12 June 2019 - Englewood, Denver, Boulder - Colorado, USA

My work trips this year have been rather limited so I was super excited to finally get to hit the road again. This week has me in the general area of Denver. It seemed like I got an amazing sunrise every day.

I enjoyed Cherry Creek Lake park for some running. There were a lot of prairie dogs. Later on, in the week, I took a trip to Downtown Boulder to visit a really fun Mainstreet/shopping area.

7 June 2019 - Anaheim, CA - Disneyland and California Adventure

The girlfriend had some expiring tickets from her previous career. We reached out to a few friends and made a day of enjoying the parks. No, we did not get to go to Star Wars Galaxy's Edge, but we went everywhere else. We started with California Adventure because there was a special this month. The ride named "Soarin'" was reverted to a California themed flight. For many years the ride has been international-themed so this was a bit of a fun throwback. I also found this gem of a poster!

With half our group being Disney employees and another third being former employees, I had a fun opportunity to see the parks in a very unique perspective. This day meant a lot to me. I really like my new friends and love seeing my girlfriend having a good time with people that make her shine.

However, this day came at the cost. Many of these friends, being veterans of Splash Mountain, insisted that I ride in the front of said ride. My first hint that something was amiss was after the first small hill as a little bit of water splashed over the front of the ride onto my lap.

The following photo was the last time of the day that I was not completely drenched. Laugh it up, you crazy-fun people.

2 June 2019 - Rock and Roll Half Marathon - San Diego, CA

I've been told the original Rock and Roll race was started in San Diego. Last September I purchased a spot for this year's event. Not sure why I didn't look at my calendar and realize a week earlier I would be doing the Laguna Hills event. We started at Balboa Park.

It was cloudy for most of the race and I enjoyed the resulting temperature. The route passed through some neighborhoods I have never seen before. Along the course, some residents were offering shots of tequila, rum, or some other thing you probably should not have during a run.

The remainder of the course looped back to the park and eventually ended at Down Town. What a fun day!

27 May 2019 - Laguna Hills, CA, USA - Memorial Day Half Marathon

Last year I heard about a challenge for Orange County races and hoped to go for it this year. One of the required races is this annual beauty in Laguna Hills. One thing I should have realized from the name of the city is that this Half Marathon would include a bunch of hills. The race started at the old mall near "the 5" (Californian Jargon for Interstate 5). It was a wonderful sunrise and a great day to remember our fallen veterans. The start had us running through some neighborhoods I have never seen before.

The race continued mostly along Alicia Parkway, over the 73, and into Wood Canyon. The last few miles were the scariest. At mile 6 we started going downhill and it stayed downhill until we turned around at mile 8. Everything else was uphill to the finish. I like a challenge but was strangely reminded of the suffering I endured in 2012 during the Sweet Corn Challenge bike ride.

18 May 2019 - Electric Daisy Carnival - Las Vegas, NV, USA

For the second time, I have now attended the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. I was looking forward to going back as I now had some expectations of how the event worked and how to have a good time. For the most part, I was there for the music. I really appreciate the art and like to enjoy the feelings and emotions that are evoked. This year still had some surprises, however.

First, on many of the nights, it got super cold. Next, due to high winds, there were a few cancellations. Finally, they sold an additional 20k tickets so the crowds were bigger. In spite of all these challenges, we made the best of it and had a great time.

Here is a playlist of the experience. Enjoy!

15 May 2019 - Western Grand Canyon - Arizona

It's EDC week in Las Vegas and while we have already arrived in town we decided to do a day trip to walk on the skywalk glass bridge loop at the Grand Canyon. It is about a 2-hour drive from Vegas and worth seeing at least once.

While it is not as much fun as the south rim in the national park, this Hualapai/Hopi/Mojavi Native American reservation does have some fun hiking and history for the whole family to enjoy.

The Sky Walk was worth trying out once. My girlfriend is slightly afraid of heights and had a bit of a rough time of it. However, she powered through and we had a great time.

Link: West Grand Canyon Skywalk

13 April 2019 - San Diego,CA - Beach and Bay Half Marathon

I've been wanting to run a race in SD for a few years so last year as I was planning out my 2019 I found this little gem. At 45$ it was one of the more affordable options. It also happened on a Saturday so it was much easier to schedule. At the start, I enjoyed a nice sunrise, but it was really cold outside.

The course followed the outline of Mission Bay and also traveled along Mission Beach. This is the part of San Diego where I took my first surfing lesson nearly 8 years ago. I love this place.

I did have some issues during the race. My ankles were sore and I am not sure why. Maybe I have been going too hard and too fast as of late and this is a warning. Nonetheless, I finished and was happy with the results.