Summer Things Catch Up: Atlanta & Buffalo

Now as part of my summer things catch up series I'm jumping back in time to July and September when we traveled to the other side of the United States twice for sporting events.

In July we went to Atlanta to attend an Atlanta Braves game. We spent three nights in Atlanta, and then flew into Baltimore to visit MJ's family over in Delaware. Atlanta was basically in and out. We got in late Thursday night, and then we tried our hardest to find something fun to do in Atlanta on Friday before the game. Our main objective was the Braves game so we did no research about anything else to do. The aquarium was reservation only because of covid and booked. Same with the coca cola museum across the way. We had to do something because we ubered over there, so we settled for the ferris wheel with a view of pretty much nothing. Needless to say it was anticlimactic. I did get to see Centennial Olympic park which was cool, but Atlanta is not what I remember from the last time I was there. We wandered around a bit downtown, but there was nothing so we headed back to our hotel which was right across the way from Truist Park in Cumberland. The area  around the stadium is so lively and fun. We had drinks and got some food and then went into the game. MJ is a longtime Braves fan,  but this was his first Atlanta home game. The game was a pretty low scoring 1 to 0. Not a whole lot happened but they won!

The next day we were off to the airport to catch our flight to Baltimore. We spent three nights in Delaware and enjoyed the fourth of July at Mike's Dad's house.

In September we headed back to Buffalo for his first of five games and my one game for the season. Yes. Five games! My husband is a nut so he bought Buffalo Bills season tickets, even though we do not live in Buffalo. I really think it was meant to be somehow because the only way this was even possible is that he has a connection in Buffalo now. When we moved into our current neighborhood my husband was delighted to find out that there was a family from Buffalo right around the corner. We spent many Sundays during the 2019 season over at their house watching the games, but they moved back to Buffalo over the summer. We went to Buffalo for the home openers in 2014 and 2015 and he's been talking about going back ever since. I knew it would happen eventually, but I never imagined he'd buy season tickets. He and our former neighbor each bought two season ticket seats right next to each other.

We arrived on Friday, the game was Sunday and we caught a flight home on Monday morning. We ran into Bills fans at the airport at our Atlanta layover and everywhere else from there on out. Bills signs and flags are in front of homes and businesses. People wear the gear proudly every day. Not just on game day. You probably can't go a day without seeing some evidence of the Buffalo Bills somewhere. In Buffalo the love for the Bills runs deep and everyone is united by passion and support for their team. Bills fans are like one big family, and we always feel so welcome when we are there. This is a unique experience for me because we don't have anything like that in San Diego. Not even when the chargers were here. Friday night we went to a bar for food and drinks. As always, everyone was so friendly and either going to the game or wishing they were. 

Saturday was our one day to just do whatever. We ran into a random street fair while out looking for some breakfast. We met our former neighbors for lunch at Mulberry Italian Ristorante. We make a point of eating there every time we are in town because the food is so good. We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with his uncle, and the evening hanging with our former neighbors. They let us stay at their house, which basically feels like it's been plopped down right in the middle of a forest because they have so much land. We spent a fun night with their family having drinks around the fire pit in their backyard...which is also a forest. When they put the fire out it was so pitch black that we needed the flashlight app to get back to the house.

 

Game day is an all day affair. We started early, but so did everyone else. We had to sit in some traffic around the stadium, and then found a parking spot on someone's front lawn. I never thought I'd be in a sports bar eating a chicken quesadilla for breakfast at 10:00 am, but there I was. It was a little too early for beer for me. I couldn't do it, but I definitely had one at the game. People are tail-gating everywhere. There are just so many people in the parking lots, and lining the streets. Bills games are a lot of fun. The fan energy level is at 200% and the atmosphere is one big party. Everyone is hype. Everyone is passionate about the Bills. It was a bummer that they lost the season opener, but the Bills didn't let it bring them down and they have only lost one other game since then. We stopped for ice cream on the way home and then not too long after that we were tired and ready for bed. Our flight left way too early the next morning. 

Buffalo is a really neat town. When we first went all those years ago I felt a little bit put out, but now that it's our third time it feels familiar. The bars are fun and the people are friendly. We always feel so welcome there as part of the Bills family and I love the pride the town has in their team. Dare I say Buffalo has grown on me! And if anybody asks I'll tell them I'm a Bills fan too.

MJ went to his second Bills game of the season just two weeks later. He's decided on two more games in December and one in January. He already knows he will be freezing his ass off, but he wants to experience what it's like. Now that's what I call dedication and a little bit of crazy. MJ is in sports fan heaven because both of his teams are killing it. The Braves just won the entire world series! What a dream season it would be if the Bills won AFC East Championships again. With any luck MJ along with the rest of the Bills Mafia can will them to the Super Bowl this year.

Buffalo Bills Game YouTube video link here