Written by Joel Goldberg

A passionate conversation about fantasy football breaks out 20 feet from me. Too animated and energetic for my liking at this hour of the morning. It’s 6:40 am, an unthinkable time of day for anyone whose life revolves around a Major League Baseball schedule (other than spring training). I’m about to venture through five states and the Royals long game the night before has me running on fumes after a few hours of sleep.

The three security guards at Baltimore’s Penn Station continue to debate their week one football rosters as I wait or a train to New York with my photographer. A day ago I arrived at the same Amtrak station at 7:45, still too early for my night owl habits. Folks packed the waiting area, ready to venture up and down the coast for work. Two of my colleagues and I departed to spend the day at the White House before returning to work the Royals-Orioles game. A tour, a seat inside a live news briefing and lunch at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave made for a memorable experience.

Now I’m sitting in an empty station. Other than a heated discussion on Randall Cobb and football sleepers, the weekday hustle and bustle is replaced by Saturday quiet and calm. Off we go, and as the sun rises, I look out the window at Maryland. Then Wilmington, where the Royals Class-A affiliate just advanced in the postseason. Salvador Perez, Danny Duffy and Eric Hosmer used to play here.  The train pushes forward to Philadelphia, through New Jersey and up to New York.

Now I’m sitting in an empty station. Other than a heated discussion on Randall Cobb and football sleepers, the weekday hustle and bustle is replaced by Saturday quiet and calm. Off we go, and as the sun rises, I look out the window at Maryland. Then Wilmington, where the Royals Class-A affiliate just advanced in the postseason. Salvador Perez, Danny Duffy and Eric Hosmer used to play here.  The train pushes forward to Philadelphia, through New Jersey and up to New York.

Today is a day off for me with the Royals televised nationally but I find myself in Manhattan at Chelsea Market to shoot a feature story on the MLB Instant Replay Center. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Downtime for me often takes place on the road, away from my wife and kids. It’s one of the few negatives of a dream job with so many family moments missed at home. So I like to explore and take advantage of the opportunities. In this case it’s shooting an interesting story but often seeing sights helps pass the time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The Freedom Trail in Boston. Wandering the Skyway in Minneapolis. Enjoying the weather in Los Angeles and climbing the hills in San Francisco. Pike Place Market in Seattle is a must but sometimes I will get on a ferry, take it round trip to an island and just do my game prep on the boat. Just like baseball, you never know what you may see on any given day.

It’s now 2pm, my train shooting back through the Garden State towards Baltimore. We were only in Manhattan for two hours but I would do it again in a New York minute, although tomorrow I may sleep late, stay in the room and watch some football.

Photos courtesy of Joel Goldberg