Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas dear readers. I happen to be in snowy Utah, USA going snowboarding and visiting family.

No matter where you live or who you are with, I wish you the best. And if you are Christian, I wish you the best in celebrating the Savior's birth.

Merry Christmas to ALL!

Holiday

Mon-pack. drive to St George. eat and sleep.

Tue-drive to SLC. family and food. snow.

Wed-snowboard at Brighton. watch the Utes in their bowl game. cold.

Thur-food. family. fun. maybe four wheeling. frozen.

Fri-presents! gift exchange! more family! snow.

Sat-snowboard. sherlock holmes movie. K's birthday. gray.

Sun-drive from SLC back to SD. tired.

There ya go friendly readers! I will look forward to "being" with you again as soon as I return. With pictures of course!

Bugs Bunny was right!

Ugh, so I just finished paying over $1,000 to get the CEU's I need to keep my nuclear medicine license, both nationally and from the state.

This sucks because I won't be seeing this returned to me in anyway until tax time in 2011. And because I haven't even worked in nuclear medicine for a year. And I'm still paying my freaking student loan for this degree. Which I don't use in any way.

So I am going to a SNM conference. (No not that kind of s&m) In February. In Albuquerque New Mexico. My first hotel choice was sold out. Flights are at cruddy times. The hotel I could finally find a room at has a 53% rating for its reviews.

Can you tell I am soooo totally happy about this? Why couldn't a mid-winter meeting be in Phoenix? Or Las Vegas? Any place but some crappy little town at 5,000' altitude in the middle of winter? With just junky hotels and no real attractions?

I knew I should have made a u-turn at Albuquerque!


PS-The weekend of the 24th I am in Santa Cruz for a big jiu jitsu tournament. Then the 30th in New Mexico for the nanotechnology and molecular imaging conference . Then Feb 6th is a bone density conference. Three stressful weekends back to back to back. At least one of them I will be sleeping in my own bed.

To my Florida readers

And I know there are some, so hopefully you chose to read in the next 24 hours!

None of you would happen to have a line on any Florida Gators t-shirts and such that say "rowdy" on them would you? I'm a men's medium normally. Sometimes small if they are sized bigger.

Any color....

Random Ketchup er.. I mean catching up.

Because I hate ketchup. Even on a late night snack of fries, scrambled eggs, canadian bacon and hot sauce. All served up on the classically classy paper plate.

I also happen to have eaten my very last can of chili as well. The HORROR! It is a good thing I am driving the 742 miles on Monday to where I can get some more. Maybe I will bring back three cases this time as I don't have to deal with putting it in airplane luggage.

There is a Dimitri Martin joke in here somewhere......

I have brownish hair now. Fun. I did it myself, kitchen beautician style. It will wash out in 28 washes for all you weirdos who seem to think red hair is good. (I don't see you with it)

And to close, a cell picture of the sunset from my back deck.

Trabajo

I would say 98% of people who ride bikes pay to ride bikes. I happen to be one of the 2% who get paid to ride bikes. (And I just scored some mountain bike racing sponsorship from two different sources!! Thank you Kenda Tires and Cycra)

Here are some candid pictures of me at "work". Not to rub it in or anything. Purely for educational or entertainment purposes only.

Smile!

How can Taco not smile while we are out having fun??

la cinema

I WILL see this movie. Sometime, somewhere, somehow.

It's never too early to....

Plan your New Years Eve! And I know what I want to do this year. Lately I've been falling asleep on the couch well before midnight and that is not gonna happen this year!

I am going to do something fun! Well, my definition of fun at least. I don't drink alcohol at all, I don't smoke, I don't really "party" so I am going to do something nontraditional.

Red Bull. New Year. No Limits.

Yep, I am going to go to Long Beach and watch Travis Pastrana jump a rally car into the bay. Now just to convince MM he needs to go as well and buy tickets!

Info here!
http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/Sports/Motor-Sports/New-Year-No-Limits/001242797773354
Video here!

When I.....

drop a box of q-tips down the stairs I make sure I drop ALL of them.
say my 6" trail bike only weighs 30lbs I am not guessing, I know.
make smoked salmon it even LOOKS like a salmon.

Holiday Hierarchy

Everyone has their favorite holiday, for various reasons. For me, Christmas is normally pretty low on the list. I much prefer 4th of July, Thanksgiving or even Memorial Day over xmas. (I prefer to write it as 'xmas' so that I don't even have to type the word Christmas)

I'm even super happy to live some place that doesn't snow so it even seems less xmas-like during the season.

But that does not mean I have a heart of obsidian or no sense of fun. The proof?
Check out these hand made paper snowflakes in my front window!

The Rowdy Holiday Enjoyment List
1. 4th of July
2. Thanksgiving
3. Halloween
4. Easter
5. Memorial & Veteran's Day
6. My birthday
7. Valentines Day
8. New Years Eve
9. xmas

New books

I just got "To live or to perish forever" a book about the author's experiences in Pakistan. This book is a new release and I bought a hardcover version. It was featured in the NYT magazine a few Sundays ago and the author was on NPR last week. So it is getting some current popular press.

I had lent a SEAL buddy of mine a book entitled "The Art of Deception. A guide to critical thinking." I had owned this book before and it is really great at showing you how to logically make a case and more importantly all the ways to deconstruct another's argument based on the way they present it. Well, he must have liked it a lot as I never got it back. (To my knowledge, I'm not accusing you of anything if you're reading this. You're just the last person I know I lent it to....)

I have also received some early Christmas gift cards and they are going to be turned into books as well! So, thank you!!

The three books dealing with more modern issues in Vietnam were all good and would still recommend them. I'm also just about done with a book about Shakespeare by Billy Bryson that is my nightstand read. It is totally fine, but definitely an easy read.

Rainy day hiking.

I had decided that this day was to be an outside adventure day. So after much poking and prodding K decided on a hike. I then decided we would hike out to --------------, let's just call it a future Secret Squirrel Summer Skinny Dipping Spot, so I can't give you the name.

After about a hour drive east we had a hike that took us up and over two ridge lines for a few miles. The rain was light and it was cool to see steep hillsides, fall colors and foggy mist. Not what you would normally think of as "San Diego" typical scenery.

About 3 hours after starting we were back at the truck and california burrito bound!

It was a steep hike at times and we finished it pretty well soaked, but well worth it to see the falls. I will be back!

Los Photos:

Rainy day off roading

I had a few spare hours this morning and so did some of my other friends with 4 wheel drive vehicles. My original plan was to scope out Palomar Divide truck trail and its' connection to High Point truck trail down to the 79 near Vail Lake. Of course with the idea of trying to find an epic downhill mountain bike route.

The Forrest Service website said those two roads were closed due to rain, so I opted to go out to Corral Canyon OHV and goof off on some stuff there. My friends agreed and we were off!

I drove my 09 Tacoma and PM drove his FJ Cruiser and his friend J drove a modded Jeep Cherokee. We decided on doing the loop around the OHV area and dropping down into some stuff near Bobcat. Figuring the rain would make the easy trails a little harder and figuring PM was on some pretty bald street biased tires. I also had a time limit and had to turn around during the run to make it back to SD on time.

We had fun, hit a few mud holes, were out totally away from everyone, I ripped of a mud flap on a rock and just general good times exploring and driving around with friends was had by all!! Only thing better would have been having more time and more food in the rig with me.

And of course, the pictures.

Spelling Bee

Ok, yes I was born in rural Oregon in the 70's, so I could have a much more nontraditional name than I do. But I like my name. Evidently though, a word that is in the freaking dictionary that happens to be my name is also too hard for people to spell correctly.

Here are just a few ways I have seen my name, other than the correct "Rowdy".

-Rowdie
-Raudie
-Rowny
-Randy
-Rowndy
-Rowee
-Roowdy
-Rawdy
-Roudy
-Roudie
-Rowdee
-Rowy

Really, how freaking hard can it be? And if another person asks me, "is that your real name?", I am going to ask them "is that your real face?"

Too many dogs, horses and marginal 'stars' have my name. I want it back and I want to be the only one!!

Seen in my 'hood

Really? Really.... come on....
Creepy?
Or just a mental illness?

DC shoes MotoTF opening

At the invitation of my friend MM, I attended a kind of 'grand opening' of DC Shoes' motocross training facility at Pala Raceway this Wednesday.

Not having a true dirt bike right now I just packed my riding gear, knowing they would have some new 2010 Yamaha models as loaners for me to ride.

MM and I roll up to Pala and get in the gate free and go back to the DC compound area set aside for us. The group was a mix of industry and athletes and it was cool to see how both types interacted very well with each other.


Hey, I just watched you on MTV2 30 minutes ago!

We got a little swag bag, free lunch, Red Bulls or Monsters. After walking around and chatting with folks it was time to suit up and ride. MM introduced me to the guy who manages DC's bmx and rally car teams and we had a great time chasing each other around the mini track. For hours.




I was never on track with Jolene but I did sit two chairs from her at lunch. I talked for a brief second with Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael as well. I got to ride on track with McGrath as well. All the pros were very cool and very friendly. It was nice to see them relaxed and away from high pressure things. Today was all about fun.

DC had more of their sponsored riders there and a bunch of up and coming kids who were fast and fearless!! Watching them hit the freestyle ramp after the adults abandoned it was amazing. Kids have got juevos larger than most.

The reverse cylinder 2010 YZ450F is pretty cool looking, but more motorcycle than I need. Or can even handle. Heck, I had to be helped off and on of the YZ250F or there would have been an accident. I am just doomed to be a mini rider I guess. I think a Honda CRF150R would be perfect for my dirt needs. I wish they would of had a new YZ85 there... I would have really liked to try that.


Pala is a great track. It seems to rut super easily though. I am going to go there more often, that is for sure!

In talking with the DC guys I also ended up getting a free pair of shoes to try out. To see if what they give their BMX riders would work with guys on mountain bikes who run platform pedals. Sweet!

So after riding motorcycles for 3 hours nonstop it was time for a little rest and some dinner. Then it was off to the next sponsored event, a charity poker tournament at the casino. Yikes! All I can say is that I made it past the first round, and was almost through the second round and into the final when I lost on a low propability river. I was all in and they other guy was trying to bluff me. His pair of 6's turned into three of a kind with that last card. Dang it!
Poker face?
3,000 in chips!
MM
This Jaws slot machine was cool, but ate my $20 faster than Jaws ate Quinn
Most of the pros were there playing with us, some famous Asian girl who is a poker pro was there. The couple that just won the Amazing Race were there playing as well. Considering I had only played Texas Hold 'em once before in my life, I count this as a victory. And I kinda want to play again. But with friends. Mitch are you reading this?!?!?!

I left the house at noon, got home at midnight and in between I rode motorcycles, ate food, got free stuff, met cool new people, helped a charity and played poker in a casino for the very first time. Thanks for inviting me MM!!

Any day riding is better than any day of work!

I'm ugly?

Apparently so! I just uploaded a picture onto www.anaface.com and had my facial symmetry analyzed. I am a 6 out of 10!

Ugly face.............