Sacramento, Oakland & San Francisco

Sorry it took me so long to follow up on the first swing of my trip, but I was without a computer until this evening. I made it everywhere I needed to be and got home safely, and all things considered, it was a very good trip.

I went to pick up my car at the Fresno airport, and my adventure was about to begin. I picked the one car rental company that was located a mile off the airport. They sent a shuttle to get me, fully equipped with one of two automatic doors that actually opened (the other was apparently manual) and wires coming out of where the stereo should have been. I swear I could see the engine from where I was sitting. Not to mention, the driver didn’t look too thrilled about picking me up. Once I got there, I spent more time watching the random two-year old running around the office than signing paperwork. No wonder the rate was almost half the price of the familiar rental car companies.

So, I loaded up in my beautiful Suzuki Forenza and started on my way to Sacramento already about 45 minutes behind schedule. My Friday night game wasn’t really Friday night. It was more like late afternoon, so getting through a big city like Sacramento was a bit difficult. I ended up making it to the game about midway through the second quarter, and I apparently missed my recruit’s best stretch of action. It also turned out to be his only stretch as he had injured himself and his coach saw it more important to save him for the upcoming portion of the tournament. While I had a great conversation with him and his family, I have to admit that I felt a little discouraged about driving six hours round-trip to not see him play.

On a lighter note, I was able to visit two of my favorite fast food restaurants and stayed well under budget. On the way to Sacramento, I stopped at Carl’s Jr. (pictured) and on the way back to Fresno, I got to drive though the storied Jack-in-the-Box. I am not much of a fast-food eater, but it just feels right on a road trip.

The next day, I hopped into the Suzuki at about noon to get to a workout in Oakland. Unfortunately, I was worried about being late, so my only food stop was at a gas station where I got a fountain soda (it’s nice to say soda and not have everyone respond, ‘you mean pop?’) and a protein bar. The workout itself was small but very well run. There were all underclassmen with one exception, so while I couldn’t talk to any of the athletes, I got a chance to talk to the coach for a long time. We caught up and set a time to see each other over the summer, and as he left for his home, I got back on the road to a town in San Francisco for the final stop of the weekend.

This was by far the most fun part of all my driving. I got to drive along the coast for a while and go over a bridge (not the Golden Gate Bridge, but still very cool) that overlooked a whole bunch of lights. I was about to point my camera out the window to take pictures, but I figured that snapping photos while doing 50 MPH on a bridge was far from safe. Anyhow, after stopping at yet another gas station (this time for coffee, water, and another protein bar) I pulled into the gym parking lot about an hour and fifteen minutes early so I could get a good seat.

To my surprise, I walked into the main entrance and saw a line about 30 yards long waiting to get into the gym. I tried every possible door, but was turned away each time. There was a girls’ game wrapping up, and due to the fact that it was sold out, they had to wait until some of that crowd filed out before selling tickets to those of us outside. Ironically enough, I started talking to the guy next to me in line only to find out he was a Hiram graduate. I didn’t hold it against him, but if there had been a rush getting into the gym, I can’t promise I wouldn’t have had my elbows up. The other funny part was watching everyone in the “freezing cold” weather outside. There were winter coats and scarves all around me, and I was quite comfortable in my long-sleeved shirt and tie.

I finally got into the gym and saw one of the better games that I’ve seen all season at the high school level. I had a great conversation with the recruit, his family and his coach, but the best conversation was with a complete stranger. Just so you know, I’m a big fan of Skyline Chili, a company based out of Cincinnati. They only have chains in and around Ohio, but I saw a man after the game with a Skyline Chili hat. I approached him, commented on the hat and instantly made a new friend. He said he was from Ohio and would look me up next time he was in the state.

So, my trip was just about finished. Once my three and a half hour drive was over, it was about 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, and like most men after a long day, I turned on Sportscenter and put my feet up. It was a hectic couple of days, but all in all, it was productive, fun and very helpful to the program. I am very hopeful that as we begin to turn this program around, I’ll look back at these trips and say they were turning points in our development.

In the next couple of days, I'll be getting ready for my next trip, heading south to places like Palm Desert, Los Angeles and South Orange County. Until next time, GO YEO or GO HOME!