SUMMER 2006 TRIP

      My trip started at Raley Field in Sacramento watching the 
   Sacramento Rivercats (Oakland AAA) play the Fresno Grizzlies 
  (Giants AAA). Fresno won the game in extra innings after some 
  Sacramento heroics.  
          The real excitement was me trying to find my hotel room
  after the game.
       The Rivercat and his assistant were kind enough to pose
 for me and it also turns out there is a local college which offers 
 a course in broadcasting baseball.  (I think I should take that).  
 The students sit at tables and tape themselves broadcasting 
  the game.

Next Stop - San Francisco

             To the left is Lombard Street 
  down so  it  had to be turned into a
  read where it's better to walk down
              Down at Fisherman's Wharf,


              After   leaving   Fisherman's





            
which is too steep for cars to go straight
winding road.   After I drove down it, I
it.  At the bottom, I could see Alcatraz.
they still use these old streetcars.  


Wharf, I drove over the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

 

 

 
               After I drove across the Golden Gate, I stayed on Highway 1 North, a really beautiful drive. I came 
across a World War II pillbox overlooking the Pacific Ocean where observers protected the West Coast from a
possible Japanese invasion.  Of course, people in California drive the coolest cars....

and the people out there look great, especially my relatives

  

         This is my cousin Claude, who I hadn't seen since 1959,
 
his lovely Wife, Kathleen, and their beautiful daughters, 

Katelynn on the left and Britney on the right.  

          I  hope it's not 47 years before I see him again.
 
			Next onto Berkeley and Oakland - Berkeley is a hotbed of  
liberalism, I hated to tell these
folks that I own stock in oil companies, so I guess this is a drawing of me.  Also,  baseball fans will
recognize the huge foul area in McAfee Coliseum, as well as the poor home attendance, the home of  the A's.

          McAfee Coliseum was the 59th major or minor league baseball stadium I've seen a ballgame in
and was the last of this trip, or so I thought...........

          My Southwest connection was  late getting into Las Vegas and I missed the Cleveland flight.    
Southwest provided a free hotel room and since what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas, except with me, I went 
to another baseball game, my 60th stadium and saw the Las Vegas 51s play at Cashman Field.  The 51s are
the Dodgers AAA franchise.

      It was quite hot at the game and there
are misters all over the stadium to help 
keep you cool. 
     Cosmo, the mascot, entertains the 
crowd. By the way if anyone asks what 
happened to Donnie Sadler, he is the 
batter in the picture below for the Tuscon
Sidewinders. 
     Later, I went to the Hooters Casino and
Hotel for dinner after the game. Shows how  
bright these lights are, this photo was taken
hand held and with my film camera. 
     The following morning, my good friend, 
Susy Marsian, waves goodbye for me. Susy 
was kind enough to drive me around Las Vegas
on Sunday morning before my flight.  She 
appears in a mermaid outfit and also on the 
musicians page of my Midnight Mermaid web 
site. She moved to Las Vegas recently from 
Tampa.