31 Days of Fresno

Day 9

Keeping up with the trend of sports, I’ll post about Fresno’s thriving sports scene. We’ve got numerous teams to be proud of with the bulk coming out of the university while the city’s teams include a baseball team (Grizzlies), hockey team (Monsters), soccer team (Fuego), and even a roller derby team (I’ll admit it, I have a crush on Betty Rocker).

Like I said, most of the sports do come out of the Fresno State University: football, basketball (men and women), softball, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, cross-country, track & field, tennis, volleyball, equestrian, swimming & diving, golf, and even rugby. Each of these teams do quite well actually in our Western Athletic Conference winning conference championships and recently the Commissioners Cup (an overall achievement based on all sports in the conference). Men’s basketball won the NIT championship in 1983, softball won the national championship in 1998, and there was that little 2008 baseball team that won the College World Series as the lowest seeded team. I’m still waiting for coach Pat Hill to get his WAC championship in football; he’ll get his comeuppance soon, I can feel it.

We did have a very good minor league hockey team in the Fresno Falcons. On my birthday (2008), me and my friends got to witness their final game against the Stockton Thunder and we had no idea that was to be their last. They folded up shop mid-season on top of the conference, we definitely could have won a championship with that team. We now have a league below the Falcons in the Fresno Monsters, who I hear are tearing it up on the ice. Good going guys!

There are few things to hang our hats on and brag about in the sporting world in Fresno and I’m sure the future will bring even more bragging rights of why we’re better than you.

This is why I love Fresno.

=ryne=

Day 7

Technically, this is Clovis, but it’s so close to Fresno that it might as well be Fresno.

Back in February, a Tour of California happened and Clovis was chosen as a mid-leg finish line. This was to see some of the best in cycling, including some guy named Lance Armstrong. I didn’t expect, however, that many people to show up. There were almost enough people to fill up Bulldog Stadium (which is approximately 43,000) lining up along Pollasky Avenue just to get a peek of the racers. I was left reeling in disbelief.

Promoters handed out LIVESTRONG chalk for people to write on the street: words of encouragement, their names, or even doodling right on the road. The atmosphere of the entire street was electric. I’ve never seen so many people enthusiastic to watch cyclists zooming in at 30 miles an hour-plus to reach the finish line.

I was very proud of this community for showing support and zeal to the event. I’d love to see another one, I’m sure we would get even more people to line the street.

This is why I love Fresno.

=ryne=

Day 5

I love the Tower District. It’s a unique breath of fresh air in comparison to the atmosphere anywhere else north of Shaw Avenue. Many people in town either a) are unaware that it exists and b) are aware but because it’s south of Shaw, it’s probably unsafe.

At least that’s how I was several years ago before I was dragged down to the Tower District to watch some shows at the fabulous Starline and walk around this finely kept secret with its vast array of characters ranging from the avid Harley Davidson junkie to your indie hipster. I felt right at home. As safety is concerned, as long as you walk in a lighted sidewalk and keep yourself seen, you’ll be fine. Of course you may run into an irate drunk person once in awhile, but it’s not like you won’t be susceptible to them in any other city bar.

Usually, I try to invite a guest with me that has never been to the Tower district. This helps to enlighten them that little bit more to show them a different side of Fresno that they never would have thought existed that doesn’t have a big sign that says “RIVERPARK” on it’s corner. I come here almost everyday, mostly because I have job there (I’m saving that blog for a different day).

I hope with the eventual upswing of the economy brings good fortune to the Tower District. It’s already awesome, but I hope that it becomes insanely awesome one day with exhausting foot and bicycle traffic.

This is why I love Fresno.

=ryne=

Day 4

As a child, I (along with numerous other children) have always wanted a white Christmas. After several weeks ago when it got bitterly cold and there was actual frost stuck on my windshield, I changed my mind on that whole white Christmas mumbo jumbo. That stuff is a pain in the neck! That brings me to my next reason of why I love Fresno.

It doesn’t ever snow in Fresno, well at least doesn’t SNOW-snow like the picture above. I’ve witnessed snow only once and that was maybe five years ago. Everyone was outside watching it fall and stick to the ground maybe not even a centimeter.

Let’s be honest with ourselves here. We like snow; it makes things look very pretty but there’s no way in hell we would want to tolerate with it on a yearly basis. The dense valley fog is already bad enough! With snow, you have to start taking precautions such as tire chains, plowing your driveway and ice scrapers while dealing with road hazards such as black ice. Don’t know what black ice is? Well, check this video out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MPRmOUxRMY

As pretty as the snow is and how much I’d love to see the entire city of Fresno powder white, I’d rather not. Let’s get real, would you rather wake up an hour  earlier before work or school to plow your driveway and defrost your car to get it on the road or would you just drive marginally slower than the posted speed limit in the fog?

This is why I love Fresno.

=ryne=

Day 2

Not many places in the country have a Christmas tree lane that spans two miles long and 140 houses, but Fresno does. This is an 85 year old tradition that still goes strong every December. It’s probably the most beautiful thing to walk through, granted I’ve only gone about five times while being in the Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band, but still it’s gorgeous!

I want the homeowners to know that I’m grateful for the sacrifice you make with your electricity bill to put on this yearly attraction for the entire city of Fresno to see. Just making sure you people don’t go unsung.

Nothing puts you quite in the holiday spirit quite like walking up and down these two miles with a thermos of hot cocoa and watching carolers singing songs to celebrate Christmas.

This is why I love Fresno.

=ryne=

Day 1

I love Fresno’s central proximity to EVERYTHING! We may be landlocked, but the average time to get to any of these spots is close to two hours as opposed to living in Los Angeles and having an urge to drive six hours to San Francisco.

I do have family that live in either city and the central valley acts as a little oasis for them to stretch and for my family to become their hospitality for a few hours before finishing the second leg of their trip. They love that we’re so conveniently located right in the middle for their driving, eating, and bathroom break rather than at a reststop.

I love that bigger cities, the mountains, and the beach are only a couple hours away by car and that’s something no other city I know of can’t say. I’d rather have to sit for two hours cooped up in a car rather than anxiously sitting for six to get anywhere and feeling exhausted when we reach our destination.

This is why I love Fresno.

=ryne=