...and the home of the Braves

Mariners vs. Braves tickets at Safeco Field (each): $10

All you can drink soda: $11

Screaming for your team so loud the people in front of you relocate to different seats: Priceless

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Seattle with my mom and two sisters. We left at 8am with the hopes of arriving around noon. My other sister, her husband, a friend and his girlfriend had already arrived in Seattle from Portland and were planning on meeting up with us once we arrived.

With only two short stops in Ritzville and Cle Elum we arrived in Seattle about twelve thirty. First off, we had to pull over because the GPS was being a psycho and kept giving us directions before we'd input a destination. Finally, when we got it working, we still drove around the winding streets of Seattle attempting to locate

Pike Street

. A few slight rights (swight wights) later we finally found

Pike Street

but no parking. So we drove around for awhile trying to find somewhere to park. Finally, we found a place but it was pretty far from the market. So we walked...and walked...and walked.

On the way up to the market we crossed the street, right before a car turned. From behind us we heard some yelling and turned around just in time to see a bike get side swiped by the turning car. The biker simply yelled (he sounded somewhat Scottish) "signal a bit earlier!" while the drive got out, apologized and made sure the bike was alright. Neither was very angry, which was slightly strange but interesting at the same time.

Finally we arrived at Pike Street Market, met up with the rest of our group, and after briefly walking around headed to lunch at one of the markets little restaurants.

My sandwich was pretty tasty although it shouldn't have taken almost an hour to make. After lunch we split up and two of my sisters went to move their cars. My group decided to see the famous Gum Wall. After denying a bribe to lick the wall my little sister and I made out mark and stuck our gum on it. It was...magical.

Finally, we walked to Safeco where we were going to watch a Mariners vs. Braves baseball game. All decked out in our Braves jerseys I was certain we would get some glares from the locals. Yet, the whole day we would get people coming up to us and saying "go Braves" or something of the sort. Some people would joke about how we were wearing the wrong colors but no one said anything mean (save Nic and Josh). This too was something interesting.

When the game started it was very apparent we were out numbered. A family full of small kids was sitting behind us, all wearing Mariners apparel. A couple sat in front of us (big mistake) and they too were for the Mariners. You couldn't expect different in Seattle. However, two rows down there were a group of four who too were rooting for the Braves.

We were loud before the game so once it started our volume only amplified. In the beginning (I believe the 3rd inning) Brian McCann scored a homerun single putting our team in the lead.

Soon after the Mariners too scored a run making us tied.

We could tell the couple in front of us weren't pleased with how loud we were cheering for the Braves. Shortly after the seventh inning they were gone. They'd probably relocated to quieter seats. If you're coming to a game you'll have to expect the obnoxiously loud people. Not long after that our Braves fans two rows ahead relocated as well (I'd like to think it wasn't because of us). By the bottom of the eight inning the Braves were ahead by two, thanks to McCann and Freddie, and the two rows directly in front of us were empty.

Needless to say, by the ninth when Mariners were up to bat with two strikes we were a bit excited.

We didn't get back into Spokane until 3am but it was totally worth it to see the Braves win and be with more of my family.

So, the moral of this story. If you go to a sporting event and you want the people in front of you to leave, just bring the Steen girls. (One of them has to be Tiffany because we all get louder when she's around and she can be the most obnoxious.)

For the love of the game... =)