Confessions of a Sports Road Warrior: The Fun in Seeing Your Team Play on the Road

All sports teams have a home venue in which they play about half of their regular season games. They also visit different cities to play a set number of away games. This experience isn't just limited to the players, though. In a lot of cases, the fans pack up and head to the same destination as the team!

This tradition has nothing to do with being a stalker. Fans love to see their team play, so they also decide to branch out of the home barn and head on the road. Whether they go with two or three people in their own car, or organize a larger group and charter a bus, there's fun to be had on these excursions. There's more to it than just seeing your team in action.

One of the most interesting parts of the trip is the people you will meet. On a bus, you will be surrounded by about 30 or 40 people you have never met. These people are of any and every age and will make great friends to talk to during the sometimes long bus ride. Some will find ways to make the ride exciting for themselves and everyone around them.

I will never forget my first hockey bus trip in March when the guys in front of me kept downing beers, then lined them up on the windowsill of the bus. It was a great photo opportunity, but their enthusiasm spread to those around them.

The second best part is the attractions and restaurants in the opponent's home city. The best recommendations for these places come from the locals or from your own research. There are the usual chains such as Wendy's, Applebee's, or Red Robin, but every city has its own share of independent and delicious restaurants. Some of these may be well known for a certain kind of food, such as Bricker's Fries in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

After your meal, you may want to pass the time in a way that does not include watching TV in your hotel. Hockey fans in Toronto will be eager to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame. In New York City, where Madison Square Garden is home to the New York Rangers, you can check out Madame Taussad's Wax Museum or browse through high end stores such as Tiffany's. Hershey has Chocolate World open all year around. The list could go on forever.

Of course, the moment of truth is game time. My favorite thing about being on the road is seeing the arena I am visiting. There are always venues bigger or smaller than the one you always go to at home. There are so many ways venues are different, from design to their staffing, concessions, and in game promotions and entertainment. You may be a minority in the road team's colors, but it is still fun to take in the atmosphere of other teams' home games.

You also get to take notes on the home fans in another city. You find out just how enthusiastic they are (or aren't) and how knowledgeable they are about their team, the sport, and the league their team is in. Although sports fans are all around good people, beware of the bad apples that are sprinkled throughout pretty much every crowd. However, they are usually few and far between, so don't base your impression off one or two pests.

The best part about being a road warrior is by far the memories. If you like the people you traveled with, you will try to go on a particular group's bus trip or head down in the same friend's car each time you want to travel. If you have taken any pictures on your trip, these last forever and will help you recall details about the places you visited and the people you met there.

Being a road warrior is something that I am just beginning to turn into. After my college years, I hope to continue this further so I can better follow my favorite hockey team. I feel everyone should try being a road warrior for at least one season. Who wouldn't want to break out of their hometown and travel to new places once in awhile? Not only can you see more of the USA, you can cheer on your favorite team while doing it.