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From Brooklyn to Edmonton on $15 |
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I am starting this blog at 28,000 feet somewhere between NY's JFK and Las Vegas...I am listening to my ipod, in shuffle songs mode. I just watched two episodes of "The Office" on my laptop. (Is there a funnier show on TV?) I am nine hours into my sixteen hour journey from the humble abode in scenic Pennsylvania to Edmonton, Alberta. (this is leg two by the way)...
Leg one was driving to JFK Airport on Long Island...through Brooklyn due to traffic. It ended up taking almost five hours. Rush hour on a Friday from Philly to Long Island is no treat. Leg Three will be the midnight flight from Vegas to Edmonton. I will, knock on wood, arrive around 4am in Edmonton. That is 6am to me. I left my house at 2pm yesterday...
The Good News...I will have five and one half hours to get to Rexall for the Oilers morning skate, and six hours until I report from that skate on XM radio.
Is this worth it? Are you joking?
To see the fastest and greatest hockey played on one of the most famous ice surfaces ever sheeted I'd do this trip twice...in fact if there is a game seven I will do it again.
Except that trip will be six legs. I couldn't get a flight out of Edmonton, so I will drive to Calgary, fly to Vegas, fly to Phoenix, fly to JFK on a red eye, and yes believe it or not drive 9 hours to Raleigh.
This is the Cup Finals on a blogger's budget. Frequent flyer tickets and "pump your own gas" travel...and you know what is crazier than all this?
I am pulling for a seventh game.
This really isn't about my aching back or about how many hours I will sleep between now and Tuesday. This is about the life experience. This is about the return of a sport that was gone for a year and is back to with a sense of awe and inspiration. And one never knows how many times you'll get chances to see something magical like this. I am fortunate to be given this opportunity. Fortunate enough to know players on both teams and feel what they are going through. Fortunate enough to have a wife who "gets it." She said to me as I left, "I can't think of any better father's day present." What a girl I got, eh?
She didn't get a chance to see the end of game 5. Tropical Storm Alberto knocked the power out midway in the period three for her. She woke up the next day, turned on the news to see the OT goal.
I woke to a single message on my phone. "Damn Oilers," was all she said.
It is funny how your ipod shuffle can sometimes sum up a moment perfectly...In this plane, as I write this, all is dark on this airplane...people sleeping everywhere...My ipod is playing the awesome acoustic version of Nirvana's song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that Tori Amos recorded way back. Nirvana used to listen to it at ear bleeding volumes right before they took the stage....
The Oilers and Canes should play this song tomorrow night...
From all the fans to the players going tomorrow night:
"I'm worst at what I do best,
And for this gift I feel blessed.
Our little group has always been
And always will be until the end
With the lights out, it's less dangerous,
here we are now....Entertain us."
I will update again after the skates, with my "Ek Factors" and thoughts...I am hoping to wifi this during my vegas layover. And no... I will not be placing a bet on the Stanley Cup Championship.
*****
Update :Midnight in Vegas (3am to you and me)....My flight has been delayed 3 at least hours, so that good news I talked about..not so good..looks like I will be lucky to get a shower and make the morning skates...If anyone wants to meet Eklund, I will be in the Vegas airport watching the wheels go round and round....(the wheel of fortune slots to be exact)