Packing for Opening Day...Restoring the past

Reds Opening Day - which falls upon us this first day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand and thirteen.

The countdown currently rests at a even number - six days until the greatest day of year blesses us. A morning graced by God, country, and the frickin' Cincinnati Reds - the team who brings all of MLB it's official start to the season, a long lasting tradition and honor. You're welcome America...

Six days out, the jeep is already getting packed up - we take my old beat up Wrangler to remind us of our younger days, another treat...

Ahhh a day from my youth - me and my girlfriend (current wife) with no kids, and probably no money either...

 She looks mad... probably because I drank the last beer, remember when we fought about little things like that? Ahhh the good ol' days. 

Back to present time.....  damn I love this Jeep - luckily through college, Iraq, and life, I have still managed to hold onto this dear machine, and I don't plan on getting rid of her.

 

Back to packing for Opening Day - I decided I needed a small portable grill, for both camping, fishing, and baseball tailgating. I found a 1976 Coleman gas grill that needed some TLC - after some special order parts, a gallon of white gas - hey I remember white gas - and some applied engineering I got this classic beast back to it's working order. Luckily Coleman still has a bad ass customer service dept and a great supply of replacement parts - I bought a generator tube, a pump rebuild kit, an air stem, and a few extra parts I may need... After a few beers and some work, this classic was back and running again.  (When purchased, it had the origional receipt, manual, and note saying "purchased in 1976, last used for four weeks camping in 1995"...pretty fricken sweet. You know how old men love to keep awesome records like that.

 

 

I cooked some Polksta's, hot dogs, and a frozen JTM just to try it out, it worked great and I couldn't be more happy - considering I have about 20 dollars invested into the grill including fuel. Oh hey there, that's my vintage Coleman cooler, I love that thing too. Back when I had my ski boat, ice chests were the shizaam and balancing the weight of occupants - I bought that ol' boy just to match my restored 1975 Webbcraft (earlier sad article about selling her, will not link, wound too fresh).

To Great American Ball Park? Okay, we'll be there Monday morning; but first........

 

 

 

 

as tradition dictates, we must visit Crosley Field, what is left of her... a memorial in the middle of Cincinnati's industrial park, just over the tracks. This place could talk, and it still does...Mr. Good at work talks about Crosley...he talks about Gus Bell, his favorite player as a kid, and Big Klu, his arms like tree trunks...My ol' man talks about when his dad took him to Crosley for a night game, when my dad tells this story, you should see his face when he explains how big his eyes were, just a boy seeing his first night game... My mom telling about how she met Johnny Bench in the parking lot outside, when players parked side-by-side with the fans...My grandpa Jim passing away with an unfinished 1976 Reds schedule in his wallet. Crosley field was and is a great place, we'll pay our respects to Crosley, then Pete Rose and his dad at Frisches Big Boy - then off to set our own legacy, one my daughter and son can follow in...Baseball, a gift of life, legends, and tradition...I swear it's better than Christmas.. Have you ever gotten 162 gifts for Christmas? doubtfully. 

 

 

 

 

 

I expect this year's crowds to be double - by the price of my frickin' standing room only ticket - it should be - but the Findley Market Parade is something from a story book, a real treat....