Saturday, September 13, 2008

Day 35: Coors Field, Denver; September 12




One thing you never want to hear while at the airport is your name being announced over the loudspeakers. "Tim Smith, please report to Gate 36. We are closing the doors in one minute." I race the final stretch- having spent WAY too much time enjoying my morning burrito at the airport restaurant- to just make my gate. My new bag is WAY too big for carry on, but I carry it on anyway. This is NOT a good way to start off what will be a week straight of one way flights. I have 22 stadiums in the bag and 8 more to go with 10 days left in the trip. I barely make the flight which arrives in Denver at 10:00 a.m. I am greeted by a torrential downpour. I quickly think and realize that Coors Field does NOT have a dome. I am leaving first thing tomorrow so there is no room for a make-up game this weekend. I ponder the possibilities and all answers point to 'not happening'. I also start wondering about my trip to Toronto next week. My passport is expired and my mom says my birth certificate is good enough to cross the border. What if she's wrong? Things are starting to fall apart right before my eyes. I take the bus into the city and spend the day getting some work done at a Starbucks. My friend, Dan (who got tickets and parking from work!), picks me up about 5:00 and we head to the Breckenridge Brewery by the stadium for dinner. It is very cold out and I am dressed in a t-shirt. Packing did not go well last night. I buy a sweatshirt from the lovely Jennifer at the brewery and then Dan and I meet my friend Doug at the game. The three of us came to a Rockies game with John (blog entry one) 12 years ago, so this should be a fun reunion. We grab our seats in the 5th row (nice work, Dan!) behind third base and spend most of the time talking about college hijinks. I force Doug to sample the Rocky Mountain Oysters - a Coors Field specialty consisting of bull testicles fried golden brown and mixed with french fries. Doug is not happy but I join him as we savor the taste that is like chewy steak. Other highlights include cheering for former Yankee third base coach and current Dodger third base coach Larry Bowa, having a very beautiful photographer take the picture of the three of us above (please e-mail me!), dipping the oysters in marinara sauce, not having to do much driving today, drinking a couple of taLL Coors, and getting to sleep in an amazing bed. NYC here I come!

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