A few weeks ago, I finished reading The Teammates by David Halberstam. It is a great story about a road trip Johnny Pesky and Dominic DiMaggio took with Dick Flavin, the “poet laureate” of Fenway Park, to visit Ted Williams in Florida. They knew Ted was dying, and wanted to see their old friend one last time. It is always fun driving through this great country with friends. This weekend, I have the privilege of doing just that with two great friends and great men – Tim Riegle and Damon Bateson. We are heading from Virginia Beach to Atlanta to meet up with Rob and Ron Fouse for a couple baseball games and some shenanigans. 🇺🇸
Thursday afternoon we threw our golf clubs and duffle bags in the back of Damon’s Pilot and headed south to Greenville, SC. Damon had done some internet surfing and booked us a tee time for Friday morning at The Preserve at Verdae. So, I had the advantage of being a passenger for the drive, AND if the course sucks, I get to blame Damon. Win Win!
We arrived just before sunset, threw our bags in the room of our hotel next to the course and walked over to take a look at the track. At first glance, it wasn’t gonna suck, but we decided we would have to go ahead and play it just to be sure. First, a four minute drive to the local Twin Peaks to see if they had any decent beer. That’s why guys go to Twin Peaks – for the beer, of course. Turns out they have a thermometer that shows the temp of their taps, and it was 30 degrees Fahrenheit! It was cold, and delicious!
We awoke to a glorious day in South Carolina and fueled up for what promised to be a fun round of golf. Many of the reviews we read warned us that this course was challenging, with tight fairways and beautiful trees lining every hole. While paying our way in the clubhouse, Damon chummed up with a local standing in line. He was headed out as a single after us, and offered to join our group if we wanted some tribal knowledge of the curse. We happily welcomed Vince to the foursome and headed out. Put The Preserve at Verdae on your list of really nice courses to play if ever you find yourself in Greenville. We had a lot of laughs and I donated a few lost balls to future fellow travelers of the woods. Vince gave us the scoop on every tee box and kept mentioning “a creek and a marsh” in front, behind, left or right of seemingly every hole. I asked him if it was the same creek. Vince said it was the same on the back nine, and it was named “f—-ing creek”. By the end of the round, I knew why. Damon carded the only two birdies of the group and squealed alarmingly with delight over one chip in from off the green. Both Tim and Damon took some of my money, but that’s par for the course – pun intended. 🏌️♂️
It was a short two hours to Atlanta where we met up with Rob and Ron Fouse in The Battery area outside of Truist Park. We found them at Live which is a very cool sports bar with outdoor seating as well. The Fouse brothers had a bit of a head start on us, but we did our best to catch up before heading in for the Rangers v Braves game. ⚾️
This was my first trip to Truist Park in Atlanta, and I give it a double thumbs up. The Battery is a fantastic atmosphere for pre and post game shenanigans, and the park itself is also a gem you should put on your list. We had a great time in a really nice ballpark.
Saturday morning found us hungry, so we ventured out to Waffle House for some hash browns smothered and covered and a plate of steak and eggs. After that delicious treat, we drove about 9 miles to the College Football Hall of Fame. The last time I visited, it was located in South Bend. They have made tremendous upgrades, including lots of interactive stuff based on the team you select when you arrive and register. The wall of 380 helmets as you walk in is truly impressive. There is a short film that makes you want to run out on the field yourself! Our military discount could not be beat – free entry for Veterans. At the end, you were on a field where you got to attempt a field goal and throw a couple of passes. None of us made the kick, and mine was admittedly the worst. But we tried, and it was fun!
Our second game wasn’t until 7:20 PM, so we had plenty of time to try something new. None of us had done indoor cart racing. but we decided this was the day. We headed to Andretti Indoor Karting and registered for our inaugural race! After suiting up and getting our safety brief, we strapped in and got out on the track. The first lap is a bit of a warmup, and speed is definitely governed. But after that, they take the training wheels off and you are buzzing around the track! This is a really cool thing to do, especially with a group of legends. All cars are timed for the fastest lap and fasted average, and once Tim passed me, I knew I was in trouble. Tim took no prisoners and ended up as the overall winner. I would highly recommend this activity to anyone wanting to give it a go! Way worth it.
After a nap for me and some shopping for Tim & Damon (yes, seriously) we went back to The Battery for dinner before the game. Again, we had great service in a rambunctious atmosphere. A small band of drummers strolled by and made me think of college tailgating. We went in an hour before first pitch and found our way to our seats in the first row out in left-center field. It was a pretty night, though a bit cooler by the seventh inning stretch. I love a bit of a cool breeze, and we got that after the sun went down.
A man two rows behind us loved seeing the display of iconic jerseys in our row. I have to admit, it is pretty cool. I asked him to share the photo with me. I’ll close this addition of our sea stories from coast to coast with a good picture of the final night of our epic weekend. Thank you Gentlemen for a great weekend making memories with great friends. Until next time!
