United States > Cheering for the Dodgers

We continue driving eastward. Right on the edge of Amarillo lies the Big Texan Steakhouse. Here, you can eat a 72-ounce steak (two kilograms!) for free—if you manage to finish it within one hour. Otherwise, you have to pay. Only about twenty percent succeed. At this time, no one has likely started on the steak yet. We just take a photo of this famous restaurant. We get onto the I-40 highway. This freeway has largely replaced the original Route 66 in this area. We drive through the Texan countryside. As far as I can see, it’s flat. Large ranches lie on both sides of the road. The cattle, mostly cows, have plenty of space.

United States - Roots of mangrove trees in the water

Large wind turbines are scattered across the landscape. In the town of McLean, we turn off the highway. McLean used to be on the historic Route 66 route. Now only Main Street remains in style. Next to the museum, we have a coffee at a small restaurant/shop. The restaurant has a somewhat dull atmosphere. Perhaps that’s exactly how the American countryside feels. The coffee costs just 79 cents—definitely worth it. In Sayre, we stop at the Picket Fence Café. There’s more life here—a cozy local spot for lunch. Very nice. From Sayre, it’s still two hundred kilometers to Oklahoma City. Along the way, the sky darkens. A heavy rainstorm breaks loose. Buckets of water pour down. Large puddles form on the road. Just as quickly as it began, the rain stops. The sun returns immediately.

United States - The baseball game between the Oklahoma Dodgers and Memphis Redbirds

Outside, the temperature rises. Oklahoma is clearly lower than our previous locations. It’s 28 degrees Celsius and oppressively warm. Our hotel is on the edge of the city center. A perfect base to explore the city. The city center is around the Downtown and Bricktown neighborhoods. Here is also the baseball stadium of the Oklahoma Dodgers. We buy tickets for tonight’s game against the Memphis Redbirds. In the Bricktown district, several terraces line an artificial waterway. Water taxis ferry tourists along the water. We choose a terrace by the water. At six o’clock, the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark opens. The stadium isn’t very crowded. It’s probably not sold out. At one of the stands, we order a hotdog. That’s part of the experience. When the game begins, the stadium is far from full. This is probably because it’s a weekday evening and the Dodgers are playing the Memphis Redbirds four times this week—one game each night. The announcer continuously warns the audience to keep an eye on the ball. That warning is not unnecessary—the very first pitch bounces off the building behind me and lands less than two meters away. Later, another ball hits the girl in front of me. You really have to pay attention. We sit by third base and have a good view of the game. Between innings, there is entertainment in the stadium—a real show. With Pepsi and popcorn, we watch the Oklahoma Dodgers unfortunately lose to the Memphis Redbirds. What a shame!