Sure, it was only ten outs worth of baseball that I actually watched, but it still counts! I was there for a little while well before the first pitch, so as far as I’m concerned, with a small minor league park like Hickory’s L.P. Frans Stadium, it was more than enough time to get to look around and see all of the place.
Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I went an entire seven-day stretch where I didn’t at least post even the fluffiest of fluff on my brog. It had to have been somewhere back in that one month in that one year where I only made eight posts in total. But it’s not like it’s because I’ve hit writer’s block, or had nothing to talk about, or that the City of Atlanta hasn’t given me something to write about. It’s hard to really say if I’ve even really been busy over the last week or so; now I don’t really want to write something for the sake of writing something, but the truth is, I stop and think about the last week or so, and I can’t really say that anything has really happened for me.
One of my cousins got married over the weekend, which was pretty much the brunt of the last few days, since I spent some time buying myself a nice new suit, and then there was the wedding affair itself, which was pretty much everything I thought it was going to be. The ceremony was pleasant, and I’m legitimately happy for my cousin, but it was still kind of a bittersweet affair to me, because of some of the turmoil surrounding my immediate family, and what could possibly going on through my mom’s head throughout the whole time.
I made a spontaneous trip down to Tampa, Florida, because my boy James said he was going to make the trip up to Clearwater to visit the Hulk Hogan Beach Store. Frankly, I couldn’t see myself visiting on my own and I’m not sure to who I would be able to force come along, so this was an opportunity that I was not willing to pass up.
As for the store itself, it was pretty much the Hulk Hogan Nostalgia Center located on the Beach for all intents and purposes, filled to the brim with Hogan-related memorabilia, souvenirs, crap on the wall, as well as a huge variety of t-shirts and other chintzy things that all have Hogan’s likeness all over it. And tons of yellow, it was like Asian camouflage in there.
Continue reading “Photos: Clearwater, Hogan Beach and baseball”
One of the best things about my baseball travels is that it gives me a legitimate excuse to visit places that I never really thought I’d ever visit. I mean seriously, I don’t know anyone in Detroit, there’s not really any particular motivation for me to go to Detroit, but because there’s a Major League Baseball park in Detroit, it gives me a reason. And that’s really all the little push I need, because sure I’m going to go see the ballpark, but obviously, I’m going to take in as much as I can otherwise, while I’m there.
As far as day trips go, this was the smoothest one I’ve had in ages, possibly ever, as I’ve already mentioned previously. Detroit itself is indeed the gritty, blue-collar, kind of rough-around-the-edges kind of city that people often use to describe it, usually in exaggerated jest though. It helped that it was a picture perfect day when I went, because seriously, I’d have second thoughts about wandering around the place at night. But for what it was worth, I had an enjoyable time wandering around the urban sprawl that was Detroit’s general Downtown and eventual Greektown areas. There really is that gritty blue-collar feel about the city, but as cliched as it sounds, in spite of how run down certain blocks looked, it legitimately feels like there’s still some fight left in the place.
My latest baseball journeys took me to Detroit, Michigan, where I was able to get in a game at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, and officially ballpark #23 out of the 30 Major League Baseball cities. Despite the fact that the Atlanta Braves are winless every time I go to see them play for the first time in other cities, the rareness of the Braves playing in Detroit compelled me to make the trip regardless, and if there’s one thing about baseball, it’s that salvation is always potentially the next game.
The following camera dump is the remainder of the photographs I took whilst out in Colorado. The second day of my trip, I ventured out to Colorado Springs with the main objective being the minor league park located there. But at the same time, it was a good excuse to see the world a little bit, and I wandered about Colorado Springs to see what this city had to offer.
Beautiful nature, that was for sure; I found a place called “The Garden of Gods,” and there was no way I couldn’t check it out. Although I probably only saw about a thirtieth of the place, I still spent some time walking and hiking some of their trails, and took in some of the mountainous sights. And before I headed back into suburbia to see the ballpark, I passed through Old Colorado City, an old town that I honestly do not know the historical significance of.
Yeah, I know, gushing about how awesome a day was, is so 2001 brogging. But it occurs to me just how rare it is that I find myself having what seems to be a genuinely good day; not to sound overly pessimistic, it just really does feel that way to me.
Anyway, I made a day trip up to Detroit, to catch a baseball game. And anyone who’s paying attention should know by now that “going to go see a baseball game” usually entails going to see the city. That being said, I had never been to Detroit, let alone Michigan in my entire life, and a baseball game was as good as excuse as any to tackle two goals at the same time.
Eventually, I’ll update my baseball parks page with the ballpark I went to watch the Braves lose in this time, but I just can’t really get over how smooth of a day everything went for me. I ain’t even mad that the Braves lost. I ain’t even mad that I had to wake up at 5:30 a.m. in order to make this day even happen. Everything else just went so well, that it’s put me in a fantastic mood.
