Cincinnati vs Cubs. At the Goodyear Ballpark. I'm good with whoever we see. Joan was looking for a spring training game for us. Back in the "good ol' days," these spring training games were a bargain... like everything else, the ticket prices have gone up. At least at the Goodyear park, there is still free parking. Plus, it is only about a half hour away.
It is predicted to be a high of 92º today. Getting ready here at home, we have slathered on the sunscreen.
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We discussed gas prices on the way to the ballpark: with what is going on in the Middle East, gas prices are expected to rise, quickly. Joan found us the best price for gas on our way, and we topped off the Equinox. Gas had already gone up about 30¢ per gallon over the weekend.
At the Ballpark, we lucked out and got parking on pavement, close to the entrance; we had to drive across the dirt to get to it, so the car will need to be washed again.
Joan bought our tickets online, so there was no wait to get in. We were there about an hour early, so we had plenty of time to walk around before the game started. And, by "walk around," I meant we could check out the food options. I already knew I would be having a hot dog with Cincinnati Chili and cheese. The tickets were around $33 each (before fees and tax), totaling about $78. A meal that included the above mentioned hot dogs, chicken strips, ice cream for dessert, and a couple sodas was just under $700. Yes, I am kidding. But, only a bit. That said, it's "ballpark food," so not unexpected.
I took some photos with my Sony camera - check 'em out below...
The ballpark was about half full. The game turned out to be a slugfest, with 26 runs scored between the two teams. We stayed through the whole game, but people started leaving around the 6th inning. A hot day, not much shade (our seats were in the shade about an hour and a half after the game started), and adults consuming copious amounts of alcohol. Just another day at the ballpark.
A few more photos of some play...
We had good seats: about 6 rows up, just behind the Cincinnati dugout. And for those keeping score: the Reds beat the Cubs, 17 to 9. By the 6th inning, both teams sent over half their players out - it gives everyone a chance for some playing time. Each team rotated regularly through pitchers... as you might expect in a high-scoring spring training game.
We have done at least one Savannah Bananas game the last three years. If you are wondering how this compares: I really appreciate the fact that the Banana-Ball games are timed (2 hours). And entertaining. Today's game ran almost 3 1/2 hours... to be honest, I was ready for it to be done.
With about half the crowd already gone by the end of the game, getting out of the parking area was fast and easy. Getting back home was a slight challenge, with a wreck on I-10... we took surface streets to get to the Loop 202; plenty of stoplights, but it still moved faster than than the stop and go (mostly stop) traffic on the Interstate.
The kitties missed us. Well, we got home about 8 minutes after their feeding time, so they seemed happy to see us.
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Just a heads-up: the March Full Moon will happen around 1:44am, early tomorrow morning (Arizona Time - Mountain Standard). If you happen to be up between 4:00 and 5:00 am (again, AZ time), you will be treated to a Full Blood Moon - a full lunar eclipse. A file photo...
The moon will look full tonight and tomorrow night, so get out there and check it out (if Mother Nature allows for a clear sky in your area).
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