Sports!

We’ve had a couple of sports outings during our time here in Nauvoo, both within the last week. The first was last Monday, July 20th. Several people from my work went to a Burlington Bees baseball game in Burlington, IA. I had hoped to go to a Bees game this summer, but of course, I was expecting to see the Salt Lake Bees, Utah’s AAA baseball team. Coincidentally enough, Burlington has a AA baseball team also named the Bees. (I think they are or at least once were affiliated.) We went on a promotional night when tickets were just $2 and several concessions were just $1 each. Turns out AA baseball is even easier to attend. The parking for the stadium is completely free, and there is plenty of open seating.  (Only a few small sections of the seats are reserved seating, otherwise it is general admission across the board). As always, I watched relatively little of the game because I was socializing. We had a really good time.

Even showing up at the last second, it was pretty easy to get a parking spot.  A free parking spot, mind you!

I had to wear my hat gangsta style because the sun was to my left.  Good thing I can pull off such a refined look!

I had a great view!

Our next sports event was miniature golf on Friday, July 24th. Okay, that’s not much of a sport, but still. For the record, it wasn’t merely miniature golf. We got ice cream, too. There’s a miniature golf, batting cage, ice cream shop located right next to the Iowa State Penitentiary in Ft. Madison, which is only about 20 minutes from Nauvoo. Most people here in Nauvoo (that we know, anyway) talk about going for “prison ice cream.” When I say it’s right next to the prison, I’m talking as right next to it as you can get. You’ll see in the photos below. Anyway, we had a good time, although the humidity was outrageous. Our camera case felt soggy by the end of the night.  It was cray-cray.

Our prison putt-putt party included our friends from Utah.  (Seth, the one with a beard, is the associate pastor of the SLC Community of Christ congregation.)

Jenn and Melanie at the same table as in the above photo.  Notice the miniature golf course and batting cages in the background.  And what's that castle-looking thing?  The prison!  Right there!  See what I'm saying?!

Maybe the mini-golf course and ice cream shop were put right next to the prison in order to make the prisoners jealous and encourage their rehabilitation.  Who wouldn't want to rehabilitate when a brownie sundae is waiting just outside the prison walls?

The end!