Family and Baseball: Day 3

Day 3 (8/14/21)

Durham, NC → Asheville, NC (227 Miles)

Game: Rome Braves (Atlanta High A) vs. Asheville Tourists

(Houston High A)

McCormick Stadium/Asheville, NC

My 42nd Birthday

On the road again.

But first a stop at Waffle House.

When my family and I drove to Atlanta for the Olympics in 1996, my

sisters and I had a game counting the signs for Waffle Houses on the way.

Not only had we never been to one, as Yankees we had never even heard

of one which made us that much more amazed as sign after sign on the

highway featured the black and yellow, all caps font calling us to the

WAFFLE HOUSE.

Over the last 26 years, if we ever go far enough south to once again

see those signs we are sure to stop in for an American classic, each

time being sure that we ordered too much food and it might not fit on

the table.

This morning there was no better place to start my 42nd birthday as

well all took down a feast of eggs, waffles, grits and hash browns

(Smothered, Covered and Chunked). As I sat drinking my coffee

I again thought about how badly I wanted my own Waffle House

mug but alas they were not for sale. For Waffle House prose

check out this Bourdain clip

In all of it's morning glory

We headed off while still digesting our morning feast, westward

for Asheville on I-40, the ONLY Interstate that spans the entire 

state, east to west (thanks Ike!)

Since we headed straight to the stadium, let's start with the baseball.

Before this trip I was unaware of just how many minor league teams 

there are in North Carolina, particularly along the aforementioned I-40.

Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Hickory are all homes to teams in

the South Atlantic League before you reach Asheville, home of the

Tourists for the last 107 years, with baseball here in Asheville going

further back than that with the Asheville Moonshiners founded in 1897.

South Atlantic League standings

The Good

-A lot to say here, starting with the golf cart (complete with Tourists logos)

that magically appeared when we got out of our car at an overflow lot to

bring us to the stadium.

-Minor league games are always good for a cheap ticket and we "splurged" 

to get these seats behind the plate fo $14 a piece. Great view of a unique,

small field (297 down the right field line only 370 to dead center). Sitting

that close to the field is always a different experience when you see just

how fast these guys throw, even at this level.

Today's View

-The stadium was great as well. Small but charming and seemingly cut into 

a mountain. That actually seems like a good description of Asheville as well.

To connect last night's game, one of the final scenes of Bull Durham was 

filmed in McCormick Stadium and Crash Davis is highlighted as a former

player of the team.

Crash Davis setting the all time minor league

home run record in Asheville

Obligatory entry pic

-Mascots....thank god. After last night's Wool E. Bull debacle we were

thrilled to meet not one, but two mascots: Ted E. Tourist, a bear that dates

back to an earlier logo and Mr. Moon who is featured on current uniforms.

The boys got pictures and autographs, teaching their in state minor league

colleagues a lesson on class.

Ted E. Tourist: all class all the time

Mr. Moon (cousin of Mac Tonight?)

The Bad

Nothing. Might just be my birthday, might be the excellent local beers I had

at the game but I have nothing bad to say about the day with the tourists.

The Ugly

Nothing bad but one BIG ugly. The Rome Braves took a 3-2 at the end of 6th 

and routed the Tourists bullpen with six in the 7th and four more in the 8th. In

addition to the humiliation this delayed the boys running the bases after the 

game. 

Town thoughts...

The worse part of our hectic schedule is not being in places for too long. 

Durham was nice but from the small glimpse we got, Asheville is pretty 

awesome. Situated right at the entry point of the Blue Ridge Mountains

there is a lot going on here with big time hipster hot spot energy. Great 

food, local breweries and a pinball museum which is really just an awesome

arcade that we spent an hour in playing pinball and a variety of video

games from arcade to Nintendo. I can definitely see us coming back in the 

future.

Family vs. Shredder

You have absolutely no idea how dominant Kate is at Super Mario 3

Of course he picked Bart

Just an absolutely wonderful day. I even got a great present from Kate....

The perfect gift does not exi..

Tomorrow: Atlanta

Family and Baseball: Day 2

Day 2 (8/13/21)

Washington DC → Durham, NC (269 Miles)

Game: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (AAA Miami) vs.

Durham Bulls (AAA Tampa)

Shout out to all the Virginians going to their beach destinations this morning for

adding almost two hours to this morning’s ride!

Today we hit the first family portion of the trip. When people who know me hear about my family, they default to my father’s side. This is with good reason as it’s more of a redwood than a regular tree. While the McCaughey side is large the equally important Coughlin side is quite small. My mom had one sister who had three boys: Michael, Thomas and Hank. Michael passed in 1993, Thomas and his wife Cindy live in Virginia and Hank and his wife Linda live in Durham. Their house was our destination.

We had a wonderful lunch with them, my cousin Beth and their puppy Nellie

(GREAT name for a dog). It was wonderful to catch up with them, hear about

their lives in retirement and Hank’s adventures as he attempts to hike all 2,200

miles of the Appalachian Trail. We are looking forward to visiting my Aunt Eileen

in the latter half of our journey.

Family

Onto the baseball...

We’re back in the place we love the most: the minor leagues. While the big

league parks are fun there is nothing quite like a minor league baseball experience

because you truly never know what you will get. For example: there’s a team named

the Jumbo Shrimp?? Absolutely!

As is the case with the AAA stadiums we’ve been to, Durham Bulls Athletic Park was a

beautiful, updated facility (this is one step from the Show of course). 

Ballpark Thoughts

The Good

There is no other place to start than Ripken the Bat Dog. I’ve been to a lot of

games and have never seen anything as amazing as Ripken, the dog who

collects the bats from home plate after the hitter makes an out or reaches base.

I clearly miss our Nellie, but Ripken made the night. Watch Ripken via his GoPro here

Ripken ready to roll

                                                                              

Ripken at work

Beautiful stadium. A Green Monster style wall with the bull on top (reachable at a paltry

303 down the left field line), 360 degree walking and a beautiful exterior all make the park

a great spot.

    303 down the line

From the Batters Eye

First Base Dugout

Walking Out

Excellent food including Carolina style BBQ and a great range of beers. Mobile ordering

from the seat made it that much better.

The Bulls and their fans fully embrace their movie name sake. From the T Shirt Squad

(the Lollygaggers) to a replica of the giant “Hit Bull Win Steak” the team does a great job

incorporating the movie into the game experience.

The Bad

Honestly? Nothing bad. I was a little confused as to what all the buildings are around the stadium as it

would've made sense if they were apartments but most seemed to be office space. Also seems like a

missed opportunity for bars and restaurants I’ll save my criticism for…

The Ugly

As someone who has now been to a dozen plus minor league stadiums with two kids, the value of accessibility is immense. You can sit close to the field for cheap, be near the players and meet the mascots. This is super important for Eoin who can be an absolute brute at times (like most times) but has a soft spot for stuffed animals and sports mascots (and the combination which he gets at nearly every game, the stuffed mascot) After missing out on mascots at our last minor league games we were happy to see Wool E. Bull making the rounds. Unfortunately this anthropomorphic bovine straight blew us off for a photo with the boys not once, but twice. Needless to say, I almost won a steak.

Had to settle for a fake Wool E. (Eoin disapproves)

Long day but great day.

Tomorrow: Asheville, NC

Family and Baseball: Day 1

This morning we embarked on a road trip to Atlanta. Over the next eight days we will be making stops to see different branches of our families and hitting six baseball games along the way. Each night I will be writing a quick post of our journey and the highlights of the stadium we visited. Whether a baseball fan, parent, both (or neither) I hope you enjoy!

 

Day 1 (8/12/21)

NY ---> Washington DC

Game: San Diego Padres @ Washington Nationals

 

Town Thoughts…

We took off at 8 AM and had an event free drive down to our nation’s capital. With time before our hotel check in we hit a few of the historical sites of DC. Luckily there is a great concentration of monuments in a few different spots so by parking down by the Potomac we were able to visit the MLK, Korean War and Lincoln Memorial with a 45-minute walk. MLK and the Korean War were impressive but the Lincoln Memorial stands alone in scale, scope and head long view down the Mall.

 

Lincoln Memorial

Down to the Capitol (insurrection not included)

Korean War Memorial

MLK

After grabbing a bite to eat we left Kate at the hotel for a much-deserved quiet night and the boys and I hit the ball park.

Ballpark Thoughts….

Having never been to Nationals Park before, overall I was impressed by the stadium. Walking in through the centerfield gate we collected our promotional fanny pack and were on our way

 

The Good

-A live 80’s cover band complete with dancing presidential mascots set a great atmosphere as soon we entered the stadium

 

-Lots of great concession options, including Kids Eat Free which got the boys a hot dog, bottle of water and apple sauce each. Throw in the $5 tickets and it was a super affordable night. These are the fan benefits of going to see a last place team who just traded away their franchise player

 

-Good sight lines everywhere even up in the top of the stadium where our $5 tickets put us

 

-Two roof top gardens in the outfield concourse that are used to grow fruits and vegetables that are donated to local charities. Well done Nationals.

 

-A bullpen cart! Grant it, no relievers on the Nationals used it but it was cool to see a legit functioning version of one of the many unique things that make baseball awesome.

The Lads

80's style TR

80's Style GW

 Eoin enjoying his free kids meal while wearing his fanny pack as a hat

 

Rooftop Gardens

View from Left Field Ramp

I say pride kept those relievers off the cart. Their loss.

 

 

The Bad

-The Washington Nationals franchise. Sure, I’m a Mets fans who is a little bitter that their magical run ended in a World Series title while ours didn’t, but I’ve never considered the Nationals to be a real franchise. Can you imagine having Juan Soto, Trea Turner and Max Scherzer all on your team and trading them away? I’ll give a pass on letting Bryce Harper walk but that’s just a joke look for a franchise.

 

-The worst thing I can say about the stadium is the actual structure. I don’t like that parts of it are separate (see down the right field line) and the center field concourse is too set back from the field.

 

The Ugly

-There was a Lady Gaga concert at the stadium on Monday and the outfield was absolutely wrecked. This is a major league field and stadium: treat it as such. Just because you’ve given up with the team on the field doesn’t mean you should give up on the field itself.

 

Brutal field quality

Tomorrow: Durham, NC

 

 

 

 

Making Hay

 

This summer, I drove a lot.

 

Even when I do the math now, the numbers of miles traversed by our Subaru don’t seem to add up. However, last week, after pulling into the driveway after a night at Yankee Stadium the numbers on the odometer stared back: 6,184.9

 

A diagnosis brings with it an entire new set of terms, appointments and doctors. For me, it also brought a different way to view the world. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that carries an uncertain future. Day to day, I don’t know how I’m going to feel each day my feet hit the floor while progression of the disease later in life makes the longer view a little scarier. That level of uncertainty has brought me to a well-worn colloquialism that recommends to make hay while the sun is shining.

 

This summer, that’s what we did. 6184.9 miles of hay making to be exact.

 

We started this journey in June when the boys and I took an overnight road trip to see the Mets in Baltimore (surprisingly, they lost). As the summer continued, the family rode roller coasters, hiked in national parks and saw a dozen more baseball games. We viewed the work of Van Gogh and spent hours at the beach. As a dad, I spent invaluable time with my boys. We drove across our state, visiting historical sites and yes, even more baseball games. I took them camping with scouts, a throwback to my youth which brought me joy. While not always easy, the time we spent together was wonderful. They were things that we wanted to do, but more importantly they were things that we could do. Not knowing what might be around the bend, even by next summer, made this one that much more important.

 

Now that summer road trips have ended, I’m putting on new miles, this time on my bike as I tackle Bike MS NYC.  I’ll be riding 30 miles to raise money in support of the National MS Society, an organization that helps people like me and families like mine to make hay while the sun is shining.  Please consider donating at my page to support the work of this incredible organization

 

Also, wonderful summers like this are brought to you by teaching: the best job in the entire world.

Time to Ride

Three years ago my life changed.

It was in August of 2016 that I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis after a particularly nasty recurrence of symptoms that left me too weak to walk or play with my sons. As I get older, I'm realizing that time moves pretty quickly and the past three years have be no different. Mixed in these three years have been many challenging times for me and my family.

MS is a hell of a disease.

A recent post on the National MS Society's Instagram shared the following quote:

"You look so good.' This is life with an invisible illness. To everyone else, you look like a normal healthy person.----You can't see it, but we feel it. Always.....understand that even though we look ok from the outside, on the inside it's a different story.   @a.giangiordano

When I read this, I saw my life reflecting back in the words. On most days, despite how I feel, I generally look "good." I'm not on a cane like I've been before, I'm going to work and I'm out with my family. I credit this to the treatment I undergo and a remarkable ability and stamina to push through each day despite often times feeling like total garbage. Each day that I wake up, my symptoms are a surprise house guest knocking at the door. Sometimes it's a migraine, other times heavy fatigue or even a floating neuropathy that numbs a foot or hand. Recently there have been struggles with depression that pull me down a hole I sometimes doubt I can get out of.

It's hard, but that's not to say it's all bad. It's just a matter of making adjustments and understanding that there will always be good days and bad days.

I've shared how lucky I am to have an amazing partner in Kate who carries the load for our family and how exercise has helped me navigate my illness. Since then, I've completed two Bike MS rides. A 30 mile ride around Manhattan last fall and a beautiful 50 mile ride along the Connecticut coast this past June. I have treated each one of these rides as a celebration of life. They are opportunities to give thanks for the mere fact that I am able to complete these challenges as well as raise funds to fight this disease and find a cure.

Bike MS NYC 2018

It's time to ride again.

I am registered for Bike MS NYC 2019. I am pushing myself with two challenges. First, I will be completing the 50 mile course that travels through the Holland Tunnel and back over the George Washington Bridge. From completing the ride in June, I know that I can physically do it while also being aware that I never exactly know what each day, week or month holds for me and my health. I am also challenging myself to raise $2,000, no small amount particularly since so many have already been generous with my past rides and walks.

You can check out my fundraising page here. Any donation great or small would be appreciated.

Let's ride.

Up On My Feet

In the months that it took for me to get my diagnosis, I became increasingly desperate for one. The ten months that bridged November of 2015 and September of 2016 were a source of frustration and confusion. Why wasn't my leg working? Would I ever get feeling back in my left leg? Will I have to use a cane for my entire life? What is wrong with me? A dozen or so MRIs, a spinal tap brought no answers. While steroid treatment and plasmapheresis treatment brought relief, I was still in search of a final answer. At the end of August, exactly two years ago, I got my answer. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The next chapter of my life officially began.

However, it soon dawned on me that my diagnosis gave me something I had never considered before: a life sentence. While I was fortunate and blessed to not have a terminal disease, living with a chronic disease would be a lifelong battle. With a young family as well as a career that I loved, I was going to have to figure out how to live with a disease whose amorphous presence had the potential to make living each day difficult. After the struggles that my family and I endured in those murky first months, I set a simple yet powerful goal and standard for my future health: being up on my feet.

Whenever anyone would ask how I was doing, I would tell them I was doing well because I was up on my feet. During my darkest moments, my disease taught me that the most simple things are often the best things. If I was up on my feet, I could play with my kids, cook for my wife and teach my classes. If I was up on my feet, I could life my life.

Since my diagnosis, I've been on a program of an aggressive course of treatment that has so far been very successful. I've chronicled the importance of rest and the amazing support that Kate has provided in regards to this crucial part of our fight with MS. Conversations with my neurologist surfaced another important piece to this fight: exercise.

I don't like to exercise.

Not a groundbreaking statement, I know, particularly when you see the staggering statistics related to obesity and heart disease amongst my fellow Americans, but I have never been interested in exercise. I've been delusional enough to join gyms (I'd say between membership fees and actual visits, I paid $87 per visit) but have never been able to commit to a consistent exercise routine. However, over the past year, I've pushed myself to make that change.

With the continued numbness in my left leg, I knew that running would be a tall order, so last summer I bought a new bike. I rode a little bit and bought a little trailer that I could pull the boys in. After a winter of weekly yoga classes and stationary bike riding, I decided to commit to going for longer rides three times a week throughout this past summer. I did some homework, bought some gear and began to go on longer rides. Starting at 10 miles, I soon started climbing up to 15 and 20 mile rides.  It was during this time that Kate sent me a link for a 25 mile ride from East Hampton to Montauk. My family has a long history at in Montauk which sadly ended last year when my sisters and I made the difficult decision to sell our family house. Once I learned of this ride, I made it a goal to do the ride. I've been riding consistently over the past two months and I'm looking forward to my first official ride next week to a place that is so special to me and my family.

Even more exciting will be my second official ride.

On Sunday October 21st, I am going to complete what I hope will be the first of many Bike MS events. At 30 miles, this will be my longest ride and I can't imagine one being more important. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has been a great support over the past two years. In addition to the resources they provide, Kate and I have also been lucky enough to contribute to the MS Connection blog. This outlet has helped connect us with other people and learn of their struggles as well. We have raised almost $10,000 over the past two years through Walk MS with all money going towards creating a world free of MS.

Perhaps most importantly, this ride will be special because I am able to do it. While I'm always happy to be up on my feet, I'll be even prouder to be sitting on the seat of a bicycle. Through my treatment, my rest and a new found and unexpected commitment to exercise, I will be able to ride my bike in order to fight my disease.

Over the next month and a half I will be raising money for this ride. I have set a modest goal that I hope to meet. I appreciate the support that many of you have given to our Walk MS fundraising in the past and hope that perhaps you could support me as I take on this next challenge.