College World Series: Estep's Omaha Diary, Part I

After departing from Athens at 9 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday morning, I finally arrived in Omaha at 5 a.m. Central time Monday morning. In case you were wondering what it takes for a road trip from Georgia to Nebraska, here's a list of what it entails:

—20 long, long hours in a car

—About $150 in gas, even in a mostly fuel-efficient Volvo

—A mostly fuel-efficient Volvo borrowed from your mother

—Seven states (Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska)

—Passing wonderful places such as The Home of Superman (Metropolis, Illinois) and the National Quilting Museum (in Paducah, Kentucky)

—Crossing over four of the country's major rivers (Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri)

—Entirely too much time spent looking at corn

—About a pound of sunflower seeds

—Not being a coffee drinker, roughly 16 Cokes (at 39 mg of caffeine per 12 oz. can, that's 624 mg)

—Five different McDonald's in four different states (the McDonald's in Tennessee were just so high-quality I couldn't resist)

—400 songs, at an average length of three minutes apiece

—An entire one-pound bag of pretzels and several bags of Cheetos

—Cheap reservations at a sketchy Motel 6, especially at 5 a.m.

—A 12-pack to celebrate upon arrival

Just the first of many installments, with more to come, probably before tonight's game between Fresno State's Wonderdogs and the Diamond Dogs of Georgia, and definitely afterward.  Stay tuned.