Week 9: Spring Training in Arizona

Week 9: February 26 - March 4, 2023

I had never even heard of Peoria, Arizona until Mel convinced me and Bella to go on a weekend trip for Padres Spring Training. I don't even care about baseball, but going to games is always fun. And I hadn't been to Arizona as a young adult before. And it was something new. I went above and beyond this week, because I traveled far from San Diego, a whole 45-minute flight out-of-state (!!!).

Lemme tell you, Peoria isn't anything to write home about, but Arizona overall was a hoot. It felt like mini-Vegas, including the unpredictable weather, the trashy, fever-dream environment, and the questionable politics on gun control. If I were to visit again, I would definitely rent a car or drive my own. Everything is so spread out and Uber prices were no joke.

The three of us managed to cram a lot into one weekend, including a few nights out in Phoenix and Scottsdale, and my first time (admittedly aggressively hungover and fighting for my life) at a Texas Road House (!!!), and two baseball games.

I'll focus on the Monday Spring Training game. The Padres were hosting the Dodgers at the Peoria Sports Complex. It is no surprise that the intense rivalry between LA and San Diego baseball exists outside regular MLB season games. I kept reminding Mel that Spring Training doesn't actually matter ("it is called training for a reason"). But, the crowds of Padres fans, Mel included, would beg to differ.

Peoria Sports Complex has got big balls

I'll admit I napped for at least thirty minutes of the baseball game after getting the words slightly off during the seventh inning stretch song (I said "apple jacks" instead of "cracker jacks...").

The weather was surprisingly warm at the Monday afternoon game, and I regretted not wearing the first outfit I had planned. The game the day before was horribly cold, windy and drizzly. We overdressed with puffer jackets, but it made for a good nap pillow.

I got a sunburn on the tops of my shoulders from lying on our blanket on the lawn. It felt nice to feel a little crispy from the warm sun. It made me look forward to the upcoming warmer seasons.

One of the most underrated candies

My sustenance at the game consisted of Lifesaver Gummies, a fancy ballpark hot dog (an Italian sausage loaded with chili cheese and veggies), half a Philly Cheesesteak (I mistakenly called it a "Philly Cheesecake" at least three times before I realized that was wrong), two Twisted Tea Tall Boys and an overpriced bottle of water.

A Twisted Tea on a hot day is heaven

Bonus: We stood by the walkway right before the game started and waved to all the players. Mel even managed to get a photo with Snell through the fence.

I couldn't tell you one impressive play from the baseball game (or even one from any baseball game, ever) but I had a great time at Spring Training. I was exhausted when I got back to San Diego. It was a good exhaustion, the kind you get from having fun and experiencing new things. I thought about all of the activities we packed into a few days and felt impressed. It was a much-needed weekend vacation.

See you next week.