My Rite of Passage

A "rite of passage" marks a time when a person reaches a new and significant change in his or her life. This past week, I experienced a "rite of passage."

Henry David Thoreau once said, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation." Not wanting to be "most men" I (with the encouragement of my wife, I might add) decided to do what I've been longing to do for 20+ years.

Most of you know my passion for baseball. It is "my woods" where I lose myself and attempt to "live deliberately" and "suck out all the marrow of life." Since I was a little boy, gravity has pulled me towards this game and I have accepted its pull. The California Angels became my team and I lived and died with their thrilling victories and their crushing defeats. In 1986, when I was 14 years old, I cried in agony when the Angels came one strike away from making it to the World Series. Then in 2002 (16 years later), my life came full circle and I cried again (this time in utter joy) as "my" Angels not only made it to the World Series but won it in 7 games.

Something that has always been on my "bucket list" is to attend a baseball game in every Major League Baseball Stadium....which leads me to the conversation I had with my wife about 3 weeks ago.

We were watching baseball's All Star game on TV, which was being held at Yankee Stadium. The announcers mentioned that this year would be its last and at the end of the year, they were tearing the stadium down in order to build a better, more fan-friendly park. Well, my wife leans over and says these wonderful words, "Don't you want to see Yankee Stadium before they tear it down?"

Well, that was all I needed. The next day I looked up the Yankees schedule and lo and behold they were playing the Angels at Yankee Stadium this past week and not only that but the Angels were playing the Red Sox at Fenway the same exact week! While this might not sound too exciting to you, it was a trip that could have and would have no compare.

Too many things happened on my trip to Boston and New York that cannot be included in one blog post so I will chronicle my 4 day trip in 4 different posts. The first of which will be included below....

Day One:

My family dropped me off at John Wayne Airport and my trip had begun. I packed one backpack full of clothes and that's it. No need to check luggage....just one carry-on and I was good to go.

Taking after my wife, I got there more than an hour early so I was able to take in the sights: (airplanes landing, a man training a lady on how to wash windows, and this dude sleeping next to me as I ate my breakfast from McDonalds).....now I know why Lou Ann likes getting to the airport early. :)

Anyway, my flight finally arrived and I was in the air. A few hours later, we landed in Dallas for a brief layover, and then arrived at 9 pm in La Guardia Airport in New York City!!!! If you ever get a chance to fly into New York at night, I would highly recommend it. The city lights are unbelievable. (note: this was my first time in New York and Boston so if I sound like a giddy tourist, that's exactly what I was).

Anyway, I picked up my rental car and was on my way. My plan: Drive to Boston (4 hrs away), check into a hotel, and get some much needed shut-eye.

After paying for numerous tolls, getting yelled at for taking a picture on the bridge, buying some Taco Bell, and getting some munchies on the way.....I finally pulled into the hotel at 3 am. Was I tired, sure. However, I was so excited for the next day's events that in order to "wind-down" I watched the last half hour of A Few Good Men on TNT and then finally crashed. The "TRUTH": I was pumped. The next day I would be at Fenway Park watching my Angels play the Red Sox and my "Rite of Passage" was underway.

Check back tomorrow for The Chronicles of Dro...Day Two.