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Summer can mean only one thing: baseball. Here we celebrate and document our 2008 pilgrimage.
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| Hello, Faithful Readers! |
posted by Kristina @ 6:22 PM   |
| Sunday, May 25, 2008 |
 Yes, we're back. It's the Shalar and Kristina Show. It's Baseball Trip '08. How about a little Q&A to get us warmed up?
Q. Your trip hasn't started yet. Why are you blogging now?
A. We anticipate high reader demand for updates in our planning and our travels. While the trip is still a few weeks away, a lot of the fun will take shape in these crucial pre-voyage days, and as long as the spirit moves us to post our reflections on these matters, you'll get to observe it all nearly firsthand.
Q. What's the deal with the blog title?
A. Those who paid attention to our trip last year know that we called that one The Nor'easter, in honor of our travels up the East Coast in the Northeast U.S. Keeping with the weather theme this year, we're calling this trip (and this blog) The Lake Effect. Although there are a few diversions from the theme, most of our destinations involve a lake connection: Toronto, Detroit and Chicago are all cities on the Great Lakes. Minneapolis is a city in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Pittsburgh and St. Louis are ... well, OK, no huge lake connection there, but both have awesome river ties.
Q. How's the planning going as of this writing?
A. Ug. We have cities identified and one night booked in a hotel. We have tickets for one of the games. There's a whole lot to do, including securing discount cards from my hook-up who works for a decent chain of budget inns. Then there's booking all those nights, and getting tickets for all those games, and making sure we'll have time to see all the people who will expect us to see them while we're in their vicinity.
 Q. Are you crazy? Planning a driving trip when gas prices are at $4 a gallon and rising?
A. Yes. Sort of. But this is less crazy than the initial plan: California, where gas costs more and both of us would have to fly and rent a car. This way Shalar flies to Maryland and we drive Kristina's trusty Honda Civic hybrid, which averaged 47 mpg during a Spring Training road trip to Florida in March. (I believe we can do better.) This was our mode of transportation last year, too, and last year, you may recall, Kristina did every inch of the driving because Shalar is a total dork who doesn't know how to drive a manual transmission. This year Kristina insists that Shalar will learn. Kristina insisted that before the start of the trip last year, too.
Q. Who ya rootin' for?
A. Some games we'll care about, some games we won't. If forced to pick sides, here's who we'll be cheering for: Nats in Pittsburgh, Cubs in Toronto, Nats in Minneapolis and Kansas City in St. Louis. I don't think either of us cares too much about the Detroit and White Sox games except that if one is inclined to actually believe KC has a shot at a division title this year, one would root for Los Angeles in Detroit and Colorado at ChiSox.
Q. Do you really think KC has a shot at winning the AL Central title?
A. No.
Q. So why root for them? I thought you were Nats and Cubs fans?
A. We do primarily support the Nats (Kristina's pick) and the Cubs (Shalar's pick), but Kristina has a longstanding affinity for the Royals because she was impressed, as a child, that there was a team that had her initials on their hats. Also, blue was her favorite color. And it's OK, really, to have a favorite NL team and a favorite AL team, and to both hope and fear that they end up in the World Series together. (Chances are Kristina will not see a KC-Nats match-up in the Series anytime soon.) Shalar has a favorite AL team too: The Yankees. This is not because of the initials on their caps. This has something to do with their behinds, I think, and other objectifying characteristics.
Q. What about the White Sox @ Cubs game?
A. Chances are good we won't end up making it to that game, unless someone wants to give us a cool grand or two so we can buy tickets to that super sold-out and overhyped match. It's on the list because when plans were made, it seemed like a slightly realistic goal, and I'm too lazy to take it off the blog header graphic.
Q. Why aren't you going to Milwaukee, since you'll be so close? Or Kansas City, since you claim to be such a huge Royals fan?
A. We went to Miller Park in Milwaukee last year on our Chick Trip (that's an entirely different blog altogether) ... and, well, snore. And we are going to a Royals game this year on our Chick Trip, mid-July. And geez, we can't be everywhere at once. Lay off.
Q. What's the deal with the photos?
A. The top photo is us at Fenway last year, by far the best stop on the tour. Below is a bit of flavor for you, also from last year: Derek Jeter batting for the Yankees, emphasizing the reason Shalar is so fond of his team.
Q. Aren't you going on a little too much here? Do you think anyone will read this much blathering about a trip that hasn't even started yet?
A. OK, OK, hint taken. More soon. Stay tuned. |
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| 4 Comments: |
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Ok, how many Big Beers did it take to write the prologue? Very witty. OBTW, they're mid-scale hotels, thank you! How many do you think you're going to need?
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When is the St.L leg of the trip? let me know, i'll see if I can drive over and join you there. -karen
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How many games will you not make it to on this trip? Over/Under = 1.
How many total innings of all games will you not be in the ballparks? Over/Under = 17 (1 full game + 8 innings from the other 5 (or some other combination)).
Bet it will be fun no matter how much you miss, and that's the purpose anyway, isn't it?
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Deb and I would be interested in joining you at a Chicago Cubs game assuming we can find temporary placement for the wee ones and gas prices aren't $5/gallon.
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Ok, how many Big Beers did it take to write the prologue? Very witty. OBTW, they're mid-scale hotels, thank you! How many do you think you're going to need?