Saturday marked the end of my seven game, seven stadium, and ten team baseball trip. I was in Cleveland, Ohio for a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians.
This morning, I will pack up and head home. It has been a fun time. I will glad to be home, even for one night before I drive to our lake house to spend week and the fourth of July with my family.
I have enjoyed the trip and I’ve loved being in the six cities I had never watched baseball in before. This trip increased the number of my baseball cities to 18. There are twelve cities I have not seen a major league baseball game played and I hope to make it to 30 before, well you know.
Along the way I ran into people who were doing the same thing as me – trying to get to all 30 major league baseball stadiums in their lifetimes. It was fun listening to their stories and telling mine.
I believe we all want to tell a story with our lives, with our passions, and with how we spend our time.
As I traveled from city to city, I chronicled my journey on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you followed my journey, thank you.
I learned a lot about myself, and I had time to think along the way. There are only so many playlists, podcasts, or phone calls that you can make along the way. I have logged close to 27 hours driving from one city to the next. Today, I’ll drive home. According to my phone’s Maps app, it is 371 miles, and it should take 5 hours and 22 minutes. It will be the longest drive of the drive of the trip. By the time I am done I will have driven over 2000 miles.
Throughout the entire trip, I had been telling people I met that the trip was seven stadiums, seven cities and it is not, or it wasn’t. It was six cities: New York City, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. I was New York City twice! New Yorkers would argue that I did visit seven cities – but Queens and the Bronx are New York City.
I gained a couple of new teams to pull for – the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians. And of course, I am still a Houston Astros fan and
It was a beautiful day for baseball. Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio is less than a mile from Lake Erie and it was pleasant the entire game. It was an easy walk to and from my hotel and great to move. This morning my watch congratulated me on 7 days of exercise. Every day, I have walked several miles purposefully and it’s felt good.
Last night’s game was fun to watch and better than the 6-1 final score might suggest. The game was close until the seventh inning when the Yankees scored four runs.
Cleveland was a great way to finish the trip. Fans were fun, welcoming, and really into the game. There were a lot of new York Yankee fans who traveled to see the game and I wonder if the ballpark vibe might be different if they were playing division rivals like the Chicago White Sox or the Minnesota Twins. I’ll have to come back and find out.
It has been a great trip, but I miss my daily routine of waking, drinking coffee, and reflecting and planning the day ahead. I have had my coffee and now it’s time to move. I have a long drive ahead of me. Today is going to be a great day, even a day without going to a baseball game. So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, going home.
What is it about home that you look forward to when you return?
I LOVED your 7 day trip, so fun to follow along, even though baseball isn’t my thing exactly. Watching the people at games is what I enjoy the most. Glad you had as much fun as we all did! Enjoy your lake house, it sounds wonderful too. What do I like about coming home? That’s tough now. I’m a nomad at heart, and always sorry when a trip is over. Used to be my Katie-girl was what made me happy to come home. Guess I’ll have to figure it out now.
Thank you! It was fun and I had a great time. I missed sitting outside in the morning and the evening and listening to the sounds of the yard and watching the birds at the feeders. I refilled them yesterday afternoon and birds were back soon. I am going to be looking up this evening!
I love my home, but I never want holidays to finish! I haven’t followed you on Social Media, because … I don’t do Social Media. But I bet lots of people did!
Saturday night, I was looking at the schedule and wondering could I do an 8th? I decided to drive home instead. I agree, social media is not for everyone. For a while the rancor was so loud and noisy that I took a break. When I post it is intended to be thoughtful and uplifting. This morning, I realized that I missed my coffee machine, it makes a perfect cup on demand.
I’ll be right round!