On the Road to “Bah-stun”
So…a very successful road trip draws to a close. And…I am writing this as we drive along the MassPike, as it is called on the signs with the cool hats.
I must admit that the road trips, of late, have been shorter AND far less satisfactory in nature. Amazing how actually winning, albeit in overtime which I abhor, does that for a little 900 or so kilometre jaunt across the border and into a state with 13 letters in its name.
I was excited to go on this road trip…an extra long weekend, a visit to a city I have never seen and one of my favourite players on the other team. So…organize rooms. Then get nephew, who is affectionately known as “The Dood Of Direction”, to create his usual fabulous directions. Pretty hard to get lost with directions that suggests things like not to attempt to cross the median to get to your hotel. Detailed down to how many kilometres…pretty hard to get lost, thank goodness. Although he did miss one toll.
Packing to leave is always fun, especially at this time of the year, with the weather so changeable. But when you are driving, just take outerwear to cover any possibility and all is well. Figuring out which jerseys was the easy part of this trip. And, as always, three bags for every one that my travelling partner brings. How can one be expected to be a goddess without all the right stuff?
Snacks and fill up the tank and we were off, with an overnight in Syracuse, just so we weren’t too pooped. Good thing breakfast foods are appropriate at any time of the day. And that Denny’s seems to be open all the time. 11 pm…And then 9 am…same one and on the road again.
One never thinks that they are going to run into anyone they know on an interstate, right? Wrong! Heading off towards our destination we passed a car with “ONTARIO” plates and next thing we know someone is waving furiously in the car behind us. Turns out the lacrosse decal in the back window, the sticks hanging in the windows and the customized plate were a dead giveaway. Thank goodness for all those nice little layovers along the way. We just pulled in to the next one and, while we all had a stretch, caught up on our plans that would apparently intersect before the game.
Off again only to discover that rush hour is pretty much the same in any big city. It sucks! Especially when you don’t really know where you are going except for the fabulous directions you have in hand.
Delicous and real Mexican food, which is very hard to find in Toronto, a meander around a 24-hour drug store/everything store, a good night’s sleep and we were all set for a fun day in Boston.
First off, I must say that Boston has to be one of the most polite and friendly cities I have ever visited. Please and thank-you seem to be the norm. People actually let you in when you signal in traffic. And, with my “funny” accent, people wanted to know where I was from. That led to the inevitable “why are you visiting?” inquiry. So….plenty of opportunity to talk lacrosse with total strangers, which is always fun.
Because we had a few hours on game day, we decided to just park by the harbour (pronounced much like “hah-bah” by the locals) because we were meeting friends for a pre-game dinner in that neighbourhood. And how beautiful the area was! Fresh smelling air and bright sunshine! A little chilly to start but it didn’t really seem to matter. Lots of wandering and then we decided we might have a look around a few stores for a few souvenirs for friends at home and a special birthday gift for a soon-to-be 80 year old friend who couldn’t make the trip because it has been a tough winter.
So…where to shop because we couldn’t actually see any stores? A store that ships lobster around the country seemed the obvious place to ask. Well! We figured out where we were going with a little sign language. Because we met the native Boston accent at it’s very thickest. It was almost like a foreign language….very cool sounding but did I ever have to work hard to figure out what this very friendly man was saying.
So….found the shopping common and who should we run in to? Yup! Our fellow driver. She had been on a bus tour that morning and comments just reinforced what I had already decided. Boston will make a great long weekend destination this fall. I even found a book of walking tours which I plan to study a bit, in anticipation of that return trip.
Souvenirs in hand and then off to eat some extremely fresh shellfish and get ready for the game with a bunch of fellow hometown fans and the father of my favourite player on the other team. And what could be better? A little friendly trash talk over a bucket of steamed peel-and-eat shrimp, a few crab legs, corn-on-the-cob and my very first bowl of “chow-dah”. And the “most interesting” crab cracking device I have ever encountered. A big rock and a pile of paper plates. Use your imagination. But the crab was delicious!
Then off to TD Banknorth “Gah-dans” and more friendly people. The Blazer staff did absolutely everything they could to make sure I was looked after. As did most of the arena staff. My “accent” sure stood out. Oh and my #32 All-Star jersey. All I can say is if this city doesn’t embrace this very good young team it won’t be for lack of trying by the staff. Special thanks to Dave who helped not only me but Spirit of the Stick as well; and was most interested at the post-game party in any comments I had on the game presentation itself.
So…now to the game. My Rock actually showed up for the whole sixty minutes. Completed passes, hard work on the “D” end and Whipper definitely on his game. As was Mr. Cosmo! In the end, the Rock just worked a little harder, as the Blazers clawed back to tie it in the fourth. A great game by Luke Wiles. Lots of hard work by Craig Conn, whose crease-crashing antics all night netted him a shiner & a bunch of stitches. Apparently, however, the “W” sure made them feel better and, as he told me, “Chicks dig scars”. I suggested that that was enough information.
This Blazer team has so much young talent. Fast…exhausting to watch at times, actually. How could I not love a team with my pretend nephew, the next Veltman, red hair and all? And a great leader in the guy who left me some excellent tickets, Dangerous Dan himself.
Danny told me, after the game, that he is working awfully hard. As, it seems, is everyone employed by the team. They are trying everything they can think of to sell this team, which is at the beginning of “very good”. They just need to get people into the seats. This team is out and about in the community all the time and, hopefully, their numbers will grow to match the passion and hard work of the players.
Now…to the game winner! By a most unlikely candidate who, I am sure, will milk it for all it’s worth, to some very good natured ribbing from his teammates. I have to admit that I really intensely dislike overtime. So hard on the nerves! But….that much sweeter when one of my boys scores. I am just glad Scott “Soupy” Campbell’s teammates didn’t hurt or break anything when they mobbed him in congratulations.
Then off to the post game. Lots of pictures and hugs all around. And that was with the Blazer players. These guys had to be disappointed, especially a guy like Anthony Cosmo, who used to be the heir apparent in-net for the Rock. But the game stays at the arena and the post game is time to catch up and enjoy.
I think for me the true highlight of the trip was something Chad Thompson yelled down the sidewalk as we headed off last night before the real silliness got underway. He thanked my travelling partner and me for making the trip. “It means a lot that you guys are here”. And that is a sentiment that was echoed, not just by my team but by the boys on the other team as well. And not just in Boston but every time we make an away trip. Makes the drive home a lot easier. And shorter too!