Soakin’ in the Tubb: Hard earned lessons from driving across the province

By JAMES TUBB on August 20, 2022.

Riding the bus is no joke.

I had the opportunity to hop on the bus and hit the road with the Medicine Hat Mavericks a couple of times this WCBL season, joining them in Swift Current, then Weyburn for a two-day trip before riding along to Regina and Moose Jaw twice, come the playoffs. I have gained a lot of respect for any athlete that has to ride a bus for multiple hours before performing at the highest level.

I got off the bus and had to take pictures or tweet along with the games and that was difficult enough. Through the roughly 59 hours I spent on the road, I was able to pick up a couple of tips and tricks from the players and coaches who are experts at the trade coming from college.

Dress for comfort:

No matter how short the trip, there is always an opportunity to change once you get to the stadium, so dress for the bus. Wear pants/shirts that are comfortable enough to sleep in and bring along your work clothes. There’s no reason to dress to impress. But that tip also carried into the next one:

Pack for your down time:

While in my hotel room in Weyburn I realized very quick that I did not pack any clothes to wear around the hotel or the ‘city’ of Weyburn. So an extra set to wear down to the hotel lobby when you pick up dinner or more importantly, breakfast in the morning. I feel bad for the families travelling through Weyburn who were trying to eat breakfast when I showed up for my powdered eggs and mediocre waffle in day old clothes and my bedhead because I forgot a hat. If you have bad hair in the mornings, pack a hat or risk scarring families.

Bring a blanket and a pillow… or two:

There is no surface more uncomfortable than the wall of a bus when you’re trying to sleep. A pillow goes a long way to make sleeping an accomplishable feat and two, well that’s luxury. A blanket also goes a long way in either bringing the obvious warmth or to be used to turn those abused seats into a luxurious mattress.

Bring snacks/drinks, more than you think:

This one is self explanatory but whether or not the bus stops for a meal at some point, you need to bring your own food. I always brought enough water or drinks, which provides its own problems when there’s no bathroom breaks. But I always neglected to pack enough snacks to pass the time. The snack choice is an important one because you’re likely stuck with whatever garbage is leftover, so tread carefully.

Either do something productive or sleep:

Luckily enough I did not have to share a seat with anyone on any of the trips so there were no forced conversations with someone inches from me. Besides talking with people, there is no better activity than sleeping while hauling down the highway because frankly, no one gets enough sleep. Other than that, I am a big fan of reading or catching up on emails. Talking with family back home is also a great alternative.

Don’t dare forget your phone charger:

I was lucky/prepared enough to not have to try and overcome this issue but ensure your phone has enough juice or bring something to charge it along the way. I was proud to be the guy handing out my backup battery or charging cord to those in need but shuddered at the thought of not having either.

In the end, it was a great privilege to travel with the Mavericks this summer and it’s something I look forward to doing this winter with either the Tigers or Cubs. I tip my cap to all athletes riding a bus across the province, that is if I can remember to pack one.

James Tubb is a sports reporter at the Medicine Hat News. He can be reached at jtubb@medicinehatnews.com