On the Border

The last couple weekends have been spent in a hotel room. Nothing new to me, but after spending the first part of the athletic year not traveling, it takes some time to readjust to the road.

Because of the men's hockey team hosting the AH quarters and the men's volleyball team playin at home, I had to travel with the women's hockey team to the conference tournament in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Let me tell you, when it comes to traveling, there are much worse destinations.

It's a weird situation considering that before this week I hadn't spoken more than three words to the entire women's hockey coaching staff and certainly the players have no idea who I am. That's what happens when you spend the entire year around men's basketball players and wrestlers. There's just no need for me to work with the women's hockey team. But I've quickly found that they are good folks.

So I've been trying to learn as much as I can about this team before Friday and hopefully Saturday (only if we win Friday). But since I made the two-hour trip in my own car, I have a few more liberties in terms of travel itinerary. I never liked riding the bus and being forced to go where the team goes and being on their clock. It's not that bad in a place like Clarion or Slippery Rock (PSAC guys, you know what I mean). But on the edge of the United States, you want to be able to do your own thing.

That's my plan for this weekend. I've never been here before and I plan to do as much as possible without crossing the border. I'm within eyeshot of the giant casino, although I don't gamble. And I'm also within walking distance of the American falls and driving distance of Fort Niagara; and you all know how much I love American war battlegrounds.

So sometime between breakfast and dinner at 3 p.m. (only a hockey team eats dinner at 3 p.m.), I'll be trying to take in some of the sites on this most-expenses paid trip. One things for sure, though. No matter what I get to see in my short time here, I'm definitely coming back and spending a lot more time very soon.