Baseball Roadtrip - Day 5

So Day 5 began with a trip to the Phoenix airport. As we waited for our plane, the person I was traveling with began complaining about how much she wanted to go home and how tired she was and how she thought part 2 of the trip was a bad idea. We got on the plane, I fell asleep immediately and apparently my companion started getting real anxious to the point of almost being sick. Luckily she fell asleep and when she woke up, we were about an hour from landing and she had a change of heart about the trip, she was excited again.

When we landed in Chicago we got a text from Mike saying he had just landed. As we walked to his gate, we passed a restaurant and it smelled like old cheese. Cindy said, "Mike must be here because I can smell his feet."

So we got Mike and headed to the Trains. After a 30 minute ride we were in downtown Chicago at one of the nicest hotels we have ever stayed in, The Marriot on The Magnificent Mile. We pretty much dropped our bags off and headed back to the trains to go to Wrigleyville.

We got to the game early, Cindy & I bought Cubs shirts to wear at the game, Michael opted to not purchase anything Cubs related since they were playing the Braves.

As the gates opened we went in and found our seats. It was so awesome to see the field and the stadium, basically empty. After a few minutes we went down to get some food. I grabbed a beer and we were walking around looking at the different food options. As I walked behind home plate, a guy approached me and said, "Hey do you want to be the Old Style beer drinker of the game." I asked what I had to do, he said just meet me at Aisle 16 at 6pm. So as we waited until 6pm, Michael inhaled his first Chicago dog.

At 6pm I was seated down near the field and given an Old Style Beer batting practice jersey with the Cubs logo...the problem is that it was a large, which is a size I havent seen since the Cubs last won a World Series. So I called Cindy and told her and Michael, I was going to be going on the field to have my picture taken (with my name on the centerfield scoreboard); I also told her Michael lucked out because I had a shirt for him.

After I had my picture taken I returned to our seats and the game began. The atmosphere was the best of any game I have ever been to (except Game 1 of the '06 World Series.) Every fan was into the game, there is no videoboard to distract you from the game, no cheerleaders shooting shirts into the stands, everyone waits until between innings to go get food or use the bathroom. And there is no better moment than the 7th inning stretch when everyone stands and sways back and forth singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The game itself also did not disappoint. It was a 2-1 Braves win, but in the bottom of the ninth the Cubs had 2 outs a runner on 1st and the winning run at bat.

Other random info:

-I offered Mike all the Coors Light he can drink tonight at MILLER Park if he runs full speed into the window in our hotel room on the 36th floor. We were debating whether it was double-paned or not. (and for those of you that are slow this morning, Miller Park only sells Miller Lite and MGD)

-The Mexecutioners have somehow acquired Matt Garza for the small price of Chone Figgins.

-Michael ate 2 Chicago dogs, I had one (mine was with everything on it)

-Cindy forgot to bring her camera to the game, the one time I am on Wrigley Field. (Lucky for her the Cubs are mailing me a picture they took of me in about 2 weeks.)

-Before the game we all entered a bean bag toss for a chance to win a HP printer and enter a drawing to throw out the first pitch at a future Cubs game. Mike made one bean bag, Cindy made 0 (although she almost hit a kid), and I made 2. So no printers were won, but Mike and I are in the drawing for the First Pitch and Cindy got a lollypop.

-So we needed internet for Mike to do his work at the hotel. Cindy was given a coupon at check-in for either a day of free internet or a drink at Starbucks. Keep in mind internet is $15/day, coffee is $5 and Cindy is pregnant and not drinking any caffeine. It still took me 15 minutes to convince Cindy to use the coupon on the internet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So today we are going to shop in Chicago and then head to Milwaukee...