Life Is Too Short: What's On Your Sports/Travel Bucketlist?
I lost my father on Christmas 2019 just prior to Covid. That just reconfirmed to me that life is too short and motivated me to travel internationally for the first time in 5 years. I called my manager and told her that I had not been outside the US since I started my job and she gave me the green light to take some time off. I have quite a few items on my bucket list and was able to knock out 2 of them just before Covid shut down the world.
January 2020 - Ten days in Australia. Bondi Beach & Opera House in Sydney. Great Barrier reef in Cairns. Australian Open in Melbourne.
February 2020 - Ten days in Costa Rica.
Next week knocking off Maine, NH, and Vermont off my never-been-to list (5 more states to go after that) as well as Montreal for F1. Capping off that trip by sitting on top of the green monster for Tigers @ Red Sox.
My bucket list still includes several countries, Africa to hit 6 continents, and many sporting events (Masters, Wimbledon, etc) as well as dozens of college football stadiums (25 P5 down).
What's on your sports/travel bucket list and what are your plans to check them off?
It’s Alaska without predators
Most of sports bucket list stuff is golf-related. Going to Scotland was amazing. I'd love to go back - you don't need to play the big name courses to have an incredible experience. Would also like to do Ireland, England and Wales. Australia if funds ever permit. About the only event I'd really want to spectate would be the Open Championship. Or, maybe, if I ever win the draw for Masters Tickets I'd love to visit Augusta.
I am close to retirement. I want to hit yellowstone in a couple of different seasons and see more of the southwest and northwest. I don't like flying(like John Madden) so the wheels will be on the ground.
FWIW I have a clean bill of health thankfully. I will be playing golf in Ireland and Scotland this summer.
Kingsbarns
St Andrews Jubilee
Muirfield
St Andrews Old Course
Old Head
European Club
Port Marnock
Im Christmas Eve excited about this!
Play https://www.northberwickgolfclub.com/ if you get a chance too.
UNC Wolverine--what do you have planned for Maine/VT/NH? Prepare for wild swings in the weather. Where I am in NH we'll have lows around 50 next week. But you can also get highs in the 90s. Just depends on the particular week and where you are.
Flying to Boston next Thursday.
Friday/Saturday - Portland, ME for a half marathon.
Sunday - Maine Beer Company then staying in Portsmouth.
Monday - Whistlepig tasting, stay in that area.
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday - Burlington, VT. Breweries, cheese, food, enjoy the area.
Friday/Saturday/Sunday - Montreal for F1 race.
Monday - back to Boston for Tigers @ Red Sox on top of the green monster.
Not a ton of our plans are all that weather dependent, but I appreciate the warning. Really excited about this trip.
Are you going to make it to Hill Farmstead? That's a bucket list brewery for me. Sounds like a good trip.
I've lived in Burlington. Nice place to live all things considered, but never thought of it as a 1/2 week tourist destination.
Montreal might be the most underrated city in North America. You'll have a blast there.
Absolutely agree re: Montreal. It's probably my favorite "big" North American city, and it doesn't get much pub I feel like (New Orleans is up there too). Great food, plenty of culture and a fun, friendliness that is typical in Canada.
Portsmouth over Nashua or Manchester??
Portsmouth is nice. That’s close to Duncan Robinson’s hometown. I think Chase Winovich is a fan as well. You’ll be in good company!
Monster Seats are great, excellent views. Add to the day by getting to Kenmore Square early. Take the Fenway Tour, get tix across the street at Twins. Grab a beer at either The Cask or Baseball Tavern. Finally, a sausage from the Sausage Guy behind the Green Monster near The Cask. Getting into Fenway early for BP with Monster Seats is fun, unless Doug Flutie is up there fighting the kids for balls.
A month in Europe and Hiking the Alpe-Adria Trail, June-July ‘22
A month in Austraila and New Zealand, Feb ‘23
To Do:
Monaco GP
Ski Europe
Amsterdam Cannabis Cup
Truffle Season in Alba
My buddies just got back from the Monaco GP. I was invited but already had this NE trip planned so had to pass.
PowHound, when will you do the alpe-adria trail? I have been interested in doing a piece of that for a few years (well since they launched it formally at least).
Not sure how to connect with people on the blog, I failed to reach XM a few months back....
We are doing it with Mt Sobek, June 23 - July 2. We’ll start in Salzburg and finish in Trieste, only doing the highlights. They book the hotels and move the bags.
Enjoy it. That's a really nice plan. I live close by, but I'll be taking the family to Michigan late June.
Bandon Dunes.
Michigan at the Rose Bowl
Travel to The Uk, Northern France, Italy,Hong Kong, Toyko and Germany.... would've said St. Petersburg til this year.
Went to Spain this spring maybe another trip there.
For me, at this stage, life is too short to watch much sports or travel (not, apparently for MgoBlog). I spent most of my 20s-30s traveling the world and since then, have lived entirely abroad. I still have a lot I could see, but of far away travel, fighting crowds, and the heat. I still travel, but I live in a region that most Americans visit in the summer, so I just lie low and hop trains, planes or hire automobiles in the fall-spring and do 3-5 hour mini trips for a long weekend or a random week with some mountain hikes, skiing, surfing or the likes. Full family travel is mostly to the states (Michigan and Florida, you can take the boy out the Midwest...) or to my wife's homeland.
When i was very young, I was fortunate that my mom took us to Sweden for a family reunion. In 1997 my dad tracked down our Irish ancestry and we toured the Island to visit their graves. Between my 2nd and 3rd year of college, Umich offered a study abroad program and I worked my ass off with 3 jobs, sleeping on couches, in order to afford to live, study and travel in France and Italy as a college kid (thank you dad for the Delta-actually Northwest-miles). The best three pieces of advice my father gave me were 1. go to Michigan 2. become a dentist and 3. study abroad (2/3 ain't bad). Can't say life was easy or that I didn't spend a lot more than I should have on credit cards/limits I had no right to own, but it was definitely worth it. The next time you can, spend on experiences or classes for yourself or your kids. I'm not anti-materialism per se, but I grew sick of throwing away plastic stuff or expanding my living space for things i didn't really use regularly, but I have never felt the same about a course, a trip, or a business idea/investment I leaned into.
Sorry if I went too far. I don't often share much about myself. I am told I can come across as arrogant or entitled (think braggy), despite my entire career being to impact those less fortunate in regions of the highest need. It feels good to share, but it would feel even better to offer someone else the push or guidance to make their own 2022 version of my 2002 experiences.
great share.
Thank you.
This past winter The old man and I checked off something from our bucket list that talked about for 10+ years . We rode from St Ignace to Copper Harbor down to Bergland and back. was 1200 Miles round trip, all by snowmobile.
next,
Alaska cruise with the wife and kids.
As far as sports go,
The big ten championship with my wife and dad was one.
next
Michigan @ Iowa
Michigan @ Texas
Really cool UP trip. How long did you take?
We did it in 8 days. Day 1 was St Ignace crossed over to Mackinaw island and then rode to the soo then over to Paradise for the night. Day 2 was from Paradise to Marquette . Day 3 was Marquette to Houghton. Day 4 was Cooper Harbor , Eagle Harbor back to Houghton. Day 5 a rest day ( much needed ). Day 6 was Houghton to Bergland with a stop at Lake of the clouds. Day 7 Bergland to Munising. Day 8 back to St Ignace.
Sounds awesome. Thanks for sharing.
That’s a sweet trip if you don’t run into problems. We did newberry to copper harbor and back in 4 days. It was awesome and we finished on Super Bowl Sunday right in time for the game. It was planned perfectly.
We did have one issue. lost a voltage regulator on the way back from Copper, Between Calumet and Houghton. Towed it to the dealership and lucked out they were able to steal one off a sled that was gonna take weeks to repair.. It was a blast! We often ride eastern UP.
I'd love to make a trip visiting Vietnam, Thailand, and then Szechuan province of China someday. I'd gain 30 lbs eating all that delicious, delicious food but it would be amazing.
As for sports I'd love to see a Champions League final, go to Omaha for the College World Series, and take in an Old Firm match at Celtic Park. Of course things like Michigan at the Rose Bowl or a National championship game as well.
Did a couple weeks in Thailand for my honeymoon. Truly amazing place. Incredible natural beauty, very nice, hospitable people, and wow, the food...chef's kiss.
I have never had a desire to travel. And after being a sportswriter for a few years and seeing many games in person, I don't have that bug anymore either. My #1 bucket list item is a retirement place on a lake with a pontoon boat tied up at the dock. I would only ever have to leave for church and to buy bait.
our lady of the holy treble hook. beautiful.
Travel bucket list:
1. Arrive in Quebec in mid-September. Slowly travel south to New England with no agenda except to immerse myself in fall colors for an extended period of time. Saturdays will be rest days to digest college football.
2. Alaska.
3. Euro vision quest. I've been to a few European cities on work trips. I want 3+ weeks to truly explore Ireland, Scotland, England, the Alps, etc.
Sports:
1. Big 10 football vision quest. Follow UM on the road for the entire season.
2. Minor league baseball vision quest. A few weeks on the road taking in random minor league games and visiting parts of the country I haven't seen yet.
3. Canada minor/junior hockey, combined with x-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
4. EPL vision quest. Hit multiple cities, preferably League One and Championship clubs.
its not about me anymore, its about the kids and, Lord willing, the grandkids. my bucket list is seeing them grow up, go places, learn, be productive, hopefully they do so joyfully and gratefully, blessed in marriage, things like that.
I’ve lost my parents, one sibling, and both parents-in-law over the past few years and it’s sped up my timeline for a few things as well. My wife and I are taking an 8-day trip to Houston, Dallas (Arlington), and Phoenix during early August to see baseball games. After that, the Twins will be the only MLB stadium I haven’t seen a game in. I’m hoping to get there late this summer or early fall.
My sports bucket list includes going to Fenway with my son someday and sitting in the Green Monster seats.
The one thing I will not get to do, but I wish I could is to take my son to a game at Old Tiger Stadium. Everything about that stadium was so unique from the Right Field Overhang, the bleachers in center field, flag pole in the field of play, Upper Deck all the way around the stadium, and closeness to the field. Comerica is so Vanilla and does not have any of the cool features Old Tiger Stadium had.
Fenway is worth it - definitely encourage you to do it. As for old Tiger Stadium, it is my very biased favorite. The best baseball game experience I’ve had to this point in my life is watching Frank Tanana shut out the Blue Jays while Larry Herndon hit a solo home run and the Tigers won the division on the last day of the 1987 season 1-0. As an aside, I also watched Michigan blowout Wisconsin the day before. Great great sports weekend!
Definitely go for it and plan that trip to Fenway, so much history to the place. I was there and saw Pedro throw a complete game 4-hit shutout vs the Rays back in 2004. One of the most memorable ballgames I've ever attended.
I hung around post-game watching Pedro getting interviewed on the field and wandered as long as possible getting pics of most everything I could as I walked around in the stands. Finally the ushers started clearing everyone out; I was way down the left field line by that point but needed to exit on the opposite side of the field where my wife and kids were due to pick me up (they weren't interested in the game and had gone for lunch and shopping; to me, though, attending a game at Fenway was a pilgrimage.).
This is where it gets good...
As I made my way back on the lower concourse and the crowds of stragglers thinned, I reached a "restricted-grounds crew only" aisle just past the first base dugout and noticed a few things: the grounds crew was out manicuring the middle infield, a storage area was wide open directly behind the dugout, and most importantly no ushers/security within sight, including down past that open gate to the field itself.
Pressing my luck, I quickly snuck down to the foul territory grass, and still seeing no ushers or security, strolled right out to the right field line and took another half dozen pictures as quickly as possible. A couple grounds crew noticed me but continued their duties; I decided though that I'd better scram and immediately headed back off the field and towards the exits.
Within less than 5 seconds of getting back to the lower concourse security spotted me and yelled "hey buddy, you gotta get out of here---NOW!" Not one to argue the obvious, I counted my blessings and left.
Postscript: This is not a recommendation that anyone press their luck and risk trespassing charges and/or cuffs. I was lucky to get away with it and I realized that immediately; with beefed up security everywhere these days I'd never consider trying it again.
1st off - RIP to your old man.
To answer your question, as a tennis player the first that comes to mind is Wimbledon. Since I also enjoy golf the Masters or a US Open is up there, too.
I've never been to an M football away game - tailgating @ MSU on a gameday doesn't really count - so one of these years, probably when I'm retired I'd like to pick one season where the wife and I (and my kids if they want to go to some or all) hit up every single game in a season, home and away.
Also a final four the next time M is in it. My dream would be that the rest of the fab 5 is there and somehow I get a pic with all of them on the court as M wins it ( withJuwan as the coach, of course)
Michigan Stadium is the last place/item on my list, and I have tickets for the home opener three months from tomorrow. After 50-ish years of following the team, I'll finally see a home game (with my son, who's also an avid fan).
Lining up the trip made my lack of any true connection with the school feel odd, so I took a couple of free online offerings from the university to bolster my UM cred. If you're diagnosed with a concussion, I'm now qualified to help determine when you're ready to go back into the game.
You're going to love it. It's like a Happening. Make sure you walk down Hoover St and stop at the step show at Revelli Hall, then walk alongside the band into the stadium. That's probably my favorite part of the entire experience. The PA announcer saying, "Band, take the field!" is also fantastic, as is the team running out and touching the banner. Heck, it's all great!
We are welcoming of any fans that want to support the program respectfully. Absolutely no need to feel like you've attended or have a connection.
Go blue!
We are heading to Maui next February to knock one item off the list. 4 couples, all good friends, staying in a VRBO together for my 40th birthday. Should be a blast. Still want to do Alaska, Maldives, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, California Redwoods and Lake Tahoe.
Sports wise, I've always wanted to experience a UNC/Duke game. Also want to go to a Friday night high school football game in Texas.
I've never been to a Wings playoff game. Heck, I haven't been to any Wings game since I was just a tiny kid, so when they get good again I'd like to do that.
As an undergrad, I saw Sevilla-Betis, having zero idea of what a great derby that is. I wouldn't mind recreating that event.
My daughter is moving to Seattle soon, and that's one of the 5 states I haven't seen - that'll be a must-do. I want to get back to Germany sometime. Would like to see the UK, especially Scotland and the Isle of Man, where my grandfather's family was from.
Definitely looking at places off the beaten track - don't want to fight any crowds. Maybe some fishing trips to places like British Colombia, northern Ontario, or Greenland.
I went to watch a World Cup qualifying match in Europe between Wales and Serbia and it was absolutely fascinating. Incredible environment with two teams that needed points to advance. I would highly recommend it if you have the opportunity.
I'd like to see the Olympics at some point. LA 2028 seems most probably for that.
Sports bucket list.
1. Masters
2. Kentucky Derby
3. NCAA Championship game (football)
4. Wimbledon
5. British Open (St. Andrews) watch and play!
Watch 2022 UM hoops victories in Paris, Mykonos, Athens, London, Brooklyn, Charlotte and Ann Arbor.
At first this seemed like a joke...then I was like, well, they do play in London. Do they play in those other places? And yes! Preseason Europe tour to Paris and Greece.
Nicely done. This would be an accomplishment!
Watching Michigan in the Rose Bowl with my Mom
Travel to Egypt
Been to Munich for Oktoberfest and Amsterdam, but I want to go back and spend more time in both very badly. Spent time in the England, Austria, and Belgium.
As far as where I haven't gone?
Month doing Scotland + Ireland pub crawl / distillery tour
Couple weeks in Hawaii
Month doing Prague, Greece and Croatia
Spain / Portugal
Nordic trip would be cool too (Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen)
Sports? Lions win the Super Bowl. That's all.