When the Arkansas Travelers returned home from their 14-day, 12-game road trip on Monday, relievers and roommates Darren Gillies, Jake Haberer and Collin Kober finally got to take their focus away from baseball and made good use of their shared washing machine and dryer.
"We spent the whole day taking turns doing laundry -- 14 days worth of laundry," Gillies said.
Such is life in the torrential month of travel the Travelers find themselves in the midst of.
On June 1, the Travs embarked upon 30 games in 36 days in five cities, a stretch that will conclude on July 6 when the Travelers open a six-game series with the Frisco Roughriders at Dickey-Stephens Park.
Of the 30 games, 24 are scheduled to be played on the road with the Travs spending seven of the days -- the length of their home series against the Tulsa Drillers which concludes today -- at home in North Little Rock before another 12-game trip to Northwest Arkansas and Tulsa.
The run represents the highest concentration of travel across the Travelers' 2021 schedule.
"The travel certainly takes a toll," outfielder Connor Lien said. "But we have a lot of veteran guys here. It's just kind of part of the grind."
A hefty road schedule means long bus trips from city to city and a long series of nights spent in hotels, a grind some Travelers enjoy more than others.
"I get tired of being in a hotel for that long," Gillies said.
And time on road makes the days at home more meaningful.
In 2021, players have taken advantage of a truncated schedule guaranteeing a day off each Monday, a stark contrast to past seasons when teams would play 30-40 games between breaks. Lien has used those off days to relax and get in rounds of golf; others have explored the city and some just use the day for rest.
But when the Travelers returned Monday -- their only day off at home for a span of a little more than a month -- the time was far more crucial. While Gillies and his roommates shuffled in and out of the laundry room, Lien's fiance visited for his lone week of the month at home as players across the team scrambled to check items off their to-do lists.
"We've got to do a lot of housekeeping stuff," Lien said. "Go pay rent. Buy some food. Get your car washed."
The road is not all bad. The bus trips offer opportunities for the Travelers to spend time together away from the field. Right-hander Penn Murfee is known to bring his guitar on road trips, delivering the soundtrack to card games, conversations and pranks. Some, like Lien, enjoy the opportunity to visit new cities such as Tulsa and Wichita, and the road lends itself to big team dinners that aren't quite easy to organize at home.
While the travel is a challenge, the time together is welcome.
"We've been able to build up some team camaraderie and it's helped us," Lien said of the Travelers who are 8-9 over the first 17 games of the run. "We've had a nice series at home and I feel like the team has gotten closer doing stuff on the field and off the field as well. That helps turn the process into results."
In the slog of a hot summer, the rigors of the road can become grating. The fun bus rides and visits to new cities can also become monotonous. Morale, on the road, is no given.
It's why the bonding that goes on the team bus and in hotel rooms is all the more important over such a long road stretch.
"Individually, it can get to you a little bit on the mental side," Gillies said. "That's another reason why we have each other. You can tell when guys are down and sometimes you need an extra pick me up or some extra encouragement."
Also key to morale is winning, and doing it consistently. All season, the Travelers have emphasized their Sunday games ahead of a road trip, looking to leave town on the a high.
The Travelers have taken four of the first five games from the Drillers this week. And this afternoon with Tyler Herb on the pitcher's mound, they've got a chance to hit the road again on a high note.
"We want to win those on those Sunday getaway days," Gillies said. "Everybody is tired. Your sleep schedule is off. Everyone had to pack. But when we win those games because it makes the bus ride a bit more light and fun."
Today's game
ARKANSAS TRAVELERS VS. TULSA DRILLERS
WHEN 2:10 p.m.
WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travs: RHP Tyler Herb (2-3, 2.03 ERA); Drillers: RHP Andre Jakcson (2-1, 2.62 ERA)
TICKETS $12 box (available in pods of 1, 2, 4, 6); $8 reserved (available in pods of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6); $6 general admission. Available only online at travs.com; no in-person sales.
PROMOTIONS Military Appreciation Day ($3 off ticket with military ID); Kids Run the Bases
THE WEEK AHEAD
Today vs. Tulsa, 2:10 p.m.
Monday Off
Tuesday at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
Friday at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday at NW Arkansas, 6:05 p.m.