Bassano del Grappa

Genève

Roadtrip with my Dad, heading North

After Death Valley we headed N on Hwy. 395. Just past Bishop as the sun was setting our Prius rental car signaled a low tire. We made it to Mammoth Lakes where we discovered a hole in the tire that would need repairing at the tire shop the following day. As we were feeling brave we headed to the Mammoth Lakes RV Park and setup the tent on a few inches of ice. Mammoth Ski Area was just a few miles up the road and snow was piled high in town. We were equipped with good sleeping pads and warm sleeping bags, so we slept like babies and awoke warm and hungry. As soon as our tire was repaired we continued N to Mono Lake.





Our final stop was Yosemite Park, where we spent a long day hiking and exploring Yosemite Valley. We hiked a couple hours to a beautiful overlook of Yosemite Falls. After being on the road for almost a week we arrived back to the Bay Area, our Prius rental car averaged 52mpg for the entire trip of 1933 miles. Thanks for coming out Dad, let have another adventure sometime soon!

Roadtrip with my Dad, Death Valley

Spring, my favorite time to visit Death Valley. Snow covered the peaks in the park and flowers were exploding with colors.

Roadtrip with my Dad, heading south

My dad escaped the mid-west and joined me for a week-long adventure exploring the Golden State. We headed south on 101 from the Bay Area and connected with HWY 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, in Monterey, where drove along the beautiful windy coast past Big Sur. The next day we flew tandem together in Santa Barbara, launching off Skyport. This was my father's first time on a paraglider.



After our mid-day paragliding flight, we continued south slipping through the LA area just before evening rush hour and arrived to a campsite in Joshua Tree National Park after dark. The next day we explored the park.

Zilker Kite Festival; Austin, TX

It was a breezy spring day that Melissa and I headed toward Zilker Park, where we heard rumors that a festival of kites was taking place. Traffic slowed as we near the park, pedestrians crowded the sidewalks, and from a distance when we saw hundreds of varied kites dancing in the multicolored sky, huge smiles stretched across our faces.

Josh Waldrop Pics

Josh Waldrop took these two shots that I really dig, one of me and my UP Targa 3 :) and one of the monarcas. Awesome!

2008 Pre-Worlds, Valle de Bravo

Above Team USA discusses the days task. As usual the weather was awesome in Valle and we flew every day of both competitions. Below, Martin and Andy unload their wings from a ride they caught on the last task.

Monarca Paragliding Open, Valle de Bravo, Mexico

I just departed SFO en-route to MEX for the Monarca Paragliding Open and the Pre-Worlds, both taking place at El Peñon, Valle de Bravo.



Alas, the local paragliding school in Valle, acquired two Pinzgauers. Ken from Chelan showed the staff how to operate these amazing vehicles and also drove for the competition. Huge inflatable Corona bottles stood guard outside of HQ... ahhh, Mexico.



Congrats to Michael Von Wachter, Venezuela: 1st; Eric Reed, USA: 2nd; Matt Beechinor, USA: 3rd for the 2008 Monarca.

PSIFF 13-Jan

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Canada, 2007, 93 Minute Running Time
Topics: Comedy, Science Fiction

Hudson Milbank (Matthew Perry) is a screenwriter who smokes a too-strong joint that sends him over the edge into what is diagnosed as “depersonalization disorder,” the sense that everything around him is unreal. He meets the girl of his dreams, making his race to recovery imperative, and he seeks out every therapy imaginable.

DIRECTOR: Harris Goldberg
Producer: Kirk Shaw
Editor: Jeff Wisheugard
Screenwriter: Harris Goldberg
Cinematographer: Eric Steelberg
Music: Ryan Shore
Principal Cast: Matthew Perry, Mary Steenbergen, Lynn Collins, Kevin Pollack, Helen Shaver



This years festival went great and the final show is screening right now. Here's part two the films I've seen.

• Under the Same Moon

• Lagerfeld Confidential - insight into the life of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld
  

• Black White & Gray

• Shake Hands with the Devil

• A Man Named Pearl - super cute documentary of a man becoming a leading topiary artist
  

• Days of Darkness - very smart, fun
  

• Tell No One - by far the drama/suspense film of the festival
  

• Watching the Detectives

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