2017 in Brief Review

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 In no particular order:
 
  • ·       Start work at the Art Institute.  Taught Intro to Culinary Fundamentals and World Cuisine.  Love it.

  • ·       Texas 200.  Yes, this again.  With John. 2nd time not as much fun, just because we knew the score and the weather was very polite.  We did almost lose the boat on the way home, however.  When I pulled into the driveway I notice the wheel had burned through a hub and it was miraculously still attached.  Could have been a nightmare accident scenario at 70 mph on northbound I-25, but the gods were watching over us, I guess.
  • ·       The motorcycle thing is still going strong.  I've cycled though a few motorcycles and at this time own a BMW F800GS. Named it Sherman:  built like a tank and it rhymes with German. With my friend Jason Pingenot I take a weekend course at Rawhyde Adventures and learn how to ADV riding.  A great class.  Great teachers and the booze runs free and plentiful at night.  Later in the summer I tackle the Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route (4 corners CO/NM/AZ/UT to Wyoming on mostly dirt (some of it very scary dirt) with some guys from Meetup.  Turns out they are much, much, much, much better and faster than me at ADVing so I bail near mile 200 at the bottom of Ophir Pass and continue on at my own pace, taking some coward routes until I get to Buena Vista where I turn east and head home.  4 days of awesome CO.  A failed attempt at this trail, but I'll try again once I'm better.
  • ·       Hike Breckenridge to Twin Lakes with Lola & my hiking group, the Denver Long Distance Hikers
  • ·       Visit John and sail his Jeanneau (“Jeanette”) in SF bay over a weekend—go under Golden Gate bridge, moor overnight behind Angel Island.  Nice big downwind run surfing waves to South Bay where his boat is moored at a marina in Redwood City on the second day
  • ·       Visit L.A. with Lola.  Lots of awesome there. 
·       
  • ·       Hike Wonderland Trail with Yvonne Pirwitz from the hiking group.  95 miles clockwise around Mt Rainier over seven days.  Some of the hardest hiking we've ever done but definitely National Park quality views around every corner....and two Indiana Jones-esqe suspension bridges to cross!  So happy I did this trail.
  • ·       Bring down Kitchen Table Cooking School after working there for a few years.  With this info I make plans to hike the PCT in 2018.  I can ask for time off from the Art Institute since I'm only adjunct there.
  • ·       Sell the F800 and buy a 2012 BMW R1200GSA.  Dream bike.  Need to name it.
  • ·       Buy 2012 Triumph Bonneville T100.  Great city bike.  Slowly modding it out to be a little cafe racer-ish.

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