A Roadtrip, By the Numbers

I just got back from a road trip with my little boy.  I took only him and we did mostly baseball because during the year it seems I am mostly with his sister doing mostly dance.  I wanted to have some boy time. So here is a breakdown of our trip in numbers and pictures.

1,234-- miles.  I did not make this number up. I consulted Google maps when it was all said and done and this is the number of highway driving miles he and I chalked up in 5 states.  My right foot is tired.

34.9-- top average gas mileage as calculated by my car.
64-- average speed.  Cheers to the interstate highway system!

480,234-- this is the number of calories we consumed.  OK fine, I made this up.  But the point is we did not follow any eating healthy guidelines.  We wadded up my BS in Human Nutrition and chucked it out the window.  We ate ballpark food and barbecue. Snowcones, pretzels, corn dogs, burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, draft beer, Dr. Pepper, lemonade, and a Krispy Kreme donut. or 2.  Needless to say, today, I feel sluggish (nearly dead) and if I don't eat some vegetables stat, I am going to code.

5- Our 5th ballpark on our MLB park tour was Kauffman Staduim, Home of the Kansas City Royals.  We really liked this place.  Nice park, nice weather, nice people.  G played catch with some boys outside the stadium while we waited to go in.  G actually got cold which meant I was comfortable and very happy!  George read about George Brett in the KC Hall of Fame.  We sat under the fountains in hopes of hauling in a homer during BP.  The Royals beat the Giants, there were fireworks, and we gave that park a thumbs up!

+10- Bonus Points for Kauffman.  Shandy in a can-dy! Went down nicely after 503 miles.

42- Instead of going to Memphis to eat some of the world's best BBQ, we went to President Clinton's Library in Little Rock.  I couldn't help but think, "Wow.  That thing looks like a trailer!"  Apparently I am not the only one, as a friend from Arkansas called it the "Presidential Mobile Home in the Sky."   But in all fairness, it was nice.  We both enjoyed the Chihuly Glass on display in the galleries and around the museum and the train turned pedestrian bridge across the Arkansas river.

92- degrees and 4,000% humidity as we sat on the sidewalk outside the ballpark to watch BP and warm-ups.  

2 - The number of times we got to see Alex play this weekend.  We know him from our town and he is playing AA ball in Arkansas.  George thinks he hung the moon!  He is a great kid, umm, guy, worthy of George's admiration.  He fielded more questions than balls while we were there - with a smile upon his face. 

33.5- Inches.  Alex brought George a broken bat as a souvenir.  A Maple Old Hickory still sticky with pine tar, dusted in baseball dirt and splintered just above the top of the handle.  33.5 inches of hopes, dreams, blood, sweat, and tears.  Happy to be broken because it went down in the line of duty - putting a smack on that little leather ball.  It is a gift I will never be able to top. Ever.  Proving once again the old adage, "One man's trash is another man's treasure".   It is a treasure.  In the event that you are reading this, THANK YOU ALEX!  

 2- The Travelers have 2 mascots, Ace and Odie.  Odie is the opossum being downgraded to sidekick status as the newer, tougher, more serious mascot Ace the horse comes on the scene.  I found this a bit disappointing.  I mean, some of the greatest mascots are scattered across the country in our Minor League ball parks.  Rubber Ducks, Chihuahuas, Iron Pigs,  Flying Squirrels are just a few.

12 - The number of inches a Batter Up Corn Dog is at Dickey Stephens park.  This guy ate 'em all.  He is growing because there wasn't much he didn't eat this weekend! 

3- Hours. The length of the nap this guy took in the car on the way home.  

All of these numbers add up to a great time.  I loved getting to be with just G.  No looming tasks, no practices, no chores- just fun on the agenda.  I hope to make this a tradition and go even longer if his sister goes away in the summertime to camp or dance.