Road Trip: Ohio

A few weeks back I was able to make a road trip to Cleveland and Columbus for a few days. Since I was there mid-week there were no opportunities to catch live college football so I had to improvise. While in Columbus, I scored some Blue Jackets tickets for their game against the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena. It ended up being a great time, and Nationwide Arena is a great venue. If you ever find yourself in the Columbus area and the Jackets are in town do yourself a favor and take in a game. And if you're looking for company call my cousin Ed- he lives nearby and he and his son are big hockey fans. Back to the scene. Nationwide Arena is located in the Arena District of Columbus, which is a downtown area containing bars and restaurants that are walking distance to the arena. I was impressed with the pre-game vibe outside the arena, as I saw many more fans than anticipated who were geared up for the Jackets' second home game of the season. Following last year's first-ever playoff appearance for Columbus, fans' energy levels were high all night. Their expectations for another winning season and trip to the playoffs were a popular topic of conversation throughout the arena. As the game began, Mrs. Beav and I were pleasantly surprised to find out that the club seats we were given were in the front row and, as a fan, the best NHL seats I've ever had. The Flames jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but as the game progressed a resilient Jackets offense peppered the Flames D and came away with a pair of back-to-back goals that led to a Columbus victory. After the game I was able to slide into the local Gordon-Biersch for a pint of their Octoberfest- a nice way to celebrate the hometown victory. The following day I took a drive past Ohio Stadium, home of the Buckeyes, and was impressed with the sheer size of the facility. The arching gates make "The Horseshoe" a must-see if you're in town, gameday or not.