Following the fun times had at the University of Oregon in Eugene, I got back into the car (well I packed up my bed after sleeping in it again), and made the long trek down to the Bay Area of California via a stop to catch up with my old friend Lauren in Davis.

Oregon

California

Davis is a cool city dominated by the enormous campus of UC Davis. The school is primarily agricultural, so there are large paddocks with animals, and students ride their bikes in between classes. I also had the honour of trying the drink called a “wiki” aka wiki wacky woo from Bernardo’s, which Lauren tells me she used to use as pre-game before going out on the town (I now understand why, this thing was strong and floored me – though some of my friends might argue it doesn’t take much).

Before

Before & After

Following an early night, I took off at about 8:30am as Lauren was going with her boyfriend to Sonoma and I was making my way South to Mountain View where my good friend Jane’s brother and wife (Patrick & Sarah), had offered to put me up for the next few days.

I wasn’t scheduled to meet Patrick and Sarah until 5:00pm, so decided it would be a good opportunity to check out Stanford’s campus (aka the Ivy League School of the West), which was located in the bay area and allow me to see some more sights and kill time.

KRT CALIFORNIA STORY SLUGGED: CA-STANFORDBAND KRT PHOTO BY L.G. FRANCIS/SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS (KRTC101 – November 15) The Stanford Tree mascot dances with the band at a halftime show. The band, known for its sometimes irreverant humor, has been told to calm down it’s hafltime show with rival UC-Berkeley. (SJ) PL KD 1999 (Horiz) (gsb) — NO MAGS, NO SALES —

The drive to Stanford was relatively uneventful, with spots of traffic and typical Californian multi-lane freeways. What did provide some excitement however, was that I realised I was on track to go via Levi’s Stadium, aka the home of the San Francisco 49ers, aka the new home of my good friend and undefeated (at time of writing) starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo!

I quickly made the relevant detour, parked my car at a youth soccer field (I really need to stop parking near children’s sports fields) and walked around the stadium’s perimeter and checked out the gift shop. Despite my top negotiations with the security on duty, I was not able to walk up the stairs and check out the inside, but it was still cool to see and I’d for sure like to see an NFL game here in future – check the pics below.

(bonus fun fact – seeing where the 49ers play means I’ve visited all four home stadiums of the NFC West. Perhaps a Thirty Two before 32 is on the cards in the future?…)

That night I arrived in Mountain View, where Sarah, Patrick and I enjoyed a meal downtown and a late night beer before it was time to retreat and get ready for game 2/30 on Sunday – a National League West showdown between the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies!

The day of the game also represented San Francisco’s annual “Bay to Breakers” which I attended a few years ago with my friend Jill. Think “City to Surf” but a little more overcast, and substitute “Bondi Smug” for “San Francisco” smug.

In all seriousness, I was stoked because it meant there would be an awesome atmosphere in the city prior to first pitch being thrown out at 1:30pm.

In some more good news, Lauren called me and said her and her boyfriend (Don) were also keen to join. So I got on the train at Mountain View and got ready for the hour-long commute into the city of San Francisco to meet them.

Once arriving in familiar San Francisco, I grabbed a bite to eat before meeting Lauren and Don for a pre-game beer and of course some photos before finding our seats.

As, previously written when I went through all of the team’s stadiums, San Francisco has one of the most stunning ballparks in the USA (I’d put it in my top 5 for sure). There’s not a bad seat in the place, and you’re also treated to picturesque views of the Bay Bridge and the surrounding hills, buildings and of course The Bay itself!

Once we had found our seats, it didn’t take long for the Giants to be up early 1-0. The Rockies would fight back strongly and ultimately put on 2 runs in the 4^th followed by another 2 in the 5^th to lead 4-1 heading into the bottom of the 5^th inning.

It was here though where San Francisco started to fire up.

Some exceptional hitting as well as a couple of home runs in the 6^th & 7^th inning (where 4 runs were scored) really got the local crowd going and ultimately proved too much for the Rockies, as they failed to capitalise on their handy lead losing to the Giants 9-5.

Whilst this wasn’t my first time attending a game at AT&T Park in San Francisco (sweet humblebrag), it was by far one of the most fun with great company, cold beers and a fired up Bay Area crowd on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

I’m looking forward to the game on Tuesday evening when the Oakland Athletics host my new friends from the Seattle Mariners.

Whilst “Thirty before 30” is ultimately a baseball tour, I very much consider myself a “football guy” when it comes to American sports.

I love baseball as a spectator sport and the whole “no clock, anything can happen” narrative that goes with it, however growing up with playing and watching rugby union, there is something instantly relatable to American Football and the contact and teamwork that is necessary to beat your opposition man-on-man (as opposed a pitcher/batter bailing out the entire team as you might see in a baseball game).

So, as I travelled South from Seattle and was fortunate enough to check out the city of Portland, I immediately felt I needed to make the most of my location and travel slightly further South to see the University of Oregon, their campus and most importantly, their football stadium.

It is easy to view it odd that an Aussie would care about a College football program when it comes to American Football (as opposed to the NFL where we all have out teams and can follow the league easily). I mean, only a certain percentage of us would go on exchange and even then, very rarely would you find someone going to one of the bigger football colleges (with the exception of [shoutout Ro Geddes] those who attend the University of Miami).

However, whilst we might think it’s weird, there’s a lot to be said of the authenticity and pageantry when you see competitors playing their sport for the love of the game and not for their next big contract. Where they truly care about where they’re from, their community and their friends and family who support them.

Which brings me back to the University of Oregon.

The University of Oregon first came onto my radar in the 2010-11 College Football season.

At the time, I was already in die-hard Patriots NFL mode, and cheering the Pats on in the NFL was my main focus, with me only just dipping my toes in the world of College Football – i.e. trying to understand how the BCS rankings worked and the million different conferences (of which I am still no expert).

Without going into too much detail, the two best teams that year were clearly Auburn (led by now Panthers QB Cam Newton), and the Oregon Ducks (I can’t remember the QB but the running back LaMichael James – an NFL bust – was on fire that season).

Anyway, the Ducks each week would wear a different Nike uniform, as their famous alumni was none other than Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight. Not only did they look cool, but the way they played under coach Chip Kelly (ironically also an NFL coach bust like his RB James) was simply electric. With a high speed offense that was relatable to rugby, it was impossible not to cheer for them – even though they would ultimately come up short to Auburn in the BSC Championship game that year (which I watched with one of my best mates Sidney in Brazil no less).

The point I’m trying to make is, whilst possessing no specific allegiances to this college something about the Ducks reeled me in. Therefore, having the opportunity to visit their campus and witness their school spirit and facilities was truly an unforgettable experience. I won’t go into too much detail about what I saw on their campus (most of it involved me walking around aimlessly and taking in a women’s softball game – which was awesome), rather, what I’ll do is simply post some of the cool pictures which is certainly an early highlight of this journey.

Whether you like college sports or not, I hope you can enjoy and get some appreciation from these.

Whilst this isn’t the first post written from the comforts of my new car (that was of course done yesterday when arriving in Seattle), it is the first with me laying down completely and using the car as my “hotel” for the night in Portland Oregon.

I’ve never slept in a car and don’t know exactly what to expect, so I’ll have a more succinct break-down of it once (if) I make it through the night (if you’re reading this and I go missing here is my exact location).

Anyway, the 24 hours since I last blogged have been great. Immediately following that posting, I drove my car to a beautiful neighbourhood in Seattle known as Lower Queen Anne, where I went to this awesome little sports bar “Buckley’s” (which happened to be a Green Bay Packers bar….. Don’t worry, I didn’t hold this against them and was very polite), to meet with couples Scott & Connie and Tyler & Paige.

These four were introduced to me by a friend back home and were all proud residents of Seattle (although not born and bred), who were more than willing to share a beer, a laugh, and hear about the Thirty before 30 adventure and upcoming goals.

Upon finishing our beers and closing the tab, I was then treated to a guided walking tour of the neighbourhood that included highlights such as:

• The old Seattle Supersonics (NBA) arena
• The Space Needle
• The parklands around the Space Needle
• Upper Queen Anne and some of the exceptional views and houses that were in this area

Whilst my tour guides perhaps felt what they were showing me was underwhelming, I truly enjoyed the area, the scene and honestly wish I had more time in the city to check more of it out – please check below some of the awesome shots I was able to get from their neighbourhood (including one of the group minus Connie who had to bail and go train for her upcoming triathlon – good luck Connie!)

The next morning after a solid sleep and shower, I checked off the last Seattle “must do” and went to the Pike Markets. This place was awesome and certainly a haven for any seafood or general food lover. It reminded me a lot of San Francisco but for some reason felt a little bit more relaxed (and warmer). Again, I would highly recommend anyone to visit Seattle and check it for yourself as the pictures do not do the place or the people justice.

Next was a big moment….. it was time for game 1/30!

I was really excited as now it felt like I was finally kicking the whole thing off as the Mariners were set to lock horns with division rivals the Texas Rangers (this also represented a nice little culture clash with the progressive Pacific Northwest up against Red Blooded American Texas).

The game was exciting, with big plays from fielders on defense with plenty of hits getting so close to home runs. A highlight for sure was seeing “Big Sexy” Bartolo Colon pitch for the Rangers – I mean look at him, can’t coach that body composition!

My seats were awesome (shout out to foodora for hooking these up), and I met some really cool people who wanted to hear about my trip and where I was off to next.

The guy’s family was taking a pic of him with the board when his name came up for his bday….

The Mariners stadium as a whole was really unique with floating ceilings above the seats and also plenty of areas for fans to gather and socialise around bars with railings and unobstructed views of all the action on the field.

Ultimately, after 7 scoreless innings, the Rangers finally broke through in the top of the 8^th with a single run, and piled on 4 more in the 9^th to win the game 5 – 1 (the Mariners would get a solo Home Run in the 9^th which is always fun to see).

Overall, it was a fantastic experience that has got me hungry for more baseball and what the next ballparks have in store (also check the sweet certificate that’s going straight to the pool room).

Tomorrow (today – as I didn’t post this from my car, rather I went into a gym to shower and am now in Starbucks), I’ll be checking out the city of Portland Oregon, and then begin the long drive down South to the Bay Area, where I’ll be spending a few days to watch both the Giants (San Francisco) and Athletics (Oakland) do their thing – please feel free to let me know if you have any tips, mates or want some cool things for content.

Hi readers,

This post is coming to you from outside Century Link Field, aka the home of the Seattle Seahawks (yes, booooo). You may remember them from the worst play call in Super Bowl history a few years ago, but I digress.

It’s been an eventful last few days, crossing country borders numerous times, catching up with an old friend, negotiating with used car salesmen and finally arriving at the site of game #1 the city of Seattle, to see the hometown Mariners take on the Texas Rangers tomorrow (May 16) at 12 noon.

Rewinding back to yesterday, I was greeted in the morning by the ever positive Bryan and Mindy, who advised I should probably get moving for my flight from LA up to Vancouver (where I planned to purchase the car) as traffic was particularly bad that day (which for Los Angeles is saying something).

Well they weren’t wrong.

It took me about 1.5 hours to get from Santa Monica to LAX (Los Angeles International), which for those playing at home is probably a similar distance from the Sydney CBD to Sydney’s International Airport (can’t remember it’s name right now).

Whilst the drive was long (more tiresome in that traffic), my UBER driver was a nice dude from East LA who barely spoke a lick of English – so at least I had peace and quiet as opposed to the UBER drivers in that city who just want to talk about their acting reel and next BIG MOVE.

The flight to Vancouver was fine, and upon landing I immediately knew I was in a friendly country when immigration was smoother then riding the trains in Sydney. A friendly smile, hello, “Welcome to Canada” and I was in a cab (no UBERS there?) headed to the “Auto Mall” to see what would await me.

Ultimately, it was confusion and disappointment.

To no fault of his own, my friend up in Vancouver Scott was advised this was the best place to buy a used car. Unfortunately, I’m guessing whoever advised him clearly didn’t realise Thirty before 30 was on a budget (say it in a French accent) and I wanted to keep the car below the $10K mark.

Whilst slightly taken aback by these “troubles” I was soon alleviated when I saw a GIANT 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 pull up with a familiar face inside. “No worries man, tomorrow is a new day, let’s go throw some meat on the grill and we’ll getcha car tomorrow”, Scott said in a calming way as only a Canadian could.

What followed was one of the most scenic drives paired with awesome chat and two old friends catching up. Scott lives 45 minutes outside the main city area of Vancouver in a beautiful town called “Chilliwack”. On the way, we would also visit the local Walmart and pick up some supplies I’d need including an air mattress, pump and sleeping bag shaped as a fox (I would test all of these later that night and they all get a big pass).

The place is surrounded huge snow capped mountains, lush fields of berries (I’m told Australia likely gets many of its blueberries from Canada), and river that runs through an awesome little community that has everything one would require – needless to say, I’ve assured Scott I’ll be coming back to spend more time here.

But enough about the scenery, let’s get to what really matters here and that was dinner.

When Scott advised he was going to throw some meat on the grill, little did I know that this “grill” would be a full-blown smoker and the meat would be an entire chicken. He fed this wood chips into the smoker, covered that bird in spices, and one hour the two of us would be tucking into a meal fit for a king (ignore the paper plates his furniture hasn’t arrived to his new digs yet).

With a full stomach and feeling satisfied, Scott went to his room (he also had bought a mattress from IKEA that day), and I went to mine to rest and face a big day tomorrow (aka today).

We both woke up early and made the commute to the lots where Scott dropped me off as he went into work. At the first lot is where I met Tony, who I would ultimately buy my car from after checking 6 other lots in the area.

Let’s talk about Tony briefly before we touch on the car.

Nice guy, would highly recommend you buy a car from him if in the BC area.

Ok great enough about Tony, let’s briefly talk about the car.

I’ve gone with a 2008, black Dodge Nitro that’s packing a V6 engine and operates in both 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive (I’ll be driving it mainly as a 2-wheeler to save on fuel). It has enough room in the back for everything I need, an auxiliary cable so I can listen to all my podcasts, and so far has driven like an absolute dream! Super stoked with the purchase and since I’m not a massive “car guy” I’ll let the images do the talking…..

After purchasing and showing / saying goodbye to Scott, I began my trek back to the USA which is where I find myself now (a parking lot next to both the football and baseball stadium in what I assume is Downtown Seattle).

The drive down was beautiful with greenery and even some more ice-capped mountains off in the distance. I played some local radio and true to form, Seattle had a strong “anti-Trump” rhetoric on the talkback shows which was very amusing to listen to.

I’ve been sweating it up, my allergies are killing me, but I feel great and am super excited for the first game tomorrow!

Have a great day all!

It’s the day of leaving and I’ve been putting off writing something for a while. Not because I didn’t want to, or I’m lazy (maybe a little), but life has just come at me really fast in the last few weeks.

Apart from the additional planning, I had to have numerous coffee’s / beers with friends & family, as well as some restructuring with my resignation at work (spoiler – foodora have offered me an awesome role for when I return, stoked!).

Now that it’s all out of the way, I’m ready to hit the road, although did have some of the pre-trip anxiety (of which I haven’t had in years).

Fast forward this blog post (which I didn’t post as intended), and I am now in Los Angeles at my mate Trevor’s house by his pool. It’s 8:30am (2:30am Sydney time), and it is somewhat overcast as I type this.

The flight wasn’t as bad as anticipated as I got seated in an exit row and binged on “It’s always sunny in Philadelphia”. The pre flight however – well that was another story.

I woke up at 5:45am, had all my shit together ready to go and alas, could NOT find my wallet. Mum was kind enough to offer me money and arrange for new credit cards to be shipped over (TY TY), but then it dawned on me that the real issue would be the driver’s license. How the hell was I going to purchase a car without one?

I immediately went blank and thought of options. Do I delay my flights a day, hit the RTA and bank and sort it all out ASAP? Do I just go as scheduled and wing it? I honestly thought I’d fucked the entire thing up, even going so far as calling my friends I was with the night before and also the bar (at 6:15am) to see whether they had my wallet!

Just before I completely went off the rails and allowed my panic to burst out, Mum looks at me, says “George, just go, it’ll be fine” and throws my wallet at me.

Crises averted!

Whilst it might sound trivial, let me tell you that amount of planning etc. that had gone into the entire trip was so great, that it being undone by me being an idiot and misplacing a wallet would probably send me into cardiac arrest.

With that done, I called my UBER and headed for Sydney Airport. Upon arrival I was looking forward to quickly checking in, hitting the American Express Lounge (Diamond Rewards baby) and posting this blog post before take off.

Again, another small speed bump with not only the check-in line taking an hour (due to internal errors), but as soon as I got near the lounge I was put on a waiting list as it was full. A WAITING LIST FOR THE LOUNGE?!?

By the time I got in and grabbed some food (which was ok I guess), I had about 20 minutes to get to my gate and board the flight – hence why my loyal readers were not gifted this until now.

I suppose the early lesson is here that things are likely to and will go wrong, and that’s ok! The whole journey is one to savour and enjoy, and if I sweat the small stuff I’ll lose sight of what I’m trying to achieve here.

So with that, I’ll leave you guys as I’m off to T-Mobile to sort out my SIM card and buy Trevor some food to thank him for picking me up. Tonight I’ll be hitting my old rugby club’s end of season dinner (shout out Santa Monica Dolphins), which is usually a tame affair.

Expect more content both here and on the gram (that’s instagram which I’m now a god at) in the coming days!

P.S good luck to the Mosman Whales back home who today celebrate their annual ladies day. Give us a Whale Wash boys!

P.P.S my “hetero life partner” Nick is being auctioned off at said Ladies Day. Please be good to him whoever is lucky enough to win 🙂

*DISCLAIMER*

* Whilst this may not have been the most entertaining post, I hope it provided some insight in where I’m currently at with Thirty before 30*

*We will resume regular off-beat blogs next time*

I’ve been in my job for just over a year. I found the role difficult at first because I guess change always is, however, as with everything the role grew with me and has become second nature. Pleasingly, I’ve even been able to implement some processes that have bettered the business overall (at least that’s what they tell me) – FYI I work in Account Management (client facing and a lot of fun).

However, don’t be deceived thinking that I quit my cushy Account Management job just because it was becoming second nature and I needed this challenge, in fact, it is quite the opposite.

If you’ve read my first posts back in July/August 2017, the idea of Thirty before 30 came to my whilst in the shower contemplating what I’ve done in my life before this “milestone” age of 30. I felt everyone around me had their shit together and were moving in a clear direction with a defined path. I wasn’t quite sure that was for me, hence the knee-jerk idea to combine some loves of mine including sports/adventure/writing and (attempting) to make people laugh.

It’s a funny feeling when you resign from a job. Typically, it’s to chase an opportunity career wise, change direction in what you want to do, but rarely is it ever to chase something as arbitrary as a “idea” like “Thirty before 30”. I suppose people who quit their job to start their own business may draw parallels, but I digress.

So resignation day was yesterday, and honestly could not have gone better. The head of HR and I ended up chatting for 1.5 hours, with the first 30 minutes discussing where the business is headed, the second 30 minutes about my resignation for leaving, and surprisingly, the final 30 minutes discussing potential future executive roles for when I return to Australia (unless I somehow manage to monetize Thirty before 30 – here’s a hint though, I probably won’t!).

I guess the feeling I’m trying to convey here is that doing this is worth the shot, because whilst it feels daunting at this point, now that the wheels are in motion (so to speak), and this significant “milestone” (that word again) has dropped, the entire journey and what I’ve set out to do now feels very achievable – and hey, if it doesn’t work out there’s always that executive job to fall back on right? Hopefully?

They’ll forget me by July won’t they……

Until next time, where finally I’d like to write a bit about potential cars I’m going to purchase and get some of your feedback on what is best (not a car guy)

Now, cue the music!

Recently, I had my eyes tested and was somewhat surprised to discover I’m (slightly) short-sighted.

No, not the type of short-sighted you may think by quitting my job to visit all the MLB stadiums this May and putting my career back another year.

Rather, short-sighted in that my eyes can easily get tired and I can lose focus on things when exposed to too much light and too close.

So given this, my optometrist advised I needed a good pair of sunnies for when I’m on the open road, and due to the length of time I’ll be driving, I’ll need something durable, protective and also allow me to look fly as the sky.

Hearing all this was great news as I already had my very own pair of these bad boys – fully polarised and able to take me from a 4 to an instant 10/10 PIT VIPERS!

Not only will you look incredible (refer to the images below), but these sunnies all come with a lifetime warranty and polarised lenses that will protect your eyes on those long days on the road and also at the ballpark (or beach, or snow, or whatever is your vice!)

I was so stoked I was good to go, I told my friends at Pit Viper about what I was doing, and when they heard the Thirty before 30 story, they were super keen to get involved!

So keen in fact, that they were kind enough to offer all my friends, family and readers 10% off when you enter the code GDTB30 at checkout!

Link to their site to check out sunglasses and more: https://pitvipersunglasses.com/

So what you waiting for – get yourself some Pit Vipers, look as cool as I do, and avoid being short-sighted in life 😉

As an Aussie, travelling and immigrating into the US has never really been an issue (except that one time I had “fake” Cohiba Cigars in my bag, but that’s another story for another day).

Us Aussies are lucky that as we’re part of the “coalition of the willing”, we are granted a VISA Waiver whereby just by registering our details online and paying a small $12 fee, we’re able to skip the VISA process that a lot of other countries must go through that allows us(Aussies) to stay in the US for 90-days aka just under 3 months.

So given Thirty before 30 would take just OVER 3 months I thought I’d be sweet with the VISA Waiver because I technically leave the country twice to go to Canada – once to buy my vehicle I’ll ultimately complete the driving in, and the second time for the Blue Jays game (June 29 – but you knew that), so figured it’d reset….

When I did my research, it turned out this was not exactly the case.

Immediate panic set in.

Why doesn’t Canada count?

Why does this need to be more difficult than it needs to be?

Argh!

I went to my travel agents and asked what they thought. Literally, from them I received what I thought might the DUMBEST advice I’ve ever been given. Their proposal? They’d “make” me a ticket to a Caribbean country and find some cheap flight for like $250. I could then use that to show the airline when I boarded my flight (and at US immigration) that I was ACTUALLY leaving the country and not violating the VISA Waiver….

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

First question, “uhhhh what happens when I actually DO leave and then am blacklisted from returning in future? Do I just cross that bridge when I get there?!?’

So I quickly left that situation and did my own research and what did I find?

THE HOLY GRAIL B2 VISA!

I quickly (well not quickly because the bastard took an age to complete) applied, and later that week (last week), I had my interview with the US consulate ready to get approval and all stress alleviated.

The day of the interview arrived and here I was, well presented, had my old passport with my previous US Working Visa, documents including flights in/out and even a copy of where I would be and when.

I got to the embassy (half an hour early of course), went through security and patiently waited for my interview.

No sooner I had greeted the consulate employee, when he asked what I was doing in the US this time (it appears they have a record of every time I’ve visited). As soon as I opened my mouth and told him about the idea of Thirty before 30, he quickly said “oh man so you’re going to Detroit? Oh baby that’s my home town man, have fun, your VISA will be ready in two weeks”…

Now, whilst I appreciated the enthusiasm, I was slightly stunned. I hadn’t even needed to get any paperwork out, didn’t mention how long it’d take to complete, or who I was going with (looking like I’ll mainly be solo).

While this post is just a small part of the planning process of the Thirty before 30 undertaking and perhaps not the most engaging read, I do believe there is somewhat of a takeaway here.

The big takeaway(s) being, the power of sports (baseball), the passion people have for their hometown and the excitement of hearing about someone else’s grand plans, can take away from the fact that you just granted a VISA to a guy who would later notice that his fly on his pants was undone the entire time.

Until next time, where we might talk about some cars, have a good one. x

We’ve seen the schedule now and it’s bumper-to-bumper. From the Pacific Northwest down the Coast, up all through the middle, some flights to Texas and through Canada, Thirty before 30 is a hectic journey up until I hit Washington D.C when I then have 11 days before I gotta be in Atlanta Georgia (which according to Google is about a 10 hour drive).

Yeah not exactly a short distance…..

Even after this game, I then have 9 days before I need to be in Tampa Bay to see the Rays on August 20 (this time Google reckons it’s about a 6 hours drive).

So I wondered to myself, I’m going to be in the South, in the buttcrack of Summer, what is there to do where I can get some of that culture that I’ve spoken about in previous blogs?

To quote the late great Notorius B.I.G – The answer came to me like a song I wrote!

That’s right. I was to venture where (I assume) few Aussies dare to venture and hit a NASCAR event in the deep South – and then I realised, I would not just be attending any old race, no. I would be hitting the one night time race, where Rednecks from all over the South descend upon The Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee and watch cars smash and dash all to turn counter-clockwise and be the first to cross the finish line after countless laps!

Sponsored by “Bass Pro Shops” and “NRA” – God Bless

I’ve been in touch with my mates Dave & Kyle, and we’ve already planned to rent the oversized RV, get up to Bristol the night before (about a 5 hour drive from Atlanta for those playing at home), pull on some cut-off jean shorts and get down and dirty to absorb some culture, meet some great people, and create awesome content!

I for one cannot wait!

I’ll leave you with some more info from the Bass Pro Shops Bristol Motor Speedway Night Race’s official website: http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/

Also it would be remiss of me not to give a quick preview of what I’m hoping to experience down there:

(Couldn’t resist)

After the success of my write-up on the way the schedule has broken and the dates of the games, as promised, I am going to give you some of the numbers around the Thirty before 30 experience (as of time of writing).

Now it would be easy for me to take the low hanging fruit and drop thirty’s all over you – I’m turning 30, there are 30 baseball teams, I’m seeing 30 stadiums, there are 30 days in my birth month (September), 30 in Roman numerals is XXX (nice), 30 minutes is half an hour, 30 is divisible by the sum of its digits and 30 is also the total number of major and minor keys in Western music (meaning you can compose any song you want) – but I’m not going to do that – let’s get going with this special post “Thirty before 30 – by the numbers”

Games by days of the week:

• Monday games: 4
• Tuesday games: 4 + the All-Star game
• Wednesday games: 4
• Thursday games: 2
• Friday games: 6
• Saturday games: 5
• Sunday games: 5

Games by the month:

• May games: 6
• June games: 11
• July games: 9 + the All-Star game
• August games: 4

Games by team (how many times I see the team play – once at home, the rest away):

• 6 games – Boston Red Sox
• 5 games – Oakland Athletics
• 4 games – Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Diego Padres
• 3 games – Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies
• 2 games – Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, St Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees
• 1 game – Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds

Divisional games (where a team plays a team within their league and division)

• American League East: 2
  July 12 – Red Sox vs Blue Jays, July 24 – Orioles vs Red Sox
• American League Central: 1
  June 11 – Chicago White Sox vs Cleveland Indians
• American League West: 2
  May 16 – Mariners vs Rangers, May 22 – Athletics vs Mariners
• National League East: 1
  July 31 – Nationals vs Mets
• National League Central: 2
  June 9 – Cubs vs Pirates, June 22 – Brewers vs Cardinals
• National League West: 3
  May 20 – Giants vs Rockies,  May 25 – Dodgers vs Padres, June 2 – Rockies vs Dodgers

Inter-league games (American League team vs National League Team

• June 17 – Rangers vs Rockies
• July 3 – Reds vs White Sox
• July 20 – Yankees vs Mets
• August 22 – Marlins Yankees

So that about wraps up where we currently are in terms of “Thirty before 30” by the numbers. Over the next couple of posts, I’ll be providing a bit more of a breakdown on the actual road trip, including maps, routes, interesting things I’ll pass through, and any other events that will go along with the adventure.

Stay tuned, and of course, please feel free to provide any feedback!