Tate and Trey's Thoughts About the Trip.

        Hey this is Tate and Cincinnati was awesome we saw the reds play the twins  Brian Dozier hit a homer and the reds won next stop was Detroit. It drizzled a little during the game Detroit they played Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh won we saw  JD Martinez hit a home run..then we went to Toronto to see the blue jays  play the Red Sox the Red Sox hit 2 home runs one was David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez then we went to Cleveland to see the Indians the Indians played the Astros they got beat then we went to see  Pittsburgh play San Diego Pittsburgh won and that's all from me.

       Hey this is Trey this year on our baseball trip we were going to Cincinnati , Detroit , Toronto , Cleveland and Pittsburgh .Our first stop was Cincinnati that night we saw the Cincinnati Reds play the Minnesota Twins . But before the game we went the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and i got a custom bat made .  We saw Brian Dozier the Twins second basemen hit a 3-run home run  . We also got see the hardest throwing pitcher in all of baseball pitch Aroldis Chapman we saw him throw 103 mph Cincinnati won 11/7 . Then we went to Detroit to watch the Detroit Tigers play the Pittsburgh  Pirates and we saw 2 aces square off  Justin Verlander vs. Gerrit Cole we saw J.D Martinez hit a 2-run home run to tie the game witch is why the game ended in 14th inning Pittsburgh ended up winning 5/4 . Then we went to Toronto to watch the Toronto Blu Jays play the Boston Red Sox the Red Sox hit 2 home runs one by David Ortiz and one by Hanley Ramirez . The Blue Jays also hit 2 home runs one by Russel Martin and one by Danny Valencia Boston won 12/6    

Day 9 - Last Stop, The Steel City #11 - Pittsburgh's PNC Park

After nearly taking a full lap around Lake Erie in the last week it was now time for us to head southeast to Pittsburgh and the last stop on this trip.  This is the stadium that I had been looking forward to the most as I had heard many great things about PNC Park.  So on Tuesday morning we left Cleveland and made the 2+ hour drive to the "Steel City".  We arrived at our hotel in the early afternoon.  Unfortunately we did not get a hotel that was within walking distance, but the Holiday Inn Express did have a shuttle service that could get us to a subway station which they call the "T" that would take us to the stadium.  Now I have to give a little credit to the city of Pittsburgh.  They have a toll free zone that is within the downtown district where anyone can ride the subway and not have to pay a toll for any stops within that district which includes about 8 or 10 stops which gets us to the stadium.  So that was nice. I intentionally took one stop before the stop at Allegheny station because I wanted us to experience walking to PNC Park across the famous Roberto Clemente Bridge.

Tate and Trey on the Clemente Bridge walking toward PNC Park.

This was a great time to tell the family about Roberto Clemente.  He is still considered an icon in Pittsburgh and is still hailed as one of the all time greats.  So tragic that his life was cut short.

Roberto Clemente statue right outside the ball park.

We arrive at the ball park early to get ready to see the Pirates host the San Diego Padres.  We walk through Riverfront Way which is a section right along the river where vendors are selling all sorts of food and souvenirs.  This is where Trey gets his last t shirt, a Pirates one with Andrew McCutcheon's name on the back.   Then we head inside to try to get another batting practice ball to add to the collection.  When we get in, the Padres are taking batting practice.  Now, as a Braves fan, it was difficult for me to watch as there were three former Braves on the field (2 of which I wish were still in Atlanta).  And to rub salt into the wound, Justin Upton, one of the players I would like for the Braves to still have, was putting on a show hitting tape measure shots into the second deck over our heads rattling the seats.  It was impressive.  And Craig Kimbrel, the most dominant closer in the game when he was in Atlanta was running around in the outfield shagging balls for the Padres.

Me and the boys watching batting practice. 

Well, wouldn't you know it?  As we scattered out in a short radius to try to increase our chances of getting a ball, a little while later Tate comes running back with a ball in hand.  Apparently some older guy gave it to him.  Who could resist not giving up a ball to that cute little boy!
After BP was over, we got some food and made it to our seats.  7th row on the first base side just beyond the Padres dugout.  These seats were great!

Our view of the Upton brothers stretching before the game.

The seats were so close to the field that the players (and especially one unsuspecting superstar named Justin Upton) were within earshot of the fans, especially one mama who was set on getting her son an autograph.  Throughout the whole trip we had taken baseballs with us to get signed by a player with no such luck, YET.  Well, as the Padre players were on the field stretching, Tammy saw an opportunity.  While Trey and some other kids were gathering on the aisle next to the field, Tammy yells out in her beautiful Burke County redneck voice, "Hey Justin, can you come over here and sign a ball!?!"  I thought Tate was going to crawl under the seats.  But it worked!  Upton was kind of startled (or scared, because I have heard that voice many times and it will force you to act).  And he walked over and started signing autographs including a ball that my son Trey was hoping would get signed.  Way to go, Mom!

Trey showing off his ball signed by Justin Upton.  Look at that smile!

PNC Park is a beautiful stadium.  It was built in 2001 and is part of the throw back design that resembles the parks of yesteryear.  It features a wonderful view of the Pittsburgh skyline with the Clemente bridge just beyond centerfield.  The field was in pristine condition.  Tammy even wondered if the grass was astroturf.  "No, just well manicured grass", I said.  As the game started, the skies were looking rather ominous as you can tell by the pictures.  And during the third inning, the bottom fell out.  We had to endure an almost two hour rain delay.

Trey and Tate posing for a picture with the scoreboard and Pittsburgh skyline in the background.

Once play resumed, it was nearly 10:00 and Tammy was getting that look on her face that told me she has had enough.  After 5 stadiums and 8 nights away from home and not sleeping her her bed, I could certainly understand.  So I told her that we would leave during the 7th inning stretch which was a win for me since we had to sit through two more rain showers with ponchos on.  So, I tore myself away and we headed out of the stadium to catch the subway.  Right before we left our seats I remember taking one last look at the field and thinking to myself, "what a beautiful scene; to be at a Major League baseball game sitting in great seats with my family.  It doesn't get much better than this".

A panoramic view from our seats at PNC Park.

So we headed back to our hotel.  The next day we would be heading home.  Another great baseball adventure under our belts.

Days 7 and 8, Cleveland Rocks! #10 - Progressive Field

Sunday July 5th was another travel day as we did not have tickets for a baseball game until Monday night in Cleveland so we had a little time to kill which for us means we try to find some outlets to keep Mom happy. Tammy found some just 20 miles southeast of the city and we spent most of the early afternoon there before driving on into the city.
We get into Cleveland around 2:30 in the afternoon which leaves me just enough time to go and check out one of Cleveland's main attractions, the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Tammy and the boys were not real interested which meant I would have to go by myself. It was only a 15 minute walk so off I went while my family stayed back at the hotel.

It was a real treat for me. Unfortunately they closed at 5:30 which meant I only had a couple of hours. The Hall of Fame and the exhibits were really cool. 2 hours was just not enough time but I saw what I could. 

The Hall of Fame is a beautiful building that sits right by Lake Erie. 

One of Elvis' outfits he wore in his early years (had to take this pic for Tate since Elvis was one of his teacher's, Ms. Bliss' favorites!). 

Drum set used my Ringo Starr of The Beatles. 

There was lots of great stuff in there and anyone who loves music and history should go visit this if ever in Cleveland. 

I made it back to the room and we went to a local pub called Flannery's where we had dinner and watched the beginning of the Women's World Cup Soccer Final which was awesome as they jumped all over Japan early. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel for the night.

The next day we needed to get some laundry done so we found a place that did it for $.85 per pound and dropped it off. There were lots of stores nearby so we did some more shopping before grabbing lunch and heading back to the room to get ready to go to the game. 

On this trip we had made it a priority to get to the stadiums right when they opened to try to get a ball during batting practice. So far we had been shut out. So I asked Trey if he had a good feeling about this one before going in and he said yes. Well after reading some tips online about how to get a ball, when the gates opened at 5, we were ready. I have to give props to Progressive Field in Cleveland.  They are very 'fan friendly ". They open the gates 2 hours before game time which most places open an hour early. Why does it matter?  You get to see the home team bat as well as the visitors which means double the chance to get a ball!  I had also read that if you are first in line to sprint to the right field section that is open and you could probably just pick one up in the bleachers since no one was there yet. Well, that is what we did and wouldn't you know it, I found one on the back row as others were charging to the front.  I also read that you could possibly find a ball in the bushes of Heritage Park which is a garden in the centerfield section of the outfield that honors all the Cleveland Indians' great players. As we were looking at the monuments we happened to find another ball behind the fence in some shrubbery. Another score! All total, we left with 4 balls retrieved from batting practice. Mission accomplished!

The game featured the Indians hosting the Houston Astros which was a treat for me since the Astros are one of the best teams and best stories in baseball right now. 

As I said, Progressive Field is one of the most Fan Friendly parks that we have been to. There is so much for the kids to do to keep them entertained and they have some of the best prices on concessions than anywhere we had been. I especially got a kick out of a particular stand called Dad's Place that sold some low end beer (Natural Light, Schlitz, PBR, etc.) for $4 a can which was cheap by ballpark standards. 

The game was very entertaining with the Astros winning 9-4. 

A panoramic view of our seats at Progressive Field. 

View of the scoreboard. 

After the game we headed back to the room for the night. The next morning we had to swing by and pick up our laundry and there was one more little side trip that I wanted to make. About a half a mile from the laundromat was 55th Street which may be better known by some as Cleveland Street.

Me and the boys on the porch of the Christmas Story House!

My all time favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story that came out in the early 80s. Here is the actual house that was used in the movie. I just had to go see it. Tammy, who does not appreciate quality films like I do was nice enough to endulge me on this one. There was even a leg lamp in the window!

I could just hear Ralphie's "Old Man" saying, "You should see how it looks from out here!"

What a great attraction. There was even a gift shop with all kinds of novelties tied to the movie. I really got a kick out of that place. But it was back in the van and we were on our way to our last stop, Pittsburgh. 

Day 5 - Niagara Falls

After spending one night in Toronto, we decided we would take a little break from baseball and just enjoy the sites in Canada. What better place to do that than in Niagara Falls.  Tammy and I had both been there before but I was really excited for the boys to be able to see how marvelous it really is. What a breathtaking place!  It is very difficult to describe. 

I'm not sure if it is one of the Great Wonders of the World, but it is definitely one of the great Wonders of North America. We decided that if we are going to see it then we are going to do it right. We went ahead and bought the Niagara Falls Adventure Pass which enabled us to ride The Hornblower, which is Canada's version of the Maid in the Mist; a boat ride on the Niagara River right up to where the water comes crashing over the falls. This is where everyone is given a lovely red poncho to wear to keep from getting wet. But it is really the best way to see the falls!

Also our pass enabled us to go behind the falls to see and hear the force of the water coming over. 

What an amazing experience. Pictures do not really do it justice I'm sorry to say but I am posting some anyway. We also were able to view a short IMAX type movie that involved some really cool special effects that talked about the history of the falls. We had a great day at the falls and returned to our hotel. 

We stayed at the Americana Resort, Spa, and Waterpark. Tammy really out did herself on this hotel because if anything could trump Niagara Falls, (according to Tate anyway)  this place was it!  This might have been Tate's favorite part of the whole trip because everywhere we went after Niagara, Tate wanted us to find another water park to go to. It was a lot of fun.

Even Mom and Dad took advantage of the opportunity to have some fun.

It was very difficult for us to leave Niagara Falls but we were ready to get back to the good ole USA and resume our journey. We came back across the border on Saturday the 4th of July and headed toward Erie, PA which is where we stopped for the night on our way to Cleveland.

We had decided to try to find a fireworks show to see on Lake Erie so we headed to a State Park right on the lake to get a good view. 

We found an open field at the park where the boys could play some wiffle ball. 

After time at the State Park we decided to get some dinner and return to our hotel. We were so tired that we didn't make it to the fireworks. We just watched the Macy's show on TV. The next day we would head to Cleveland. 

Day 4 - On to Canada #9 Toronto - Rogers Centre

After two days in the Detroit area and the stress of being there, I was really looking forward to going to Toronto.  Not far from Detroit, you cross over into Canada via the Ambassador Bridge.  This was the part of the trip that was the most involved during preparations as we all had to now have a passport to be able to cross the border.  That in itself was a big hassle.  We kind of waited around to the last minute about a month ago to try to get our passports but they finally arrived two days before we left home last Monday.  But we had the necessary documentation so crossing into Canada was a breeze thankfully.

It was neat for the boys to be able to say they have been in another country and I have to say, after being in Detroit, going to Ontario, Canada was truly a breath of fresh air.  I have grown to really like Canada.  Canada is a really NICE place.  The people are very friendly and polite.  They go to great lengths to emphasize cleanliness and recycling and preserving natural resources.  It is a very progressive minded nation at least in my opinion.  Sure you have to get used to everything being printed in two languages (English and French) and the whole metric system thing which makes it kind of confusing when you are dealing with kilometers and litres instead of miles and gallons.  The speed limit on the highways was 100 km/h.  But I couldn't help but notice the irony as we crossed over the Ambassador Bridge from a very run down, dilapidated, dirty Detroit into Windsor, Ontario how different things were.  It was like going to a whole different world.  As we proceeded onto the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way), we were traveling through lush, green farmlands.  It was as if there were no people for miles which I knew was not true but I think the Canadian government, or maybe it is the Province of Ontario, have gone to great lengths not to "clutter up" their exits.  You don't see the fast food restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, and gas stations like you see at every exit in the US.  Everything is much more aesthetically pleasing in Canada.  It was that way for three hours as we approached the city of Toronto when things started to get a little more urbanized.  It was also on that stretch of road where I got my first taste of Poutine at a restaurant when we stopped for lunch.  Yes, you read that right, Poutine, which is pronounced like routine, is a very popular Canadian dish and it is nothing more than French fries smothered in brown gravy and cheese curds.  Delicious!
Toronto is located right on Lake Ontario.  It is an old looking city with tall buildings covered in glass and there is the famous CN Tower which stands out above the skyline.  You can go up in the 1800 foot tower for a hefty price which a few Canucks said really wasn't worth what they charged.  We found our hotel which was only two blocks from the Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays, and we checked in.  After a quick rest, we made our way to the game.  Again as we walked, I couldn't help but notice how clean the city was and how nice all the people were.  When we got inside, there was an air of excitement as most of the people there were very excited about their team and then I realized, Toronto is the only MLB team in Canada so the Blue Jays truly are a National Team.

Our first stadium with a retractable roof.  A beautiful ballpark.

Blue Jay right fielder and former Hickory Crawdad, Jose Bautista on first base.

Trey and Tate from our seats in the first row of the upper deck.  Tate is tired of posing.

Our view of the field.

The game featured the Blue Jays hosting the Boston Red Sox.  This was a special treat for my youngest son, Tate, as he is kind of a big Red Sox fan.The game got out of hand very quickly as the Red Sox scored 7 runs before ever recording an out in the 1st inning, a deficit which the Blue Jays never recovered from although they did score 4 in the second.  Tate got to see his favorite player, David Ortiz hit a home run so he was excited.  The Red Sox won easily and as Tate pointed out was a little payback since we saw Toronto blow out Boston in Fenway last year (I had forgotten that).  But all in all we enjoyed the game.  Trey really liked the Rogers Centre and has put it in his top 5 list.  So after the game, we had back to the hotel for  late night swim at the indoor pool and turn in.  Stadium number 9 is in the books.  The next day we would head for Niagara Falls.

Days 2 and 3 - From the Queen City to the Motor City #8 Detroit - Comerica Park

On Tuesday, June 30, we headed north up through western Ohio headed to Detroit.  This was the stop that I was a little nervous about considering the reputation that Detroit has.  I was not exactly looking forward to dealing with the city.  We booked a room in Dearborn, MI which is just outside of Detroit.  After finding our hotel and checking in, we were on our way to Comerica Park to see the Tigers host the Pittsburgh Pirates.  We decided ahead of time to park as close to the stadium as we could so we wouldn't have a long walk back to the car after a night game.  And after driving through Detroit in the daytime, I sure didn't want to walk in parts of downtown.

We arrived at the stadium and parked right next to Ford Field which is where the Detroit Lions play and is right beside Comerica Park.  It was a 2 minute walk to the stadium so I was ok.  When we got inside, "oh my!". What a beautiful ballpark.  It was a very nice stadium, full of rich Detroit Tiger history.  After all the negative things I had heard about Detroit, I was surprised to see such a nice facility.  The boys were excited because we would get to see Miguel Cabrera, Yoenis Cespedis, and Justin Verlander pitching for the Tigers.  They were playing the Pirates who featured some former Hickory Crawdad players like Andrew McCutcheon and Neil Walker.  The game turned out to be very entertaining with J.D. Martinez hitting a home run to tie the game and send it to extra innings.  Now extra innings is usually pretty exciting for me because it means free baseball, but after a long day of driving and stressing out about being in Detroit, my family was very tired so we only made it through the 10 inning before we decided to leave.  We did listen to some of it on the radio as we were leaving but we were already back at the hotel and in the bed before the game ended.   It turned out that the game went fourteen innings with the Pirates winning.

Trey and Tate waiting outside the stadium to go in.

A panoramic view of the stadium.

At the game.  Notice the boys sporting their new Tiger Tees.

The next day was going to be another one of my field trips.  While doing research about Detroit, I read a lot about the Henry Ford Museum and the many other attractions associated with it.  As an American History teacher and a parent, I just had to take the family to see it.
Henry Ford was also a big fan of American History and went to great lengths to try to preserve it.  So he created Greenfield Village, which is an attraction where visitors feel like they have gone back in time to see actual historic sights and home places.

 

The boys at the Liberty Craftworks section of Greenfield Village.

For example, we saw a working farm where Harvey Firestone, the great tire king, grew up.  We also saw working craft shops where potters, weavers, glass blowers were doing thing that were done over 200 years ago.  We saw the home places of Noah Webster, George Washington Carver, and the Wright Brothers.  There was a one room schoolhouse where William McGuffey actually taught using his famous McGuffey Reader.

Tate just inside the one room school of William McGuffey.

Tate conducting class!

  There were several exhibits showcasing the workshops of Thomas Edison.  And of course we saw an exhibit that showcased Henry Ford's workshop where he created his famous automobiles.  The highlight for all of us was to actually take a ride in a Model T.

Riding in a real Model T Ford!

We felt like we went back in time.

Early bicycle seen around Greenfield Village.

After Greenfield Village, we went to the Henry Ford Museum where there was all kinds of exhibits showcasing different modes of transportation.  There were cars of every decade, tractors, buses, and airplanes.  There were Presidential limousines and the actual bus that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in which arguably began the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s.  Below are some of the more interesting exhibits that could be seen.

Carriage ridden in and used by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Limousine ridden in by John Kennedy when he was shot in Dallas (it has been cleaned and restored).

Tate in the seat that Rosa Parks sat in and refused to give up.

The bus where it all began in Montgomery, AL.

The car that Bill Elliott drove to the fastest pole ever in NASCAR in 1987 at 212 MPH
(My Dad took my brothers and I to that race at Talledega, AL)

Tate in front of the Oscar Mayer Wiener car.

You'll notice that Tate seems to be in most of these pictures.  He is my little history fan and stuck right with me while we were checking out the exhibits.  Trey and Tammy had already had enough and were maxed out on historical stuff.  I had gotten my history fix for the day and we headed back to Red Robin for dinner and then back to the hotel to get ready for our trip into Canada the next day!

2015 - Jensen Family Baseball Excursion Part Deux (Yes, French for a reason) Day 1 (#7 Cincinnati - Great American Ballpark)

Baseball Trip 2015 - Here we go again. After the success of last year's trip covering the Northeast, we decided to give it a go one more time to see if we could continue this quest to see all 30 Major League stadiums before our sons graduate from high school. This year we would be doing what some people have called the "Rust Belt" Tour which consists of the cities of Cincinnati, Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Now, you may be wondering what that term "Rust Belt" really means but it refers to the industrialized areas and factory cities that have felt the hard times of a suffering economy impacted by recession and increased competition from overseas that has forced some factories to close down and no longer be used.

Once again my lovely wife Tammy and I researched the MLB schedule to try to find dates that would work when the aforementioned teams would be playing at home. We knew there would be side field trips that we would need to take along the way so we decided that the two weeks around the 4th of July would work out the best. So we headed out on June 29th headed north. 

We left out on the morning of the 29th headed for Cincinnati where we would watch the Reds take on the Minnesota Twins that night at The Great American Ballpark. Our first side trip would take place in Louisville where we drove maybe an hour out of the way to see the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory. Well worth the trip. We got to see the worlds largest bat as well as see all the famous signatures that have been on the Louisville Slugger bats. There were also batting cages where we got to try out some wooden bats. I chose the bat size used by Hank Aaron and I'll have to say I did quite well albeit the pitches were only about 65 mph and were at a consistent speed.

Trey and Tate outside the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory

From there it was on to Cincinnati.  Now this year, unlike last year, we decided to plan ahead.  Although it was fun and adventurous not to have any reservations or tickets last year, I don't think my nerves could take it this year (and neither could Tammy's I don't think).  And since it was going to take place around the 4th of July holiday, we decided to make reservations and book our tickets online ahead of time.  I'm glad we did.  It has made the trip much more enjoyable so far.  Here is where I need to get a plug in.  Our two sights that helped us out tremendously were hotels.com and tickpick.com.  There is also another site that Tammy discovered called ballparkchasers.com that has given us lots of advice on places to stay and things to do in the areas.  Apparently what we are doing is really a thing that people do.  Who knew?

I was really looking forward to our first stop.  The Great American Ballpark, home of this year's 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.  The city was buzzing with anticipation and everything was in tip top shape as the game is only a couple of weeks away.  We stayed across the River in Belleview, Kentucky and took a local trolley across the bridge that crosses the Ohio River into Cincinnati.  The Ballpark is magnificent.  It reminds me of the throwback styles of stadiums where there is not a bad seat anywhere really.  I was able to find us seats in the upper deck in the front row for $11 each.  Not bad since they were below face value.  Tammy had created a budget for this trip.  Like I mentioned last year, she is a planner and had set a specific amount that I could spend when shopping for tickets.  Her budgeted amount for tickets was $20 per person which as any baseball fan knows is not much to get good seats so I sacrificed a little on this one so I could pay a little more for seats later on.  But as we sat down in our seats we could see everything very well.

Our view of the field.  Notice the Ohio River in the background.

The game was very entertaining and the Reds ended up winning 11-7.  The highlight was at the end when we got to see arguably the most exciting pitcher in the game, Aroldis Chapman, pitch the 9th inning.  It was pretty amazing to get to see someone who throws 103 mph.  So after the game we made our way back to our hotel.  We decided to walk across the bridge that spans the Ohio.  A local told us we could make it in "maybe 10 minutes".  As we were walking across the bridge, the History teacher in me could not help but think about what it must have been like over 165 years ago when this exact spot was the last stop for escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad as Cincinnati came to represent the land of freedom as the Ohio River also marked the boundary between the North and the South.  Nearly 30 minutes later we arrived at our hotel.  One ballpark down.  The next day we would head to Detroit.

Trey and Tate outside Great American Ballpark

Trey sporting his new Todd Frazier Shirt.