Rock & Roll and Baseball in Cleveland

We woke up early on Friday a little sleep deprived, which was probably to be expected. The first day of the trip had not exactly been smooth. We started with a flat tire, arrived late, and set up in the rain, so by the time morning came around I think we were all ready for a day that felt a little more like what this trip was supposed to be.

Before we packed up, I went outside, opened the truck bed, and popped open my laptop to get a few minutes of work done.

Keeping Work Moving from the Road

That is part of the deal with this trip. I’m stepping away from the business for upwards of six weeks, but not fully disappearing. I’ve been using Starlink for years now on our Airstream trips, and it has become one of the core parts of the system. I wake up before the kids, get work done while it is quiet, and then use the drive time for calls, meetings, and check-ins with the Pepperland team, prospects, and clients.

In some ways, that is what makes a trip like this possible. I can still be accessible and keep things moving, but once the driving is done, I can shift back into the trip and be present with the family. Connectivity has not really been the limiting factor for a while now. The harder part is having the discipline to use the right windows of time.

Once I got through what I needed to do, we packed up, had a quick breakfast, and got on the road toward the Cleveland area. Our campsite for the night was Woodside Lake Park in Streetsboro, Ohio, a campground on the edge of Streetsboro and Mantua. It looked like a really nice spot, and one I think we all would have been happy to spend more time at, but we were on a tight schedule. We got checked in, set up quickly, and then rolled back out for downtown Cleveland. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

The plan was to make our timed entry at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We knew we were going to be cutting it close, but it all worked out pretty smoothly. We got into Cleveland, found parking without much trouble, and made our way inside.

My main reason for wanting to go was the Paul McCartney and Wings exhibit. I’ve always been a huge McCartney fan, so seeing handwritten lyrics, instruments, tour memorabilia, and other items from that era was exactly what I was hoping for. The exhibit includes material from McCartney’s personal archive, including instruments from Wings recording sessions and tours, handwritten lyrics, original artwork, stage-worn clothing, tour memorabilia, and previously unseen Linda McCartney photography. 

That was the part I was most excited for, but the boys found their own things to latch onto.

Owen has been really into “Seven Nation Army” lately, so seeing The White Stripes gear was a big deal for him. He was excited to see the clothes, the guitar, the drums — all of it.

But the biggest hit for the boys was probably The Garage, where you can actually play instruments. The Rock Hall describes it as a space where visitors can pick up real drums, guitar, bass, and keyboards at practice stations, and that is pretty much what made it work for the kids. They made some real noise.

They tried guitar, bass, and drums, and the drums were clearly the winner. You could see it on their faces as soon as they sat down. There is a lot of power in that sound when you are a kid and you are the one making it.

Owen especially seemed to get a kick out of it. I’m sure he let out one of his famous “YYYAAH!” sounds at some point — the same kind of celebratory, slightly mischievous yell he makes when he discovers a secret shortcut or runs through a part of a room he probably isn’t supposed to run through.

There were plenty of other cool things too. We saw John Lennon’s passport, the Asher family piano in the Beatles section, and a bunch of other memorabilia I could have spent much more time with. For fun, we also stopped into the SNL exhibit, where we saw the “Dick in a Box” costumes and Will Ferrell’s More Cowbell suit, which was pretty amazing.

Lunch Before the Game

After the Rock Hall, we grabbed lunch at Harry Buffalo East 4th. It was not the original plan. I had wanted to try Mabel’s BBQ, and I still think I would have enjoyed it, but with the kids I wasn’t totally sure the menu would work. Harry Buffalo was easy: wings, kid food, quick service, and one of those open-air setups with the garage doors pulled up so you can see out into the street.

The place was full of Cleveland Guardians fans, and plenty more were walking by on their way to the stadium. That was kind of nice. It made the lunch feel connected to what we were about to do next.

A Perfect Day for Baseball

From there, we went over to Progressive Field for the Guardians game.

I always enjoy seeing a Major League Baseball stadium for the first time, and this one was a great experience. Beautiful ballpark, perfect weather, low 70s, light breeze, blue skies. It was pretty much exactly what you would want for a summer baseball game.

The Guardians played well and beat the Detroit Tigers 3–2. Tanner Bibee started for Cleveland, struck out eight, and the Guardians got just enough offense to win.

We did not stay until the very end. The kids were tired, and Owen is not that into baseball at this point in his life. That may change, or it may not. Either way, it felt like the right call to leave a little early, beat some of the crowd, and get back to the campground with enough time to rest.

Looking back, this felt like the first real successful road trip day of the whole adventure.

Everything worked the way you hope these days will work. We got from one place to the next. I kept up with work enough to feel comfortable. We made it into the city. The boys found things they genuinely enjoyed. We saw a museum, had an easy lunch, took in a baseball game at a new stadium, and ended the day tired in a good way.

After the flat tire, the rain, and the late arrival on day one, this felt like a win.