Day 1: Santa Barbara, Dallas, NY

You ever get that feeling where you are just waiting for something.  No matter what line you get in or what luck happens, waiting is the only thing that is actually happening.  This is pretty much how today went.  The trip started without a hitch.  The easiest airport in the world (Santa Barbara) took us about 3 minutes to get through security.  The flight into Dallas was smooth, but I guess when it rains, it pours.  That was exactly what happened in Dallas.  Is it just me or does it feel like you spend more time taxing to the gate than you do off the ground.  Today at DFW, this was no joke.  We landed on one side of the airport, waited in between runways, took a full loop of the airport, changed gates, waited for the ground crew to get permission to chalk the tire, and a million other things before we were finally allowed to get off the plane. 

Here are a couple pet peeves as we learn more about ourselves as travelers.  First, here’s a great way to find out if we are that gate…look out the window.  How many idiots have to get up as we are stopped somewhere other than the gate just to make the flight attendant bust your balls on the loud speaker?  By the way flight attendants, stop making vague announcements about how everyone needs to be in their seat.  We all know its one dumb broad so make it known.  Put that idiot on blast.  “Lady in the blue shirt, sit the hell down and figure out your life.”  Guarantee that lady learns her lesson.  Secondly, when the captain turns off the seatbelt sign, the only people that have the right to stand up are the people in the aisle.  Everyone else, sit down.  Finally, there is no need to run ahead three rows to make it quicker to get off the plane.  Nobody is that important.  Glad you saved that 13 seconds. 

Anyway, off the plane and on to the DFW Skylink, the tram that circles the airport from terminal to terminal.   We arrived in terminal C and needed to get to terminal D.  You would think they would be right next to each other.  Nope!  Well done Texas. Fortunately, this didn’t cause a delay.  One of my recent purchases was an Apple Watch.  I love this thing and one of the cool perks is that I can hold my wrist under the barcode scanner to board the airplane.  Another coolish perk is that it alerts me to any notification that comes to my phone.  As the thunderstorm continued to pound DFW, my watch kept blowing up with notifications.  “Your flight has been delayed to 6:45….7:00…7:15…7:30…7:48.  Again, the waiting game continues. 

The one great thing about airports is that entertainment can come cheap.  That is, if you play close attention.  The second thing is that you are never more than 100 yards away from a Wetzel Pretzel or Auntie Anne’s.  After waiting again for our Auntie Anne’s pretzel as we watched a pushy Asian cut in front, our hunger was temporarily cured.  We settled into our seats and watched a father and son play baseball in the middle of the terminal.  Once again, the game of baseball never fails in its ability to make you smile. 

After finally landing in Newark, we took an UBER to Manhattan to the Comfort Inn Midtown West.

Quick note, forgot to mention that there are three major airports in the NYC vicinity: Newark, JFK, and La Guardia.  If your travels take you to Newark, you could grab a train to the city which is economical but for a few dollars more, take an UBER and take in the night time Manhattan skyline and the Lincoln tunnel.  (Obviously, be conscious of what time you are flying in as we chose this because it was late at night and very little traffic.

As tomorrow will mark my 29^th stadium (Yankee Stadium), I reflect on some more great memories in this story called the first 30 years..

11. St Louis Cardinals (May 2009)

• New Busch Stadium trip with John Higgins. 
•  Brewers defeat the Cardinals 8-2 highlighted with Prince Fielder 3 run home run. 
•  The rest of the story can be found here: (some of you have heard this story and may want to read it again but to those who haven’t, enjoy).

12. Cincinnati Reds (April 2011)

• Trip to Great American Ballpark with Alex Martin and John Higgins.
• First time ever watching Aroldis Chapman.  Threw 104mph that day.

13. Colorado Rockies (July 2011)

• Colorado vacation with Alyssa and John Higgins
• First time watching teammate Rex Brothers pitch in a major league uniform.
• Went to 3 games this trip.
• Sat next to Scott Van Pelt (Sportscenter anchor) on the car rental shuttle.