bigmacbear (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bigmacbear) wrote2024-07-07 11:59 pm
bigmacbear) wrote2024-07-07 11:59 pm
GALA Festival Trip, Day 2 of 10
SUNDAY
Woke up around six o'clock to pee, returned to bed and got up for the day a few minutes after shutting off the alarm at 7:30. I let Gary sleep in while I showered and otherwise prepared for the day. Gary woke up about quarter to nine and we went downstairs to breakfast about 9:15. I had the buffet and Gary had French toast. We needed to return to the room so Gary could take his morning pills. On the way, we stopped by the 6th floor to check out the pool and fitness center. We got back to the room shortly after 10, took care of business, and left again just before 11. The elevator down was fairly full already as the cosplayers were loading out of their rooms for the last day of their convention, so Gary and I were wedged towards the doors. It became comical as the elevator continued to stop at each floor and we had to say "sorry, we're full". Gary and I noted the situation as a cross between the Marx Brothers crowded stateroom scene and the 3 train at rush hour. After passing a few floors, the elevator system seemed to take the hint and delivered us nonstop to the lobby.
We crossed the street to catch the #18 Free Ride bus to Nicollet Mall station, leaving early at 7th Street as the 5th Street stop was closed for the Taste of Minnesota as we'd noticed the night before. As we prepared to cross 7th, first a car and then a dude on a bike crossed the intersection unsafely in front of us and the bus. We caught the train and noticed a dude trying to leave with a lot of stuff and failing miserably. It was a short trip, and we were pleasantly surprised to find the gates already open to enter the stadium.
We walked around the first base side of the building to our gate and soon found our seats. I got us drinks, then Gary went shopping at the team store for a ball cap, program book, and souvenirs. A lady sitting in our row to Gary's right carried a sign that read, "I had a better sign, but the Astros stole it." 😊 After the pregame festivities concluded, the game began with an immediate ground out on the first pitch to Jose Altuve. I remarked, "That was fast." Houston scored two runs in the top of the second, answered by a single Twins run in the bottom of the same inning. In the bottom of the third, I left to use the bathroom and purchase ice cream and root beer. I let a cute otter-pup who reminded me of Stephen Fleming-Cooper ahead of me in the bathroom line. I'd forgotten Gary had his phone off, so I had to guess what to buy, but it worked out well: vanilla ice cream helmet for Gary, chocolate for me, and root beer for both. As soon as I got back, the Twins tied the score in the bottom of the fourth. During the seventh-inning stretch, an ad exhorting the crowd to "stretch those arms out" inspired me to take a picture and make a "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" reference on Toto's Basket. The Twins held off the Astros until the bottom of the ninth, when Christian Vazquez drove in a walk-off home run to left field to win the game 3-2.
We made our way to the light rail station and rode back to Nicollet Mall. I pointed out that Walgreens was on our way, so Gary and I stopped in for needed supplies. We caught the bus back to the hotel. At the stop before we were to leave, an older bear (by which I mean about our age) wearing a Barry Larkin Reds uniform shirt had a verbal spat with the driver, at one point claiming he should know the rules better than the driver because he used to drive a bus himself. We tried to give him a wide berth as we left.
We spent a little over an hour relaxing in the room and watched the news and half of 60 Minutes before heading to the Nicollet Diner across the street for dinner. I had a French dip sandwich and fries, while Gary had a salad. We returned to the room and spaced out for the rest of the evening, going to bed about 11:30.
Woke up around six o'clock to pee, returned to bed and got up for the day a few minutes after shutting off the alarm at 7:30. I let Gary sleep in while I showered and otherwise prepared for the day. Gary woke up about quarter to nine and we went downstairs to breakfast about 9:15. I had the buffet and Gary had French toast. We needed to return to the room so Gary could take his morning pills. On the way, we stopped by the 6th floor to check out the pool and fitness center. We got back to the room shortly after 10, took care of business, and left again just before 11. The elevator down was fairly full already as the cosplayers were loading out of their rooms for the last day of their convention, so Gary and I were wedged towards the doors. It became comical as the elevator continued to stop at each floor and we had to say "sorry, we're full". Gary and I noted the situation as a cross between the Marx Brothers crowded stateroom scene and the 3 train at rush hour. After passing a few floors, the elevator system seemed to take the hint and delivered us nonstop to the lobby.
We crossed the street to catch the #18 Free Ride bus to Nicollet Mall station, leaving early at 7th Street as the 5th Street stop was closed for the Taste of Minnesota as we'd noticed the night before. As we prepared to cross 7th, first a car and then a dude on a bike crossed the intersection unsafely in front of us and the bus. We caught the train and noticed a dude trying to leave with a lot of stuff and failing miserably. It was a short trip, and we were pleasantly surprised to find the gates already open to enter the stadium.
We walked around the first base side of the building to our gate and soon found our seats. I got us drinks, then Gary went shopping at the team store for a ball cap, program book, and souvenirs. A lady sitting in our row to Gary's right carried a sign that read, "I had a better sign, but the Astros stole it." 😊 After the pregame festivities concluded, the game began with an immediate ground out on the first pitch to Jose Altuve. I remarked, "That was fast." Houston scored two runs in the top of the second, answered by a single Twins run in the bottom of the same inning. In the bottom of the third, I left to use the bathroom and purchase ice cream and root beer. I let a cute otter-pup who reminded me of Stephen Fleming-Cooper ahead of me in the bathroom line. I'd forgotten Gary had his phone off, so I had to guess what to buy, but it worked out well: vanilla ice cream helmet for Gary, chocolate for me, and root beer for both. As soon as I got back, the Twins tied the score in the bottom of the fourth. During the seventh-inning stretch, an ad exhorting the crowd to "stretch those arms out" inspired me to take a picture and make a "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" reference on Toto's Basket. The Twins held off the Astros until the bottom of the ninth, when Christian Vazquez drove in a walk-off home run to left field to win the game 3-2.
We made our way to the light rail station and rode back to Nicollet Mall. I pointed out that Walgreens was on our way, so Gary and I stopped in for needed supplies. We caught the bus back to the hotel. At the stop before we were to leave, an older bear (by which I mean about our age) wearing a Barry Larkin Reds uniform shirt had a verbal spat with the driver, at one point claiming he should know the rules better than the driver because he used to drive a bus himself. We tried to give him a wide berth as we left.
We spent a little over an hour relaxing in the room and watched the news and half of 60 Minutes before heading to the Nicollet Diner across the street for dinner. I had a French dip sandwich and fries, while Gary had a salad. We returned to the room and spaced out for the rest of the evening, going to bed about 11:30.