2023 Army/Navy Game - Day #1

For the fourth time in the last five years, I am heading to the Army/Navy football game [2022, 2021, 2019]. We had tickets in 2020 until the game was moved to West Point in response to the COVID pandemic.

Up at 3 am, I headed to the airport at 4:15 am. If I am not checking a bag, my rule of thumb is to leave for the airport about one hour and forty-five minutes ahead of the flight. Larkin and I had a 6 am American Airlines flight from Sacramento to Phoenix.

As an aside, I decided this year to pack very light; I have a small stuff bag, rather than a carry-on roller. In past years, I have thrown in my running shoes and some workout clothes. I have never used them. It is just not realistic.

I also made a decision to upgrade the first leg to first class. I was hoping for some breakfast, but only got a couple of snacks.

Interestingly, the layover in Phoenix was scheduled at only forty minutes. Our flight was on the ground about fifteen minutes early. Although we had to jump from the end of the A concourse to the B concourse, we made it in plenty of time. They were loading the American flight to Boston when we walked up to the gate. The flight took off on time at 9:30 am.

I had a exit row window seat on the flight to Boston. The internet was not working. As a result, I am behind on a couple of blog entries.

We were on the ground in Boston just after 4 pm. With Wallen and Vic about 40 minutes behind us, we decided to wait for them. Connecting with Wallen and Vic, the four of us got starters and beers at Not Your Average Joe's in the airport. We decided to wait for Tomasin.

After Tomasin landed, we jammed the five of us in an Uber. We are staying three nights at The Boxer hotel. We connected with Max, Nooter and Wallen's brother Jim.

With Vic leading the way, we wandered dowh the street. I was surprised to find the TD Garden, the Boston Celtics arena only about two blocks aways. Earlier in the week, Larkin had suggested that we might want to go to the game on Friday night. Walking pass the arena started a longer discussion with the group about going to the game.

We ended up having dinner at Tavern in the Square. I ended up having a salmon bowl. After dinner, the group made one stop at an Irish pub. Larkin and I wandered back to the hotel and crashed about 11:30 pm.