I found a soccer field

Sometimes when I bike I like to break my routine and bike down a different road. I tend to keep a similar route so I can see my times. I like to know I'm getting faster.

Yesterday, before my flat tire, I took a right when I usually go straight and explored. I ended up going past a beautiful river/stream/brook that was surrounded by woods. It had a slight balsamic fir smell to it. (somehow I know what that smells like)

As I went further on a remote, but recently paved country road I ran into something I was not expecting, a soccer field. As I explored further I think I discovered a boarding school that I didn't know existed.

I've been looking for a soccer field to use but haven't had luck, but unfortunately this one is not open to the public as evidenced by no trespassing signs.

This field won't really be useful for me except that it lead me to this post.

What I found remarkable is that in the middle of the woods in New Hampshire, there was a soccer field. The reason I find this remarkable is that I was in America and there was a ball field for soccer in the middle of nowhere. A baseball field wouldn't have surprised me at all. Baseball fields are part of Americana. Soccer Fields are not.

Soccer is a worldly sport and the athletes are often very unique individuals, the kind that loves riding electric scooters, European fashion and 3/4 Quarter style pants.

Soccer players feel unique to me, almost as if you can tell what sport they play just by observing them off the field as people.

Traditionally in America soccer has not been liked or respected, and there is a reason for it. It was seen as a game played by immigrants and as proud American's we didn't want to be associated with their game and the game of Europe, we wanted to be proud of our own games like Football, Basketball and Baseball. National Pride has something to do with American's attitude towards soccer. While I think the nation is beginning to get excited about soccer, and in 50 years it wouldn't surprise me if it overtook baseball in popularity (yes I'd make that prediction now) it's still surprising to see a field in the middle of nowhere in New Hampshire. Even though it was in such a serene setting it felt so out of place. It felt more like I was biking through Germany than the U.S.