Valley of the.....Bacon?

A great photo of me and Jon celebrating our graduation from the infamous J. W. Sexton High School.
Or is it?

A few weeks ago one of my good friends, Jon "Bacon" Laing was able to visit me in Arizona.  Jon and I have been friends since 1979 when his family moved and he started to going to Averill Elementary where I was already attending.  We became friends right away and went through grade school, middle school and high school together, where Jon was an all-star pitcher and key member of our nationally ranked baseball team.  My friend Kevin and I gave him the nickname Bacon in the 7th grade.  How that came about makes about as much sense as a 7th grade nicknaming would, so I won't bore you with that story.  But even though Jon went to College in Indiana and we sort of went our separate ways after high school, we always stayed in touch.  He's visited me as I've lived all over the country and every time I was back in Michigan I tried to visit him and his wife and son as well.  Not having any kids of my own it has been enjoyable watching his son grow up as I attended any number of his football, basketball and baseball games when I lived closed by or was visiting.  To think he's not too far off from College is humbling to me, I can only imagine what it feels like for Bacon. So knowing this would be his first trip to Arizona and always excited to have a friend visit, I prepared for a great "reunion" with my fellow J Dubb!  I thought it might be interesting to get his take on Scottsdale and Arizona in general so I have turned the blog over to him, with my comments in red, and Jon's additions to my comments in green.  Of course it is my blog and I have to make smart ass comments one way or another even when someone else is doing the writing.  But you know what they say, better to be a smart ass than a dumb one.  So enjoy Bacon's take on AZ and me and a fun and legendary weekend in Scottsdale.  Little rascals not included.

In the words of Bacon:

So this trip out west for me to visit Chris started in the planning period about a year ago. Or more accurately about three years ago when my employer began looking at different vendors to replace our antiquated finance software program. Two years later after implementing and going live with the program we found out the company has an annual conference and I attended it in Baltimore last October 2014. At the conference it was announced the 2015 conference would be in Palm Springs, CA. At some point after the conference last year I mentioned to Chris where it was gong to be at the following year and without hesitation he said if I was able to attend he would come and pick me up after the conference and we could then make a weekend out of it. Talk about a true friend, how many people would volunteer to drive four hours out of the way, and then four hours back. (It wasn't that hard of a decision, the chance to see a lifelong friend.....and I made a stop in Vegas the day before) (Chris did not win big in Vegas so unfortunately we could not party like rock stars in Scottsdale). And Chris was not hesitant to say this was not a scenic drive. We're talking four hours as the crow flies straight from Palm Springs on Hwy 10 all the way to Scottsdale, with nothing in between but a whole lot of sand and scrub-brush with a scattering towns along the way.

The drive between Palm Springs and Phoenix is pretty wide open. All that was missing was seeing a coyote chasing a roadrunner.

Chris was also kind enough to transport my two co-workers to the Palm Springs airport(only because they were not scUM fans) at the end of the conference so they didn't have to fight for one of the scarce taxis in the area along with the rest of the conference attendees who were waiting to head out of town. So once we dropped them off at the airport our adventure was on as we made our way to the Valley of the Sun. Wait a second....what's this? Rain? In the desert? As a matter of fact yes, and also in fact it rained every day I was with Chris in Arizona. I'm not saying that I brought the Michigan weather with me to remind Chris of his "mother land", but it was extremely coincidental that after several days in a row of upper 90s to 100 degrees that suddenly storm and cold fronts came through the valley and dropped the temperatures into the cooler mid 80s by the last day. Suffice to say although I was fully prepared for the expected heat, the "cooler" temps made it easier not having to worry about changing clothes and wringing sweat out of my shirts a few times a day. Now I'm sure for an extended stay you would get used to the warmth, but us Michiganders aren't used to 100 degrees in mid-October. Of course I was hearing weather reports from back home that lows were in the 20s and some places got some snow. Too soon.(Exactly why I moved and will never move back)

Here's a picture from Michigan just last weekend. It looks pretty you say?  Well it looks even better from Scottsdale.
Enjoy your snow and cold Michiganders

 

Before I go any further I have to mention that a couple of weeks before I left for the trip out west Chris gave me a mission: Find at least one picture of the two of us together from when we were younger, like grade school preferably. For background, my parents built a new house in 1979 which changed where I was going to go for 3rd grade and that year I started at Averill Elementary in Lansing, MI. where Chris was already going to school. I can't recall if I actually met Chris on that first day but I can say that we've been friends ever since. There were some semesters in middle and high school we had every class together. (We were both great students, that NEVER caused any problems...) True, prior to modern communications, there were times we weren't in contact for a period of time, but it was never for long and it was always easy to catch up like we never had missed a beat. Now of course we email, text, whatever, several times a week as most people do with their friends in this modern age of technology.

Despite 30+ years of friendship, finding a picture of Jon and I together is like seeing a Unicorn.  They don't exist.
 

So with that being said you would think we have numerous pictures of us together at some point in our 36 years knowing each other. I looked through all the pictures I had, Chris the same, I also looked through my parent's extensive collection, and Chris had his mother look through hers. Nothing. Well, mostly nothing. The best I could find was a picture of us playing in the Gus Macker basketball tournament in Lansing in the summer during our college years, Chris had his back to the camera and only a third of my body was on the right edge of the frame.(we may have won the toilet bowl that year) Much like the elusive Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot we both were unable to find any conclusive photographic evidence that we ever knew each other. No matter, as long as we've known each other we have our memories. Ok, pretty sappy, right? But that brings me to the first night and morning of visit.

Not that we got emotional, but we talked a lot. Of course the ride from Palm Springs to Scottsdale was four hours so we had to talk about something, but just general catch up, sports, etc. you know, usual guy stuff. That evening we got to talking about other things, mainly the last several years for Chris and his various moves, reasons for each, and his divorce. I won't go into the details because it's not my right to do so (and it's not really that interesting), some people know and some don't and if Chris wants to talk to anyone about what he went through he will. Suffice to say we had a good talk. Sometimes I think people just need to talk to someone. Family and friends can only do so much from thousands of miles away. Which makes me thankful for the friends he has in Scottsdale that he sees regularly and has for in-person support. This leads to Friday morning. On the way to Scottsdale Chris had mentioned that in the morning we were going to join his regular Friday morning men's prayer group. This is a group of 7 men from his church who meet every Friday morning for coffee, discuss a specific topic or reading each week and then just talk about whatever. Unfortunately there were several of the men missing so if we were playing basketball instead we would of have had a game of two-on-two. But I did get to meet Bill and Sammy and found out how fortunate it was for Chris to have these friends as part of his Arizona life and regular routine.

After the prayer group we headed to the next adventure Chris planned for us - climbing Camelback Mountain. I know it sounds daunting, and maybe insane, like who the heck wants to climb a mountain in the desert, but Chris assured me many people climb it each day. It has a "groomed" trail to follow, though Chris did say someone has to be rescued almost every day. But usually because they go off the trail, don't bring water to stay hydrated, or climb in the middle of the day when it's over a hundred degrees.(tourists, especially this kind) Thanks to my trusty guide, we had planned to go for the climb around 7:30 in the morning and thanks to me bringing the Michigan weather to the Valley of the Sun, when we started the climb it was in the upper 70's to low 80's. Now when I say several people climb Camelback every day I mean probably at least a hundred or more, and it wasn't even extremely busy from what Chris said it could be. And there where all types of people, every age, gender, families, people running up and down the trail, the natives and regulars and the newbies like me. The trail is also narrow in some areas and if you were to put your foot in the wrong spot you could find yourself descending the mountain a lot faster than you intended. In fact in the narrow areas it's commonplace to move off the side a bit if someone else is coming the other way or wants to pass you. This would be a great place for a "singles event". John Taffer would be proud of the natural "butt funnels" that are created due to the narrow passages at some points. (If you've never seen an episode of Bar Rescue on Spike TV you would have no idea what this means, unless you've been to a bar that has one and felt semi-violated when you brushed up against someone going on or off the designated gathering area with a narrow entrance). I won't say that I'm a hero and climbed all the way to the top of the mountain, but I did get past the first hump and to the Helicopter Pad which to myself I felt was an accomplishment.(It is a great accomplishment for a first time and it's a great spot to see the valley in all directions) As we got to this point and I looked up to the incline for the final stage I asked Chris if he would be disappointed if we didn't go any further and he said not at all, this is where most people stop and head back down So at least I got to the point of "most people" at least. I know what I was feeling at that point and did not want to push it any farther and end up being one of those people who have to call in the air support to be rescued. Chris wore a Michigan State shirt on the climb to gauge the reaction of possible fans on the mountain as the showdown against Michigan loomed the next day. Or as Chris so politely calls them - scUM. We had several comments of "Go Green!" on the climb, even a nice conversation with a couple on the Helicopter Pad who were Iowa fans and wanting MSU to win the game. Surprisingly we only ran into one couple who were scUM fans, but they were older and I'm sure Chris and I could have taken them(not coincidentally they were struggling going up and were turning around to head back down. Defeated.  I may have said that to them as well.  It was an omen for the game on Saturday). So I survived my first official mountain climb without incident. Next time I'll go higher!

High atop Camelback Mountain.  Nice job Bacon!  Go Green!

What could top a mountain climb? I'll tell you...one of the most exciting games in the history of the MSU/UM rivalry, and quite possibly one of the most incredible impossible endings in the history of football on all levels of play.

 

What's that?  The world doesn't revolve around us?  That's okay, just more time for you to play Dungeons & Dragons or other nerdly adventures, rather than have to worry about attending a real bowl game.

As I write this it has been two weeks since the MSU/UM game and if you haven't heard or seen the ending then you're living in a cave (of course that would mean you're also not reading this blog)(blasphemy!!!) or care nothing about any sport. Needless to say it was an unbelievable almost impossible ending to the game and MSU victory that you have to see to believe. I won't bore you with the details of the game leading up to the ending as it's not important other than the game was close the entire way and you play the entire 60 minutes, you cannot take one second off if you expect to win. To start at the beginning, prior to my trip west, Chris had checked all schedules of local football teams, high school, college, and pro and no one was playing at home while I was there. When Chris found out the MSU/UM game was going to be the weekend I was visiting he was excited to be able to watch the game with another MSU fan. Most large cities have specific bars that are designated for fans of specific teams, so we had the option of watching the game at his home, his local bar hangout, or the MSU bar in Phoenix. Not that I'm overly superstitious but I didn't want to disrupt the Mojo that an undefeated MSU had going so we decided to watch the game where he normally did, which was the local sports bar that Chris readily admitted was one of the best places to watch games any ways because of the set up and number of large TVs that are in your field of view regardless of your seats(plus the beer is always 29 degrees and I may or may not know one or two of the waitresses.  Let's move on)(I will add that a bleach blonde recommended their own brand of Dirty Blonde ale and it was quite cold and refreshing) I won't go into my MSU game day rituals so that I don't jinx it by talking about it, but Chris knows about it and went along with mine so we were good to go with an MSU victory assured, right?

One of the great things about being out west is the start times of sporting events and being three hours ahead of the time in Michigan. So even though the MSU game started at 3:30pm in Michigan, we had already watched most of the early games at Chris's home and then got to the sports bar just after noon. Another great thing, since most of the fans out west follow the western teams like in the PAC-12, the sports bar wasn't that busy when we arrived because they didn't care that much about a Big 10 game, even though it was a big rivalry game and both teams were ranked, so we had plenty of options of where we could be sat and we were fortunate to be placed were Jessie was our waitress. Not important initially, other than she was nearing the end of her shift and for the majority of the time we were there we were her only table, so plenty of one-on-one service, but the end of the game is where you will see Jessie proved her value. Initially when we first arrived the bar was only about half full, and there was a couple of guys with Michigan shirts on and then Chris and me, so fairly even for MSU vs UM fans. As the game progressed and the bar began to fill, there still wasn't a lot of fans either way, I would guess if something good happened for UM maybe 10 people cheered, and if something good for MSU there was about half as much cheers. So while we were outnumbered, there wasn't a significant fan base either way since we were 2,000 miles away from where the schools are located and the game was being played. As the game wears on and MSU stays within range we can tell it may come down to whoever has the ball at the end. Which in the end it did. As MSU lines up for their potential last offensive play with the ball near mid-field and a 4th down and 19 yards to go I ask Jessie what kind of play she can come up with in this situation and to call it in to the MSU coaches. As I recall, and Chris can correct as needed, Jessie's response was almost verbatim "I'll think of something good, though I can't tell you, but you will know when it happens". As Connor Cook throws an incomplete pass I'm thinking "that wasn't the play I was hoping for". Check please, Jessie! Chris and I then start figuring out the bill and discussing with MSU's one time out left their best case scenario is forcing UM to punt with 10-15 seconds left, maybe get a good return and possibly have the chance for a Hail Mary (in prayer as much as a final play). MSU does keep UM from getting a first down and ending the game, but as UM lines up to punt with 10 seconds to go and everyone resigned to a UM win, and I'm pretty sure I mean EVERYONE, I'm looking at my phone when all of the sudden Chris yells "They fumbled the snap!" What the???? I look up in time to see the now immortalized Jalen Watts-Jacksonrunning with the ball, and well, as I said at the beginning, you know the rest. Needless to say, pandemonium in the bar as now everyone was yelling, us MSU fans delirious with "Did that just happen?!" and the UM fans also delirious with "Did that just happen?!" (It's possible, although I refuse to confirm, that I may have run around the bar seeking out all said scUM fans after the play, but they had mysteriously disappeared.  Typical, happy to shout it out loud when winning but shrivel and run away when things go awry.  Just another in the LONG list of reasons why I hate them.  IF I had run around the bar...)(Given our history of not taking pictures of each while together there is obviously no photo or video evidence of Chris taking a victory lap around the bar. Or maybe there was but it has all been deleted now. You’ll never know) I saw Jessie and pointed at her and said "Now that was a great play you called." In the end I don't know if it was the Mojo of going to Chris's normal sports bar to watch the game, my game ritual that Chris participated in with me, or the genius play calling of Jessie, but whatever it was it will now go down in history as one of the most incredible game ending plays in the history of all sports. And being Michigan St over Michigan, and watching the game with a great friend made it all the sweeter.

Am I rubbing in too much?  Oh well, there's always next year or the year after that or the year after that...someday.
 

This being my first time ever in California and Arizona I'll give a short review and analysis. It's hot and barren. Ok, maybe it was just the areas I was in. Palm Springs was definitely hot, especially for the time of year and not what Midwesterners are used too in mid-October. Scottsdale was warm, but not as bad as it could have been given the cooler weather that came in while I was there. My father-in-law lives in Texas, which we have visited many times, so I've been in that type of environment before. And the cities are similar, covering lots of land because of the bedrock and not having the ability to build many tall buildings, so they are more spread out than midwest or eastern cities. I'm also used to driving by a lake or river every few miles in Michigan, so not having that in the landscape is quite a difference. Though there was a lake that Chris used to live near on his first stint in Scottsdale. I can't recall the name (Lake Marguerite) but based on his description and advisement to not swim in it I'm thinking it was Lake Tepid. Could I live in Arizona permanently? I guess anyone could and would adapt to the environment eventually, as Chris obviously has and loves living in Scottsdale. (A mild understatement) But for now I'll take our forests and abundance of lakes in Michigan. That is until winter comes and the forests look dead and sterile in the snow and the lakes turn to giant ice cubes. Someone asked me a while ago if I go ice fishing and I replied that I prefer to take my boat out on water that's melted. I'll visit Chris again out west, but whenever Barb and I decide that it's time to move it will be somewhere warmer, just more likely to be to place with permanent and more abundant unfrozen water nearby.

Since it just snowed heavy in Michigan, let me remind you of just a regular day in Scottsdale.  You can choose for yourself which you prefer.

As I said goodbye to Arizona while Chris took me to the airport I thanked him for his hospitality and, wait, what?? We again forget to take more pictures of us together, are you kidding me? Ok, so here we are, photographic proof that we and our friendship exists. Given the Scottish heritage in my family tree and desire to be near water I guess that makes me Nessie, The Loch Ness Monster. Which then of course means Chris is Sasquatch (Hmmm, not sure I like that nickname)(Hey, I could have gone with a Yeti for you, just didn’t seem right an abominable snowman in the desert). Thanks again for picking me up and showing me your town. This is Bacon, signing off in gray, overcast, raining, 45 degrees Michigan, enjoy your sun in the valley.

Better get in a photo before its another 36 years!  Thanks for visiting Bacon!

I hope you enjoyed Jon's take on his trip to Arizona.  I love it here and I love to talk about how great it is to everyone but it is always interesting to see what others think.  It is the desert and it's not for everyone.  But you won't catch me living in a snowy climate ever again, so to each their own.  Jon and I have been friends for virtually our whole lives.  How lucky is that?  I'm proud and happy to call him and his family, friends.  It was a great time getting back together and acting like teenagers all over again.  I can only hope for another great 36+  years of friendship.  A special thanks to my friend Matt for photo-shopping the graduation picture, it looks real to me, who says you can't rewrite history?  Thanks for visiting Bacon!  I look forward to seeing the whole family next time. And to all of my friends back in Michigan, feel free to visit now that those rotten, cold, snowy, awful winter months are here, but not in Scottsdale, where it's always another sunny day in Paradise!

The 10 State Summer Tour

The Summer of George?  Quite the opposite Jerry.

I was fortunate enough to have a great summer.  I got to see many friends, relatives and ended up visiting 10 states: Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Washington and California(but not Fresno, next time).  Noticeably absent, Michigan, as I didn't make it back this year. And I certainly won't go back in the Winter, I moved to Arizona for a reason, so lets shoot for next summer Michiganders.  I also didn't visit Portland, no explanation needed for that.  Along the way I heard from many people clamoring for my next blog, wondering why it's been so long and literally begging for me to post something.  Anything.  Okay, it was two people and they didn't really do anything but mention it, but let me revel in the thought of anyone actually being interested enough to read my blog and hoping for new content.  But it was a great summer, so join me as I recap my journey and maybe you'll laugh along, cry, swear, yell, scream, smile, share in the memories, or just shrug your shoulders.  At any rate, if I saw you, talked to you, or in some cases even thought of you this summer, you're bound to be mentioned in one way shape or form(good luck to you) and get ready to waste a good 15 minutes of your life on the super-mega-summer-blog of 2015 complete with Easter eggs for everyone!

Studenka Brothers in Park City cooling down in front of the Mine shaft.

The best Mexican food ever and its in Salt Lake City, who knew?

I had a few options of places to go this summer and I ended up deciding to make a massive road trip to get it started.  First stop, Salt Lake City to see my brother Jeff and sister-in-law Rebecca.  My favorite sister-in-law, by they way, and not just because she's my only one, I've had others.  As I've mentioned before, I loved living in Salt Lake.  Even though I was only there a few years, the moderate weather, distinct beauty and friendly nature, made for a great experience.  It was a solid 10 hour drive from Phoenix and I passed through Las Vegas, but I have nothing (results-wise) to report about that. We were in the middle of our hot Phoenix summer so I was hopeful for some weather relief heading to the Salt Lake Valley but it was in the 100's while I was there, so no luck.  However, more importantly, Jeff and I had lunch at the Red Iguana in downtown Salt Lake; a hole in the wall joint that's been there forever and still has lines down the block every day.  Not known for it's décor or cleanliness, necessarily, they still serve phenomenal Mexican food and are certainly known as the best in Utah and they could lay claim beyond that as well.  We visited Park City, one of my favorite places in the world as it's such a beautiful mountain town, sitting at 7K+ feet. I'm sure I couldn't handle the winters, but the rest of the year, Park City is tough to beat.  I visited my old office and the campus at the University of Utah and then I had the chance to do one of my favorite things ever, hike up Mt. Timpanogos and go through the cave.

High atop Timpanogos looking over Provo.

You enter from the right of the diagram and proceed left.  You are literally inside a mountain.

The hike up Mt. Timpanogos is extreme elevation but it's made for tourists so it's not that bad.  However, it was 107 degrees that day and no matter what shape you are in, climbing up the 1.5 miles to the cave entrance is a workout.  But then you are led through the cave by a ranger where you see tons of stalactites and stalagmites, ponds, waterfalls, incredible rock formations and at one point complete darkness.  Led by a Ranger there is a lighted path but at one point they turn out the lights altogether and you are in complete darkness where your eyes will never adjust and you cannot see your hand in front of your face.  It's a weird feeling.  The tour takes about 45 minutes to an hour and you cool down from the hike up as it's only around 40 degrees inside the mountain.  You then come out the other side of Timpanogos and hike back down.  I did this many times when I lived in Utah and on most visits back.  I'm sure there are other similar caves across the country, but it would be hard to top this one for me.  It all made for another great trip to SLC.  Thank you Jeff and Rebecca for a great time once again.





Looking over Campus and Missoula, you can't miss The Block M.

After a fun few days in Utah, I then headed north to Idaho to visit my Phoenix friends, Doug and Kristin, at their summer lake house.  Along the way up to northern Idaho I stopped in Missoula, Montana and spent some time at the real UofM, the University of Montana.  When I was a teenager I had the good fortune of taking a few trips to Montana and Wyoming to fish and visit Yellowstone National Park.  At that time I became intrigued with Montana and considered going to college there, but alas I stayed in state.  However, Montana has a beautiful campus, nestled in the mountains, and is everything you'd think Montana would be from an outdoors perspective.  One of the landmarks of the University in the Block M that is high on Mount Sentinel overlooking campus and the town.  There is a trail that leads up to it and I had always wanted to make the climb.  So after driving from Salt Lake for 6 hours, I got out of the car and being in need of some exercise I proceeded to run up the trail to the Block M.  Not a great idea as it was very steep and difficult to run.  But I did it and the views were spectacular.  Most Colleges have their own unique landmarks and/or traditions and I was happy to have done this one. After running back down, much easier, I was sweating like a pig and hungry so on advice from Doug and former  UofM Grizzly Sean D., I went to the Missoula Club downtown for lunch.  I was told they serve the best burger you'll ever get and I have to say, its in the mix for sure, but more importantly this is an iconic bar that would be an awesome place to watch football and even more importantly hang out and celebrate after a Grizzly victory on as Saturday night.  Clearly they are the best UofM in the United States.  Suck it scUM.

When in Missoula, if you're lucky you'll get a seat at the M Club.  Go Grizz!

From Missoula, I then drove the last 3 hours into Idaho just north of Coeur d'Alene up to Lake Pend Oreille.  I've pretty much driven across every part of the United States in my life and I'll put the stretch from Missoula to CDA up against anything.  Just beautiful country and a great way to spend time in my Jeep with the top down, music blaring and incredible scenery.  Much of Idaho and Montana reminded me of Northern Michigan and Traverse City, my one-time hometown, and it was a great ride.  I'd never been to Cour d'Alene before and when when I told my Uncle Al that I was heading up there, we had the following exchange:



Me:  So I'm heading up to Couer d'Alene next week.
Uncle Al:  I always loved Couer d'Alene, thought it would be a good place to retire.
Me:  I didn't know you'd been there before, when was the last time?
Uncle Al:  1947.
Me:  Ummm, I think it might have changed since then, but I'll let you know.



Turns out that even though it may have grown in population since 1947, the scenic beauty is still the same as it was years ago.  It is a beautiful part of the United States, at least in the summer time.  Upon arriving in Bayview at Doug and Kristin's, it was a sizzling 99 degrees, so again no relief, but that didn't stop Doug and I from getting in a good run around part of the lake.  It was tough, but after being in the car all day, it was welcomed.

Lake Pend Oreille, just a snapshot of this monstrous lake. Awesome is the only way to describe it.

Bayview is a tiny hamlet of a town, as it sits on the South end of Lake Pend Oreille, one of the greatest inland lakes I've ever seen.  Having grown up in Michigan, I am certainly familiar with lakes and waterways but LPO is unlike anything else.  It is extremely deep, well over 1000' in spots and 400' feet at the shore, so it's definitely a boaters lake, and it stretches nearly 40 miles long and is mostly surrounded by state land, so for much of it there are no homes or cottages or people.  In many ways because of its massive nature, when out on the boat, its as though you have the whole thing to yourself.  Definitely not like Houghton Lake where skiing becomes a slalom test.  I had a great time with Doug and Kristin and then Sean D. and his family came over as well and we all boated all the way up to the North end to Sandpoint, Idaho, parked and walked around town, very similar to Traverse City, and then boated down to Beyond Hope to have dinner on the lake.  We went swimming, partied, relaxed and even took in a pure slice of Americana with the Bayview 4th of July Parade.  Small town America at its finest.  It was a great trip and then I took the long drive back home to Arizona.  Once again through Las Vegas, and once again, nothing (positive) to report.  However, football season is coming quick, if you know me, you know what that means.

From the deck of Beyond Hope.  Hard to not Love Life on a day like this.

After Idaho, I then had the chance to visit 3 states at once as I took a trip to Louisville, where I stayed across the river in Indiana and then drove through Kentucky to Nashville, Tennessee to see Train in concert.  They put on a great show and I had a fantastic weekend and I never imagined I would think that was even possible visiting Kentucky or Tennessee.  However to start off the weekend, I did a run starting in Indiana, crossing the bridge into Kentucky and then back, so I ran in 2 states on one run.  Pretty cool until I realized I had lost my wallet.  Not cool.  After backtracking and not finding it, I canceled my credit cards and such and hoped nothing terrible would come of it.  Getting back on an airplane without a drivers license or any ID was not so simple.  To make it short, I basically had a prostate exam while they went through my bag before they thankfully let me on.  Hence, I don't recommend traveling without ID.  However when I got back home to Scottsdale, in the mail was a letter from a man named Harold in Indiana and he had my wallet.  I called him to describe it and he mailed it back, cash and all!  Just going to prove that there are good people in the world.  Although if I had lost it in Louisville, I'm not so sure I'd have gotten it back, but that's just my cynical nature.  Despite everything, it was a great trip overall and most importantly: Thank You Harold!

The note from Harold.  Thank you sir and feel free to visit me in AZ anytime!

Back in Arizona, I went to see Rush with my friend Dan P., who is an avid Rush fan.  If you are not familiar with Rush, well, you must not be familiar with music in general as they've been around forever.  This was their 40th year as a band and they put on a very long and fantastic show at the US Airways Arena in downtown Phoenix.  They still sound great, play great and know how to put on a show.  When they played Tom Sawyer, I thought the place might explode.

At the Rush concert with Dan.  I was not able to choose Freewill, but it was still fantastic!

Besides concerts, thanks to my friend Gregg, who is back from deployment in the Middle East, we spent a day on Lake Pleasant, which is just 20 miles north of Phoenix.  Gregg had rented a boat and a jet ski and with his kids and their friends, we spent a fantastic day out on the lake.  In Arizona!  It's not all desert out here.  This will surely displease Gregg, but I have to say Thank You once again for your service and for your willingness to go back to the Middle East to fight for our freedom.  He is far too modest, as he always states, "it was my mission, I just did what I had too", however, most people can't or won't and you do, as do thousands of other US soldiers and we should all be thankful for your sacrifice and service so that people like me could traipse around the United States all summer and basically do whatever we want, because soldiers like you will make the sacrifice for the rest of us. I promise I won't bring it up again, but Thank You!

Lake Pleasant in Arizona.  Strikingly similar to the picture of LPO in Idaho above.

After this, I headed back up to Idaho, although this time I flew, for Doug's birthday Party.  If you have read my blog, I had previously mentioned Doug's birthday last year, as he knows how to throw an epic bash.  So I was definitely looking forward to heading back up to LPO for another big party and this time Gregg joined in as well, as he was still on post-deployment down time.  Doug and Kristin were once again, as always, great hosts and many others made the trip to northern Idaho as well to join in the fun.  Doug had hired a local band, Three's a Crowd, and also flew in his favorite local(Phoenix) singer, Kristy Dee, to all perform at the Captain's Wheel in Bayview.  It was quite a weekend and the night of party was everything you might expect.  Again, if you read my previous blogs, last year at his birthday I sang with Kristy Dee, doing a Guns and Roses song.  Since she was going to be there this year, plans were being made for me to doing something again.  However unless you were there, it will remain a mystery.  Unless someone has footage on their camera that I am not allowing you to share.  And for anyone that was in the Captain's Wheel that night, if you happened to leave your camera laying around, now is the time to check for random photos/videos as it might be possible that a few cameras were briefly absconded and filled with some random shots.  Not that I know anything about it....One of the best parts of Bayview is that it is a lot like Mayberry, everyone knows each other and its relaxed and low key.  Gregg and I were staying at a cottage right on the Marina and each morning we walked over the Marina store, where the boaters come in to gas up and buy food and such, and we would get coffee and sit on the dock and watch the boats come in and out and just relax.  We got to the know the Owner of the Marina, Old Man McDonald, and one morning he asked us if we'd watch the store while he ran some errands.  Seriously.  We knew this guy all of 10 minutes and he left us in charge.  Very cool, but sadly not common in most places. Overall it was a fantastic weekend of more boating and swimming, partying and enjoying life.  If only work didn't get in the way of having such fun. Thank you Doug and Kristin for being such great friends, I look forward to seeing you back in the Valley this fall and to getting back to Idaho next summer!

On the boat with Gregg, Kristin and Doug in the middle of Lake Pend Oreille.

I'm now Assistant Manager at McDonald's Marina!

If you've never seen a unicorn, here's something even more rare. Happy Birthday Doug!

With all my travel and fun adventures this year, I was continually asked about my dating life.  Now if you read my blog, you know I almost never talk about this topic and when I do, I never mention any one's name.  I figure this is my blog, I can certainly say whatever I want about myself, but I would never put anyone else's name out there, unless they specifically said they were fine with it.  This is always such a fun topic, at least people think so.  I really have nothing to hide, but again, I try to be conscious of others and I guess I'm fairly private. But in being asked repeatedly, I really stopped to think about it.  I've dated a few woman this year and they have all been lovely people, or I would have never been interested in the first place or continued to go out with any of them.  I know I am very particular and maybe at times need to be a little more open.  However in reflecting back, I came to one realization, at least in my case; women are all nuts.  Now stay with me ladies, after thinking that and actually saying it out loud to someone when asked, I then realized, that even if that was true, there was one common denominator: Me.  So maybe I'm nuts, or at least horrible in my selection process.  Maybe horrible, is too strong a word, but certainly I am not doing a good job selecting the right people.  But don't expect my blog to ever talk much about my dating life. I like to keep it private in the blogosphere, after all I'm read in over 30 countries, including massive traction in the Ukraine(although that's likely based on the  Ukrainian model I dated in Seattle, she wasn't nuts, but, well......let's just move on) but feel free to ask me in person and you can judge the nuttiness for yourself.

I didn't date all of these women...I'm still single ladies!

Despite all the great things that transpired this summer, reality also hit as I lost my Aunt Carol to a very long battle with cancer.  My parents flew into to town, as did my cousin Matt, and we all drove over to California to see my Uncle Fred and cousins for the funeral.  These types of things are always very sobering and heartfelt.  Carol was probably the strongest person I've ever known as she battled various types of cancer for literally 15 years.  Most people would never have battled that hard.  She had a tremendous faith and when you're dealt a tough hand, it's often hard to understand why, but she never questioned it, just took it on and showed strength and courage to the rest of us.  As sad a time as it was, I'm glad she is no longer suffering and at the same time I got to see my Uncle Fred and my cousins and meet some of their spouses(for the first time) and we truly did celebrate her life.  God Bless you Carol!

Rest in Peace Carol!

I had one last summer adventure and that was climbing the highest peak in Arizona, Humphreys Peak. The San Francisco Mountains in Flagstaff, Arizona are as high a range as most of the Rockies and mountains elsewhere across the United States.  Humphreys Peak is well over 12K feet and it was a challenging hike.  The weather was not great that day at the base and as we got higher and higher, the winds picked up, some rain hit us and it got considerably colder, maybe in the 40's.  During the last stretch to the summit, the winds were easily 50-60 mph and at points you literally had to hold on to not get blown over.  But when you do reach the summit, it seems all worthwhile and it was except cloud cover made for limited views and pictures. On our way back down we got completely drenched by massive rains and then a hail storm swept through with pea-sized hail.  That may not seem that big, but let me tell you getting pelted by it repeatedly, was not pleasant.  Thankfully it happened on the way down and not up.  But it was another great adventure and I'd love to do it again in better weather.

About half way up Mt. Humprheys at the Saddle.  The ominous clouds were telling.

So the summer of 2015 ended up great overall and collectively it seems as though I did a lot and I suppose I did.  However, I didn't get to do everything I had hoped, like going back to Michigan or going to Yosemite as I had planned at one point, but I still had a tremendous summer and I hope you did as well.  There were ups and downs and mundane life and trying to run everyday in 110+ degrees heat.  But for now I am just grateful for my family and friends, new and old, and I look forward to what the rest of this year holds for me.  Who knows, take it as it comes and just try to embrace it I suppose.  Even if you are a little nuts like me. Now bring on the football season!

The wind was angry that day my friend...but ending my summer on top of a mountain seems fittingly perfect.
Fire Up!

Random Year in Review

Since Facebook seems to have everyones "Year in Review" happening these days, I thought I'd put my own spin on my life in 2014.  There's something for everyone in here. Or not, whatever, you're already here, so read through it.


Seattle, it's gloomy

Mt. Rainier, a spectacular sight.  When you can actually see it.

In January of 2014 I was still living in Seattle.  It was interesting living in a city where it is gloomy, drizzly and seemingly dark, all the time.  However, when the sun was out, even a little, it truly is a beautiful city with lots to do and see, especially outdoors, and it may rival anywhere else in the USA.  However, the sun rarely comes out.  I look back on my time there, albeit short, as relatively good.  It may not be a favorite place for me personally to live, but I tried to enjoy it as best I could.  I joined the Green Lake Running Group, met some great people, did a lot of volunteer work at a fantastic organization-Treehouse, saw a ton of beautiful scenery, like Rainier, and had the chance to do some hikes, boat rides and miscelleaneous other things(Rodeo).  But recently one of my best friends, John, came to visit me in Scottsdale and as we were out one night, he told me how happy he was for me that I was back in Scottsdale and how miserable I  seemed in Seattle when he came to visit.  That struck me as odd because I didn't think I was miserable there, but he knows me as well as anyone and maybe subconciously I didn't want to think that or believe it as I was trying to make the best of it in Seattle.  So maybe I was miserable there and didn't realize it or maybe, and probably more likely, I'm just a lot happier in Scottsdale and in Arizona in general.  Nevertheless I choose to look at my time in the Pacific NW as a positive and only retain the good memories, I mean it's not like I lived in Portland for God's sake. 


Earning the Bird

In 2014, I Left No Doubt!

In late February I flew back to Phoenix to run the Phoenix Marathon once again.  This time for StuDemption!  It was a great race for me personally, but far more important than that, I had a great week in Arizona; saw my family, spent time with great friends and experienced just about everything that I love about Arizona.  Without knowing, I suppose, this was obviously a precursor of what lay ahead for me regarding my return to the Valley of the Sun.  Phoenix Marathon 2015, you are now in my sights!  2015=BQ

"If you're not scared shitless by your goals, they're probably too easy."

One of my favorite memories of that trip, climbing the camel with my brother Jeff!

Ahhh, Arizona

Gregg and I kayaking the Salt River.

Upon my return to Arizona in late May, one of the first things I did was reconnect with my good friend Gregg and he and I kayaked the Salt River.  It was a beautiful day in Arizona, probably moreso to me coming from the doom and gloom of the Pacific NW, and we did a 10+ mile kayak run.  Incredible scenery, wild horses and bright, warm sun; all made for a great day and a very welcome return.  Thanks again Gregg!



Call of the Wild

Lots more wildlife here than in Seattle, that's for sure.

Running in Seattle I had to get used to almost always being cold.  Since I run early in the morning, 5-6 a.m., that is usually the coldest part of the day and in a city that rarely gets much above 50, except in the summer, that made for a lot of cold mornings and I had to bundle up to run.  It got old.  Back in Arizona, I was so pleased to be able to just run in shorts and a t-shirt again, but now that I live in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains, I encounter a lot more wildlife and "activity" if you will.  I have come across a rattlesnake once, plenty of coyotes, javelinas, scorpions and I've see a few bobcats too.  Thankfully, I have yet to have any issue whatsover.  Being alert and cautious is always key, just as it is running on the road with cars.  But here's hoping to not have any issue, ever, other than falling into a cactus a few times....

Falling into a cactus is......not fun.

I definitely enjoyed the warmer weather upon arrival, but after a few weeks the real summer heat hit and it certainly had an impact, as it's tough to run when it's 110 degrees.  Although not for my friend Dan.  It apparently can never be hot enough for him.  Upon returning he invited me to join a running group that meets every Tuesday night at a brewpub in Tempe. The run is only a little over 3 miles, but for whatever the reasons, we always treat it as a race and run all out.  Sadly, for me, Dan always wins.  There is always a theme for the night too and he usually wins that as well, I'm not much of a costume guy.  But it's much more fun running with a friend and I still vow to take him down, not just in a marathon.  Look out Dan, I'll adjust to the heat at some point.  Maybe.

Ugly shirt night. Dan may have won this one, but I had to be a close second with this hideous Seahawk green shirt.

 

 New Countries Update!

People of Moldova.  Is this really my demographic???????

I have tried to keep up with my blog, although not writing nearly as much as I hope, but I try very hard to make sure that anything I post is interesting and not just self-serving.  I enjoy writing the blog, but I always have tried to make it more than just pictures me, look at what I did, kind of a thing, but a story that may actually have some points of interest to anyone that reads it.  That being said, the blog continues to amaze me as, again, there is no marketing whatsoever, just a post on my Facebook to my few friends and yet it finds its way all over the world with people continually coming back to it, which is the astonishing part to me.

This summer one country imparticular made massive hits to the blog; Moldova.  Besides them, 4 additional countries found their way to Cactus Chip; Ireland, Poland, Thailand, and Columbia.  That now makes 29 countries outside the USA that for whatever the reasons find something on here interesting.  Seeing how I've never been to any of them, I continue to be amazed.  Please continue to send me your exports.

Football in the Midwest

Welcome to Jack Pine Stadium.  Can someone please mow the field!!!

In July I had the chance to go back to Michigan for a week.  I tried to cram as much in as I could, visiting family and friends and making the trek to CMU and up to our family property in Northern Michigan.  I am lucky that my Grandpa Ralph bought this land 70+ years ago and thus I had the chance to spend a lot of my childhood summers up north at the cabin.  Sometime 20+ years ago I got the idea that I should make a field goal post and create my own football field.  We had tons of acreage, so space was not an issue and the land was covered in Jack Pines, which are notoriously straight and durable.  So one weekend my good friend Trent and I went up north and like true lumberjacks, we picked out the three trees we thought would work best, and proceeded to use an axe to chop them down.  After they fell, we used the axe to chop off all the branches and cleaned them up.  My brother Jeff helped carry "Trent's Log" over with the other two(his choice of log weighed ridiculously more than the others) and using a tape measure and our eyesight, we dug the holes for the posts, placed them in and nailed the crossbar up.  For years and years we kicked field goals and had  fun with it, eventually builidng another one about 10 years ago, with the help of many this time.  The Field Goal post still stands today and when I was up there, of course I kicked a few.  Good memories and still good times.  And yes, maybe I am a bit football obsessed.

Trent and I reliving the glory days.

Fishing wtih Bacon

A random lake in Michigan.  This would be considered an ocean in AZ.

During my trip to Michigan I was able to spend some time with my good friend Jon Laing, aka Bacon. Bacon and I met in 3rd grade when he changed schools and we've been friends ever since.  He suggested we take out his bass boat and go fishing for the day and I was game.  The weather, as you can see in the pictures, wasn't ideal.  At least not for an Arizonan and I did complain that I was cold by the end of the day.  Sorry Jon.  But we both had good luck catching some bass and releasing them back into the lake.  Michigan is absolutely full of lakes and streams and water in every direction.  Certainly the opposite of Arizona, especially Phoenix where we have Tempe Town Lake, which is disgusting and that's about it in the Valley.  I guess I need to make a trip to Lake Havasu at some point, but it will never match the beauty of Michigan in that regard.  But thank you Bacon for a great day and here's to another 30+ years of friendship!  But maybe next time you come out my way, we may not have water, but we also don't have snow.

Not to be outdone, I caught my fish first, so Bacon had to show me up.

A Birthday Celebration Like No Other

Happy Birthday Doug! Can I borrow your phone for a minute...

My great friend Doug Hatfield had a big birthday this summer, no need to mention the number.  So he decided to throw the party of all parties at his Mountain Home in Northern Arizona.  Let me state, anytime you are with Doug and Kristin, a party invariably ensues, so to throw a rager, well that really means something.  Doug is the kind of guy that had a bigger deck built on his home so he could have a band out there and still have a ton of room.  It's pretty awesome.  Northern Arizona in August is absolutely gorgeous and since we were at 6,000 feet elevation, it's much cooler than the summer heat in the Valley.  Made for a perfect setting.  Doug hired a personal favorite musician for the night, Kristy Dee and her band.  He's had her perform up there many times before.  Since it was his birthday I thought the perfect gift for Doug would be for me to sing a Guns and Roses(one of his favorite bands) song with the band.  I can't sing, nor have I ever performed, but I LOVE GNR and thought it would be fun.  I had hoped to practice with the band over the summer, but it never happened, so I figured it wasn't to be because I certainly needed practice.  But at some point that night, Kristy says to me, "So are you ready to sing?".  I was a bit stunned, but quickly decided this is for Doug and since everyone has been drinking for hours, I certainly don't need to be very good.

I was quite nervous and since this was a suprise to Doug I sneaked back behind the band and had Kristy call me out.  I sang Knockin' on Heavens Door and thankfully since I've seen GNR many times and heard and sang along to that song a million times, I knew it well and after the first stanza I calmed down a bit.  Kristy was awesome standing right next to me playing the guitar and singing backup.  Doug was going crazy and the crowd was seemingly into it.  Again, keep in mind it's late and lots of alcohol had thankfully been consumed to impair judgment.  At one point in the middle of the song there is a break point and Kristy held out her hand and said to me, "You got them right in the palm of your hand, bring it home".  I have to say, it felt really cool and I have zero illusion that I was any good, but just remember the time and circumstance and that Doug loves GNR and this was clearly for him.  It was a blast and I'd happily do it again sometime.  Maybe.  Somewhere there is recorded footage of this on Doug's phone, I cringe at the thought of actually ever seeing it, but it was a party and a great one at that, no reason to have anything but a great time.  Which is exactly what we did.  Happy Birthday my friend!




Stop calling me Shirley...

 I really did fly this thing.

I had a very cool chance to fly over the Valley and to Sedona with my new friend Jeff H.  I met Jeff through work, he mentioned that he had a plane and he randomly called me one Saturday morning and asked if I'd like to go flying with him.  I jumped at the chance.  Arizona is such a beautiful state and to see it from the air is even more incredible.  Plus I love flying in small planes.  My Grandpa Fred used to own a Cessna when I was a little kid.  I didn't get to enjoy it much then, but I've always enjoyed flying in small planes to islands and such.  I met Jeff at the Scottsdale airport and we took off towards Sedona.  The scenery was fantastic and it was a great day to be in the sky.  Jeff's been flying for years and he is rated and capable of being hired to fly bigger planes, but it's just a hobby for him.  As we approached Sedona, the airport was on top of a Mesa, with cliffs at each end of the runway.  No problem for Jeff to land.  We got out and had lunch and then got ready to head back.  As we were on the runway cleared for takeoff Jeff says to me, "All right, you're flying us home".  I was stunned, he had never mentioned me taking the controls and I've never done anything even close. Not mention the end of the runway was a cliff, so no room for error.  I hesitated, but he assured me I could do it, told me what to do, what gauges to watch and track and that to know he had the controls in front of him and could take over if needed.  I hadn't been that nervous in a long time.  So we speeded down the runway, I pulled the steering wheel back and up we went.  Once we were in the air, it wasn't that difficult to keep control, thankfully it wasn't windy nor were there any inclement conditions.   However, I definitely was not enjoying the scenery on the way back as I was glued to the gauges and making sure we were on track at all points.  When we got close to the Scottsdale airport, Jeff took over and landed us.  But it was a lot of fun and I would easily do it again if given the chance.  For now I get to add Pilot to my resume, if only for a day.  Thanks Jeff!

No, I did not take this while I was flying the plane.  Arizona beauty.

Visiting Notre Dame

On the field, ready for game time!

I also had the chance to go to the University of Notre Dame to a football game and live a lifelong dream in doing so all thanks to my good friend Mike.  I blogged about that adventure, but would be remiss if I didn't mention it again here.  The season my not have ultimately turned out as expected for the Irish, but the memories from my weekend in South Bend far exceeded my hopes.  I look forward to going back again.

 

Thanks again Mike! Go Irish!

Arizona Christmas

With Doug and Kristin at  an outdoor Mass at Christmas?  Yes, in Arizona anything is possible!

One of the obvious perks of living in Arizona is the weather.  I certainly hear from many that it's way too hot in the summer, how do you stand it, blah, blah, blah.... But what we don't have is snow nor extreme cold.  Instead we get virtually every day sunshine and warm temperatures.  All of that allows for the chance to do so much more outdoors including attending Christmas Mass at St. Patrick's for an outdoor service.  I was so intrigued by this concept and joined Doug and Kristin for Mass Christmas Eve outside the Sanctuary.  It was such a cool and different experience and certainly St. Patrick's has had an influence on my life and definitely my time in Arizona previously and now, again.  It just about summed up the year for me as we celebrated that night with a beautiful service and then a fantastic dinner.   I definitely feel blessed.

The Price of Freedom

More fun times ahead when you return Gregg!  Thank you!

On a more somber note, on Monday, December 29 my friend Gregg was shipped off to the Middle East for another stint with the Air National Guard.  When something like this happens to someone you know personally, it really hits home.  Gregg has given up his life for the next year in order to go and fight for our freedoms here.  I'm not sure I could do what he's doing, but as he said to me right before he left, "That's what we do and I'm ready".  I know he is and I thank him and every other soldier that is putting themself in harms way for all of us here.  I'll be ready for your return to Arizona Gregg! Stay safe my friend and God Bless!

 Bring on 2015!

High above Phoenix, representing the C!

Overall 2014 was a quite a year.  I am elated to be back in Arizona and at at the same time I embrace all the things that led me to this point.  I am so very fortunate to have such great family and friends and I hope that 2015 only brings more great fun and opportunities.  Forever Fired Up!