I have done almost all of my Christmas shopping online this season. I am concerned, however, that all of my purchases will make it to their point of retrieval by Christmas eve in order for me to wrap them for distribution. But I did find that one sacred item was sold out via the internet. I would have to make a trip to a mall and hope that purchasing the old fashioned way would prove a viable alternative. Off to Gainsville. No, Brutus, you have to stay here this time. No road trip for you.
I had a hidden agenda for the reason to drive all the way over to Gainesville. Allow me to digress. I am a junkie for visiting football stadiums and baseball parks. Not just any or all of them. They have to be special to me. Fenway Park in Boston, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Oriole Park at Camden Yards are such examples. A few years ago we even drove to Iowa to view the baseball field built specifically for the movie, “Field of Dreams”. Robin will never understand my penchant to viisit and view these places and just ‘be there’. So my ulterior motive was to drive by the home of the University of Florida Gators, also known as “The Swamp“, recognized as one of the most, if not the toughest, environments for a visiting team in all of college football.
Driving down Newberry Ave. you come upon the stadium smack in the middle of campus. I turned into a parking lot and noticed that the gates under the ramps were open. I’ve never been one to be shy of going where I’m not allowed. Pulling Robin along we entered the tunnels and I again found gates open to the bleachers. Nope, not enough to satisfy me. I had to get down on that field where legends have played.
It may well be said that boys never grow up. They just turn into men and their toys become a bit bigger, more expensive, or completely misunderstood by the fairer sex. So be it. I relished in the fact that not only was “the Swamp” was made available to see but to climb over the wall and onto the field made the trip worthwhile.
Robin was a great sport, waiting patiently in the stands while I did my thing. We made it back to the Oaks Mall, found what we needed to find, and did some additional shopping. It can’t get much better than this.
If you build it……..one of my favorite movies….did you know that my Dad played baseball……makes me think of him, and he also had your love of photography…..would love to see the pics of the Iowa ballfield! Glad you were able to “sneak” into another of your fields of your dreams……Happy Trails~