Accessibility Review: AT&T Park

Parking at AT&T Park was really annoying since we arrived about four hours before the game. The parking lot did not have anything blocking you from going in, but also had no one taking money. We found the handicap parking, but were not sure what to do because it was suposedly a permitted parking lot along with being the lot for handicap parking and across the waterway from the park. We ended up getting a parking pass off of a scalper that instantly hounded us when we pulled up. It ended up working out and we saved $4, but I would not trust it under normal circumstances and would have felt better if we had been giving our money to those actually in charge of the parking lot.

Parking might have been annoying, but the actual park experience was quite the opposite. While waiting in line for the park to open one of the Giants staff actually pulled us out of the normal line and showed us over to line up by the gate that opens for wheelchairs to avoid the turnstile entrances. We entered through the O'Doul Gate, which has steps right after you enter, but to the left there is an elevator. We then headed to the bleacher section that our tickets were in to find that we had to go back down to our seats.

A very helpful usher not only told us how to go down to our seats, but actually escorted us the whole way to them. The handicap seats in the bleachers at the Giants turned out to be in front of the bleacher section right against the outfield wall compared to up at the top of the bleacher section like at the Oakland Coliseum. Dad and I thought these seats were awesome and a nice barrier free view of the park. Mik did not exactly like them, though, because it was very much so in a spot a home run ball could possibly come right at you and he was nervous about getting hit by a ball, although really the outfielder would probably have caught any ball that came right at us and any home run ball would have probably gone over his head.

At the end of the game we exited the park on the level we sat on, as the right field gate was on that level. We then just walked along the boardwalk on the outside of the park to get back to the bridge and the across to the car avoiding the whole going up and down the elevators route we had taken to get to our seats.

Kj's Baseball Collection: Orange Giants

The souvenir baseball selection at the Giants was not bad, but it is getting discouraging that yet again I could not find one recognizing the stadium. I ended up choosing the orange one because it says San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball Since 1958. It does have kind of an flowery pattern that is not my style, but it being orange makes up for that undesirable part.

Mik's Mini Bat Collection: Orange Giants

The Giants had a pretty good selection of mini bat colors and I think also two different logo designs to choose from. Mik went with the orange colored bat since he does not have one of that color in his collection at all. The logo part says Giants and also has the SF logo on it.

Mik's Food Scrapbook: AT&T Park

After having the garlic fries at Oakland and not liking them, Mik decided not to try them at San Francisco where they are labeled the ballpark's trademark food. Instead he just had a hot dog, which he thought was better than the supposed best ones in the majors (Oakland's), but I still think he rates the Padres ones the best.



Only other food he had at the game was a pretzel he shared with me. Now the pretzel itself was pretty good taste wise, however, it was disappointing size wise. They call it a jumbo pretzel and when we sent Dad to get one for us to share we certainly expected something bigger and ended up with a small one barely bigger than the measly ones that come in the freezer section at the grocery store. At least it was hot, though, as it was one of the colder games so far.

Game 6: Mik Rolling Over Barry Bonds

Now that I finally got all the photos from going to the Giants game uploaded, I can finally share the funny story of Mik rolling over Barry Bonds. Outside AT&T Park, where the San Francisco Giants play, there are some plaques in the ground along the side that is on the water. The plaques represent major achievements by the Giants such as hosting the All Star game, and mostly different home run number achievements accomplished by Barry Bonds. Mik dislikes Barry Bonds and to show his distaste he decided to roll over Barry Bonds plaques as a sign of disrespect, I guess. The first one he rolled over was the one commemorating Barry Bonds breaking the single season home run record. The other one Mik rolled over was the one commemorating Barry Bonds breaking the all time home run record.

Kj's Baseball Collection: Major League Baseballs

Mik got an official Major League Baseball used in batting practice at both the Oakland As and San Francisco Giants games. The balls are basically the same, but the one from the Giants has the word Practice stamped on it. Mik already said I could have the one from the As game for my collection, but I think he will keep the Giants one. We used the As one to play catch yesterday since it is not a ball expected for the collection and it is not quite as special as the one that has the practice stamp on it. Dad wrote on both with Sharpie the date of the game, the teams in the game, and the ballpark name.

Car Stickers Update: San Franciso Giants

Here is the updated version of the National League side of the car with the Giants sticker on it. It is almost has the whole Western Division, but it will not have the division complete until we see the Rockies in a few weeks.

Game 6: Atlanta Braves 3 @ San Francisco Giants 6

We were several hours early for the Giants game at AT&T Park. So early that parking was not technically open, but nothing kept you from going in. Ended up with a parking pass from scalpers instead of waiting around for parking staff to come around to collect money. We then went to the Giants team store to get our souvenirs and walked around the outside of the park before waiting another half hour for the gates to open.

We were again in the bleacher section, but this time with specific seats. Mik got another Major League Baseball from someone who caught several during batting practice. The seats were in front of the scoreboard, so not the best in that regards, but pretty cool nonetheless because we were right up against the wall in right field and no fans in front. No cup holders, but Mik did not feel left out because none of the bleachers had them.

Mik rooted for the Braves because the Giants are in the Dbacks division and I rooted for the Giants because the Braves are in the Nats division. Dad just wanted to see Randy Johnson pitch a decent game. It was an okay pitching outing from Johnson, but we have seen better from him as a Dback. So really only I got what I wanted with the Giants winning 6 to 3. The best play to see was the Giants getting a run by stealing home.

Now we are on the road back to the campground in Petaluma. Tomorrow is a relaxed driving day to the campground in Crescent City. Hopefully I can get some catching up on the extra posts then. Mik is hoping for an early evening arrival at the campground, so he can catch up on some of his shows using Dad's computer and the Wifi at the campground and have a campfire to roast marshmallows and have S'Mores.