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2022 Week 13 (Minnesota)

2022 Week 13 (Minnesota)

Minnesota was the second half of a two week trip to the Upper Midwest. This was the second straight year, and third overall, where I’ve had an Iowa-Minnesota trip planned. After taking a few days respite in Sioux City, Wednesday was a quick drive northeast to Minneapolis. Leaving Sioux City, we stopped at Casey’s on the south side of the city for the cheaper gas. And then followed US75 northeast around the bypass. In La Mars, I followed the major highway as it changed from US75 to IA60 past Sheldon and into Worthington, Minnesota. Continue reading “2022 Week 13 (Minnesota)”

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2022 Week 12 (Iowa)

2022 Week 12 (Iowa)

This week did not go as well as I had hoped. It was part of a two week trip to Iowa and Minnesota. On the heels of returning from Fargo the previous weekend. I woke up on Monday and my right eye was hazy. Similar to looking through a white fog. I still felt horrible from the previous week. So, I planned to just soldier through it. Thought maybe I had poked my eye while sleeping the night before. Continue reading “2022 Week 12 (Iowa)”

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2022 Week 11 (Fargo)

2022 Week 11 (Fargo)

In Minnesota, the football playoffs have two segments. The latter are the state playoffs. The eight section champions in each class conduct an 8-team, 3-week tournament culminating with state semifinals and finals at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. To get those 8 section champions, they conduct section championships. And in northwestern Minnesota, as many as they can are scheduled for the Fargodome across the border in Fargo, North Dakota.

A few years ago, I found this out at the last minute, but couldn’t attend more than just two of those eight games. I had prior commitments and couldn’t stay longer. However, this year, I planned to be at them all. Nine games over two days. Continue reading “2022 Week 11 (Fargo)”

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2022 Week 9 (Arizona & New Mexico)

2022 Week 9 (Arizona & New Mexico)

I knew early on I’d be in Arizona for Thursday and Friday this week. So, my biggest issue was finding a Saturday game. Suburban Phoenix had enough in the way of Thursday games and the obvious Friday night contests to choose from. Saturday, though? Not so much. I had thought that Lordsburg, New Mexico had a game on Saturday. It was actually for Thursday. So, I went over things and saw Las Cruces would have games on Friday night and Saturday night. Continue reading “2022 Week 9 (Arizona & New Mexico)”

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2022 Week 8 (Dakotas)

2022 Week 8 (Dakotas)

My week was not going to be a busy one. Being in the Dakotas, I only had a shot at a Friday and Saturday game. There were some Thursday games in Nebraska and Minnesota, but the time to get them, and the distance was just not feasible. So, I settled on one game on Friday near Aberdeen. And Saturday was initially going to be the lone Saturday game in Sioux Falls, but instead I headed north to the closest 9-man playoff game in North Dakota. Continue reading “2022 Week 8 (Dakotas)”

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2022 Week 7 (Indiana)

2022 Week 7 (Indiana)

Week 7 was planned the moment I found the schedule change. In Indiana, there’s two conferences that regularly will schedule an entire weekend’s worth of games at Ball State’s Scheumann Stadium. The Central Indiana Conference (CIC) and the Tri-Eastern Conference (TEC). I had been to Ball State twice in the past for CIC Days, but never yet had seen any of the TEC schools play, or a TEC Day at the stadium. So, when I saw that the TEC would have TEC Day (including an extra interconference game on Friday night), I had to make a return to Muncie. Continue reading “2022 Week 7 (Indiana)”

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2022 Week 6 (Tri-State)

2022 Week 6 (Tri-State)

So, I finally got home from my three week sojourn. Last week, I was in South Dakota for three games in my semi-regular stomping ground of Aberdeen. A town I’ve previously seen summer league baseball games. But, being home meant finding games for this weekend. I had an idea and then my Saturday opened up with one game in a place I’ve wanted to see for a while. But, with games in the Tri-State, I was all over the map. Continue reading “2022 Week 6 (Tri-State)”

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2022 Week 5 (South Dakota)

2022 Week 5 (South Dakota)

My second weekend away from home took my back to a familiar place. North Dakota. However, there was just the simple matter of getting there. And I had a group of games in mind. In South Dakota, there was two doubleheaders at Northern State University in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen is a city I’ve been to many times in the past. One of those towns that’s deceptively large. Located in north central South Dakota, I’ve seen several Hub City Hotshots games in the old Expedition League. But, never a high school game in town. In fact, I wasn’t even aware that Northern State had built their own stadium. Formerly, they played at the High School’s Swisher Field. Continue reading “2022 Week 5 (South Dakota)”

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2022 Week 4 (New Mexico)

2022 Week 4 (New Mexico)

I was going to be in Texas this weekend. The oil patch was calling me. Friday morning, I was going to be halfway between Kermit and Mentone. Mentone is in Loving County, the least populated county in the country. The oil boom hasn’t necessarily changed that ranking yet, but the growth west of Kermit along route 302 is impressive. The road is being four-laned west of Kermit to handle all the oil and construction traffic. Thursday, though, left me with some options. And though Texas options were available, I decided to stick to New Mexico. Continue reading “2022 Week 4 (New Mexico)”