Palm Springs - Date Shakes, Tram Rides & High Heat

After a quick stop at Trapeze High on Sunday morning to practice my catch locks, Tori and I drove out to Palm Springs to spend a couple nights at my Dad's timeshare. For lunch, we stopped at Hadley Fruit Orchards since I was craving a date shake. I haven't had one since their Carlsbad store closed years ago. While I love horseradish, their Spicy Roast Beach Sandwich had way too much. I needed to scrape off the rest of the spread in order to finish the second half.

Driving past the countless windmills at the entrance to Coachella Valley, we arrived at the Palm Canyon Resort, located at the end of South Palm Canyon Drive. After checking in and unpacking, we headed over to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway for the ride up into the San Jacinto Mountains. While it was 106 degrees in the valley, we took sweatshirts with us for the cooler sixty degree temps at the top.

We boarded the rotating tramcar at the Valley Station (2,643 ft.) where it completed two revolutions while ascending through the Chino Canyon to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet. (Only the floor rotates.) This is the sheerest mountain face in North America. Everytime we crossed over a tower, the tram would swing back and forth several feet. Fun! At the top, we climbed the stairs to Grubbs View Point. To the west, the setting sun still illuminated the tip of San Jacinto Peak (the second highest in the lower 48 states) as the mountain range cast a giant shadow over the Palm Springs. To the south, we could spot the Salton Sea below the rising moon.

Down the winding path into the Mount San Jacinto State Park, we hiked through the tall trees and sandy meadows of the Desert View Trail as Tori pointed out the wonderful butterscotch scent of the Jeffrey Pines. The last time I came up here as a child, I played in the snow for the very first time. As the pink twilight faded away, we reached the first three notches along the trail revealing the distant valley below. It was getting dark as we made our way back to the station to take the tram down, but the bright moon was almost full.

Sleeping in, we worked on designing our wedding invitations on Tori's laptop before heading out to the pool. Since it was Monday, the pool was not crowded with plenty of chairs and umbrellas available. Baking in the sun, we had a great view of the mountains rising behind the palm trees as we drank the pineapple margaritas that Tori made. The food at the pool bar, Splash's, was quite good. We had the Buffalo Chicken Wraps and their fries were nice and crisp. The water temperature was perfect every time we cooled off in the pool and I took a turn on the water-slide. I was a little too tall for the sharp turns. Bump! Bump! Bump!

For dinner, we drove into Downtown Palm Springs. Since we were starving, we made a quick decision to eat at the Village Pub. It was just okay, Tori's chicken fajitas were under-spiced and my burger was almost too tall to eat. We made up for it by getting ice cream at Ben and Jerry's as we walked around afterwards. We had fun posing with the towering Forever Marilyn Monroe Statue and the one of Sonny Bono sitting beside a fountain. It was nice and balmy at this later hour.

Driving home Tuesday morning, we stopped at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets. We checked out a few shops and rode the horsey. Ha!

Fun Dance Video from Work

Our laboratory is next door to the Jazzercise Corporate Headquarters so the ladies at our work walk over for free classes a few times a week. To thank them, Suzie filmed and edited this video of Louise going around and dancing with all of us for Jazzercise's Dancing Days. It was quite fun!

Have Tutu, Will Travel (40th Annual Midnight Madness Bike Ride)

Another year, another Midnight Madness Bike Ride in downtown San Diego with my friends from work. After starting early at nine last year, the ride is back to starting at midnight again. Yay! I wore my trapeze tights and one of Tori's tutus.

Last year the weather was very hot and humid, but last night it was pretty chilly. Below is the video that Suzie put together of the ride. (Shakin' my tutu'd behind.)

Muddy Shoes - 20th Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run

Standing thigh deep in the crowded mud pit, I stared at the high obstacle and debated if I needed the help of the two Marines stationed below the wall. Making my decision, I waved them off and placed my hands on the top of the wooden plank and jumped. As the thick brown soup reluctantly released my shoes, my heavy mud-caked clothes transformed my great leap into a tiny hop as my arms struggled to heave up the extra weight. With a final grunt, my stomach reached the ledge and I swung my feet to the top. Raising my arms high, I leaped into the deep wallow on the far side followed by a cold surge of viscous mud shooting up under my shirt. Such fun!

On Sunday, Tori and I ran the Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run with my friends from work. (Louise, Sam, Suzie, Scott, Dave, Tiffany, Holly, Josh, Kurt, Jessie and Justin) Since we had a bunch of Neon Orange extra large shirts lying around the office, we transformed them into racing outfits to help keep track of each other on the 10 kilometer course. Tori cut her shirt into ribbons and tied them up the side while I changed mine into a cape. When we arrived at the military base at 7:15am, there was a long line of cars at the front gate, but we found decent parking close to the race venue at Lake O'Neill. Meeting up by the main stage, we checked our bags and waited for our 4th wave to start at 9:30am.

It was still cool and overcast when our wave departed the Start Line so we were not looking forward to the 1st Obstacle, a fire truck parked on the side of the road that sprayed us down with its Fire Hose as we ran past. Turning off-road, the dirt trail soon wound toward our first taste of mud, the Steeple Chase. The 2nd Obstacle was a short wall in the midst of a shallow mud pit. It was only ankle deep, but it covered our shoes and filled them with squishy mud. The trail then turned into a section of deep sand for the 3rd Obstacle, Omaha Beach Crossing. The course began to climb for a long distance as we approached and passed through the infantry training area, Combat Town, on the hillside. At the top, a huge crowd gathered as we waited in line for the 4th Obstacle, the Cargo Net Climb. After emptying my shoes of mud, we ran along the ridge-line hopping up and over the series of hurdles in the Straw Bale Challenge before the road headed back downhill.

As we neared the bottom, we reached a cluster of obstacles around the reservoir. The 6th Obstacle was Guadacanal, our first deep mud pit with a chest high wall in the middle. Putting on my swim googles, I did a belly flop in the mud. Close by, we descended into the empty Chosin Reservoir where we had to crawl under four series of camo nets strung along the reservoir floor and back up the side. It was muddy, but there was enough gravely sand to wear out my kneecaps. Leaving the reservoir behind, we found the 8th Obstacle, an even deeper Mud Pit with a head high wall. The group of Marines helping runners over were covered head-to-toe in mud and looked exhausted. Some runners were just slithering over the wall and dropping into the pit beyond, but many were standing up and leaping with the bravest cannon-balling, flipping or belly-flopping off the top. On the other side, we had to crawl through one of the long narrow plastic tunnels. By the time we made it to the next obstacle, the steep Slippery Hill covered with sprinklers, my right knee was really throbbing. I had to walk backwards down the other side of the hill to give it a rest from the downhill pounding.

In the last mile, we encountered the last two obstacles, the Over/Under where he had to climb over or crawl under a series of logs. Being tall, going under the lower logs was the hardest. Spectators had gathered around the 11th Obstacle, another low camo net to crawl under. Exiting the nets, we were ordered to stay on our hands and knees as we entered the Mud Pit on the other side. Ducking our heads under the flagged lines, we floated in the mud and pulled ourselves forward with our fingers. It was nice to relax the legs for a bit. As the sun came out near the end, there was a final shallow pool of mud where we did push-ups before running for the Finish Line. After our muddy companions gathered for a group shot under the giant American flag, we got in line for the showers. I tossed my muddy shoes into the donation container and threw away my shirt, cape, and socks before entering the Hog Wash so I was able to get decently clean in the short time allowed under the cold spraying nozzles. Several Marines kept shouting, "Get out of my showers!" with bullhorns as we shuffled through as quick as possible. Changed and mostly clean, we all headed over to Pizza Port for food and beer to celebrate. We were starving!

Sunset Hot Air Balloon Proposal (She said YES!)

Growing up in San Diego's North County, I watched the Hot Air Balloons soaring over Del Mar at sunset countless times and I have always wanted to fly in one. Wishing to save the experience for the right romantic moment, I knew exactly how I wanted to propose to my wonderful girlfriend, Tori. After purchasing the perfect engagement ring, I booked a private basket for this Sunday with Magical Adventures Balloon Rides and crossed my fingers for great weather.

Except for some vague clues from me about what to wear, Tori didn't know I was taking her for a balloon ride until we drove to the meeting place off of Villa de la Valle in Del Mar. After signing the waiver, we watched as the pilots released a white helium balloon into the sky to study the wind patterns and observe the scattered clouds before we all climbed into the van to drive to the appropriate launch site for the day.

Arriving at the first launch site on Carmel Valley Road off of Highway 56, we waited as the pilots studied the sky again before they decided the wind was good enough for this location. It was 6:30pm when the ground crew started pulling the wicker baskets off the trailers and started spreading out the balloon envelopes while our pilot, Michael, gave us a flight briefing. While Tori and I waited for our private balloon to launch, three huge balloons that carried fifteen passengers each inflated around us and took to the sky.

With big fans, the ground crew blasted cold air into the nylon envelope to inflate our balloon enough for Michael to ignite the propane burner on top of the basket. As the envelope slowly rose from the ground, four guys struggled to hold the bucking basket as Tori and I climbed in. As they released us into the sky, the basket immediately calmed as we drifted up with the flow of the 10 mph wind. Cars honked up at us as we hovered low over the Ted Williams Freeway and passed over the nearby houses. Floating over a line of trees, we descended to our lowest point of the flight as we crossed the old tomato fields while our basket scraped against the top of the high weeds and scared several hidden rabbits who took off in all directions.

As we cleared the abandoned fields, Michael ignited the flame for a long burn as our balloon in the shape of a giant Strawberry ascended to a cruising altitude over 2,500 feet. This was the moment I had been waiting for as I handed my camera to the pilot and pulled the ring box out of my pocket. With no room to kneel down in the tiny basket, I said Tori's name as she watched the other balloons in the sky. She turned around thinking I just wanted to pose together for a picture, but instead I displayed the ring and asked her to marry me. She said YES!

It was a beautiful sunset as we kissed and flew over the flower fields of Evergreen Nursery and the small lakes and huge houses of Fairbanks Ranch. Except for a low marine layer off the coast, I had the clear skies I had wished for filled with hot air balloons hovering around us at all different altitudes. Three glowing high in the sun to the west, another three hanging low over The Farms Golf Club and two directly below us at ground level to provide an interesting height perspective. It was so calm, we had no fear staring over the side of our basket at the giant drop beneath us.

Between the occasional roar of the propane burner, it was very tranquil as we floated north within sight of the Del Mar Fairgrounds and the Carlsbad Power Plant. As the sun slowly dropped below the horizon, we crossed over San Dieguito Road where we could see two balloons to the South, high over the golf course of The Santaluz Club with the antenna towers of Black Mountain rising behind. Ahead of us we could see three more balloons descending into the landing sites along Camino Del Sur. As the sky darkened, we could see the flames illuminating their interiors for the first time.

After covering six miles in an hour long flight, we descended slowly to cross low over the bridge on Camino Del Sur to approach the Cul de Sac landing site located in the graded landscape of a future housing development. As more and more open spaces disappear, Michael told us the balloons may run out of space to take off and land in the future. While he had briefed us on how to brace ourselves in case of a rough landing, we kissed down soft as a feather and one of the ground crew took our picture in the twilight as we remained in the basket until the envelope's hot air cooled enough for us to jump out.

While we waited for the ground crew to pack up our balloon and basket, Tori and I snacked off the the vegetable platter and drank some Champagne. Michael explained the French origins behind champagne being traditionally served after a hot air balloon flight. Dropped off at our car by 9:00, we were able to make it back for our late dinner reservations at Le Papagayo to celebrate our new engagement. It was a wonderful experience and I will treasure it forever!

Flying Trapeze - My First Man Splits (or Back End Splits)

After a five month layoff because of a banged-up shoulder from my wipe-out at the Wavehouse, I am back on the Flying Trapeze. Before my injury, I had never tried the Splits since it is normally the first release trick taught to women but I wanted learn it as my first trick back on the board. I started with several Two Position Splits before attempting my man splits at the back of the swing, called a Back End Splits. I did three in a row and my shoulder did not bother me at all. I'm stoked.

Here is the video of my Man Splits:



Update: 1/1/2014

I finally got a chance to throw my Back End Splits to a catcher on New Year's Day. I love the slow motion video feature on the iPhone 5s.