A Brewers bus trip...
Seven years ago I took my then-3-year-old son, 5-year-old daughter and 13-year-old cousin to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field to watch the Brewers beat up on the Cubs. The most profound thing about that trip was my cousin looking at me with a confused look on his face and asking, as he pointed at the golden arches, “Is that where they tailgate?”
That made me realize just how lucky we are in Wisconsin to have Miller Park and the ability to throw down a grill and a cooler and instantly party with thousands of your closest friends, most of whom are there to support the Crew. Plus, I'd much rather tailgate for three hours before the game than circle the neighborhood, looking for a place to park.
If you were to venture out to Arizona for spring training, you would find that it’s pretty much bizarro world out there. When we went we caught a few games at the Brewers' park in Maryvale, where it seemed everyone showed up at the last minute. Then we went to watch the Crew play at the Cubs' park and I truly could not believe what I saw: thousands of Cubs fans, all parked in a field throwing Frisbees and tossing the bean bags. I didn’t know that Cubs fans even knew how to do those things, but that’s a different story altogether.
There are many reasons as to why Miller Park won ESPN’s Ballpark Bracket, but one of the biggest has to be the tailgating experience. If you are a Brewers fan, I don’t have to explain to you what that tailgating experience is like at Miller Park. It’s comforting to know that if you happened to forget any tailgate essentials, someone within a 10-foot radius probably will offer up one of their extras.
To be honest, the very-soon-to-be Mrs and I haven't been frequent tailgaters since we started riding our bikes last year. I miss the atmosphere, but the upside of biking is not having to pay for parking and not having to wait for traffic to clear before leaving the parking lot, so it is the option of choice more often than not. That won't be the case on Saturday, as we will board a bus with family and friends for what some are calling a bachelor/bachelorette party. I’m not a big fan of that term because this, at a minimum, is what I think of when I think "bachelor party," with this being the worst-case scenario. We will be no where near either of these. I prefer the term "pre-wedding party," but to each their own.
This trip will be weird, because for about 99 percent of my trips to Miller Park I am the ticket guy and ultimately the time planner. That’s not the case this weekend. I have no idea who will be there or how many will be there. I just know when I need to be where, and I’m actually kind of OK with that. Bus trips to Miller Park are always a good time, and this will be no different. If you are going to the game feel free to email me through this website or tweet me and I'll give you the location of the bus. One free beer/??? per reader who stops by! :)
Are there any Peace & Glove readers who have been lucky enough to enjoy a bus trip to Miller Park this year? What is your favorite part of the bus trip/tailgate experience?
Tim Thompson is a carsalesman, farmer, and huge fan of the Milwaukee Brewers. He lives in Milton area with his wife and two kids. Tim is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
Sep 4, 2012 at 4:20 p.m.
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"One free beer/???"
Awesome. : )
Aug 31, 2012 at 1:27 p.m.
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Good posts. KP keep yo head above water:)
Aug 31, 2012 at 1:25 p.m.
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Any pall park can be a great experience if you know what you are doing. The whole Miller Park experience is awesome. My favorite part is the tailgating. The game is honestly a distant second. I am a big fan of pre-game atmospheres. I enjoy having a few beers, grilling, playing bags, and socializing with random fans of the game. I hate being rushed. I am ok with getting into the game in the second inning (don’t prefer it though). If it is a big game; I won’t miss the first pitch.
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My favorite part of going Wrigley is the very moment that you walk up the stairs and get a glimpse of the field; I’ve been there several times and each and every time I get chills. I also love the Metra ride from Harvard (hate the trip back). I have a few drinks and play what I call the “name game” with everyone that heads down with me.
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The “name game” is simple and allows you to reminisce about players from present and past as well as pass the time on an otherwise boring hour and a half train ride. The game starts out with any current or past baseball player’s name being brought up. The first player then has to say the name of another player whose first name starts with the first letter of the previous player’s last name. The player clockwise picks another name. This continues clockwise until a player with the same first and last initials is brought up; the direction of play is then reversed. Example: Ryne Sandberg, Sandy Koufax, Kyle Kendrick (reverse the rotation), Kerry Wood, Walt Weiss (reverse)…etc. A player is eliminated if they cannot come up with a name or they duplicate a name. If you want to the game to go on for a long time stay away from U’s, X’s, Y’s, and Z’s as there aren’t a whole lot to go around. The game is less about winning and more about brining up obscure players to boast your knowledge of the game. Smart phones are not allowed; just brainpower.
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Go Cubs Go.
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Enjoy the game Tim. I’ll be kayaking down the Kickapoo.
Aug 31, 2012 at 11:23 a.m.
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There is nothing like the nostalgia of Wrigley. I prefer old County Stadium over Miller Park. I will admit however that for a family experience Miller Park is awesome!
Aug 31, 2012 at 11:18 a.m.
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No doubt about it! Miller is definitely better than Wrigley. I once went to a Cubs preseason game in Mesa where the vendors were hawking "Over-priced beer here". Everyone was laughing at that. I went to a game in L.A. last year with our son. One bottle of Bud was $12.50. A can of Diet Coke was $6. At the Lakers game, beer is much, much cheaper...$11.50. Parking at both was $20. I will never complain about Miller. We're lucky to have such a venue.
Aug 31, 2012 at 10:49 a.m.
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If I was a Cubs fan I may have the same perspective, other than not liking tailgating. From a family viewpoint however, I do believe that Miller Park easily trumps Wrigley field. Also, not peeing in trough is nice:)
Aug 31, 2012 at 10:06 a.m.
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You are so on the money with this one tim. I've been to miller a few times, and to wrigley once. (wednesday). I was the planner, as usual, and was extremely disappointed to find there was NO parking lot. How can you work up the pregame spirit without pregame spirits in the parking lot. No problem, I thought, we'll just get there real early, find a pub, and have a few before we go in( and start paying ballpark prices). Well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you I was slightly surprised to find them charging ballpark prices outside the ballpark. I guess we should have had a few where we parked. :)
As for ballpark vs ballpark I'd have to give the nod to Miller. It has the whole experience. I would definitely rather watch the game from my seats at wrigley. Upper deck, behind home plate, with the darkness rolling in over the skyline. Absolutely stunning.
I think next time, I'll Tailgate at miller, then catch a train to Wrigley.
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