The Buckeye State x2

  I have fallen way behind but that is okay; there has not been that much to write about. We are presently in Sturbridge, MA. To get you caught up: We left Kentucky on June 5 and headed to the Buckeye State. Our campground was in Wilmington, OH which is about halfway between Cincinnati and Columbus but a little closer to the Queen City. We were in the middle of nowhere so there wasn't much to do but I discovered the Phillies were in town to take on the Reds. We decided to drive into Cincinnati for the game on a Saturday afternoon. Ordering tickets was no easy task. I called Ticketmaster for accessible seating and decided on seats in section 108. For the life of me I don't understand why teams sell their tickets through Ticketmaster. There is a convenience fee and even a fee to pick them up at the will call window. I opted to print them my self since I did bring the printer along. The only place with wi-fi in the park was at the office so I loaded up the computer and printer into the truck, drove to the clubhouse, set everything up, and of course I was out of black ink! I had to get one of the employees to help me by sending the e-mail with the attachments to her and have her print them. We got the tickets printed and headed to the game.
  Great American Ballpark was an easy drive of about 45 minutes and it was a Saturday so traffic in town was light. We found close parking for $10 near Paul Brown Stadium which is a short walk to the ballpark. About the same distance from Heinz Field to PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

There is a nice riverfront park across from the ballpark:

We gave ourselves plenty of time arriving about three hours before game time. We walked around the stadium to see Pete Rose Way and Johnny Bench Way.

Great American Ballpark is on Joe Nuxhall Ave. Joe was a longtime Reds broadcaster and former player. He holds the distinction of being the youngest player to ever appear in a major league game. He was only 15 years old when he pitched 2/3 of an inning in relief in a game during WWII when there was a shortage of players. He eventually played about 12 years.

Great American Ballpark is a nice stadium and Red's fans are very loyal and proud of their team. Adjacent to the park is a Red's hall of fame and museum. That is not included with your ticket and is $10 to get in. We skipped that but I was able to see the Pete Rose baseball display with one baseball representing every hit.

Next to the hall is a rose garden with a white rose in the center representing the exact spot where hit #4192 landed in left-center field of old Riverfront Stadium breaking Ty Cobb's all time hit record.

Say what you want about Charlie Hustle, there is no disputing that he was the most prolific hitter the game has known. He is still a hero in these parts.

The gates open 90 minutes before game time but patrons start queuing up early.

We made our way to our seats and set out for some refreshments. Cincinnati is a small market team and I didn't quite expect Great American Ballpark to be so large and accommodating. 

The stand are stacked high and every nook is utilized for a seat. I thought our seats were going to be better since we paid about $45 a ticket but they were lousy.

The upper level hangs over the lower level and the view is obstructed. Add to that they sell a lot of standing room only tickets and fans line up behind you. They are supposed to stay behind a yellow line but no one seems to see it. The usher had to constantly kick people out.

We had our share of $9 beers and food. Cincinnati is known for it's chili so I had to get a famous chili dog from Skyline Chili

It was okay. They drown it with finely shredded cheese and don't put enough chili on it.

The Phillies played lousy and lost 6-1 I think. Carlos Ruiz hit his whopping second home run of the season for the Phils lone run. (someone is not as powerful without PED's). Ryan Howard whiffed a couple times.

J. Roll got on base but couldn't get home and the pitching by Roberto Hernandez was mediocre.

The game was a nice backdrop to a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. The green grass of the field; the azure skies; and the red worn by the hometown faithful are what a day at the park is all about.

Cincinnati is a great baseball town and the stadium is first class. I was very impressed.

Miles this leg: 238

Total miles: 3549.6

Our next stop in Ohio was Jefferson. Jefferson is half way between Cleveland and Erie. The only sight seeing we did there was Geneva on the Lake. 

Geneva on the Lake is a throwback to the days before theme parks. It is a quaint vacation town on the shore of Lake Erie. Old fashioned pizza parlors, ice cream stands, miniature golf,  and pinball arcades line the main street. I had to play the Indiana Jones pinball machine. It is good to know I still got game- i left the machine with three credits on the board. 

We stopped for lunch at a gyro stand

The weather was good at first but then the clouds came out and then the rain. We ducked into a local restaurant and winery for a wine tasting while the rain passed by. 

The beaches were mostly deserted 

Miles this leg: 273.6

Total miles: 3823.2