Hilo, Hawai'i - Day 2 - Friday, Jan. 23
Well, I guess it's safe to say that our season didn't get started exactly the way we envisioned. I went to bed last night thinking about our first game, and woke up this morning to a torrential downpour. Rain proved to be the theme of the day, and unfortunately our first game got called off.
I thought our travel day was long yesterday, but today has proved to be an exercise in overcoming boredom. We had a great big breakfast at 8:00 in the hotel restaurant, and then had some free time before our next scheduled meeting. I hung out with my roommate, Landon Burt, and we watched T.V. in our room for a while. Then I decided to do some homework and read a chapter in a textbook out on our balcony as the rain continued to fall.
At about 11:30, Landon, Ryan Wilson, Brian Kinsman and I decided to do a little exploring. We went down to the bay that our hotel is on, and walked along the lava rock checking things out. We crossed a small bridge that connected to a little island that had some ruins of an old boat dock and some other buildings. We saw all kinds of fish, crabs, and birds, and some of the other guys saw a big turtle. Drew Jenson and Jordan Swaydan were out on the island doing their best Tom Hanks "Castaway" impersonation, cracking open a fallen coconut they found. It was a pretty cool little island and it had a fantastic view of the surrounding hills and shorelines. The storm clouds were quickly coming our way, so we turned around and headed back to the hotel.
When we sat down to lunch, the storm hit and it started pouring again. After lunch, it rained for over 3 hours straight, with some of the most fantastic thunder and lightning displays I've ever witnessed. On several occasions, the thunder shook the windows and furniture and once even knocked out the cable for the TV's.
After we found out the game was cancelled, we retreated back to our rooms to look for something to do. Landon and I played cards with Wilson, Garrett Changnon, and Chad Corona while we watched some basketball. Then we made a quick trip to the hotel general store for some ice cream, and I went back up to my room to do some more homework.
It's kind of funny because as a busy student athlete, I'm always looking for some more free time away from baseball and my schoolwork. But now that I have it, I don't know what to do with myself, and wish I could go to practice or do something to occupy my time.
As we wait for our team dinner tonight, I think it's safe to say that our whole team is suffering from a serious case of "Cabin Fever". I roamed the hallways of the hotel and every room I went to had guys just lounging around watching T.V., playing video games, reading, and generally just trying to survive the boredom. It's kind of ironic that we have a day off in one of the most fantastic vacation places in the world, and we all just want the day to be over. We can't wait for the incessant rain to stop so we can get out of the hotel and play some baseball. Hopefully, tomorrow will be the day that our season gets off to a great start.