A few of our most memorable moments in each state...
Alabama
Tournament Award: Best Beach - just the right depth and beautiful white sand
Lesson Learned: We should have started playing when we were young! This is the place to play if you are a junior - awesome site, great turnout, and they take the time to explain & play by the rules, old school style!
Our Favorite Food: The seafood everywhere was great, but we'll go with The Hangout because of the atmosphere - good food, but even better entertainment. Sat in lawn chairs in the sand and watched a free band (check out Royal Teeth if they are in town) played ping-pong, and, as the name states, hung out!
Our Favorite Attractions: USS Alabama, Alligator Alley to hold a baby gator
Lesson Learned: We should have started playing when we were young! This is the place to play if you are a junior - awesome site, great turnout, and they take the time to explain & play by the rules, old school style!
Our Favorite Food: The seafood everywhere was great, but we'll go with The Hangout because of the atmosphere - good food, but even better entertainment. Sat in lawn chairs in the sand and watched a free band (check out Royal Teeth if they are in town) played ping-pong, and, as the name states, hung out!
Our Favorite Attractions: USS Alabama, Alligator Alley to hold a baby gator
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Alaska
Tournament Award: Best "slogan" for an organization: Fufodabo, meaning "Fun for the Body"
Lesson Learned: Every great sport needs a good rivalry: the Yankees and Red Sox, Duke and North Carolina, Connors and McEnroe. In Pennsylvania, volleyball players want to stand their ground when Maryland comes to town. In Alaska, they have Anchorage and Fairbanks. Alaskans overall, from our experience, had the most state pride (and for the record we'd already been to Texas). For proof, check out the booth at the Saturday Market selling shirts reading "say hello to my little friend" with an outline of Texas inside an outline of Alaska, or the "cut Alaska in half and make Texas the third largest state." Here more than anywhere else, everyone went out of their way to make sure we saw the best sights and had the best time in their state.
Our Favorite Food: I feel like I should write about the salmon, which more than just a meal to Alaskans, it's a way of life - and for the record, I tried it and it was very good. However, we most enjoyed the unique, hole-in-the-wall joints we seemed to run into everywhere: breakfasts at the Talkeetna Roadhouse and Bobby's Cafe and Bakery in Chugiak, the Burger Bus (food prepared in an old bus) in Kenai, Red's Burgers (who's "indoor seating" area was a school bus) in Seward, Humpy's Great Alaskan Roadhouse in Anchorage, and the fireweed & honey ice cream at Rochelle's Ice Cream Stop at Eklutna Lake
Our Favorite Attractions: Kenai Fjords Tour (cruise) in Seward, Denali National Park, hiking Flattop mountain, Eklutna Lake
Quote of the Tournament: "The Pennsylvania Bullies"
Lesson Learned: Every great sport needs a good rivalry: the Yankees and Red Sox, Duke and North Carolina, Connors and McEnroe. In Pennsylvania, volleyball players want to stand their ground when Maryland comes to town. In Alaska, they have Anchorage and Fairbanks. Alaskans overall, from our experience, had the most state pride (and for the record we'd already been to Texas). For proof, check out the booth at the Saturday Market selling shirts reading "say hello to my little friend" with an outline of Texas inside an outline of Alaska, or the "cut Alaska in half and make Texas the third largest state." Here more than anywhere else, everyone went out of their way to make sure we saw the best sights and had the best time in their state.
Our Favorite Food: I feel like I should write about the salmon, which more than just a meal to Alaskans, it's a way of life - and for the record, I tried it and it was very good. However, we most enjoyed the unique, hole-in-the-wall joints we seemed to run into everywhere: breakfasts at the Talkeetna Roadhouse and Bobby's Cafe and Bakery in Chugiak, the Burger Bus (food prepared in an old bus) in Kenai, Red's Burgers (who's "indoor seating" area was a school bus) in Seward, Humpy's Great Alaskan Roadhouse in Anchorage, and the fireweed & honey ice cream at Rochelle's Ice Cream Stop at Eklutna Lake
Our Favorite Attractions: Kenai Fjords Tour (cruise) in Seward, Denali National Park, hiking Flattop mountain, Eklutna Lake
Quote of the Tournament: "The Pennsylvania Bullies"
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Arizona
Tournament Award: Best Variation of Volleyball - Tri-Ball
Lesson Learned: Check the court for oranges first - they have orange trees growing in their park! Also, next time practice before hand on a tri-ball court or a lot if hits will be out...
Our Favorite Food Place: Fratelli Pizza in Flagstaff
Our Favorite Attractions: Buggy Rides in Sedona, hiking the Grand Canyon
Lesson Learned: Check the court for oranges first - they have orange trees growing in their park! Also, next time practice before hand on a tri-ball court or a lot if hits will be out...
Our Favorite Food Place: Fratelli Pizza in Flagstaff
Our Favorite Attractions: Buggy Rides in Sedona, hiking the Grand Canyon
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Arkansas
Tournament Award: Best catering to the out-of-towners by the locals. Thanks, Fred Meek, for being the first on any of our trips to give us a guided tour of the town. Also hooked us up with a tent, chairs, and a food & water WalMart run. Least amount of times yelling "ball on!" The only location we've seen with fencing around each individual court, minimizing time shagging balls and replayed points.
Lesson Learned: Avoid layovers in Charlotte from here on out, bad weather in NC in the summer resulted in a night on a cot in the airport on this particular trip.
Our Favorite Food: Hugo's, because if locals tell you to eat burgers out of a bar in a basement, you don't say no - they have to be good.
Our Favorite Attractions: Fayetteville - Dickson Street, University of Arkansas, Clinton House Museum; Bentonville - WalMart Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Quote of the Tournament: "That's ya'lls ball" off an illegal hand set.
Lesson Learned: Avoid layovers in Charlotte from here on out, bad weather in NC in the summer resulted in a night on a cot in the airport on this particular trip.
Our Favorite Food: Hugo's, because if locals tell you to eat burgers out of a bar in a basement, you don't say no - they have to be good.
Our Favorite Attractions: Fayetteville - Dickson Street, University of Arkansas, Clinton House Museum; Bentonville - WalMart Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Quote of the Tournament: "That's ya'lls ball" off an illegal hand set.
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the Clintons with a volleyball
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California
Tournament Award: Most interesting format for co-ed (or sixes!): play 2 games on a men's height net, then two games of reverse on a women's (against the same teams)
Lesson Learned: Short people stand a better chance with less than six on a side
Our Favorite Attractions: Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge
Tip: Ride the Go Cars through town, you'll feel like a celebrity and the GPS will get you all around town in a short amount of time.
Lesson Learned: Short people stand a better chance with less than six on a side
Our Favorite Attractions: Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge
Tip: Ride the Go Cars through town, you'll feel like a celebrity and the GPS will get you all around town in a short amount of time.
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Great place to see some good ball: #2 Stanford vs. #6 Long Beach State
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Colorado
Tournament Award: Best Views
Lesson Learned: Always plan tournaments for the start of the trip, and save activities (such as hiking) for the end.
Our Favorite Attractions: Garden of the Gods, hiking (anywhere)
Our Favorite Food Place: Cheeburger Cheeburger (which would be Scott's pick for most states)
Tip: Don't try to use styrofoam coolers from the Loaf n' Jug as stools.
Lesson Learned: Always plan tournaments for the start of the trip, and save activities (such as hiking) for the end.
Our Favorite Attractions: Garden of the Gods, hiking (anywhere)
Our Favorite Food Place: Cheeburger Cheeburger (which would be Scott's pick for most states)
Tip: Don't try to use styrofoam coolers from the Loaf n' Jug as stools.
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What more could you ask for?
Connecticut
Tournament Award: Best place to play indoor volleyball (our first indoor sand tourney, and probably the nicest indoor sand facility)
Lesson Learned: Mental strength is a BIG part of this game. Learn to block out people's antics.
Our Favorite Attraction: Mystic Aquarium
Our Favorite Food Places: Mystic Pizza, Super Duper Weenie
Tip: Mystic is a great little town for a weekend getaway, and a short drive from PA.
Lesson Learned: Mental strength is a BIG part of this game. Learn to block out people's antics.
Our Favorite Attraction: Mystic Aquarium
Our Favorite Food Places: Mystic Pizza, Super Duper Weenie
Tip: Mystic is a great little town for a weekend getaway, and a short drive from PA.
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Delaware
Tournament Award: Deepest Sand
Lesson Learned: Watch out for high tide, and never listen to the estimate your opponents give you as far as length of time until your next match (see food below)... When the tide came in we had to move the courts back in a hurry, and had to run on the court and play with very full bellies, since we got back late!
Our Favorite Attraction: Rehoboth Beach
Our Favorite Food: Johnnie's Dog House
Lesson Learned: Watch out for high tide, and never listen to the estimate your opponents give you as far as length of time until your next match (see food below)... When the tide came in we had to move the courts back in a hurry, and had to run on the court and play with very full bellies, since we got back late!
Our Favorite Attraction: Rehoboth Beach
Our Favorite Food: Johnnie's Dog House
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Florida
Tournament Award: Silliest Place to Play in the Grass, not that we were complaining! But we need a trip back some day (bummer!).
Lesson Learned: We can play in tournaments that are more than 2 on a side, and we don't have to find additional teammates (we played co-ed quads with only two for the first, but not the last, time)
Our Favorite Attraction: Walt Disney World
Our Favorite Food: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Best Quote from an Opponent: "Don't worry, they play in the grass where they come from, too."
Tip: on a separate trip we ran the Disney Half Marathon, the most fun you can have while running!
Lesson Learned: We can play in tournaments that are more than 2 on a side, and we don't have to find additional teammates (we played co-ed quads with only two for the first, but not the last, time)
Our Favorite Attraction: Walt Disney World
Our Favorite Food: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Best Quote from an Opponent: "Don't worry, they play in the grass where they come from, too."
Tip: on a separate trip we ran the Disney Half Marathon, the most fun you can have while running!
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Georgia
Tournament Award: Best Pro-Am Experience
Lesson Learned: Maybe playing on the beach isn't so bad...picked up our first sand win!
Our Favorite Attraction: Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah, Tybee Island
Our Favorite Food: We went with the Melting Pot, can't go wrong with Melting Pot when on vacation (and $ is no object). But when in the south, drink the Sweet Tea every chance you get!
Lesson Learned: Maybe playing on the beach isn't so bad...picked up our first sand win!
Our Favorite Attraction: Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah, Tybee Island
Our Favorite Food: We went with the Melting Pot, can't go wrong with Melting Pot when on vacation (and $ is no object). But when in the south, drink the Sweet Tea every chance you get!
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Hawaii
Tournament Award: First time we ever scored more points than a team but lost. Dinosaur Tournament rules: Your combined age must be 80 or older to play, and for every four years a team's combined age exceeds their opponent's they score one point - up to a max of 5 points. Our combined age was 81, so we were down 5-0 before we showed up that day (and then lost by 2 points).
Quote of the Tournament: Ok so it's not a quote, nor did it take place at the tournament, but it was unique to Hawaii - and by this point we were on state #50 and this adventure really wasn't about the volleyball anyway. We were explaining what we had done to someone at an ice cream shop, and it was a first that the response was the "shaka sign" or "hang loose" because apparently what we'd done was kinda cool?!
Lesson Learned: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives just finished filming on Maui. Why is this significant? For one, we relied on Guy Fieri throughout all our travels to tell us where to eat. Two, we swore we saw him and his family shopping in Lahaina. Looked up his social media accounts and saw he'd just finished filming in Maui, and he had a picture of him and the kids at a coconut stand - in the same clothes we'd just seen them in. So yes, we had in fact stalked him a bit as they strolled through town!
Our Favorite Food: Where to start? The food is amazing everywhere! Coconut everything - coconut candy, it's in and on your drinks (e.g. the Lave Flow - mix of pina colada and strawberry), or just have them pop the top off and stick a straw in a whole coconut. Hawaiian shave ice. Anything flavored with lychee or POG (passionfruit - orange - guava). Shrimp from the Shrimp Station. Ahi tuna tacos. Malasadas, Bubba Burgers, Round Table pizza, thai tea flavored ice cream or popsicles, banana bread.
Our Favorite Attraction: Again, where to start? Every island is an attraction itself. Finishing up our 50th state, we stayed on Kauai and Maui, but honeymooned (before dreaming up the 50 states mission) on the Big Island and Oahu (not covered in this review).
The tours we chose were tubing the irrigation ditches in Kauai, bike riding down Haleakala at sunrise, and a rafting/snorkeling tour on Maui. We hiked a bit of the Na Pali coast and Waihe'e Ridge Trail. Some of our favorite beaches were Poipu beach on Kaui, and Kaanapali and Napili on Maui. Other favorite destinations were Waimea Canyon and the Road to Hana. Our favorite waterfall was Wailua Falls on Kaui. Favorite town was the town of Lahaina, Maui. This trip was our first time playing FootGolf - the next thing to do in all 50 states, perhaps?!
Quote of the Tournament: Ok so it's not a quote, nor did it take place at the tournament, but it was unique to Hawaii - and by this point we were on state #50 and this adventure really wasn't about the volleyball anyway. We were explaining what we had done to someone at an ice cream shop, and it was a first that the response was the "shaka sign" or "hang loose" because apparently what we'd done was kinda cool?!
Lesson Learned: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives just finished filming on Maui. Why is this significant? For one, we relied on Guy Fieri throughout all our travels to tell us where to eat. Two, we swore we saw him and his family shopping in Lahaina. Looked up his social media accounts and saw he'd just finished filming in Maui, and he had a picture of him and the kids at a coconut stand - in the same clothes we'd just seen them in. So yes, we had in fact stalked him a bit as they strolled through town!
Our Favorite Food: Where to start? The food is amazing everywhere! Coconut everything - coconut candy, it's in and on your drinks (e.g. the Lave Flow - mix of pina colada and strawberry), or just have them pop the top off and stick a straw in a whole coconut. Hawaiian shave ice. Anything flavored with lychee or POG (passionfruit - orange - guava). Shrimp from the Shrimp Station. Ahi tuna tacos. Malasadas, Bubba Burgers, Round Table pizza, thai tea flavored ice cream or popsicles, banana bread.
Our Favorite Attraction: Again, where to start? Every island is an attraction itself. Finishing up our 50th state, we stayed on Kauai and Maui, but honeymooned (before dreaming up the 50 states mission) on the Big Island and Oahu (not covered in this review).
The tours we chose were tubing the irrigation ditches in Kauai, bike riding down Haleakala at sunrise, and a rafting/snorkeling tour on Maui. We hiked a bit of the Na Pali coast and Waihe'e Ridge Trail. Some of our favorite beaches were Poipu beach on Kaui, and Kaanapali and Napili on Maui. Other favorite destinations were Waimea Canyon and the Road to Hana. Our favorite waterfall was Wailua Falls on Kaui. Favorite town was the town of Lahaina, Maui. This trip was our first time playing FootGolf - the next thing to do in all 50 states, perhaps?!
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Idaho
Tournament Award: Most perfectly timed tournament. First, it fell on our sixth wedding anniversary. Second, which was purely coincidental, Idaho is the 43rd state and this was the 43rd state we've played in.
Quote of the Tournament: "Well he's had 42 states to practice that serve."
Lesson Learned: We've been pronouncing Boise wrong. They say BOY-see. The first time someone said it I thought they just talked funny, by the third or fourth time I Googled it. Turns out the locals pronounce it differently than we do.
Our Favorite Food: Potatoes everywhere! Boise Fry Company was a unique burger joint with homemade soda on tap, a bar full of various dips for your fries (like blueberry ketchup or garlic aioli), and to order your fries you pick your potato (yam, sweet, gold, purple, etc.) and the cut (shoestring, homestyle, curly). For dessert, our favorite was Westside Drive-In: awesome milkshakes and an ice cream sundae that looks like a baked potato. Guy Fieri hasn't steered us wrong yet.
Our Favorite Attraction: Zip the Snake (zip lining the Snake river in Twin Falls), Shoshone Falls, Idaho City, Bruneau Dunes State Park, Pine Flats hot springs
Quote of the Tournament: "Well he's had 42 states to practice that serve."
Lesson Learned: We've been pronouncing Boise wrong. They say BOY-see. The first time someone said it I thought they just talked funny, by the third or fourth time I Googled it. Turns out the locals pronounce it differently than we do.
Our Favorite Food: Potatoes everywhere! Boise Fry Company was a unique burger joint with homemade soda on tap, a bar full of various dips for your fries (like blueberry ketchup or garlic aioli), and to order your fries you pick your potato (yam, sweet, gold, purple, etc.) and the cut (shoestring, homestyle, curly). For dessert, our favorite was Westside Drive-In: awesome milkshakes and an ice cream sundae that looks like a baked potato. Guy Fieri hasn't steered us wrong yet.
Our Favorite Attraction: Zip the Snake (zip lining the Snake river in Twin Falls), Shoshone Falls, Idaho City, Bruneau Dunes State Park, Pine Flats hot springs
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Illinois
Tournament Award: Best Skyline
Lesson Learned: It's painful to lose a game by 1 point. It's really painful to have it happen three times in one day.
Our Favorite Food: Deep dish pizza! We went with Lou Malnati's on our first visit, but while passing through on our way to Iowa we had liked Connie's Pizza and liked it a bit better.
Our Favorite Attraction: Chicago's sights - Buckingham Fountain, North Avenue Beach, Willis Tower, Cloud Gate
Lesson Learned: It's painful to lose a game by 1 point. It's really painful to have it happen three times in one day.
Our Favorite Food: Deep dish pizza! We went with Lou Malnati's on our first visit, but while passing through on our way to Iowa we had liked Connie's Pizza and liked it a bit better.
Our Favorite Attraction: Chicago's sights - Buckingham Fountain, North Avenue Beach, Willis Tower, Cloud Gate
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Indiana
Tournament Award: Best refueling mid-tournament - taco bar over at the soccer fields provided a much needed carbohydrate replenishment
Quote of the Tournament: "What about [calling] all the open handed roll shots?"
Lesson Learned: Courtesy Rule is open to interpretation. It has been subject of controversy in multiple states, but this occasion caused the biggest scuffle.
Our Favorite Food: The Pizza! Rock Bottom Brewery in Indianapolis and Clara's Pizza King in Richmond, where our booth was in a double-decker bus inside the restaurant and you pick up a phone on the wall to place your order. Even on the drive home from Wisconsin we stopped again for some pizza - cut into little squares which for some reason makes it taste better.
Our Favorite Attraction: Canal Walk in Indianapolis
Quote of the Tournament: "What about [calling] all the open handed roll shots?"
Lesson Learned: Courtesy Rule is open to interpretation. It has been subject of controversy in multiple states, but this occasion caused the biggest scuffle.
Our Favorite Food: The Pizza! Rock Bottom Brewery in Indianapolis and Clara's Pizza King in Richmond, where our booth was in a double-decker bus inside the restaurant and you pick up a phone on the wall to place your order. Even on the drive home from Wisconsin we stopped again for some pizza - cut into little squares which for some reason makes it taste better.
Our Favorite Attraction: Canal Walk in Indianapolis
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Iowa
Tournament Award: Most thoughtful. Probably should come at no surprise, considering the tournament is run in honor of a cancer survivor to raise money for kids with cancer to attend camps with their family. But what they did for us went above and beyond: we arrived to a VIP parking spot and tent, and they presented us with a plaque and several Iowa themed gifts in the middle of the tournament. They also had some of the hardest working volunteers we've ever seen.
Quote of the Tournament: "You're not in heaven, you're in Iowa," after Scott was smashed in the face by a volleyball and asked where he was. "I don't think I'm good enough to go to Hawaii yet," -- Blake Blair after subbing in for our injured player in the finals.
Lesson Learned: Children's Cancer Connection is a non-profit organization based in Des Moines, Iowa that provides support to children diagnosed with cancer and their families. Among some of the services they provide is summer camps for these families, and the tournament we played in - Bumping for Blake - sponsors a camp cabin each year.
Our Favorite Food: Sneaky Pete's. Show up in a tie and they'll cut it off and hang it to the ceiling (see picture below) because it's a cowboy steakhouse and cowboys don't wear ties! We also liked the salad bar in a bathtub.
Our Favorite Attractions: The Field of Dreams in Dyersville, and the incredibly cute town of Le Claire, which is on the banks of the Mississippi and has speakers playing music on each of the trees that line the main street.
Money raised from the Bumping for Blake tournament is donated to Children's Cancer Connection, who provides support to children diagnosed with cancer and their families.
Quote of the Tournament: "You're not in heaven, you're in Iowa," after Scott was smashed in the face by a volleyball and asked where he was. "I don't think I'm good enough to go to Hawaii yet," -- Blake Blair after subbing in for our injured player in the finals.
Lesson Learned: Children's Cancer Connection is a non-profit organization based in Des Moines, Iowa that provides support to children diagnosed with cancer and their families. Among some of the services they provide is summer camps for these families, and the tournament we played in - Bumping for Blake - sponsors a camp cabin each year.
Our Favorite Food: Sneaky Pete's. Show up in a tie and they'll cut it off and hang it to the ceiling (see picture below) because it's a cowboy steakhouse and cowboys don't wear ties! We also liked the salad bar in a bathtub.
Our Favorite Attractions: The Field of Dreams in Dyersville, and the incredibly cute town of Le Claire, which is on the banks of the Mississippi and has speakers playing music on each of the trees that line the main street.
Money raised from the Bumping for Blake tournament is donated to Children's Cancer Connection, who provides support to children diagnosed with cancer and their families.
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Kansas
Tournament Award: Worst bathroom facilities. Least amount of time spent in the bathroom. I won't elaborate any further.
Lesson Learned: Don't count out showing up for sand leagues and hoping to get on a team when you travel! We went to Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball, one of the nicest sand facilities we've seen. Waited a bit to see if anyone needed players, and with about 20 courts we didn't have to wait long to get in on a (very fun) game.
Favorite Food: Barbecue! Especially at Papa Bob's Bar-B-Que
Favorite Attraction: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Oz Museum
Lesson Learned: Don't count out showing up for sand leagues and hoping to get on a team when you travel! We went to Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball, one of the nicest sand facilities we've seen. Waited a bit to see if anyone needed players, and with about 20 courts we didn't have to wait long to get in on a (very fun) game.
Favorite Food: Barbecue! Especially at Papa Bob's Bar-B-Que
Favorite Attraction: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Oz Museum
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Kentucky
Tournament Award: Best Theme - held a few weeks before the Kentucky Derby, the Derby Tournament includes a t-shirt with a horse spiking a volleyball.
Lesson Learned: Largest fireworks means largest crowds and closed down highways. Prepare accordingly to get to your hotel at a reasonable hour the night before the tournament.
Favorite Food: Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
Favorite Attraction: Thunder Over Louisville, also part of the pre-Kentucky Derby festivities, featured the Blue Angels flying overhead and the largest annual fireworks display in North America.
Lesson Learned: Largest fireworks means largest crowds and closed down highways. Prepare accordingly to get to your hotel at a reasonable hour the night before the tournament.
Favorite Food: Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
Favorite Attraction: Thunder Over Louisville, also part of the pre-Kentucky Derby festivities, featured the Blue Angels flying overhead and the largest annual fireworks display in North America.
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Louisiana
Tournament Award: Best Man-Made Sand Courts and best swag for having not won the tournament - owner showed great southern hospitality to the out-of-towners! Couldn't pass up one of their Monday night "hot shot" tournaments even on the second trip we took after playing in Mississippi.
Lesson Learned: Don't tell the locals you've been eating burgers all trip, apparently you're supposed to be eating crawfish! We'll be back when we hit up Mississippi - I promise to sample the local cuisine!
Our Favorite Food: we didn't get to spend enough time here to truly experience the local cuisine, but we did have a good cajun burger and fried pickles at Huck Finn's. Hope to correct this en route to Mississippi....
Update from Mississippi trip: Had a yummy shrimp po-boy outside of New Orleans
Our Favorite Attraction: We rode segways through New Orleans - felt like we experienced NOLA with a limited amount of time. Update from Mississippi trip: spent a day touring LSU and Baton Rouge.
Lesson Learned: Don't tell the locals you've been eating burgers all trip, apparently you're supposed to be eating crawfish! We'll be back when we hit up Mississippi - I promise to sample the local cuisine!
Our Favorite Food: we didn't get to spend enough time here to truly experience the local cuisine, but we did have a good cajun burger and fried pickles at Huck Finn's. Hope to correct this en route to Mississippi....
Update from Mississippi trip: Had a yummy shrimp po-boy outside of New Orleans
Our Favorite Attraction: We rode segways through New Orleans - felt like we experienced NOLA with a limited amount of time. Update from Mississippi trip: spent a day touring LSU and Baton Rouge.
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Maine
Tournament Award: Best Throwing Together of a Tournament to Help us Play Every State Tournament. We returned 4 years later to play in a "normal" tournament to make the state official.
Lesson Learned: Back up tournaments and/or doubling up on states in one trip are always a good idea.
Our Favorite Attraction: boat ride on the Atlantic in Portland
Our Favorite Food: Not food, drink. Sea Dog Blueberry Ale (from Jimmy the Greek's). Food-wise, the lobster role at Bob's Clam Hut in Kittery.
Lesson Learned: Back up tournaments and/or doubling up on states in one trip are always a good idea.
Our Favorite Attraction: boat ride on the Atlantic in Portland
Our Favorite Food: Not food, drink. Sea Dog Blueberry Ale (from Jimmy the Greek's). Food-wise, the lobster role at Bob's Clam Hut in Kittery.
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MarylandTournament Award: Best Place for a Nighttime Tourney; Play for Keeps runs doubles & quads tournaments starting at 7 pm. The time we made the semi-finals we finished at 3 am and returned home around 6 am. Good thing we didn't win, I guess?
Our Favorite Attraction: Inner Harbor, Baltimore Aquarium, Assateague Island National Seashore Our Favorite Food: Crab cakes and chesapeake fries (i.e. sprinkled with Old Bay). This is also where we learned McDonalds doesn't sell burgers at 3 am. You'll find that out when a tournament starts at 7 pm. |
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Massachusetts
Tournament Award: Oddest use of a line - Reverse Co-Ed played with a 10' line that's literally a line.
Lesson Learned: Bring lots of sweatsuits to New England in September (under 60 degrees throughout the tournament, probably the coldest we've ever played in)
Our Favorite Attraction: Boston
Our Favorite Food: Lobster Bisque in Salem, MA. I forget the name of the restaurant on the water, but I do remember Gumby walked by as we were eating.
Lesson Learned: Bring lots of sweatsuits to New England in September (under 60 degrees throughout the tournament, probably the coldest we've ever played in)
Our Favorite Attraction: Boston
Our Favorite Food: Lobster Bisque in Salem, MA. I forget the name of the restaurant on the water, but I do remember Gumby walked by as we were eating.
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Michigan
Tournament Award: Best (and only courts we've seen with a) lighthouse in the background
Lesson Learned: Check to see if Sunday tournament starts at same time as Saturday. Especially since this wasn't the first state this happened in. It's nice to sleep in.
Our Favorite Food: The Lake House Waterfront Grille in Muskegon, MI
Our Favorite Attraction: Michigan's Adventure and Lake Michigan: Being from Pennsylvania, when we hear the words "swim in a lake" we picture running into a lake over a layer of slime as fast as you can so you can stop touching the bottom, then being freaked out by things bumping into you that you can't see. The exact opposite of what we experienced with the sandy bottom and clear water of Lake Michigan.
Lesson Learned: Check to see if Sunday tournament starts at same time as Saturday. Especially since this wasn't the first state this happened in. It's nice to sleep in.
Our Favorite Food: The Lake House Waterfront Grille in Muskegon, MI
Our Favorite Attraction: Michigan's Adventure and Lake Michigan: Being from Pennsylvania, when we hear the words "swim in a lake" we picture running into a lake over a layer of slime as fast as you can so you can stop touching the bottom, then being freaked out by things bumping into you that you can't see. The exact opposite of what we experienced with the sandy bottom and clear water of Lake Michigan.
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Minnesota
Tournament Award: Best Winter Series (it helps us spread out our vacations if we find places to play in January, February or March, and SAVA gave us several options so we could plan ahead)
Lesson Learned: bring your warmest gloves and hats to Minnesota in March! This was a different level of cold we'd yet to experience.
Our Favorite Attraction: Mall of America
Our Favorite Food: Jucy Lucy from Matt's Bar
Quote of the Trip: "You guys don't stay home much, do you?" -- upon checking into our hotel and the front desk person noticing our 'platinum' status with their chain
Lesson Learned: bring your warmest gloves and hats to Minnesota in March! This was a different level of cold we'd yet to experience.
Our Favorite Attraction: Mall of America
Our Favorite Food: Jucy Lucy from Matt's Bar
Quote of the Trip: "You guys don't stay home much, do you?" -- upon checking into our hotel and the front desk person noticing our 'platinum' status with their chain
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Mississippi
Tournament Award: Warmest post-tournament dip not in a hot tub; most under-utilized beaches - the Gulf Coast in general has some of the most perfect beaches for volleyball, but the turnout is disappointingly low
Lesson Learned: Everyone seems friendlier when they greet you with "Hey Y'all!"
Our Favorite Attraction: Gulf Islands National Seashore
Our Favorite Food: cajun shrimp from Chappy's, which also has a beautiful view of the ocean
Lesson Learned: Everyone seems friendlier when they greet you with "Hey Y'all!"
Our Favorite Attraction: Gulf Islands National Seashore
Our Favorite Food: cajun shrimp from Chappy's, which also has a beautiful view of the ocean
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Missouri
Tournament Award: Most laid back; format was sign up as a pair, but play with every other pair as a quads team and pair with best record wins. You'll be playing with everyone, so you may as well get along with them!
Lesson Learned: Opened our eyes to a new format (that's not doubles) that we really liked.
Our Favorite Attraction: Gateway Arch, badminton birdie sculptures in the Nelson-Atkins Museum lawn in Kansas City
Our Favorite Food: Pi Pizzeria on the Delmar Loop... if it's good enough for the President, it's good enough for us! See article here.
Lesson Learned: Opened our eyes to a new format (that's not doubles) that we really liked.
Our Favorite Attraction: Gateway Arch, badminton birdie sculptures in the Nelson-Atkins Museum lawn in Kansas City
Our Favorite Food: Pi Pizzeria on the Delmar Loop... if it's good enough for the President, it's good enough for us! See article here.
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Montana
Tournament Award: Most unique: This was a backyard-barbeque-style tournament put on by the Fallon County Parks and Rec as part of Fallon County Day, held on the Fourth of July each year. Entry is free and teams are formed that day, with the tournament starting at two o'clock in the afternoon as the burgers start cooking and inflatable amusements were set up for kids. This was the first time we played two versus six, and we had a great time in the small town of Baker.
Lesson Learned: We thought we'd seen small towns in PA, but small towns in Montana put our small towns to shame. We stopped at a market in the town of Ekalata on our way out, which has a population of about 350. Several of the towns we saw looked like western movie sets.
Our Favorite Attraction (well, cities/towns mostly): Red Lodge and the Beartooth Highway, the town of Gardiner (home base for our week in Yellowstone) and Whitewater Rafting with the Flying Pig Adventure Company, Bozeman and Livingston; Little Big Horn
Our Favorite Food: Huckleberry everything - taffy, candy, soda, sundae topping, ice cream.
Quote of the Tournament: "Do you have anyone else coming?" and "Hey, we want to check the pressure on that ball!"
Lesson Learned: We thought we'd seen small towns in PA, but small towns in Montana put our small towns to shame. We stopped at a market in the town of Ekalata on our way out, which has a population of about 350. Several of the towns we saw looked like western movie sets.
Our Favorite Attraction (well, cities/towns mostly): Red Lodge and the Beartooth Highway, the town of Gardiner (home base for our week in Yellowstone) and Whitewater Rafting with the Flying Pig Adventure Company, Bozeman and Livingston; Little Big Horn
Our Favorite Food: Huckleberry everything - taffy, candy, soda, sundae topping, ice cream.
Quote of the Tournament: "Do you have anyone else coming?" and "Hey, we want to check the pressure on that ball!"
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Nebraska
Tournament Award: Our first mud volleyball tournament. We haven't researched many mud volleyball tournaments, but would guess this is one of the largest - around 100 teams.
Lesson Learned: Who'd have guessed, volleyball is big in Nebraska! We played on a Friday at Spikers' Beach Bar and Grill, which has 12 beautiful sand courts, and apparently there are several similar establishments in the Lincoln/Omaha area. We also saw more people in volleyball t-shirts just walking through Omaha than we've ever seen in a city, and I also found volleyball themed jewelry. Nice to see v-ball actually getting some attention!
Our Favorite Attractions: Henry Doorly Zoo, Old Market District of Omaha (shopping and restaurants)
Our Favorite Food Place: Burger Lust; Omaha steaks from The Drover
Quote of the Tournament: "Oooh, good, I get to stand on the bubble!"
The Mudblast for CP is held in celebration of the life of Bradley Walde, and raises thousands for United Cerebral Palsy of Nebraska.
All proceeds from Spikefest, run by Nebraska Beach Volleyball, benefit brain cancer research.
Lesson Learned: Who'd have guessed, volleyball is big in Nebraska! We played on a Friday at Spikers' Beach Bar and Grill, which has 12 beautiful sand courts, and apparently there are several similar establishments in the Lincoln/Omaha area. We also saw more people in volleyball t-shirts just walking through Omaha than we've ever seen in a city, and I also found volleyball themed jewelry. Nice to see v-ball actually getting some attention!
Our Favorite Attractions: Henry Doorly Zoo, Old Market District of Omaha (shopping and restaurants)
Our Favorite Food Place: Burger Lust; Omaha steaks from The Drover
Quote of the Tournament: "Oooh, good, I get to stand on the bubble!"
The Mudblast for CP is held in celebration of the life of Bradley Walde, and raises thousands for United Cerebral Palsy of Nebraska.
All proceeds from Spikefest, run by Nebraska Beach Volleyball, benefit brain cancer research.
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Nevada
Tournament Award: Best Location for Funding a Vacation (we won a little $ at the slots - at least enough to off-set Scott's speeding ticket going from AZ to NV)
Lesson Learned: We can't tell you that. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Our Favorite Attractions: Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam
Our Favorite Food: Gordan Ramsay's BurGR - unbelievable burger and even better sweet potato fries
Lesson Learned: We can't tell you that. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Our Favorite Attractions: Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam
Our Favorite Food: Gordan Ramsay's BurGR - unbelievable burger and even better sweet potato fries
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New Hampshire
Tournament Award: Biggest Relief! It was the third tournament we'd signed up for in NH that summer, first two were canceled due to low registrations. We had visions of being 98% complete and searching every square inch of this state for a volleyball tournament. Nets in the grass were a welcome sight!
Lesson Learned: Volleyball is a small world... ran into a guy from Fairbanks, AK, who we met in Anchorage, but goes to school in New Hampshire.
Our Favorite Attractions: Budweiser Brewery tour, Merrimack Premium Outlets
Our Favorite Food Place: The Big 1 - in Nashua and serves a gigantic ice cream cone
Lesson Learned: Volleyball is a small world... ran into a guy from Fairbanks, AK, who we met in Anchorage, but goes to school in New Hampshire.
Our Favorite Attractions: Budweiser Brewery tour, Merrimack Premium Outlets
Our Favorite Food Place: The Big 1 - in Nashua and serves a gigantic ice cream cone
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New Jersey
Tournament Award: Best Time Playing with an ex-NFL player/American Gladiators contestant on our team
Lesson Learned: Every once in a while you have to play quads, if for no other reason than to get caught up on some gossip
Our Favorite Attractions: Rowan University statues make for entertaining pictures (see below); the Jersey Shore, Atlantic City
Our Favorite Food Place: Fuddruckers, who serves appropriately portions for ex-NFL/American Gladiator type people; Boardwalk food!
Lesson Learned: Every once in a while you have to play quads, if for no other reason than to get caught up on some gossip
Our Favorite Attractions: Rowan University statues make for entertaining pictures (see below); the Jersey Shore, Atlantic City
Our Favorite Food Place: Fuddruckers, who serves appropriately portions for ex-NFL/American Gladiator type people; Boardwalk food!
Please see above explanation...these are STATUES. For the record, we have not been arrested in New Jersey or any other state.
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New Mexico
Tournament Award: First time playing a guy in a Speedo. Hopefully the last time we lose to one.
Lesson Learned: Stock up on cough drops if you're visiting the west while recovering from a cold. Laryngitis makes it harder to yell at your partner when he (or she) needs to be yelled at.
Our Favorite Attractions: Everything Albuquerque - Old Town, Nob Hill, Sandia Peak Tramway, Tent Rocks. Unique shops and a fun atmosphere, great views from the trails.
Our Favorite Foods: Mexican food is everywhere. For me, this means margaritas. For Scott, fried ice cream. For New Mexicans, it means "do you want red or green chile?" They put it on everything, including 7 am breakfast burritos!
Sandia Mountain Volleyball Classic is held annually in memory of its founder, Sonny Marquez, and raises money for the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation.
Lesson Learned: Stock up on cough drops if you're visiting the west while recovering from a cold. Laryngitis makes it harder to yell at your partner when he (or she) needs to be yelled at.
Our Favorite Attractions: Everything Albuquerque - Old Town, Nob Hill, Sandia Peak Tramway, Tent Rocks. Unique shops and a fun atmosphere, great views from the trails.
Our Favorite Foods: Mexican food is everywhere. For me, this means margaritas. For Scott, fried ice cream. For New Mexicans, it means "do you want red or green chile?" They put it on everything, including 7 am breakfast burritos!
Sandia Mountain Volleyball Classic is held annually in memory of its founder, Sonny Marquez, and raises money for the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation.
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New York
Tournament Award: Best Tournament for a Weekend Away
Lesson Learned: It's okay to slack off for two games in pool play if you already know you've made the finals. Just don't blow it in the finals. However, watch out if your opponents meet up with you in the finals at a later date in your state, they'll be out for revenge and you may not like the outcome.
Our Favorite Attractions: New York City (Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Yankee Stadium, US Open Tennis)
Our Favorite Foods: Candied nuts from the street vendors!
Tip: VBLI runs fun tournaments and you can stay on Long Island and drive to the tourney, and walk to the LIRR to hop on a train into the city.
Lesson Learned: It's okay to slack off for two games in pool play if you already know you've made the finals. Just don't blow it in the finals. However, watch out if your opponents meet up with you in the finals at a later date in your state, they'll be out for revenge and you may not like the outcome.
Our Favorite Attractions: New York City (Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Yankee Stadium, US Open Tennis)
Our Favorite Foods: Candied nuts from the street vendors!
Tip: VBLI runs fun tournaments and you can stay on Long Island and drive to the tourney, and walk to the LIRR to hop on a train into the city.
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North Carolina
Tournament Award: Best Grass, it's similar to a golf course
Lesson Learned: You may need to call a time out, even in game one, if you're in North Carolina in the dead of summer. With no breeze, this may have been the hottest tournament we've ever play in.
Our Favorite Attraction: We aren't Nascar fans, but on a separate trip to NC we ran a half marathon at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and it was pretty interesting to see.
Lesson Learned: You may need to call a time out, even in game one, if you're in North Carolina in the dead of summer. With no breeze, this may have been the hottest tournament we've ever play in.
Our Favorite Attraction: We aren't Nascar fans, but on a separate trip to NC we ran a half marathon at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and it was pretty interesting to see.
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North Dakota
Tournament Award: Best after tournament social, in which they take great pride. Complete with stoplight shots - red, yellow, and green... I recommend skipping the yellow light!
Lesson Learned: Fargo has twice the population of Harrisburg, PA, but felt half the size - a big city with a very, very small town feel.
Our Favorite Attractions: The Woodchipper from the movie Fargo, and Scheels. Ok, so Scheels isn't exactly an attraction, it' a sporting goods store...but it's a sporting goods store with a ferris wheel in it, it's two stories, we spent about two hours in it, and I found a t-shirt that says "You know you play volleyball when your vacations are planned around out of town tournaments." How perfect is that?
Our Favorite Food Place: Sickies Garage - cheese curds, good burgers, and cream soda on tap!
Quote of the Tournament: "That's how we play in Canada," only because there aren't too many states where we expect to hear that.
Lesson Learned: Fargo has twice the population of Harrisburg, PA, but felt half the size - a big city with a very, very small town feel.
Our Favorite Attractions: The Woodchipper from the movie Fargo, and Scheels. Ok, so Scheels isn't exactly an attraction, it' a sporting goods store...but it's a sporting goods store with a ferris wheel in it, it's two stories, we spent about two hours in it, and I found a t-shirt that says "You know you play volleyball when your vacations are planned around out of town tournaments." How perfect is that?
Our Favorite Food Place: Sickies Garage - cheese curds, good burgers, and cream soda on tap!
Quote of the Tournament: "That's how we play in Canada," only because there aren't too many states where we expect to hear that.
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Broomball
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Womens A Champions
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Ohio
Tournament Award: Best Bargain ($15 entry fee for a really fun day)
Lesson Learned: Don't count on the car to tell you how many miles until empty. Just stop and get gas, because there's no guarantee gas stations near the hotel will be open.
Our Favorite Attractions: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Christmas Story house, Trapped! Toledo (zombie themed escape room)
Our Favorite Food Place: The Winking Lizard. Say hi to the lizard, and then order a cherry margarita. We even stopped by on the way back from Chicago and it didn't disappoint.
Lesson Learned: Don't count on the car to tell you how many miles until empty. Just stop and get gas, because there's no guarantee gas stations near the hotel will be open.
Our Favorite Attractions: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Christmas Story house, Trapped! Toledo (zombie themed escape room)
Our Favorite Food Place: The Winking Lizard. Say hi to the lizard, and then order a cherry margarita. We even stopped by on the way back from Chicago and it didn't disappoint.
Complete with leg lamp
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feeding the lorikeets at the zoo
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Oklahoma
Tournament Award: Largest out-of-state charity tournament In Memory of Heather Harkness
Lesson Learned: "It doesn't matter how long you live, but how you live and what you leave behind." - HLH
Our Favorite Attraction: Turner Falls, Oklahoma City National Memorial, Bricktown
Our Favorite Food Place: Cattleman's Cafe
The Heather Harkness Memorial Volleyball tournament raises money for scholarships for selected students enrolled in a higher education program and who exhibit certain qualities that identify with Heather.
Lesson Learned: "It doesn't matter how long you live, but how you live and what you leave behind." - HLH
Our Favorite Attraction: Turner Falls, Oklahoma City National Memorial, Bricktown
Our Favorite Food Place: Cattleman's Cafe
The Heather Harkness Memorial Volleyball tournament raises money for scholarships for selected students enrolled in a higher education program and who exhibit certain qualities that identify with Heather.
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Oregon
Tournament Award: Biggest (and best) Beach Tournament
Lesson Learned: There is sometimes a bit of luck involved (first round was a no-show so we won by default, second round we played a team that had also won the first round by forfeit)
Our Favorite Attraction: Crater Lake
Our Favorite Food Place: Salt & Straw in Portland, known for their unique ice cream flavors and featured on some food shows; I sampled the "Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero," because 1 - it sounded so disgusting I wanted to try it, and 2 - I heard Oregon is known for Marionberries and I swore I'd try one, one way or another. It was so good I ordered a whole cone of it.
Tip: If you are buying food from the vendors at the tournament, find out how big the hot dogs are before you order two.
Lesson Learned: There is sometimes a bit of luck involved (first round was a no-show so we won by default, second round we played a team that had also won the first round by forfeit)
Our Favorite Attraction: Crater Lake
Our Favorite Food Place: Salt & Straw in Portland, known for their unique ice cream flavors and featured on some food shows; I sampled the "Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero," because 1 - it sounded so disgusting I wanted to try it, and 2 - I heard Oregon is known for Marionberries and I swore I'd try one, one way or another. It was so good I ordered a whole cone of it.
Tip: If you are buying food from the vendors at the tournament, find out how big the hot dogs are before you order two.
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Pennsylvania
Tournament Award: Biggest & Best Overall Tournament, the Pottstown Rumble. Overall, no tournament has topped it.
Lesson Learned: Never be afraid to try something new (my first volleyball tournament ever, without which we'd have never been on this crazy journey)
Our Favorite Attraction: Philadelphia, Ricketts Glen, Milford (my hometown)
Our Favorite Food: Philly Cheesesteaks
Tip: The Pottstown Rumble is near Philadelphia and is hands down the most fun & exciting tournament to play in. Over 100 nets, food and clothing vendors, tons of teams with the best competition, and loud music make for a great time.
The Susquehanna Smash in Manheim, PA raises money for the American Cancer Society.
Lesson Learned: Never be afraid to try something new (my first volleyball tournament ever, without which we'd have never been on this crazy journey)
Our Favorite Attraction: Philadelphia, Ricketts Glen, Milford (my hometown)
Our Favorite Food: Philly Cheesesteaks
Tip: The Pottstown Rumble is near Philadelphia and is hands down the most fun & exciting tournament to play in. Over 100 nets, food and clothing vendors, tons of teams with the best competition, and loud music make for a great time.
The Susquehanna Smash in Manheim, PA raises money for the American Cancer Society.
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Misty May-Treanor at the Pottstown Rumble
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Rhode Island
Tournament Award: Best Landscape - The beach forms a U with the Breakers and Newport Mansions in the background
Lesson Learned: Always be suspicious of opponents being overly nice - they're either very confident for a good reason, or they are going to turn on you at any time.
Our Favorite Attraction: City of Newport
Favorite Food: Nikolas Pizza
Lesson Learned: Always be suspicious of opponents being overly nice - they're either very confident for a good reason, or they are going to turn on you at any time.
Our Favorite Attraction: City of Newport
Favorite Food: Nikolas Pizza
International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum
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South Carolina
Tournament Award: Best place to go for a dip after the tournament (Scott's not a fan of water and this was the one and only time I talked him into jumping into the ocean on any of our tournament stops)
Lesson Learned: Don't think it it's over when you're 0-2 (not the first time we've ever started out 0-2, but the only time we ever went on to win). Do come back to Hilton Head island some day. If you sign up to run a race while on vacation, get your sorry butt up and do it because it could be really fun (racethelanding.com)
Our Favorite Attraction: Sea Pines Forest Reserve, but really the whole island is like a resort so you can't go wrong. Kayaking with dolphins was also fun.
Our Favorite Food: Everywhere! The food on Hilton Head Island is out of this world. Scotty's favorite steak of all time was the peppercorn steak at the British Open Pub.
Tip: Best decision was renting a condo instead of getting a hotel, it's homier and comparably priced.
Lesson Learned: Don't think it it's over when you're 0-2 (not the first time we've ever started out 0-2, but the only time we ever went on to win). Do come back to Hilton Head island some day. If you sign up to run a race while on vacation, get your sorry butt up and do it because it could be really fun (racethelanding.com)
Our Favorite Attraction: Sea Pines Forest Reserve, but really the whole island is like a resort so you can't go wrong. Kayaking with dolphins was also fun.
Our Favorite Food: Everywhere! The food on Hilton Head Island is out of this world. Scotty's favorite steak of all time was the peppercorn steak at the British Open Pub.
Tip: Best decision was renting a condo instead of getting a hotel, it's homier and comparably priced.
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South Dakota
Tournament Award: First time (and in all likelihood the last) being interviewed by the local news mid-tournament.
Lesson Learned: Bring pickles for non-doubles tournaments when traveling, in case you pick up a player with not enough body fat to avoid cramping.
Our Favorite Attraction: Falls Park, Sertoma Butterfly House, The Birdcage - home of the Sioux Falls Canaries, Mount Rushmore
Our Favorite Food: Phillips Avenue Diner, good food and the granita was perfect for dessert!
Lesson Learned: Bring pickles for non-doubles tournaments when traveling, in case you pick up a player with not enough body fat to avoid cramping.
Our Favorite Attraction: Falls Park, Sertoma Butterfly House, The Birdcage - home of the Sioux Falls Canaries, Mount Rushmore
Our Favorite Food: Phillips Avenue Diner, good food and the granita was perfect for dessert!
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Tennessee
Tournament Award: Most Unique Setting - someone's backyard! Complete with three sand courts, a pool, two koi ponds, a bar and grill area, and a chicken pen. As we pulled up the long, stone & dirt driveway through the woods, we thought for sure our GPS had steered us wrong, but were more than pleasantly surprised by the volleyball oasis we encountered! It is described by the owner as a "country club for volleyball."
Lesson Learned: If you end up on a dirt road that may or may not be leading up to a volleyball court, keep your eyes peeled for a happy face volleyball on a stake, it might be trying to tell you something.
Our Favorite Attraction: Burgess Falls, Smokey Mountain National Park, downtown Nashville, and the Grand Ole Opry (even if I was hoping for something a little more Boys Round Here and a little less fiddle and banjo)
Our Favorite Food: We didn't find any particular food they are known for, but we did experience some great atmosphere - The Aquarium Restaurant, with an underwater theme including sharks, fish, and eels in a giant tank, and Robert's Western World in downtown Nashville, a honky-tonk with good bar food.
Lesson Learned: If you end up on a dirt road that may or may not be leading up to a volleyball court, keep your eyes peeled for a happy face volleyball on a stake, it might be trying to tell you something.
Our Favorite Attraction: Burgess Falls, Smokey Mountain National Park, downtown Nashville, and the Grand Ole Opry (even if I was hoping for something a little more Boys Round Here and a little less fiddle and banjo)
Our Favorite Food: We didn't find any particular food they are known for, but we did experience some great atmosphere - The Aquarium Restaurant, with an underwater theme including sharks, fish, and eels in a giant tank, and Robert's Western World in downtown Nashville, a honky-tonk with good bar food.
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Texas
Tournament Award: Widest, Windiest Beach - and our first ever beach volleyball experience
Lesson Learned: When it's crazy windy just keep the ball in play, it might work out!
Our Favorite Attraction: Houston Space Center, Galveston beach
Our Favorite Food: Texas steakhouses
Lesson Learned: When it's crazy windy just keep the ball in play, it might work out!
Our Favorite Attraction: Houston Space Center, Galveston beach
Our Favorite Food: Texas steakhouses
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Utah
Tournament Award: Best T-Shirt: free T just for playing, and it had a dodo bird spiking a volleyball off a porcupine (two of the sponsors had dodo & porcupine in their names)
Lesson Learned: "It's good to have a passion." (see below)
Our Favorite Attraction: Arches National Park
Our Favorite Food: In-N-Out Burger, and I had a serious Fry Sauce addition by the time I left
We brought a volleyball on the hike with us through Arches, occasionally passing, hitting, kicking, etc. It caught the attention of a tourist who got our picture booting it up a crevice in the rock formations, and having it roll back to us. We explained to him why the volleyball (trying to play in all states, etc. etc). His response, with a smile on his face, and a nod: "It's good to have a passion."
Lesson Learned: "It's good to have a passion." (see below)
Our Favorite Attraction: Arches National Park
Our Favorite Food: In-N-Out Burger, and I had a serious Fry Sauce addition by the time I left
We brought a volleyball on the hike with us through Arches, occasionally passing, hitting, kicking, etc. It caught the attention of a tourist who got our picture booting it up a crevice in the rock formations, and having it roll back to us. We explained to him why the volleyball (trying to play in all states, etc. etc). His response, with a smile on his face, and a nod: "It's good to have a passion."
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Vermont
Tournament Award: Only place to ever truly call it like it is: "Refs should make the calls, because we're not here for fun. I mean, we hope to have fun too, but this is a tournament."
Favorite Food: The ice cream, and they take it seriously here (just ask Ben & Jerry)! We also grabbed a yummy dish of "creemee" with fresh baked cookies from a roadside shop, Vermont Cookie Love (their version of super creamy soft serve, we had to get in a dish because it will fall off a cone)
Best Attraction: hiking at Smuggler's Notch
Favorite Food: The ice cream, and they take it seriously here (just ask Ben & Jerry)! We also grabbed a yummy dish of "creemee" with fresh baked cookies from a roadside shop, Vermont Cookie Love (their version of super creamy soft serve, we had to get in a dish because it will fall off a cone)
Best Attraction: hiking at Smuggler's Notch
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Virginia
Tournament Award: Best place to catch up with a childhood friend (since preschool!) and for Scott to get in a game of Hallway Hockey
Our Favorite Attraction: Skyline Taverns, Virginia Safari Park, Shenandoah National Park / Skyline Drive
Our Favorite Food: Jimmy's Old Town Tavern, Spelunker's Frozen Custard and Cavern Burgers
Our Favorite Attraction: Skyline Taverns, Virginia Safari Park, Shenandoah National Park / Skyline Drive
Our Favorite Food: Jimmy's Old Town Tavern, Spelunker's Frozen Custard and Cavern Burgers
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Washington
Tournament Award: Most games played without winning it all. Format was pool play followed by everyone making double elimination playoffs (upper and lower brackets, 20 teams in each). When we were eliminated we'd played 12 games and there was still about 5 rounds left to be played. Also, they get the award for most coffee shops within a 5 mile radius, including one where registration was held.
Lesson Learned: We've been duped by movies and television all these years: Frasier was filmed in Los Angeles not Seattle, the Twilight movies were filmed in Oregon not Forks, Washington, and Northern Exposure was not filmed in Alaska but rather about an hour and a half from Seattle in Roslyn.
Our Favorite Attraction: Seattle Space Needle, Seattle Waterfront, Olympic National Park
Our Favorite Food: All kinds of foods at the Pike Place Market. We also had a great meal at the Downrigger's Restaurant in Port Angeles, right on the water, before exploring Olympic (good thing we pigged out because we were in for a long day) and the pointers from the waiter about where to explore in the park were extremely helpful. However, truth be told, we ate at Denny's twice this trip because we were so busy all day it was the only thing open. Nothin' wrong with 24 hour breakfast.
Lesson Learned: We've been duped by movies and television all these years: Frasier was filmed in Los Angeles not Seattle, the Twilight movies were filmed in Oregon not Forks, Washington, and Northern Exposure was not filmed in Alaska but rather about an hour and a half from Seattle in Roslyn.
Our Favorite Attraction: Seattle Space Needle, Seattle Waterfront, Olympic National Park
Our Favorite Food: All kinds of foods at the Pike Place Market. We also had a great meal at the Downrigger's Restaurant in Port Angeles, right on the water, before exploring Olympic (good thing we pigged out because we were in for a long day) and the pointers from the waiter about where to explore in the park were extremely helpful. However, truth be told, we ate at Denny's twice this trip because we were so busy all day it was the only thing open. Nothin' wrong with 24 hour breakfast.
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Washington, DC (for good measure)
Tournament Award: Best place to practice your Gump impression - tournament is held on the Mall in front of the Reflecting Pool
Lesson Learned: Obey the parking signs or you'll need to win the tournament to cover the parking ticket
Best Attractions: Museums & monuments, take your pick (and the monuments at night are beautiful)
Lesson Learned: Obey the parking signs or you'll need to win the tournament to cover the parking ticket
Best Attractions: Museums & monuments, take your pick (and the monuments at night are beautiful)
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West Virginia
Tournament Award: Best Place to Get Whooped Up On by Some Pros
Lesson Learned: We are not pros. Not that we didn't suspect that already.
Best Attractions: Casinos, the Elk & Kanawha Rivers
Best Food: Boyd's Steakhouse, the atmosphere and staff's style of dress makes you feel like you're stepping back in time - they claim the bar has ties to Al Capone.
Only the Men's Pro divisional available for us to play in...not our best finish, but hey, we played in a pro tournament, right?!
Lesson Learned: We are not pros. Not that we didn't suspect that already.
Best Attractions: Casinos, the Elk & Kanawha Rivers
Best Food: Boyd's Steakhouse, the atmosphere and staff's style of dress makes you feel like you're stepping back in time - they claim the bar has ties to Al Capone.
Only the Men's Pro divisional available for us to play in...not our best finish, but hey, we played in a pro tournament, right?!
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Wisconsin
Tournament Award: Most Intoxicated Players & Also the Friendliest (maybe there is a correlation?!) Full Bar on site and two drinks included with entry, so we aren't passing judgement
Lesson Learned: Appreciate the grass fields in Pennsylvania: the dry, straw-like farmland densely populated with stones hurts!
Favorite Food: Stone Cellar Brewpub, great food and atmosphere, homemade soda, awesome pizza. For local cuisine order the fried cheese curds (we had them 3 times in 4 days in Wisconsin)
Best Attraction: Bradford Beach, Milwaukee - there were leagues going on when we were there so we didn't get to play, but this looked to be a volleyball player's paradise
Lesson Learned: Appreciate the grass fields in Pennsylvania: the dry, straw-like farmland densely populated with stones hurts!
Favorite Food: Stone Cellar Brewpub, great food and atmosphere, homemade soda, awesome pizza. For local cuisine order the fried cheese curds (we had them 3 times in 4 days in Wisconsin)
Best Attraction: Bradford Beach, Milwaukee - there were leagues going on when we were there so we didn't get to play, but this looked to be a volleyball player's paradise
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Waupaca Boatride, Oshkosh, WI
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Wyoming
Tournament Award: Least amount of sleep. Hardest courts to locate. Best tournament combined with a festival, Superday. So, our second flight from North Carolina to Denver was delayed because of lightening storms, we didn't get to Denver until 2 am. Which meant checking into a hotel in Cheyenne at 4:30 with a 7:30 am start time. Normally we get to tournaments with time to spare if we get lost, but this was one time we rolled in at the last minute. The festival being held at the same location was huge, so we had to meander through tents and concessions until finally strolling in late (and groggy!).
Lesson Learned: Make sure to leave some wiggle room between when the plane is schedule to land and when the tournament starts.
Favorite Food: Beef Brisket Chili at Superday. Steaks at Poor Boys Steakhouse in Casper, where the salad was served in a bucket and where we had Moo Stix (fried mozarella) for an appetizer.
Best Attractions: Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons, Devil's Tower
Lesson Learned: Make sure to leave some wiggle room between when the plane is schedule to land and when the tournament starts.
Favorite Food: Beef Brisket Chili at Superday. Steaks at Poor Boys Steakhouse in Casper, where the salad was served in a bucket and where we had Moo Stix (fried mozarella) for an appetizer.
Best Attractions: Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons, Devil's Tower
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