few of us.

*The St. Louis Arch, from the safety of the solid ground.*

Early in the week we made a strip to St. Louis where we enjoyed time on a Riverboat tour, around the Arch, and at the Spaghetti Factory. A last minute add on, I think the riverboat was the best part, and that’s saying something considering how I feel about water. It was an hour ride up and down parts of the Mississippi River with some fun history stories along the way. I think my brother particularly enjoyed learning how combustible steamboats were.

*The Tom Sawyer was our vessel on the Mississippi River.*

Then, we headed up for my brother and sister to discover the Arch. Mom, having been before, and I, who are both not fans of heights, decided to just enjoy a nice walk in the park and some time in the museum, where she discovered I actually take notes. (I may write something else specifically about my time in the museum.) We finished our day at the Spaghetti Factory, where we stuffed ourselves before returning to our cabin for the week.

A few days later, we headed onto Casey, a small town known for big things (seriously, that’s they’re schtick). We walked the majority of the town, enjoyed some of the World’s Largest things, and got disappointed by others before heading to Richard’s Farm for lunch. The three siblings were sad to learn the World’s Largest Teetertotter only functions a few hours out of the week, and not when we were around, but I think we all agreed that the large pizza cutter we came across was the most disappointing moment of the trip. I fully believe if my 6’3” brother is bigger than you, then you shouldn’t be considered a “big” thing in a town that makes its revenue that way.

*Levi locked himself in the World’s Largest Mailbox.*

The rest of our trip was spent in and around the cabin. There was a terrifying experience in a canoe (just days after feeling comfortable in a kayak); a lot of ridiculous antics in the pool, and hours and hours of games. Of course, my favorite part was probably porch sitting, which got more difficult throughout the week as the rain continued. Unfortunately, my plan to hike that week didn’t end up working out too well. I made it about a quarter of the way around the lake our last full day there before realizing I didn’t have the gear or the time to continue (because I wouldn’t put wet gear in the car for the whole drive back). Still, I did learn some things and am working on some updates on my full pack, which I now have.

*A crane crossing Lake Krajec in a downpour.*

All-in-all, it was a relatively successful trip, and I was proud of myself for actually treating it like a vacation (because I’m really bad about disconnecting from work).

A League Of Their Own Turned 30 and Rockford Celebrated BIG

It is not very often when you end up being excited that your original plans for a long weekend get changed, but I can honestly say that my trip to Rockford to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1992 release of the film A League Of Their Own was definitely one of those times, with a weekend full of activities, good people, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and, of course, women’s baseball.

A League Of Their Own released on July 1, 1992 and introduced the world at large to professional women’s baseball and the All American Girls Professional Baseball League. It also ended up putting Rockford, Illinois “on the map” in the baseball community, although the city has a long, proud history of baseball in its community. Therefore, when my July 4 plans fell through, it was no question about what I was going to do that weekend and quickly changed gears to join my colleagues at the International Women’s Baseball Center on putting on a magnificent event and enjoying some quality time with the community.

Friday, July 1

On the actual anniversary, there were two simultaneous events going on. I attended Friday Night Flix, an event put on in Davis Park by the Historic Coronado Theater, which was showing the original movie with several events for the kids. Representing the IWBC, I handed out special pennants to celebrate while getting to know the Chicago Blitz who were sat up next to me. The Chicago Blitz is a professional women’s football team that is hoping to make their home in Rockford, and they had a lot of fun showing kids how to run some drills.

*Chicago Blitz helping young girls run through football drills.*

Across the river from us, City Market full swing and leading up to the IWBC’s main event for the evening. City Market is a Friday evening event in the community, and the IWBC’s brand, SPoRT Makeup & SPoRT Apparel sets up weekly. This evening, though, it was all about the anniversary and it was right outside the fundraising event Sudz Bucket, also in honor of the movie. This event had players from the original League, Rockford bat girls, Megan Cavanaugh (who played Marla Hooch in the original movie), and tons of entertainment.

My evening ended with a late dinner with a few of the IWBC people, with a long Saturday planned ahead.

Saturday, July 2

While Friday had a light schedule, Saturday was packed full, from two events at Historic Beyer Stadium to an evening with Prime Video to premiere the pilot episode of their new show A League Of Their Own to introduce Rockford to a new generation (keep an eye out for this hitting Prime on August 12).

*MLB Play Ball Staff, Maybelle Blair (AAGPBL player), and Megan Cavanaugh addressing the children of Rockford that came out to Historic Beyer Stadium for the event Saturday.*

We started our morning early at Beyer to set up for MLB’s Play Ball event, which brought in approximately 125 kids to work on their baseball skills. Then, we ended our day at Beyer with a midday softball game and a group of food trucks outside the stadium to uplift the local eateries in Rockford. I got the honor of driving around several of our VIPs while there and getting introduced to new people from the Rockford community. Here I also ran into people I haven’t seen in years, and spent my afternoon catching up with them (instead of resting up for the long evening ahead).

Dr. *Greta Rensenbrink, Dr. Kat Williams (IWBC President), and I on Prime Video’s “green carpet” for the Coronado Theater Premiere.*

Saturday evening, Prime Video put on a street fair outside the Historic Coronado Theater to encourage the community to come check out the new show, which also premiered there. During this time, a small VIP event was also put on at the Coronado, where I was introduced to several community leaders in Rockford. As one of the newest Board Directors for the IWBC, I had heard about many of these people, but it was the first time I had gotten to meet many of them.The fair and showing was then followed by a sit down with the cast and creators, hosted by Megan Cavanagh. It was an experience to remember and I appreciate all the effort that went into planning it. I then got another amazing opportunity and ended my evening having wonderful conversations deep into the early morning with many of the Amazon people that were in Rockford for the event.

D’Arcy Carden, Chanté Adams, Abbi Jacobson, me, and Megan Cavanaugh after the Prime Video Premiere. Carden, Adams, and Jacobson are the main cast of the new show, and Megan was Marla Hooch in the original film. *(Photo Credit: D’Arcy Carden)*

Sunday, July 3

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and, after a late morning and brunch with some colleagues, I had to make the drive home. It reminded me of why working with the International Women’s Baseball Center is such a blessing and why it’s always hard to return. Have you ever come home from “coming home”? I am not from Rockford, or even Illinois, originally, but the community that I have gotten to interact with and the colleagues that I get to work with have always accepted me for exactly who I am. I haven’t been to Rockford since 2019 due to the last few years of chaos, and getting to see these people, catch up, enjoy baseball, and interact with so many in the community, it reminded me that I have always had a home there. So, until I get to come home again, Rockford, know that I’m thinking of you and all my wonderful, supportive, baseball family.

March-Traverse City Area Hikes

My March hiking had some definite issues but also some just nice, quiet, alone time that allowed me to remember why I love solo hiking so much. The original plan was to drive up to Traverse City, do my short hike (1.6 miles), spend the night, do my longer hike (3.4 miles), and then head back. But, of course, the end of the Michigan winter never quite does what it’s supposed to, does it?

Platte River Springs

Platte River Springs was supposed to be an easy(ish) 1.6 mile hike from a campground in the area, but, unfortunately, it was not meant to be. There were some challenges to this hike, like fording a river, and commentary like “the trail is not easy to distinguish at times,” but I wasn’t going to let that deter me. This would be only the second trailhead since starting getting guidance from the 50 Hikes in Michigan Book that I wouldn’t be able to find. And, without a corresponding AllTrails map, I was lost before I even started.

I found the campsite but not the trailhead, though, I do admit I could have been at the wrong campsite because there were several in the area with similar names, but I think I was in the right place. Due to the challenges of the trail (fording in particular), the lack of service, the remoteness of the area, and the fact that I was alone, I decided not to risk a hike without being sure I was in the right spot. The weather was cold and snowy as well, which just made conditions more dangerous. So, I headed to my hotel, checked in early, hit up their Fitness Center, and relaxed before hitting the planned trail for the next day.

Lake Ann Pathway

Originally constructed as a ski trail, Lake Ann Pathway is a 3.4 mile loop that I figured would be well traveled all year. 50 Hikes in Michigan mentions a specific “hiking season” but this seemed to just indicate a warning about the bugs due to the large amounts of water on the trail. There was an opportunity to make it a 5 mile loop by including a trek into the Lake Ann Campground, but the ten degree weather had me thinking better of that.

Lake Ann Pathway is known to be quiet (even though it’s just off the road) and to feature a ton of water. Unfortunately, the new snow (and the old snow) made these water features hard to distinguish. Platte River was the only clear water source I saw. Commentary about spring and fall hiking makes sense so you can truly enjoy the lakes on the path.

With the cold and new snow (and the problems from the day before), I decided to forego my daypack for less weight and a faster hike. I took my YakTrax as a precaution, and, though it was icy in some places, they were, thankfully, unneeded. The pathway is extremely well marked which was also a nice change from the challenges the day before. The longest section (between markers 7 and 8) was actually the least marked of the trail. It features the hardest terrain in its .9 miles as well, so it was a nice little challenge to the relatively calm day. Likely due to the cold, I only saw a single bird on the hike. We were the only ones breathing out there that day.

Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep up with my original plan for this year. I spent more in gas to Traverse City than I did on a hotel. So, I’m currently reevaluating so I’m not hurting myself financially, and will, hopefully, get to get in a new, challenging hike by the end of April.

February-Ludington Area Hikes

February saw me out to the Ludington area for a long weekend of hiking. I headed up Friday evening after a half day of work and then went out the rest of the weekend with a hotel room outside of town. In a slow build up to my full gear, I have added a headlamp and a new pair of hiking pants for testing. I had also gotten my old trekking pants fixed (bad zipper). I found no use to the headlamp for this trip, but I like having something like this on me and I’m excited to learn more about using it. The new pants were nice and heavier than I expected. This came in handy because my old trekking pants are just a little too tight to be comfortable. I am hoping some focus on my personal health in the next few weeks will make them easier to wear, as I really enjoy them.

Nordhouse Dunes Trail

I decided to start my weekend with the longest of the three hikes I hoped to complete, Nordhouse Dunes. Declared a wilderness in 1987, there is undeveloped nature for 4 miles of Lake Michigan shore and no signs, markings, or names to guide you. 50 Trails in Michigan makes the comment that it’s sometimes hard to see as a “wilderness” but I disagree, at least when it’s covered in snow.

I started later than normal, waiting out a Winter Weather Advisory and still experiencing 14 degrees and high winds. I began the hike at the South Terminus after 6.3 miles of unpaved roads to the parking lot. Or, at least, I think they were unpaved. The ice made it difficult to determine. The North Terminus is at a Rec Area nearby that can likely avoid the national forest pass required here. Though, I couldn’t get the machine or the website to properly offer me an option to pay for the space.

I planned over 6 miles of hiking on Nordhouse, but only went 4.2 miles. The wind really got to me when I hit the ridge. I cut back on the first switch back and made a shorter hike, keeping in mind my next few days and my own safety. If I had fallen on the ridge, I would have been alone and hard to get to. I didn’t see many hikers, but there were campers, including the Troop 63 Eagle Scouts.

I used just my trekking poles, but easily could have easily gone for my YakTrax or Crampons. Climbing the ridges were practically sheets of ice, but were still navigable, and the snow was still deep and not packed down in places. These were just a few reasons I stuck with my poles. The cold and wind froze my water line and my neck gaiter early on, so that was also a detriment to a longer hike.

I made my way back to my hotel to warm up, eat, and relax before my Sunday excursion with the writings of Bayard Rustin and the silence only a nice vacation can give you.

Ridge and Islands Trail

My next two days were spent on trails in Ludington State Park. This is a pretty popular area, but the trails take you away from it all. The Ridge and Island Trails seemed to sit between my Saturday and Monday trails too. Nordhouse sat to the north, while the Lighthosue Trail I planned for the next day sat to the south (in the same park). The map made me wonder if the Island Trail would be traversable in the winter, but I was glad to discover it was, mostly due to boardwalks. A shelter at mile 3 also made me think I’d have a place to regroup if the weather was as bad as it had been the day before.

The app had a 5.5 mile trail but cut a majority of the Islands so I stuck more to the proposed map in the book, which was 4.8. I actually only recorded 4.4 miles though. Again, there was a a weather advisory, but this time it was for wind and it was much warmer (36). Time off Lake Michigan likely cut down on the wind’s effects and I saw a lot of hikers on the trail.

About half way, I came across a couple looking for their dog, Gertie, and I promised to keep an eye out as I climbed a particularly high dune. Thankfully, at the top, the couple gave me a thumbs up and I could glimpse the gorgeous golden retriever with them, so I hiked on. Throughout the trail, I noticed snowshoers and skiers packed the heavier traveled areas long before I arrived, which made it easier to hike. I also stuck to my normal approach to loops: do the hardest half first. I dressed the same as the day before, wanting to make sure I was prepared for any weather, and was quite warm through the day. Then, I headed back to my hotel mid-day with a stop at Lake Michigan on the way out of the park.

Lake Michigan

Coming into (or out of) Ludington State Park you drive along Lake Michigan for several miles through the dunes. Clearly this is a popular space to stop and get pictures, especially in the winter, so I joined the masses. Actually, I FaceTimed my mom at one point to show her the mass of frozen water and the wave activity and then assured her I’d get as good of pictures of the phenomenon as I could. But, trust me, there’s no truly capturing this sight.

Lighthouse Trail

My final day took me back one more time to Ludington State Park before I made the trip back home to return to the everyday. Calls for a beach hike seemed unlikely due to the state of the lake at this time of year, so I was sure to have a backup plan. I determined an access road should be adequate for the trip back and that it should help cut any wind I come across from the lake. 50 Hikes in Michigan states the only time you can see the road is when you cross it, so that should indicate protection from the winds. In reality, the Lighthouse Trail is actually a combination of the Logging Trail and Lighthouse Trail, which includes open dunes.

With the detour down the access road, I logged 4.7 miles instead of the proposed 4.3 of the day. (Note: The AllTrails map starts across the river, while the 50 Hikes in Michigan map starts at Pines Campground in Ludington State Park.) I started at the park’s Warming Center, as the campground is closed and only campers can park inside anyway. I remembered to keep reminding myself there is no right or wrong way to cross open dunes. If you make it, you did it right. This also led to silencing the navigation warnings from my maps. I also made sure to take the access road back to be safe from Lake Michigan. The lake can be pretty rough to hike along in warmer weather, but once it starts to freeze it’s just dangerous. When looking at Lake Michigan in the winter, it’s tough to determine where the sand ends and the ice begins, so having an alternative route will just keep you safe.

Once I got those few hours of hiking in, I hit the road back home and was already looking forward to my March trip a few weeks out. I hadn’t hiked in 6 weeks, and I hadn’t really realized how much I had missed it (or how much my body wasn’t ready for 15 miles of hiking).

End of Summer 2015

My final trip of that summer would not be to a Major League Baseball game or stadium, but to South Bend, Indiana where I would be meeting up with my friends from the All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association. They hold an annual reunion (and have since the 1980s) for the players and associate members to gather and catch up. I had first gone in 2013 to their Chicago event, right after I had begun researching women’s baseball, and went again in 2014 to their Albuquerque event. Unfortunately, I have not been able to make it to another reunion since the 2015 one, but I do hope to go again one day. We are losing these wonderful women so quickly and I want to soak in their beautiful energy as much as I can.

This South Bend trip introduced me to a good friend and colleague, Ryan Woodward, who will tell our meet cute as the funny incident that it was. Following my trip to Detroit with my friend Carol, I had borrowed a book on Dachau to read before meeting up with her again in South Bend. I had found her at the hotel we were staying in with many of the other attendees in a conference room meant for us to relax, which is where Ryan had been sitting and taking in the ruckus of his first reunion. I mentioned my appreciation for the book, returned it to Carol, and made a comment about being glad to see her again. And, well, the Holocaust perked his interest and he started up a conversation that would last several hours and create a bond we still share. Horror movies, women’s baseball, and a love for history are some strong indicators of lifelong friendship and this is one of my favorite memories from that week.

The week also led to a minor league game watched from the boxes, a lot of time with some great ballplayers, and some shenanigans with other associate members that I wish I could spend more time with. Then, at the end of our time, I tipped my hat (metaphorically) to my friends and made the long drive back home to celebrate my sister’s birthday. Just a few weeks later, I would start graduate school and begin an entirely new path with a summer of memories that I think back on fondly to this day.

Boston

I would come home from Detroit, rest a few days, and get ready for one of my last trips of the summer. This trip to Boston was supposed to be a “Girls’ Trip” with both my sister and my mother while my little brother was away at Band Camp and they were free, but my sister couldn’t go with us last minute. So, my mother and I took off for Boston for a trip with just us, one of our firsts since I had become an adult.

As to not make this trip all about baseball, because I had never been to Massachusetts and my mom has other interests (though, let’s be honest, a just baseball trip is always valid), we planned to stay in Salem and also check out Gloucester while we were there.

Regardless, our first day called for a trip into Boston, where we would walk almost the entire Freedom Trail and my mother would question her sanity for going to such an historical place with someone like me. I didn’t take a guided tour, but I know my mom felt like I was leading one with some of the commentary I made.

Once we completed that portion of the day, we headed toward Fenway Park via the Cheers Bar (and detoured by a fire in the underground) for what is still the worst game of baseball I have ever witnessed. Mom and I still laugh when the anniversary of this game comes up because her Facebook reminds her that she made an attempt to “live tweet” the game to her Facebook. Still, we got to see Big Papi hit a homerun in his last season and sat right next to the Big Green Monster.

Our next day saw us to Gloucester for mom’s request of the trip: whale watching. Though, don’t be deterred, I made her do so much more than that. We checked out a local castle and I climbed up to the Massachusetts Bay Colony plaque before our sea adventure. We did see plenty of whales though, even if I am not a fan of the water. And, we ended our day with mom’s only other request of the trip: fresh lobster. Let’s be honest, we had lobster for lunch that day too.

Our last day in the area was all Salem though. Another day of history, though some mom could get much more behind. We took trolly tours, checked out two of the witch museums, and indulged in a maritime museum that featured pirates. We had a Thanksgiving dinner for lunch from a local restaurant and then checked out some cemeteries in the area (a favorite place of mine). Then, as evening dawned, we headed back to Salem proper for a ghost tour. The next morning, we packed up camp and I bid farewell to Major League Baseball for the summer.

Cincinnati and Detroit

Fan Fest

My Cincinnati experience wasn’t one of a game, but it was unforgettable nonetheless. Having attended my favorite baseball game to date at Great American Ballpark the year before, I headed to Cinci to work 2015 Fan Fest for the All-Star Game. I stayed with a friend from college and got some much needed time with her while also getting to enjoy a few days of hard work helping out the All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association with their booth.

I had a lot of fun conversations and even got to meet Tony LaRosa, who had been inducted into the Hall of Fame the previous year. While I checked out Fan Fest in my later days, most of my time was spent working and trying to wrap my head around actually being at this event.

Detroit

Then, I headed to Michigan for the first time in my life. Again, I stayed with a friend and we enjoyed some time in the Royal Oak area before our trip to Comerica. We checked out the Detroit Zoo, she showed me around the city, and she even let me do some research with her personal collection of women’s baseball documents.

The game we went to were the best seats I had all summer, because she holds season tickets, and I remember that the night was a “cowboy” night with the Tigers, but the game itself wasn’t too memorable. I remember my return to Comerica, the summer I moved up there, she took me to a Blue Jays game which I appreciated much more. I actually like the feel of Comerica, for it being a modern park, and have been several times in the years I’ve lived in the area.

Carol getting a hit during the vintage game I watched.

Before returning home, I caught a couple of games of vintage women’s baseball, which was a cool experience. My friend played for a local team and she invited me to check it out before I left town.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland

Following a refuel at home, I would continue on to spend my next trip with family again. I would head to Wheeling, West Virginia, where my sister was living at the time, to take in a few games with her and her boyfriend.

We would go on two day trips, one up to Pittsburgh to see PNC for the umpteenth time, and one over to Cleveland to watch my sister’s boyfriend’s team. While my sister isn’t a huge sports fan, she has always stayed in enough of the know to understand what is going on in her loved one’s sports worlds, so I always appreciate some time to do these types of things with her. Though, she’ll be the first to tell you that what the two of us really need is just more time to watch figure skating together, a sport we know very similar amounts of information about, regardless of how terrible we both are on ice skates.

I don’t remember much from either of these trips other than a lot of laughter and some much needed time with my sister. There was a festival going on in Pittsburgh the day we went up, so I remember wandering around PNC before the game, but many of my experiences with the Pirates run together, as it was the closest team to us growing up.

The Cleveland game was a bit different, especially since her boyfriend was an Indians fan. (I’m guessing he probably still roots for the Guardians, but they haven’t been together in some time.) He was capable of telling us some things about the stadium and I remember they played the Houston Astros, who would become my sister’s team in later years. I also always look on to the pictures we have of my sister and I on that trip in fondness. Now, if only the games themselves had been memorable.

Up North in the U.S.

Following our time in Chicago, we finished our trip by heading up north the Minneapolis and then making our way back home to West Virginia from there. With this, we experienced our first Blue Jays game of the season (my favorite team) and some of the worst days of our trips. I did learn that planning to camp, even at the end of May, up north always comes with the price of potential freezing.

Minnesota Twins

We arrived in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in time to set up camp and plan our route for our first full day in the area, which would take us to the Mall of America for some exploration. We were quite disappointed in the visual representation of the downfall of malls once there, but we did enjoy ourselves with the rollercoasters, Lego store, Peeps store, and Ross’s first experience with Bubba Gump’s!

The next day we made no plans other than the 7pm ballgame, so we took our time making it into town. Unfortunately, our plan to just mosey around town until game time was literally rained on. While we still took in the sights, being sure to walk out to the U.S. Bank Stadium construction (home of the Minnesota Vikings) and catching some time with the Mississippi River, we actually did some bar hopping and ran into other baseball fans.

Minneapolis and my best friend would introduce me to poutine, which we would eat even more of in Canada a few weeks later, and I would grow to have an affinity for. We headed to the ballpark around the times gate opened and were reminded of the reason we often don’t take in sporting events together: we were greeted by a rain delay. My best friend and I are notorious for bad luck at sporting events, to the point that we actively did not attend the best season of college football our university’s team had seen in decades so that they could possibly pull of a perfect season (They would lose in their final game 66-67 in double overtime, but it was a wild season!)

The game did eventually get underway, though. And, while we froze on the top row of the ballpark, where the rain and wind constantly hit us. We got to watch 5 innings of baseball where the Blue Jays won and the game got called as a full game. On our train ride back to camp, we met some lovely, fellow Blue Jays fans and had some great conversations about how a person from West Virginia even becomes a Toronto Blue Jays fan.

Milwaukee Brewers

We experienced yet another cold day in Milwaukee as we went to catch the Brewers at Miller Park, but were thankful for an enclosed stadium. After several successful entrances to other ballparks, I did finally end up having my pepper spray confiscated here. (I took up carrying pepper spray that summer instead of my usual pocket knife to make access to games easier, but ventilation systems in enclosed stadiums have different rules.)

The Brewers game was, to this day, the weirdest game I’ve ever been to, only because it was the longest game I’ve ever attended. Ross discovered, and was quite put out, that concessions close during the ninth inning even if it is obvious the game will go into extra innings. We both discovered that the Milwaukee Brewers have a tendency to go for long games, as they were a part of the longest MLB game played in modern ball, with 25 innings being played over 2 days in 1984. In fact, the 1984 game actually ended in a tie after all that work.

We would only make it to 19 innings and it would be won by a walkoff by the Brewers, but, by that point, we just wanted the game to actually be the longest recorded, or to just end already. We had no horse in the race, as the Brewers were playing the Diamondbacks, and our travels were starting to catch up with us. To satisfy his hunger, we ended up eating at a restaurant in the stadium instead of finding somewhere else, and got to watch the ground crews in maintenance mode while we ate. We, sadly, ended that day sleeping in my car, because it got too cold to stay in my tent.

Cincinnati Reds

Originally, I had thought that I went to Great American Ballpark in 2015, but I was mistaken. I did try to get shots of it as we drove through the area on my way back home, but they didn’t turn out. I would return to CIncinnati for the All-Star game that year, but I would only be working at FanFest, as I can’t afford tickets like those.

Still, one of my favorite baseball games took place at Great American. It was 2014 and it was the first time I had seen the Blue Jays play in-person since the first time I saw them in Toronto in 2006. After the second inning, I was a bit down, as the Blue Jays were losing 9-0 to the home team. But, I got to see an amazing thing that reminds me why the Blue Jays should never be counted out. The Jays tied the game in the top of the ninth and took it to the tenth, where they were capable of pulling out a win 14-9. It still, to this day, brought me one of my favorite ballpark pictures and baseball game memories.