There’s much to enjoy while traveling in Wisconsin including the people, the food and the natural beauty of a serene landscape dotted with shimmering lakes and rivers. Worth a visit if you ever find yourself journeying through the upper Midwest.
Miller Park in Milwaukee, home of the Brewers, is nice too, especially if you like baseball. The stadium has a retractable roof which finds little use during summer months but comes in quite handy during the cool, some would say cold, days of early spring.
The parking lot is littered with feelings of great joy and charcoal, hallmarks of a loyal Big Ten crowd. Cornhole, or baggo depending on your regional preference, is the game of choice and you better be careful making your way past the parked cars and tailgaters because you never know when a 2-lb bean bag will fly past your forehead.
On this particular afternoon it was Scooter Gennett bobble head day, at least for the 20K or so fans, and the Brewers faithful were genuinely excited about getting their hands on this priceless plastic memento.
For those that missed out on the promotion, team stores are conveniently located just beyond the gates and the most popular player, judging by jersey sales, remains Ryan Braun although catcher Jonathan Lucroy and outfielder Carlos Gomez provide some stiff competition.
Foam finger in hand, as you head to your seat you will pass several concessions stands all selling beer, brats, and more beer. Unsurprisingly, if you like Miller beers then you will love your time at Miller Park although Leinenkugel, a former independent now loyal Miller lieutenant, has a handful of task offerings including the Canoe Paddler. Grab one. Or two. Better to fit in with the rest of the crowd.
For the amount of drinking that takes place Miller Park remains an incredibly family friendly destination. Weekend afternoon games especially lend themselves to the younger sect and the Brewers do their best to maintain the interest of children. If the action on the field doesn’t captivate the attention of your little ones then venture to the right field concourse where games, slides and other interactive activities provide a tolerable distraction.
The Brewers are good this season and on this Sunday afternoon the stadium was full. The only fans who looked like they might be experiencing some slight discomfort were those sitting down the left field side of the stadium where the early July sun roasted the bare skinned necks and knees of thousands of sunscreen drenched people.
Community if the rule not the exception at Miller Park and nearly every break in the action comes with some sort of grass roots initiative celebrating the accomplishments of a local.
If you’re not from Wisconsin that’s ok too because regulars are more than accommodating when it comes to answering questions pertaining to the team, the town and the location of the nearest restroom.
On this day the Brewers were defeated by the Colorado Rockies 10-4 but the team remains in first place heading into the All-Star break so all is ok in Wisconsin.
Leaving the stadium is as civilized as when you walk in the only exception being the stray cans of Miller Lite. Strangely, all other brands of beer seem to be properly disposed of.
