Kansas City Royals Game Weekend Trip

last updated on 2004/06/14

I have been here in Kansas for more than 8 years now but I have never been to Royals baseball game before so I decided to check it out with my friends. Many of my friends has gone to the game already but it is fun to watch the game with more people. After few weeks of preparations, we, six people, are heading out to KC for the weekend fun! (We will never know what's gonna happen...)

The game was broadcasted on the FOX and the ticket was $22.00 per person, which was not that cheap.

We had a dinner at Sumo Restaurant on Friday night.

2004/06/12

Going to Topeka -> Lawrence -> Kansas City

I woke up at 7:00am as usual. I did some stretching, ate breakfast, getting personal items into my car. I called Kang before leaving the house and also stopped by a gas station to buy some water.

We; Kang, Chie, Hiro and Kosuke, left Wichita around 9:00am. Drove to Kansas Turnpike toll plaza in Andover with two cars. Since my friend's Toyota Solara, has more horse power than my Honda Civic does, he is going to carry other two friends until we reach to his apartment in Topeka.

Out first stop was at Cassoday service area, north of El Dorado, KS.

Service Area, you can go to McDonald's and Phillip 66

This is a historical marker, I guess

We can prove that Kansas is VERY flat, here is a 180 degree composite picture

Once outside of the service area, it took me forever to catch up with Hiro's car. (He is way ahead on the same lane in the picture below) I cannot tell you how I caught up with him...

Agh! Wait for meeeeee!

After driving for a while, we get to Hiro's apartment in Topeka, KS. We dropped off pillows and mattress to make more room in my car, now we all four fit into my tiny car and head to Lawrence, KS to meet up with two other friends.

At Lawrence, we met with Isaias and Shannon. Now we have two cars, and six people. Let's go to Kansas City! Since I did not know the way, Isaias was leading. It was fine until we passed the toll gate near Kansas City, where I pay with cash while Isaias pays his toll with K-Tag system. When I started to drive again, he was gone! It took me about 10 minutes to catch up. I was driving at a speed so fast that my passengers weren't comfortable at all. Anyway, we finally got to Kansas City and started to joining the traffic jam toward the stadium.

We are almost there!

After paying $8.00 for the parking, we parked our car at a curb of the lot B. I applied sun block on my arms, face and neck (but not on legs, then I will have to forever regret my action...)

I did not know that baseball stadium and football stadium are located side by side! (They share the parking lot, what a clever idea) I need to go to a Chiefs game sometimes.

Here is the overview of the stadium

Let's go watch the game!

Watching the baseball game

We arrived at a gate. If you carry bags, they will be checked by the security personals. It took us for a while to find the seats we are assigned to. There was a guy followed one of our female friends, looking for an opportunity to snatch a purse so I walked right behind of him until he gave up. I don't like those people who steal other people's stuffs. In the ball game, you can only steal a base!

Gotta have a ticket!

Starting member, I see a Japanese guy in Mets playing today.

The Royals Stadium, it looks pretty cool! (never mind the guy who is walking)

The game started with Mets scoring one point in the first inning. Royals did not get a single hit until the 5th inning. C'mon!

Kaz Matsui did not make it to the second base. He stayed here for several minutes.

Lemonade! Lemonade! Lemonade~~~!!! Yeaaaaaah!!!

Shannon and Isaias

Isaias~ Kosuke~ and Hiro~, hey where are you looking at?

Hiro~, Chie~ and Kang~

Chie did not survive the hot sunny afternoon therefore she and Kang were hiding some shady area most of the time. I was the only one never moved from the seat during the game, although I noticed my knees are getting burned really fast. I should have, either applied my sunscreen, or wore long pants like Hiro and Kang.

A snap shot of the game

Another snap shot of the game

The back stand of the Royals stadium. I like the water fountains. When a player hit a homerun, there will be some fireworks shoot up in the air too!

It has been an interesting game. We were winning until the bottom of the 8th, but Mets scored another point on the top of 9th, so we are even. Royals has to score a point to win now! Let's go Royals!

Royals win!

Royals Win! (The sign says)

The final score was 3-4.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  
NYM 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3
KC 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 4

Let's get out of here!

Dinner at Plaza

We headed to Plaza area of Kansas City. I did not know the way so I just followed Isaias. We had to wait for a while to get out of the parking lot, and another while to get on the highway where I was being cursed by some idiot boy who was saying something via side mirror of his just-purchased-but-already-has-a-big-dent-on-the-tailgate Ford pickup truck. He tried to make me hit the truck by stumping on the brake suddenly many times but non of them worked. He should have used side brake instead... Then we saw an accident involving a motorcycle on the highway so there was another traffic jam. I think they should make a public transportation for this. This is such a waste of time and gas!

a bike wreck. Ouch.

After arriving the Plaza, we get to park at the very top floor of a parking garage. I had a very narrow space so I parked again later.

A view from a parking lot

A view from a parking lot

A view from a parking lot

A view from a parking lot

P F Chung's Restaurant. This is where we ate dinner.

We went to P F Chung's Chinese Restaurant, but it was very busy and had to wait for a while. So we took a walk. We went to the Discover Shop, Banana Republic and Starbucks Coffee. There are many kinds of stores you can shop around in Plaza. When I came to here in last December, I never realized about how big the place is. We waited 45 minutes to receive next available pager, then another 15 minutes to wait for the seat. Well, we are in now... (and We are all hungry!)

  Isaias is so happy!

I got good suntan on my face!

I am so happy!

How's my face look like now?

Chie, Kang and Kosuke

Let's eat!

After finishing a such fine dinner, we took a walk for a while then headed back to the parking lot.

Plaza in the evening

Aftermath

We have left the Plaza then went a gas station to fill up. I did not know how to go back to Topeka so I asked a police officer at the gas station. He told me to go on 71 so I will get to I-70 so I just went on, but I never got there. Hiro told me to take I-35, so I started to driving that way.

We should have realize these facts

About 40 minutes pasts, Hiro found out we won't get to Topeka if we keep going. We ended up driving to Emporia. The weather outside was so bad, wind blowing like crazy and very hard to keep my car going straight. Dusts are hitting my car, making scary sounds, and lightning everywhere! It is very hard to driving in such scary weather since the waves of the dust looked like running into a tornado, and there is no FM or AM radio stations I can listen to. (Kansas sucks...) I even called my friend to find out if we can take any short cut, but I guess it did not work out well neither.

After arriving to Emporia, we took small break at a service station. Kang fell after slipped on wet pavement. It looked embarrassing.

The rain got harder as we approached Topeka. The wind was blowing, and the rain was so hard, I could not see the road well. Still, I wanted to get to my friend's apartment as soon as possible, so I was driving around 70mph. It was a bit scary since I cannot see whether the road is straight, or curved. The only way knowing is to use the lightening as natural lighting. Often the wheels got hydroplaned so I was having trouble going so fast.

We finally arrived to Hiro's apartment. Some of them had wine, and I was taking care of my sunburn.

Frozen fish fillet works good for bad sunburns on my knees...

We all went to bed around 1:30am. (Too late for me!)

2004/06/13

I woke up around 7:00am because the outside was already bright. Worked on my paper for about two hours. It was very wise decision to bring my laptop computer with me. We called Isaias in Lawrence after 9:00am, decided to have lunch together.

Topeka -> Lawrence (for lunch)

Hiro drove his car this time to go to Lawrence. His car does a lot better job than mine.

Milton's at downtown Lawrence

We had to wait for a while to get seats for seven people.

I am so happy!

Shawn and Kang shaking hands Both are smarty guys and will be very rich and powerful in the future for sure.

Hiro, Shannon and Isaias

Shawn, Isaias, Kang, Hiro, Chie and Kosuke

Lawrence -> Topeka -> Wichita

On the way going back to Wichita was easy. I did not need music because Kang and I were talking, while Kang's GF Chie was pissed off on the back seat. We came home around 4:00pm.

Lessons learned

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