My continuing exploration of Target Field

Last night was my fourth game at Target Field, but the first truly night game. (One was a 6 p.m. start, but Kevin Slowey and Felix Hernandez conspired to end it in about 2 hours 5 minutes, and we didn't even need the headlights when leaving the parking ramp.)

Minnie and Paul celebrated
Tuesday's victory.

It was also my first game above the first level of seats, and my first trip on light rail to Target Field.

A few notes:

• I am a big fan of the light rail and used it for almost every Metrodome trip I made the past three years or so. But now that the Twins play on the west side of downtown Minneapolis, it's just not as practical for those of us coming from the southwest. It's still cheaper (and more environmentally sound) than driving and parking, but it's also a whole lot slower.

When they get the proposed Eden Prairie-Target Field line running —that'll be right in my nitro zone.

• I ordered my ticket during the weekend and got a "wheelchair" row seat in section 219, essentially behind home plate but slightly toward third base. I don't know when they open those seats to the able-bodied. Very good seats. In the long ago and far away, when the Free Press was an afternoon paper and I had evenings free, I had partial season tickets at much the same angle and level. This seat was better.

The upper concourse runs under the top deck and behind the 2-level sections. (Top deck is 3-level). I didn't attempt to explore all the amenities, but it has many of the specialty food concessions (including Kramarczuk's — yay!), a bar, and an apparel store. The latter came in handy; I quickly determined that I needed another layer, as the wind had not subsided as forecast earlier.

• I enjoyed watching the daylight fade in downtown and the skyscrapers light up. And the Minnie and Paul sign works a lot better with the black backdrop.