Opening Day!

It's opening day of the 2011 Major League Baseball season. The Reds will begin to defend their National League Central title against the Milwaukee Brewers at 2:10 this afternoon. It's odd to start the season on a Thursday instead of the traditional Monday but least MLB stopped the Sunday "opening night" nonsense.

WLW is a News/Talk station from Cincinnati, Ohio. They've carried Reds games since just after World War II.

WTMJ (W The Milwaukee Journal) is a News/Talk outlet from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the flagship station of the Brewers. The sticker sports the team logo in use from 1978 until 1993. The ball and mitt which also form the letters M(ilwaukee) and B(rewers) is much better than their current logo but not nearly as cool as their original 1970s-era swinging beer barrel man. Coincidentally, at the Dayton International Airport earlier this week I saw this cool Brewers-themed airplane:

UPDATE: HOLY CRAP! The Reds win on a home run in the bottom of the ninth after trailing since the first batter of the first inning. GO REDS!! Woo Hoo!!

WOCA

1370 AM WOCA is a News/Talk outlet licensed to (W) OCAla, Florida. They are now also heard on a translator at 96.3 FM.  The station began as Top-40 "Key Radio" WWKE and switched to their current calls and format in 1986.

WRKK

WRKK "K99" was a Rock station from Birmingham, Alabama from 1976 to 1982. 99.5 FM has been "Rock 99" WZRR since 1988.

WLLD

"Wild 98.7" WLLD was a Rhythmic CHR station licensed to Holmes Beach, Florida near Tampa. 98.7 FM is currently a Hot AC station "Play 98.7" WSJT.

Puerto Rico, Day 9 - WVIS

Our nine days in Puerto Rico were quickly coming to an end. We had enough time to hit Escambron Beach before our early afternoon flight home.

I noticed this radio sticker in more than one shuttle bus that we rode this week.

WVIS "Radio Joe" is a Contemporary Hit Radio station licensed to Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico, Day 8 - WCMN

Today we took a short ferry and taxi ride to the "Cathedral of Rum"--the Bacardi factory near San Juan. A free tour gave us an interesting history of the Bacardi brand which was founded in Cuba in 1862.

Of course, no tour of a rum factory would be complete without actually drinking it!

That evening we took a train to the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum to see....

...Ricky Martin! His world tour was kicking off with four dates in his hometown. The show was damn entertaining even if I had no idea what he was saying (or singing for that matter.)

"Delta 107" WCMN was a CHR station licensed to Arecibo, Puerto Rico. WCMN is now branded as "107.3 Mi Emisora" ("My Radio Station") and still plays contemporary hit music.

Puerto Rico, Day 7 - WMEG

On Friday we visited my girlfriend's grandfather in Arecibo.

He grows a variety of mega-sized fruit on his property which he yanks down with a long pole.

Grandpa makes his own moonshine and was eager to let me try some. At the bottom of this jug I saw all kinds of unrecognizable fruit that must have been fermenting for months or even years.
It was good. Really. It was.

The night was spent at the Marriott Resort on Condado Beach in San Juan. We netted 60 bucks in the hotel casino which almost covered the parking ticket we received the day before in El Yunque.

I never wanted to leave.

"Mega 106.9" WMEG is a CHR station licensed to Guayama, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico, Day 6 - WKAQ

Most of Thursday was spent in parts of El Yunque, the only rain forest in the United States National Forest System.


La Coca Falls.

Yokahu Tower.

Mt. Britton Lookout Tower.

The view from the top was stunning. Parts of El Yunque average 133 inches of rain per year. Dark clouds flew by just overhead but it never did come down on us.

"KQ105" WKAQ is a CHR station licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico, Day 5 - WZOL

Today we hung out at Flamenco Beach again. It rained for about 30 seconds and then the sun came out once more. The heat of "el sol" and the sound of the waves managed to knock me out for awhile. Our time on Culebra had come to an end. The regular ferry back to Fajardo broke down so we had to wait for the cargo ferry which finally showed up as the sun started to set. We sat on the open-air top deck and stared at the stars before finally making it back to the mainland. WZOL "Radio Sol" is a Religious station licensed to Luquillo, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico, Day 4 - WTPM

Today we took another ferry trip to the island of Culebrita.

We were dropped off on the waveless, snorkeling side and set off on a short hike across the island to Tortuga Beach.

What a gorgeous beach this was...and we had it all to ourselves! In fact, as far as we could tell, there was no one else on the entire island except us!

Being alone on a tropical island was simultaneously thrilling and worrisome. What if a shark eats my leg for lunch?! What if pirates come ashore and take us hostage?! No worries, we'll just call this phone number. Ha!

After awhile, we decided to hike up to the oldest lighthouse in the Caribbean. Note to self: Never ever hike in flip flops again. Those two-inch thorns slice right up on through that cheap flip flip foam and straight into your heel. Lesson learned.

This 1880s-era lighthouse was in state of beautiful decay. We didn't dare climb the steps to the top for fear of the whole thing crumbling down on us.

92.9 WTPM "Radio Paradise" is a Religious station licensed to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico, Day 3 - WCOM

Today we took a one hour ferry ride from the city of Fajardo to the island of Culebra off the east coast of Puerto Rico. After checking into a very nice guesthouse we took a short taxi ride to Flamenco Beach which this website has ranked #2 on their Top 10 Most Exotic Beaches In The World list. I'm no world traveler, but it's the most beautiful beach I've ever seen.

What a jackass.

My goal for the week was to remain unburned and pasty white. I succeeded by going through a full 5 cans of spray sunscreen and wearing this silly hat.

WCOM is a bit of a mystery. Not sure what their format was and I can't find any evidence of a station with those call letters going by "Z95." My records list it as being licensed to Bayamon, Puerto Rico. A station at 94.7 FM with that city-of-license is currently "Reggaeton 94" WODA.

Puerto Rico, Day 2 - WOSO

Today was mostly spent touring the two main forts of Old San Juan; San Cristóbal and el Morro. Construction on these Spanish-built forts began in the 1500s and have withstood multiple attacks over the centuries, mostly by the English.





Along with the U.S. and Puerto Rican flags, Castillo de San Cristóbal flies the old Spanish military flag known as the Cross of Burgundy.

These tourist-weary critters ignored us as they baked in the sun.


WOSO is a News/Talk station licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico. They are the only radio station in the capital city to broadcast in English.