Wednesday, December 7, 2011

TERRIER TRAVELS - PART 1

Well last I looked, about 88% of those who voted wanted a road trip blog, and that's more than enough for me!

- As I start this post, it's just after 9:00 am on Wednesday, and the bus is pulling out of Yorkton, and on to Highway 16. The Melville Millionaires and the Terriers do their Kindersley/Battleford swings different. The Mils usually leave at around 11:00, have Pre Game in Saskatoon, then go straight to Kindersley in time to play. Then after the game, head straight to North Battleford and check in there, usually no earlier than 1:00 am. The Terriers make Rosetown their base for these trips, and leave Yorkton about 9:00, usually with pit stops in Dafoe (coffee for the driver) and Tim Horton's in Saskatoon, just for a quick break/snack/coffee. Then staright to Rosetown to check in, and have a Pre Game pasta meal. After that, there's usually still an hour or two to kill at the hotel, before making the short commute to Kindersley. They stay the night in Rosetown, have Pre Game there again the next day, and then head to The Battlefords. So, in a nutshell, that's a sneak peak of what will happen over the next couple days.

- These trips are great for me, because with them leaving mid-morning, I'm not in at the station for my usual morning run, which usually means a nice sleep-in. But, my 18-month-old alarm had me up just after 6:00. I didn't complain, gave me some time with her, and I likely won't see her again until after Day Care on Friday. My wife drops her off at 7:30 and then heads to Melville where she teaches Grade 8 (Camden Fiesel and company!).

- I made a Tim Horton's breakfast run and popped by the station just after 8:00 to do a little typing and print off my stats package for tonight's game in Kindersley.

- Bus left a little after 9:00, and I think we're somewhere between Springside and Theodore. Me and Trainer Riley Rice switched seats for this trip, not sure why, after the Terriers went 2-0 on their last Kin-Bat trip! I'm behind coach Trent Cassan. "Badger" Bob is at the wheel, and always gets us from point A to B safe and sound. Bus Drivers are the most underrated members of any sports team. They have to be wide awake in the wee hours, while everyone else sleeps, watches movies, texts, etc.

- You know December 1st has come and gone. There are TWO empty seats. Although, Dylan Baer and Ryley Stefanyshyn are doubling. NOW we're in Theodore. Stefanyshyn is now on a Jr B card with Ochapowace, but can still play 10 games with the Terriers before Ochap's season is over, at which point the Terriers could call him up full time. He scored 3 goals and an assist in his last game in Ochap, and he scored twice last time the Terriers were in Battleford.

- Tyler Giebel IS back with the Terriers, after one game (and one goal) with Red Deer in the Western League, while Dawson MacAuley's NOT on the bus. He's normally right behind me, but he's back in the Dub with Medicine Hat now. Tigers' goalie Tyler Bunz is one of four goalies trying out for Team Canada's World Junior squad, and if he makes it, MacAuley would likely be with Med Hat until early January (tournament ends Jan 5). Even if Bunz doesn't make it, MacAuley probably isn't back in Terrier colours before Christmas, because of the WJHC camp.

- It's a quiet bus so far. No movie, and the bulk of the guys are back asleep.

- My checklist (not actually a list on paper but what I try to bring):

- Two dress shirts/ties (I'm not a suit guy, but wear a tie most of the time)
- One pair of dress pants that goes with both (I pack light, and I only wear them a couple hours before until just after the games, so it's not that gross right??)
- Because we're not going straight to the rink, I'm scrubbin' it with a hat, T-shirt, hoodie, jeans.
- Shaving kit with all the essentials. Normally just use the garbage soap/shampoo at the hotel, again, to pack as light as possible.
- CELL PHONE CHARGER! I now have one that I keep only in my work bag. My BlackBerry only holds a charge for 6-8 hours lately for some reason (even after buying a new battery). So I charge it every night, and during entire games.
- Laptop. Good for typing on the bus, at the hotel, emailing audio back to the station, and for my out of town scoreboard during games.
- PSP. My wife got it for me 2 or 3 Christmas's ago, and wishes she didn't. I go in spurts where I won't play for a while, but then I'll get hooked again and never put it down. Lately, I limit it to bus trips, which was the intent of the gift! Even then, I don't play as much as I used to, but I remember crushing most of a Madden season on a Nipawin/Melfort trip a couple seasons ago.
- Magazines. I have a Hockey News subscription, both at home, and the radio station. But I ALWAYS forget to bring one. I do have a couple old ones in my laptop bag from the last overnighter I did with Wayway.
- I. Almost always forget something (aside from Hockey News). In the past those things have included: hair gel, ties, belt, non-dress shoes, toothpaste, PSP, pillow. And on my first ever road trip with GX, on my second day working here, in mid-October 2007, my ENTIRE overnight bag. Yup, left it in my vehicle at the station. Blaine Weyland will remember. The Terriers went up the day before to Battleford that time, which was my FIRST day of work, so Blaine and I took a station vehicle. Had to make a Wal-Mart trip early the next morning.

- That'll do for now, I think we're around Foam Lake. Typing is much slower when you can only use your thumbs. I might just join in on this mass morning nap, or fire up some Madden 12. Thanks for reading, and check back soon!

CS

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gotta love the PSP. Great handheld.

Anonymous said...

Where do you guys stay in Rosetown. Is it a decent hotel or motel?

Craig Stein said...

Heartland Motor Inn. Pretty old, nothing special, but has double beds and cable TV like every other place. I think they stay there because they can't get late checkout times in Kindersley.