Schedule day is always a big one for the Ultimate Sports Road Trip.

By now we know the routine… the NFL releases their schedule in mid April with big fanfare; ditto for the NHL, which usually is released right around the baseball All Star Break. The NBA comes out with theirs two weeks later, and then the AHL piggybacks on them. As for MLB, the teams each release their respective schedules in dribs and drabs… some teams announce the following year as soon as the regular season is over, while others (i.e. Mets, Yankees, Braves and Red Sox) are exasperatingly late in announcing.

As for NCAA college football… the big aggravation there is that many teams don’t release start times until 12 days before the games are played, and that makes it tough to plan, say, a Saturday college doubleheader, or calculating driving times.

Even now, we’re going to be in Bloomington. Indiana on Saturday, October 11 for the Indiana/Iowa football game, as a prelude to our visit at Lucas Oil Field the following day. What time is that game? Who knows! Why does it matter? Well, the Sabres season opener is Friday night October 10. If the kickoff in Bloomington is 12 noon, we have to hit the road Friday and will miss the hockey game. If it’s a night game, we can depart after the Sabres, catch some zzzz’s in Cleveland, and continue on Saturday.

Anyways, we got very little help in terms of “alignment of the planets” from the NHL schedule gods (a Sabres at Leafs game 12/6 in Toronto the night before the Bills/Dolphins game would have been awesome, for example).

These past few days, we sliced and diced the schedule, and since Artvoice gives us a small travel budget for us to cover road games, that certainly helps out, so we decided on these hockey games:

Thur 1/1 Buffalo at Toronto

Mon 1/19 Buffalo at Florida

Wed1/21 Buffalo at Tampa

Sat 2/28 Buffalo at New York Islanders

We’ve added a couple more OHL games (including the soon to be shuttered Windsor Arena, home of the Spitfires and former venue for the NHL Detroit Red Wings, we’re stopping there on Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving as we make our way back from Indy). We also are filling out a roadie the second weekend of September, which may yet change depending on college football start times.

We’ve got the last weekend in October open as well, and right now we’re thinking AHL venues in the midwest which remain on our “to do” list. Or we might just stay home.

Here is the USRT schedule. Lotsa cool adventures await!

(By the way, we’ve also updated the roster of “new venues” on our web site. Construction is currently underway on seven new venues in the four major sports. Here is the lineup.)

We’ve reported in this space in the past about the impending move of the International League Richmond Braves to suburban Atlanta, Georgia for the 2009 season. There they will be known as the Gwinnett Braves and will play in a new ballpark which is hastily being built along I-85, in order to be ready in time for April 2009.

Yet back in Richmond, the R-Braves aren’t ready to call it quits just yet. Despite pressure from civic officials in Richmond, the Braves have yet to opt out of their lease at The Diamond, which runs through 2009.

Why the hurry? Richmond is trying to plan their baseball future in a post Braves world, and one idea has the AA Eastern League Erie Seawolves relocating to Richmond. There are also RFP’s due for ballpark redevelopment proposals, none of which can move forward until the R-Braves’ departure is a totally done deal.

Meanwhile back here in USRT country, we have penciled in a planned trip to Gwinnett County for 2009, and that has us saying “&$%^@*)!!!” rather than jumping for joy. Why, you wonder? The distance will involve a flight rather than drive, plus we just did a return visit to Atlanta’s Turner Field a couple years ago so no pressing reason to see that venue again when there are several other MLB yards overdue for another looksie. So that means lots of expense just to visit a AAA ballpark, and maybe tie in some A-ball teams like the Rome Braves or the Greenville Drive.

*Sigh*, but that is what we do… we are the Ultimate Sports Road Trip after all.

A great email came in the other day from William Yurasko, a DC guy who blogs about his beloved Washington Nationals, and who we met back at RFK Stadium in 2005.

William read up on our postings and venue profiles, and fills in a lot of holes with some really good stuff about the Nats’ ballpark experience. Rather than cherry picking, here is his correspondence:

-Half-smokes, determined by Post columnist Marc Fisher to be D.C.’s official food, come from Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben’s is a venerable institution on U Street NW (once known as “Black Broadway”) that survived not only the ‘68 riots, but the Green Line construction. Bill Cosby is a noted fan of Ben’s and always eats there for free when he is in town. Ben’s in the ballpark was something that had wide public support, so when it was announced with great fanfare when the Nationals brought them on board. I love the chili Half-Smokes, all the way. By the way, you mentioned Good Times Cafe, but is actually called Hard Times Cafe. They are a local/regional sit-down chili parlor franchise.

-The office building that blocks the view of the Capitol dome from many seats was actually, in a cruel irony, developed by the Lerner family, the Nationals owners. The building was approved and under construction before the ballpark location was selected.

-As for the redeveloping neighborhood, there is an excellent site called Near SE Redevelopment and (ballpark specifically) about the changing neighborhood.

-There is also expected to be a water taxi/ferry within the next few years, something I am very excited about happening. I interviewed the webmistress right before the park opened.

-There is actually a 1924 flag flying near the scoreboard, I only noticed it a few days ago myself.

-#10 is not retired for the fans (yet and hopefully never) as Ronnie Belliard, who hit a walk-off homer on Sunday, wears it.

-After Nats home runs (provided they are not the walk-off variety Bustin’ Loose, by the godfather of go-go/D.C. legend Chuck Brown is played. You probably did not hear it played while you were in town

-There are dozens of bike racks on the ballpark site. I biked over there once to get tickets, but have yet to do it for a game. There is a bike valet.

-Here is my review of Nationals Park, using the metrics that ESPN Page 2 used a few years ago.

-My father-in-law is an executive with one of the subcontractors who built Nationals Park. Previously, he was involved with Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, Univ. of Maryland’s Comcast center among other sports venues.

I’m glad you enjoyed the park. In a few years, when the neighborhood is more developed it should be an even better experience.
- William

All good stuff William! I especially like the water taxi/ferry idea… riding the Anacostia River to get to the game. We will let you know when we hit town again!

-Andrew Kulyk

PS - Had to throw in the photo (above) of Buffalo Bisons icon Luke Easter, who is enshrined in the corridors of Nationals Park for his days with the Homestead Grays of the Negro League. It was really awesome stumbling on that exhibit as part of our tour.

Breaking news out of Oneonta as the Oneonta Athletic Corporation, headed by 88 year old Sam Nader and 95 year old Sid Levine, has sold the NY-Penn League Oneonta Tigers to a New York City ownership group which already owns two AA teams.

Nader and Levine are the last two living members of the ten man corporation, who in 1966 each put up $1000 to buy the franchise (cost $7500) and start up capital to run the team. The men agreed that if anyone dropped out, they would sell their share at the original purchase price to the remaining members of the group. To put this financial arrangement in perspective, the O-Tigers were appraised at $1.8-million in 2007, and could fetch an even higher price if the team were to relocate to a bigger market and a better facility.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed, although as part of the agreement the new owners have committed to keep the team in Oneonta through at least the 2010 season.

The USRT made the visited to Damaschke Field back in 2003, and believe us when we tell you that this facility is as simple and old school as it gets. A tumbledown main entrance (pictured above), little more than wooden bleachers and a picket fence with genuine knotholes ringing the outfield. We met Sam Nader on that night, and he invited us to sit with him in his “box”, if you will, and regaled us with baseball stories and his experience as a long time owner of a baseball team. It was a special and magical experience for us.

On that night his son Bill was grilling hot dogs at the one concession stand, and other family members were tending to game night duties around the field, or in the trailer behind the third base grandstand which served as the team office.

One more unique feature about Damaschke Field - it is the only “dry” ballpark in the NAPBL - no beer served.

You can bet that the beer taps will be flowing at Damaschke come 2009.

The third and final day was under picture perfect skies along the banks of the Anacostia River for the finale of the Rangers/Nats series.

Instead of going by train from the hotel, we decided to park the car at RFK and take the bus shuttle to Nationals Park with the thinking that a quick hop on the bus after the game would get us back to the car in decent fashion for the long ride home. Oops,(if you’ve read post below).

But the highlight of Sunday’s game would be the opportunity to sit with the rich folk in the club seats. Yep, we treated ourselves on this day.

From a viewing perspective, I’m really not very picky about where I sit as I can enjoy the action from anywhere so long as there’s an unobstructed view. The stuff that makes a club seat experience great in my mind is the paraphenalia(baseball related or otherwise) that these sections tend to have that are unique to the club level.

The highlights of the club level at Nationals Park are three pronged from a baseball historian’s standpoint.
1. A pair of murals depicting many of the various baseball cards featuring Washington Senators/Nationals past including some 1974 Topps player cards titled “Washington - National League.” when it appeared that the San Diego Padres were heading to the nation’s capital.

2. Another pair of murals dedicated to the Negro League’s Homestead Grays. While Senators baseball had a history of being completely inept, the Grays had six future Hall of Famers(Cooperstown) and won eight Negro League titles during the 1930’s and 40’s.

3. The hallways were decked out with various photos and other memoribilia depicting the role of patriotism in America’s pastime. One photo that stood out was that of Bret Shephard, a WWII vet who lost his leg in combat and still returned to play a little for the Senators. Coincidentally, Shephard passed away this weekend and the Nats gave a nice video tribute to him during a break in the action.

On to the game. The pregame festivities made note of the late, legendary Post beat writer Shirley Povich as the team named the press box in his honor. Povich’s family was in attendance including son Maury of “The Maury Povich Show”.

I couldn’t help but imagine a scenario in which an official approaches him during the game and says “we’ve just got the paternity tests back Maury, and they reveal that Shirley is…….NOT your father”…followed by hysteria and mayhem and such. Anyhow…..The Nationals would lose again using the same formula, where a strong starting pitching performance would be wrecked by an atrocious bullpen to hand the game and the series to the Washington Senators Texas Rangers by a 5-3 score.

The Nats are just a sad, sad team. A bunch of role players in the starting lineup and a nearly mediocre pitching staff are enough to form the club with the NL’s worst record.

Then again. That’s pretty much what Washington baseball has always been about through the generations, as now they’re “first in war, first in peace and last in the National League“. But with a gem of a ballpark to play in, who’s complaining? Not us as we left the yard knowing that not even the USRT karma could save this team, nor would it help us in making a quick getaway back to Buffalo(see post below).

-Peter Farrell

Every ballpark. Every stadium. Every arena in the four major sports. Damn we’re good!

Once again we are at 122. And every time we get a chance to officially plant the USRT flag at a new destination, there is always a sense of anticipation and giddiness.For us it began as we walked out of the subway station at Navy Yard. We followed the crowd onto Half Street, which is one massive construction zone, as cranes are in the air, holes are in the ground, and this neighborhood is going through an incredible transformation. Straight ahead… there it is!!! The bright and gleaming new stadium, rising amidst the emerging neighborhood.

Nationals Park is the anti-Camden Yards. Not a single red brick anywhere. Not a kelly green seat anywhere. The exterior of the edifice is grey limestone, glass and light colored steel supports. The main entrance here is in left centerfield - that is where the subway traffic channels into the ballpark, and most of the ramps and surface lots are also to the north side of the facility. That makes the other entrances around the building, including the signature home plate entrance, very underused.

Home plate is on the south side, and behind there is the Anacostia River bridge, the last of the cement plants that was once the staple of the neighborhood, and a nicely redeveloped micro park and nature trail along the river which was a seedy mess when we visited back in 2005. What they have done with this district to date is actually very exciting - We’d love to see it all again when it’s done.

We toured the entire ballpark once we entered (we saw Ch 4’s John Murphy brushed by us didn’t have a chance to say hi though), and the first thing we checked out were the concession stands. The good news? The food variety here is absolutely incredible. Maryland crabcakes, hot dogs, brats and sausages of every variety, “Taste of the Major Leagues” stands with food offerings from peer ballparks, yes a chicken wing stand, deli sandwiches. cheese steaks. We could go on and on. The bad news? The prices here are way over the top, clearly the most expensive we have seen anywhere. Want an example? Small draft beer, $7.50, Pulled pork sandwich $10, your basic hot dog $4.50, hot dog with the works $6.75, mixed drink $12. They must really hate the Orioles, as the crabcake sandwich was $14! Sunday we are sitting in the club level, so we may as well apply the lube, bend over and grab our ankles now to save some time.

All the concourses are open to the field and even when walking around the place, you feel that you are a part of the game. Some of the nice viewing areas in the outfield include the Red Porch, a two level restaurant and open bar with great views of the action. It was a popular spot - the place was packed. Other outfield amenities include a Playstation play section, a “Build a Bear” store, the main team merchandise store, a music stage, and other children’s play areas.

The scoreboard and electronics here are also very nice but not over the top. Ribbon boards ring the entire second level, and are matched up with a circular ribbon above the Red Porch, twe LED boards on the outfield walls, and a massive HD scoreboard in right centerfield. Out of town scores are shown on the right LED, and in deference to the one at RFK, an analog clock with the “W” logo is the signature of the main scoreboard.

We have a lot more to show and describe about this fantastic venue, and we will save for the official venue profile, which we will unveil in a few days along with a bunch of thumbnailed photos and, of course, we will “score” the venue and compare it to its peer facilities in MLB.

As for the game, it was an ugly one for the Nats - Texas got a 7 run 7th inning enroute to a 13-3 pasting of the Nationals. Suprisingly, this was not the worst loss this season at home for the Nats - they have been routed at least two other times at home, including an 11-0 loss to the Marlins. Yep, on the field - this team is a disaster, and looking up and down the roster of has beens, castoffs and rejects, it may be a while before things turn around.

After the game, we hopped the train and headed over to Dupont Circle, just to feel the energy and vibrancy of a city that has people, nightlife and an urban pulse. Entertainers were performing in the street, music was thumping out of nightclubs, quaint bistros with outdoor patio seating were packed. Yeah it was all good. But we were beat after a long and exciting day, so we hopped back on the red line and headed back to our hotel.

Day 3 will be a 1:35 matinee at the yard, and we will be in the club seats with the rich folk. We’re doing the “park and ride” thing from the lots at RFK Stadium, and as soon as the game is done we will be pointing the car back to B-lo.

The WNYMedia boys take Washington by storm! (Andrew, Mark and Peter)

Whenever the USRT hits Washington, DC, we always try to check out something new about this amazing city where there is so much to see and experience.

So this afternoon, we took the subway into downtown (really the only way to do it right the trains here are awesome), and connected with Mark Byrnes, who runs one our sister sites at WNYMedia, All Things Buffalo. Mark is pursuing his degree in urban planning at UB, and is home with his family for the summer.

Mark was kind enough to take us on a walking tour of some of DC’s cool spots, and we checked it all out - the museums, the government buildings, Union Station, the cool architecture. It was a kickass time!

Later on we stopped at a little bistro in the train station and ordered up a round of drafts - then bid Mark goodbye as we headed back on the subway and towards the Navy Yard station and Nationals Park for a 7:10 PM first pitch. A brand new USRT frontier awaits!

A really cool and unique feature about the Verizon Center - the main marquee is in English and Chinese

Cool historical buildings blend in with newer office towers and condos

The “Newseum” is an interactive museum dedicated to the newspaper publishing industry. Notice that the building looks like a stack of papers

Union Station here in DC is an incredible building from both inside and outside

One arrives at Ripken Stadium via a dedicated 4 lane roadway right off of I-95 here in Aberdeen. But as you make the sharp turn and ride over the hump in the road leading to the park, it is not the stadium that grabs your eye. It is the hotel.

There, right next to the ballpark and centered in the midst of a complex that has evolved into the “Ripken Baseball Academy”, sits an exact replica of the B&O Warehouse at Camden Yards. One does a double take. And that is only one element of this baseball theme park that houses a NY-Penn League franchise.

Ripken Stadum opened in 2002 to great reviews, when their team shifted here from Utica, New York, and today the Ironbirds continue their amazing popularity in this bedroom community north of Baltimore. Since this stadium opened, the complex has evolved into a hub of youth baseball, hosting a Ripken sponsored world series each year, and playing the games on state of the art fields which architecturally mimic some of baseball’s greatest shrines.

And what about Ripken Stadium? How about an opulent club level with a huge carpeted concourse, dramatic views of the field, nice bar and buffet areas, and a Ripken Museum. Party decks on the left and right field corners. A separate picnic table area behind home plate where servers deliver food from an “all you can eat” menu. A massive play area with video games and play equipment in the left field corner.

Food? The right field crab shack offers crabcake sandwiches, steamed shrimp and steamed crabs. A sausage station near home plate sells huge sausages served up from chafing dishes in many delectable flavors. Funnel cakes, kettle corn, chicken caesar salads are added to the ballpark fare. A huge team store called “The Hangar” sells merchandise.

All this is set up in a stunning architectural “retro” ballpark, with its brick accents, old fashioned signage and marquees, kelly green seats with ample concourse space, nice murals and exhibits on the walls, and All Things Ripken everywhere you look.

The outfield electronics are superb, with a giant videoboard on the right field side, and a companion dot matrix board with a huge LED board on the left field side hugging the outfield wall. Unlike most minor league parks, outfield billboard advertising here is virtually nonexistent.

Being Opening Day, the place was absolutely packed, and Cal Ripken himself was on hand to throw out the first pitch. Brother Bill Ripken, who played for the Buffalo Bisons in the mid 90s, is team president and active in day to day management here.

Ironbirds fans are especially passionate about their team, hanging on the balls and strikes, and cat calling the visiting players and manager. It was not a good night for the home team however; an early 2 run lead would go for naught as the visiting Brooklyn Cyclones got a two run homer in the 7th and the game winner in the 8th to upend the Ironbirds 3-2.

Like Keyspan Park in Brooklyn, we can only shake our heads in utter amazement as to what the NY-Penn League has become, for here in Aberdeen baseball is a million miles away from the metal bleachers of Dwyer Stadium in Batavia or the tumbledown grittiness of Oneonta’s Damaschke Field.

A shout out and thanks to Aberdeen media swami Caleb Pardick for arranging for credentials for us via Sports and Leisure Magazine and for all his assistance.

Saturday we plant the official USRT flag at National Park in The District. We will once again be able to claim our attendance at a home game of each of the 122 teams in the 4 sports in their current venues. The Nationals are playing the Texas Rangers in interleague play, and for historical reference… the Rangers franchise are making their first visit to DC since they departed this city in 1972, as the Washington Senators. An afternoon of sightseeing and postgame partying is also on tap!

The main entrance to the stadium

A “Ripken Museum” display on the club level

The club level concourse

That’s a Marriott hotel behind the stadium, a replica of Baltimore’s B&O Warehouse

A full house on Opening Night

When they got guys in white chefs hats carving the roast turkey and the beef brisket, you know that this is a press meal that is not to be missed! Also on the menu - pulled pork, scalloped potatoes, caesar salad.

This is going to go on our list as one of the best media dinners evah!

At the end of a 375 mile from Buffalo today, we pull into this place, and can only shake our heads in part awe, part amazement and part disgust, as the NY-Penn League again sets a new and higher bar for opulence, amenities and “wow factor” for the fan attending a game at Ripken Stadium, home of the Aberdeen Ironbirds.

Maybe it was the Courtyard by Marriott hotel next door that put all this over the top… it is just beyond the 3rd baseline… it is a stunning replica of Baltimore’s B&O Warehouse, we kid you not!

Opening Night… packed house… where else would one rather be!

One of the cool things about doing what we do is building a network of great friends - people whose passion is traveling to ballparks, arenas and stadia everywhere. One of those guys is Sean MacDonald, who originally hails from Ottawa, Canada, but now works in Tokyo, Japan in the IT field.

We met Sean back in 2001, when he and his friend Aya spent an entire summer traveling the continent to attend baseball games. He and Aya launched their own web site, www.mlbroadtrip.com, which chronicled that initial journey and is still up and running today.

One of our most memorable events spent with Sean and Aya was back on September 18, 2001 when we all attended the first Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre Skydome following the attacks of 9/11. It was a difficult and emotional time for everyone, yet our good friends from Canada showed their solidarity with us Americans, offering a moving pregame tribute.

Since that first trip, Sean has made multiple return visits to the USA and Canada, attending baseball and hockey games, and like us holds bragging rights of having attended a game at all 30 MLB venues (Yes he made the trip to Nationals Park in April). He last visited Dunn Tire Park on a frigid Opening Day in 2003, and tonight made the return visit here to Buffalo, where we got the chance to catch up and share stories of our recent toad trip adventures.

Sean’s take on Buffalo and Dunn Tire Park? “Well it’s a beautiful ballpark. Hopefully I’ll get here someday on a sunny day” said Sean. “Otherwise I really haven’t seen much of Buffalo.” (By the way - we did the pilgrimage to Anchor Bar on Sean’s last vist so check that off!)

-Andrew Kulyk

Whew - back home safe in Buffalo and it’s 12:45 AM!

The final leg of this journey takes us to New Britain Stadium outside of Hartford, home of the AA Rock Cats. After the dreary previous night we had over in Norwich, our expectations were low. But from the minute we pulled in, seeing the long line of cars snaking into the parking lot, we already knew that this was one happy place!

Even though the stadium has been open for just 13 years, it has a real “old school” feel, and we mean that in a good way. The single concourse is festooned with flags and banners, and also colorful concession canopies. Picnic areas areas are located down the baselines, and rooftop patios offer a great place to watch the action as well.

What makes New Britain Stadium a great place to watch a game is the in game entertainment. Costumed mascots troll the stands, the in game host keeps the energy going, music bumps include “Brass Bonanza”, that great anthem of the long departed Hartford Whalers. Team president Bill Dowling is walking through the aisles, greeting fans and shaking hands. These guys get it, when it comes to fan service, entertainment, and providing a satisfying game day baseball experience.

The smells wafting through the concourses are a mix of fried onions and peppers, fresh popcorn, funnel cakes, and even though the concession menu doesn’t stray from the standard ballpark dreck, the food here is good and satisfying. We tried the Italian sausage smothered in peppers and onions, and the Red Osier roast beef sandwich. Here they toast the roll and smother the beef in melted cheese. Back in Buffalo the purists would howl!

One thing that really needs work here is the 7th inning stretch… our fears came true when we saw a long line of white t-shirted kids coming down to the field from the stands. Yep, they sang The Dead Fat Womans Song. Everybody stood. But then? Everybody sat down. They played “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” with little fanfare, and hardly anyone stood and sang. A real disappointment!

The Rock Cats had to overcome a 7-0 deficit from the suspended game the night before. They chipped away, but ended falling short by a 7-3 score. We only stuck around for one inning of the nightcap, and both teams registered base hits in the first inning, so with a 435 mile ride awaiting us, we headed for the door.

We forgot to send out props to Brian Irizarry of the C-Defenders last night, so we’re doing it now. Also thanks to Bob Dowling of the Rock Cats. Both guys gave the USRT and Sports and Leisure Magazine a warm welcome and rolled out the red carpet for our visits to their ballparks. Thanks guys!

Hope our readers and friends enjoyed our stories from the road these past few days. Stay tuned next weekend because we do it again! We start off in Elmira Thursday night, swing over to Cal Ripken’s swank digs in Aberdeen, MD on Friday, the it’s down to the District on Saturday and Sunday for games at the new Nationals Park.

For Day 3 of this Ultimate Sports Road Trip adventure, we headed out to Norwich to visit Dodd Stadium, home of the Norwich Navigators Connecticut Defenders of the AA Eastern League.

If you’re thinking about following the signs off of I-395 into downtown Norwich and stumbling on to the stadium, forget about that idea. Dodd Stadium is tucked in the hills just north of the city, well hidden away.

Gratefully, the trail to the ballpark is well marked, and the first time visitor needs it. Once off the interstate, one has to travel about 3 miles down a winding two lane highway with plenty of twists and jogs, traversing through an endless office park. Then all of a sudden there it is! Sitting in the midst of a forest literally in the middle of nowhere.

The Connecticut Defenders began their AA history back in 1995, when they were called the Norwich Navigators. They rebranded their nickname and established a more regional footprint in 2006 with a name change.

It has not helped at the turnstiles, as the Defenders consistently rank in the lower end of attendance stats in the Eastern League.

We arrived at the ballpark just after the game got underway, and the rain got heavier and more persistent as the evening wore on. But they did get the game in, which was kind of a snoozer, as visiting Altoona got themselves a 4-1 win and the Defenders really never threatened.

The neatest concession item here is the french fries – you can order them with any toppings you want – Cajun, garlic, cheese or chili, at no extra charge. Perhaps the garlic fries are in deference to their parent San Francisco Giants, where that concession item is a staple.

As for the ballpark, the entire second level is private suites, with a spacious pressbox down on the main level. There is a wooden party deck down the left field line, and the video board in right center field is absolutely tiny.

One more twist – tonight was an “Army” night promotion, with the U.S. Army tossing t-shirts, passing out cupcakes on the way in the door, and recruiters set up an information table in the concourse.
Right next to them was another booth from some sort of community social group promoting “diversity” and wearing rainbow colored anti-homophobia t-shirts. So we wonder, did a spirited discussion about the military’s “don’t ask don’t tell” policy take place across the tables? Just sayin’!

Tomorrow we head to New Britain, a suburb of Hartford, for Day 4 of our journey. Their game last night was suspended in the second inning, so they will resume at 1:35PM to complete that game, then they will play a second 7 inning game. Our plan is to stay for game 2 until both no no’s are broken up, then we will point the car for home. Why is that, you wonder? If we actually took off and missed a game 2 no hitter, we would never hear the end of it from the Dunn Tire Park press box posse!

We’ve taken all means of transportation in our travels over the years… car and airplane, or course, subways, monorails, even a Greyhound bus through the back roads of Wisconsin.

But today was a USRT first.The distance from Bay Shore in Suffolk County to Norwich Coonecticut is about 170 miles by car. Cut across Long Island Sound and that trip is cut down to about 90 miles.

So we hopped on a ferry.

We embarked, with our vehicle, at Port Jefferson on the New York side, and enjoyed a pleasant 75 minute ride across the Sound, landing at Bridgeport on the Connecticut side, right next door to their ballpark and arena.

The only annoying part of the ride was Pete’s constant humming of the “Gilligans Island” theme.

-Andrew Kulyk