The Rogue Trip (tentative title)

Other ideas for titles included:

• Wandering the West
• Wandering Road Trip
• The Big Trip
• Court Recognized Evidence of Insanity

However, I think I'll stick with The Rogue Trip. I have been intentionally silent about discussing the road trip Jenn and are about to take. I really didn't want to jinx things because every other time I've had big plans like this something has come along to have them fall through. But after adding an extra day to my scheduled vacation just so we can hit the road tomorrow instead of Friday, I think it's safe to finally address it. 

Road tripping the U.S. has been a dream of mine as long as I can remember. Growing up as the son of a truck driver I have a real appreciation the road. Where most kids might have been bored to tears sitting shotgun in a semi for hours, I loved it! I remember just staring out at the North Dakota fields watching everything from the horizon to blades of grass as we passed by. 

We never really talked a lot on these trips, probably because I was really young. Really, what does a grown adult have to talk about with a 6-year old. There was a lot of silence along with just watching the scenery. Not to psychoanalyze myself, but I'm assuming this laid a foundation for my current quiet, contemplative nature. 

When I moved to down to Arizona, I missed the chance to really have the road trip I wanted. My Mom and I decided to take the scenic route through Montana, Idaho, and Utah. I was so focused on getting all my stuff to Arizona, so that I could start my new post-college life that we made the trip in 3 days. Staying nights in Butte, MT and Cedar City, UT (Side note: If you decide to get off the road early to grab a drink or two before bed, Cedar City, UT is not the place to stop on a Sunday night). We passed through the Rockies, Zion National Park, Salt Lake and barely stopped for more than a few minutes to take in the sites.

Since that trip I've dreamed of getting another chance to do it all over. I started plotting the trip last year when my friend Jessie told me that she was getting married. I wanted to road trip the next time I went home and a year to get ready for it seemed like the opportunity I needed. Truth be told, when the thought first crossed my mind there was a voice telling me it would never actually happen. Something would go wrong and if I was lucky maybe I could book a flight and take one or two days off of work to make the trip. 

A significant change in my life would keep the dream alive for the next few months. Someone had entered my life who had me doing new things and searching for adventure. She never discouraged crazy ideas like starting a website or going on crazy last minute trips. In fact, she was the one making the suggestions a lot of the time. In Jenn, I finally had a partner who brought out the spontaneous part of me. Even when that nagging voice in the back of my head kept saying this trip was crazy, she kept telling me we could make it happen. To top it off, when I said "you know what? I want to leave a full day earlier", she didn't say she needed to check her schedule or make sure she had a few more details lined up. She said "let's do it!"

Tomorrow, after I tie up a few lose ends and probably finish writing a paper for my Telecommunications Systems that I should be writing now, we will take off on the bit of craziness pictured at the top of this article.

There are 3600 planned miles one way, probably hundreds of more unplanned miles. The trip back will add at least another 1700 miles for more than 5000 total miles. The original itinerary calls for:

• North Rim Grand Canyon
• Yosemite National Park
• Muir Woods National Park
• Redwoods National Park
• Yellowstone National Park
• Mount Rushmore

I posted a message to a Facebook group called National Parks & Monuments: A Checklist for Fun and was overwhelmed by how many suggestions I got for other places to stop along the way. There will certainly be more stops than those listed so far. 

We will have two weeks living on the road. We have no reservations anywhere along the way. I don't plan on carrying a map or detailed directions unless accessed through my phone. Here is pretty much all the supplies we will leave with:

• One suitcase each
• A tent that can be put up and disassembled in minutes
• An air mattress
• A propane camp stove
• A cooler
• Blankets
• An LED lantern
• Hiking shoes and clothes
• Two iPhones with chargers
• Laptops when we can use them

I have a feeling there are some people who think that's too much and others who would be terrified to leave home with so little. Personally, I couldn't be more excited and I have a sneaking suspicion Jenn feels the same.

Be sure to "Like" and follow the Rogue Wanderer Facebook page or subscribe to the feed on this website to get updates on how the trip is going. Unless of course I fall into the Grand Canyon on the first day.

Ringtails and Rattlesnakes: Nature at its Cutest and its Most Murdery

"Murdery isn't even a word" you say. Well I'm not actually a writer so, "Murdery it is!" I say.

Twenty straight days of hiking is bound to yield some interesting experiences. The past few days brought two encounters from the animal portion of nature. Truth be told, I love to hike for the beautiful scenery and peaceful serenity. I am not so much of a fan of animal encounters. After all, they are the ones with the home field advantage in this potential death match.

Saturday was an exception to my innate desire to avoid animals while hiking. Jenn and I planned to hike Camelback Mountain early Saturday morning. Judging from the ridiculously long line of cars not moving more than a half a mile away from the parking lot, we were not the only ones with this plan. I guess 5 AM still isn't early enough to beat the weekend hiking crowd. Thankfully, this turned out to be a blessing because we changed our plans and headed to Piestewa Peak instead. The much less crowded trail is a very good workout with nice views of the city as well. Even if it isn't quite as challenging, I'll take not having to fight through crowds on the way to the top any day.

When we reached the summit, we did our usual routine of taking pics of the city skyline and the sunrise and of course Snap Chat selfies with the puppy dog filter (always adorable for those who aren't familiar). We spotted something on the opposite side of the mountain. At first I thought it was a ferret and assumed someone brought up their pet. After no one seemed to claim it or even care that it was running up and down the side of a steep cliff, a Google search of "wild ferret arizona" produce the real identity of the animal. It was a ringtail, also known as a ringtail cat or a miner cat.

I would come to find out these animals are nocturnal, not cats, more closely related to raccoons, and the state mammal of Arizona. Don't say my blog isn't educational. If you made it this far you learned something today, unless you're already a ringtail expert. In which case, kudos to you. Now stop reading this and start reading more about ringtails. The part that I loved was finding out that very few humans ever get to see a ringtail because they almost never come out during the day. This was another win for my get your butt off the couch philosophy. You may not ever spot an animal like this while hiking, but definitely will not ever see one sitting on the couch. Anyway, we got some great pics of the cute little guy.

Adorable: Photo Credit to Jenn for both pics

Monday would bring about a very different animal experience. We were out for another 6 AM hike on South Mountain on a trail we've done at least a dozen times now. We had entered the more secluded portion of the hike where the heavily trafficked trail hits a turnaround point for most, but we like to continue on for a slightly more difficult portion of the hike. Once we reach our normal turn around spot, we rested for a bit near some large boulders (including my favorite meditation spot which is why I'm not trying to give away much of the location info). We turned back to begin the way back to the main trail. About a hundred yards into it, I saw something that nearly made my hear stop.

Jenn screamed and sprinted as I glanced up to see the rattlesnake lunge at her with a warning strike. Thankfully, it was an effort to get her out of its territory not to strike her with venom. The snake split the path between the two of us and we stood in shock. I haven't included any pics for two reasons:

1. I don't want to take away from the adorableness that is the ringtail.
2. I was too busy trying not to defecate myself to even consider getting a picture before the snake got too close to the rocks again to take a decent one. 

These two experiences are a reminder of how great nature can be and how quickly it wants to kill you if you don't pay attention. But more than that the snake was a sobering reminder that I no longer go into these things alone. I understand that when I go out for these adventures, I'm placing myself in some slightly risky positions. I was tempted after it happened to say something like "maybe you shouldn't go with me on these hikes. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you." But I know that would never fly. To paraphrase something I wrote in another story, though I can't remember which at this time:

We are crazy enough to push each other further, but sane enough to keep each other alive. 

Shirtless in a Car I Don't Own, Covered in Syrup, with an Empty Baby Seat in Back: Just an Average Weekend

Alright other than the story that led to the title of this weekend's recap it was a little bit of an uneventful weekend. But the story is one of those that just makes me think that my life is way too much like Larry David's sometimes. Larry David is the guy that George from Seinfeld is based on and the star of the TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm. Like David, I find myself wondering a lot of the time, "how did I get myself in this position?"  Dating a female drug dealer who was also a practicing witch and ending up in the woods by the Grand Canyon sleeping in a tent covered in blood are just a few of those examples. I'm sure I'll tell the story of the witch sometime when I feel like reliving my terrible dating past, but for now on to this weekend's shenanigans.

The story is actually pretty simple. Jenn and I were eating breakfast at the cafe by the gym where her boys have basketball games on the weekend. We were watching her grandson Zach, when our food got to the table. After one bite of hash browns, I managed to spill the entire container of syrup on my lap. I sat there in shock for a while, as the hot syrup dripped onto my shorts, and legs and...well apparently syrup seeps through clothing quickly because I would be sticky in unmentionable areas until I got a chance to shower later that day. After the shock wore off, I bolted to the bathroom and tried to wipe it off. As it turns out syrup is pretty much the worst thing you can spill on yourself because it doesn't come out with water. It just becomes more lubricated.

I rushed out of the bathroom and before I really considered what I was doing I asked Jenn for her keys, explained that I couldn't go to the games like this, and took off for the car. When I got to the car, I realized if I sat directly on the seat it would be nearly impossible to get the syrup out of her upholstery without some serious cleaning. I was about to make my way back to the restaurant to see if there was something I could bring with to sit on, but realized how embarrassing it would be to walk all the way through again with my crotch still covered in syrup. I decided to do something far less embarrassing by taking my shirt off in the parking lot of a crowded diner, right as the people in the car parked next to us were leaving the restaurant. Somewhere there is a really confused family of 4, wondering while a chubby guy took his shirt off while they were walking toward their car and then put it on his car seat before getting in.

Every time I came to a light, my embarrassment sunk in a little further because I'm not exactly the type that just parades around shirtless all the time. I had just realized that I was in such a hurry to get home, I had forgotten my cell phone at the table. That's when it all really sunk in. Considering that I was speeding by about 20 miles over the limit to get home, it wouldn't have been shocking if I had gotten pulled over. I can't imagine the difficulty I would have had trying to explain why I was shirtless, fumbling around trying to find the registration for a car I clearly didn't own with an empty baby seat in back, all while the car was filled with the delicious scent of maple syrup. To add insult to injury I knew if a cop didn't buy my story, I had no phone to call Jenn to pick me up at the police station.

Other than that bit of ridiculousness it was a quiet weekend, trying to beat the nearly 120 degree temps in Phoenix. The triple digits in nearly every corner of the state confirmed there was no place to go this weekend to escape the heat. For this reason we stuck close to home and spent most of the weekend indoors by going to movies, or watching movies on the couch. The pools weren't too hot to be community baths yet, so that helped some with the heat as well. The other reason we didn't do anything too adventurous this weekend is the upcoming road trip we have planned for the first two weeks of July. I'll give the run down of that in a future story, but I'm sure I'll find myself in some sort of similarly ridiculous and nearly impossible to explain situation at some point as we explore the U.S.

Life is Full of Small Wanders, But You Won't Find Them Sitting on the Couch

Jenn and I went for our 11th hike in 11 days this morning. We didn't set out to start a streak we just wanted to get some extra exercise now that it's starting to get to the ridiculously hot part of the year in Phoenix. Over the last 11 days, these hikes have mostly been a South Mountain near our homes. On South we've stuck to Telegraph Pass, Kiwanis Trail, Marcos De Niza Trail, Ridgeline Trail, and Javelina Canyon, The beauty of these trails is that each is less than a 15 minute drive in the morning. On the days we have been working, we wake up at 4 or 5 am so that we can each make coffee and meet up to hit the trails. Starting the morning with a cup of coffee, hiking, and conversation with Jenn has been amazing. As long as I'm not too exhausted from the early start, I usually feel really good walking into a day of work. For someone who has never been a morning person, it's a whole new world feeling good to start the day.

On Fridays and weekends we've tried to go a little bit further. Piestewa Peak Summit Trail has been one of our favorites. It is just tough enough to remind us that we still have a long way to go to get ready for an attempt at the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hike. Today, we decided to take on the Cholla Trail on Camelback Mountain. Cholla isn't as popular as the Echo Canyon Trail. Echo Canyon is regarded by most as the toughest hike within Phoenix city limits. However, after today I have to say the "easy" trail on Camelback isn't all that easy. A 2+ mile, 1100 foot climb was quite a way to wake up when I thought I was in for an "easy" hike.

Even though all of these hikes have been great the most memorable came at Estrella Mountain Park. We headed there last Sunday afternoon with temps already in the triple digits. It was basically just an attempt to get out and do ANYTHING that day because we were feeling a little wanderlust. I've been looking out at the Estrella Mountains for years, thinking the must be beautiful and wanting to drive straight to them from Ahwatukee. I made an attempt once without checking the map to see if it was possible. All I found was a lot of private land and a few roadside pinon stands. It was worth the trip to get the pinons. After visiting Estrella I have to say that it definitely DID disappoint. I realize that it is the summer months, but compared to all the other regional parks I've been to in Maricopa County. It was ugly. I hope it's a lot better in the cooler months.

Anyway, we made the most of it and decided to take on one of the trails in 102 degree weather. We jumped on Cold Water Trail (probably a bit of a subconscious choice there). The beauty of this was that we were literally the only ones in the park. If we wanted to hike naked while firing AK-47s and drinking Jack Daniels straight from the bottle, I doubt anyone would have come along. I didn't go quite that far, but I did work on my chest and stomach tan a little, which I don't think I'd ever do on any other trail. I'm thinking a future undie hike may be in order, but I'd be super nervous to come across a rattlesnake with all that exposed skin.

Estrella did not turn out to be the highlight we had hoped for, but we did discover a small wander thanks to a wrong turn on our way home. It started by coming across Phoenix International Raceway. I had never been there, but have wanted to go just to see what the circus around NASCAR is actually like. It was cool to see how this thing in the middle of desert was almost completely deserted, knowing that it turns into a large city of its own on racedays.

That still wasn't the best part though. The best part came in the form of a tucked away portion of the Gila River (a river I thought was completely dry) near the track. It sprung up out of nowhere when we were driving across a bridge leaving the track area. You don't expect to find swimming and fishing holes in the middle of this city, so when you find one it's a really nice surprise!

It just goes to show, when you get out and see the world you never know what you're going to find! 

Rogue Confession: A Time When I Was Wandering and Definitely Lost

Bear with me for this one because there are a lot of confessions that go with this post. I had written it the day I got out from a weekend at Tent City jail. For those who follow my weight loss blog, if you're looking for a fast way to shed 10 lbs Tent City in June is the way to do it. The combination of terrible food and 110+ weather will melt the pounds off quick. A series of events fueled by bad decisions and poor coping skills had landed me in Tent City for 2 days and house arrest for 8 more.

In July 2011, I went on a date with a very nice girl who was a friend of a friend of my brother. I was the first guy she had dated after going through a very traumatic personal experience. She was quick to tell me that it might take a while for her to open up because of what she had been through. She lived in Flagstaff at the time so our communication was limited to texts and occasional phone calls, but we talked pretty much every day. That continued until November when I pulled what can only be considered a complete jerk move. I ghosted out and started seeing else just because she lived closer. I justified my actions by telling myself we were never 'official'. This, quite frankly, is crap. Now that it has been 5 years and I am happily involved in a great relationship, I can admit I was an asshole. Sorry for the vulgarity, but there just doesn't seem to be a more fitting word. I was supposed to be the bridge back to showing her that not all guys are terrible and uncaring and I failed miserably in that responsibility.

Anyway, in July 2012, I would make another effort to repair the damage I had done. All without ever truly giving more than a half-hearted apology. We would talk again off and on, but by February 2013 it became clear to me that she was seeing someone else. Karma can be a great and terrible thing. I had certainly gotten what I deserved. This is where the poor coping skills took over and I found myself at Mad Dog's Saloon (a bar known for gang activity my arresting officer would tell me while drawing my blood) on a Thursday night. In what will go down as the dumbest decision I have made in my life, I got behind the wheel and tried to drive home at 2:00 AM Friday morning. The flashing lights in my rear view would soon confirm this to be a terrible choice.

I had hit my lowest point in life, for the next few weeks I found myself in a pretty deep depression. A pretty clear sign that you're depressed is when you're a 29-year old building model cars on the weekend, when you've never built one in your life and really don't like cars all that much. Because I'm at a better point in my life now, I can also admit that I had suicidal thoughts. I was terrified by the consequences this one night might have on the rest of my life and knew that my financial troubles were about to get a whole lot worse than they already had. I am thankful that I had people around me to remind me that it would be okay. The moment when this really set in was when my brother, with whom I've shared very few emotional experiences in my life, text me to say "don't worry. I know it sucks now. But everything will be alright." I've never told him how much that meant to me at the time, but for anyone who is wondering if a few kind words can have a huge impact on someone, there is your example.

I have another confession. I wasn't sure this was an article I wanted to write. Years ago I was warned by HR professionals to watch out for what you put online because it could come back to haunt you if you apply for a job. The reason I decided to move forward with this post is that any HR professional worth their salt should not be surprised with the confessions I make here because it's all public record. I assume they will find my police record before they will find my personal website.

Three years later I find myself in a completely different place. I'm happy with my work life. I'm in a loving relationship (assuming she doesn't dump me after reading this and realizing what a jerk I was). I have found something I extremely passionate about with these writing and traveling hobbies of mine. Overall, I am happy. Really, truly happy for possibly the first time in my life. The guy who existed three years ago shaped who I am but he is not who I am today. I have actually grown and matured. On weekends I'd rather find myself at a random campsite somewhere in America, than sitting on my usual bar stool ordering another beer. I am working hard to make my relationship work while trying to ensure Jenn that I'm not the jerk I was who landed himself in jail and acted so horribly toward another person.

So what is the point to all of this? Other than being slightly cathartic for me, I wanted to get this out to the world to let others know:

You don't have to be the same person you were yesterday today. 

Let me end with another small bit of catharsis. My fall at the Grand Canyon really wasn't all that life threatening but it was a reminder that it just takes one wrong step and it could all be over. Since that day, the guilt of what I did in 2011 has resurfaced. After seeing the Facebook status memory after Tent City, the guilt got worse. I don't think it is ever appropriate to reach out to an ex after you've both moved on, but I do need to get an apology out there in the universe to get this weight off my mind. I'm truly sorry for the way I treated her. No one deserves to be treated that way. For those who are still out there in the dating world, remember you are dating a person, who has feelings, not a number. Learn from my mistakes and treat others with respect or it will take a toll on you emotionally at some point.

I can write this today, because I'm finally in a place where I can come to grips with the knowledge that I wasn't the person I wanted to be back then. Today, I'm still not all the way there but I'm a lot closer than I was three years ago.

To Jenn, sorry to write about a past relationship, but the man you fell in love with had to apologize for a jerk I think you would have hated.

How Did Escaping the Heat in Flagstaff Nearly End with Plunging into the Grand Canyon? (and barely going to Flagstaff)

To date I have ripped my shorts while hiking Seven Falls in Tucson and broken my phone while hiking Devil's Bridge in Sedona. Now, I can add almost falling into the Grand Canyon while attempting an extremely short hike onto that list.

The strangest part about this story is that the Grand Canyon was never even a thought in our minds when Jenn and I were trying to figure out how to escape the 115 degree temps predicted for Phoenix last weekend. The original intent was to take off for Flagstaff on Saturday morning, find a campground to set up for the night and get in some hiking in the area. I thought that going back to Sunset Crater and hiking into more of the volcanic areas would be fun since we didn't get to see much on the first trip.

We started off to Flagstaff at about 9:00 AM on Saturday. Phoenix temps had already cracked triple digits so I was extremely happy to leave it behind for the weekend. Our first stop near Flagstaff was a spot where Jenn had camped before at Ashurst Lake. It was beautiful and secluded, so it would have been great for a nice relaxing weekend. For all it had in serenity, it lacked in hiking opportunity. So we were back on the road headed toward a campground I had read about near Sunset Crater.

We passed by the first Grand Canyon sign without a thought, but the second one saying it was only a little over 70 miles away couldn't be ignored. Jenn said "Let's go!" I started to object wanting to stick to the plan, but then realized that isn't how we do things. Just like that we called an audible and were on our way to see one of the greatest sights nature has ever created.

This would be my first trip to the Grand Canyon. I know that's almost a sacrilegious statement having lived in Arizona for nearly a decade. It was finally time to cross it off the bucket list! We were able to use my National Parks and Monuments pass to avoid the $30 fee, bringing the total fee savings from the pass to $60. Only $20 dollars in saved fees until it has paid for itself and I've only had it since April. It is probably one of the best investments I've ever made.

Here's a couple of Canyon pics that can explain the beauty more than I ever could in words, so I won't even try:

Alright, now that I just saved myself 3000 words on to the "huh?" part of the article title. We were getting desperate to find a place to stay for the night. All the campgrounds were booked and we were running out of options. I decided to reach out to my buddy Ryan who lives at the Grand Canyon village to see if he had any suggestions. He met up with us to go over some of the free camping spots in the area. It was getting late so we let him know we just wanted a camping spot and a spot to watch the sunset. After going through the best spot to look for free camping he wanted to show us a spot few tourists would know about where we could get a great view of the sunset. 

We blew past a "Shuttle Buses Only" sign, parked the car in a spot with no other vehicles and walked over to the area where the shuttle bus tourists were looking out over the canyon. Ryan point to a rock less than a half mile away and said "that's the spot. You'll be the only two there." Talk about romantic! I loved the idea of watching the sunset at the Grand Canyon with the woman I love, with no one else around. 

Ryan walked past the rail, climbed down a couple of rocks, and jumped down a few feet from another. I followed behind and right when I was getting to the point where he had just jumped, my foot caught the edge of the rock. As he was saying "Watch your....holy shit!", I was falling face first toward the great abyss that is the Grand Canyon! The tourist gasps and screams made me realize that I was pretty lucky to get out of it with a scraped up knee, ripped up hand, and banged up lower leg and ankle. Ryan caught my hand on my way down so I was able to avoid a much longer roll down the side of the Canyon. 

As I stood up, I tried to put pressure on my leg, hoping that I might be able to still get to that rock in time for the sunset. The shaking, bleeding, and throbbing in my right leg told me that probably wasn't the smartest idea. We bandaged it up and put some ointment on the wounds. I felt bad for Ryan because he felt terrible thinking he put us in danger. I felt worse for Jenn because our beautiful sunset at the secluded rock had been ruined and now she was worried about my injuries and still in shock from what could have happened. 

I waited for Ryan to leave before proposing that we go back to an area that allowed tourist vehicles. This is a decision I still feel terrible about because we didn't get to enjoy the entire sunset while we were racing to our new location. In addition to many things I owe her already, I now owe Jenn a Grand Canyon sunset. We did get to see the tail end of it and there were a few good photo opportunities, but it could have been so much better. 

We debated on sleeping in the car for the night before finally attempting to find one of the free camping areas Ryan told us about. I don't want to give away the secret here, but the campsite we found turned out to be beautiful, but just secluded enough to be slightly terrifying at night. Also, I had a sinking feeling it wasn't the best idea to be in the woods covered in bloody bandages for predators to smell. Maybe that's just a shark thing, but still possibly stupid. In the end everything turned out okay and I wasn't the land version of chum for a mountain lion. Which once again reinforces one of the beliefs I started this blog on: 

More often than not, even when we make the worst decisions imaginable, things work out better than expected.

We explored the Canyon a little more on Sunday before heading back to Phoenix. On the trip back came that takeaway that I get from every one of these trips. Jenn took the scenic route back through Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona. Along the way we stopped off at a gorgeous area called Cave Springs. She told me stories of how her family used to go there all the time to swim and how she missed those times. I love these moments when she opens up to me and shares these things that were such important memories in her life. I'm touched every time she shares something with me. Maybe some day I'll look back on this and my most vivid memory will be that first view of the Canyon or the beautiful part of the sunset we did get to see. Today, however, my most vivid memory is of watching her jump from rock to rock across the creek remembering happy times she had spent with family. 

This Week's Deal! (Sorry I'm late)

The My Bad I'm Late Deal

I was a little late getting to this week's deal so I'll go even bigger than I have before! Because of the late start I'll go with the classic design again, but I'll go with an even deeper discount. Until Monday, June 6th only, the classic logo T's are one sale for only $18! I'm going to lose money after shipping! And as long as I'm losing money, I'll knock the bumper stickers down to only $4 this week too! Let's get the world wandering!

Clearly not the lady's logo T

Bumper Sticker

The Logo Series

Personal Bumper Sticker $4.00 USD Men's Logo T $18.00 USD Women's Logo T $18.00 USD

Sizes (Clothing Only)

Small Medium Large XL XXL

The Year I Traded Beer and BBQ for Balloons and Babysitting (and loved it)

Had I started this blog a year ago, the tone would have been much different and I would probably be spending the deleting those posts out of embarrassment. It would probably be more entertaining but in a more reality TV train wreck kind of way.  My life has taken a lot of turns since Memorial Day Weekend 2015 found me drinking by the pool, then drinking at the bar (and pretty much just repeat that for 4 days). Memorial Day Weekend 2016 found me with a much different perspective on life. The same perspective that led me to create this site and it's companion sites of which I'm starting to lose track (just kidding, they are Build A Biz Backward, Roguish Advice, and Rogue Weight Loss. You should really check them all out!)

Unfortunately, the weekend started out on a pretty bad note with me getting sick either from the flu or from sugar withdrawal due to my changes in diet. The sickness would limit the chances of Jenn and I taking a trip anywhere too far. On my way to campus to do homework Friday morning I heard about the Cave Creek Balloon Festival and figured it might be entertaining and I had a feeling even if I hadn't gotten sick we weren't going to be traveling far. I text Jenn and said "hey want to go to a Balloon Festival in Cave Creek tomorrow?" without hesitation or even a follow up question she responded "Yes let's do it". I have to say I love that about her.

I spent most of Saturday morning and afternoon trying to kick whatever demonic possession had taken over my body, imprisoning me in my apartment out of fear of getting too far from the bathroom. Once I finally felt good enough to give it a shot, we headed to Cave Creek. This was my first trip to that area since moving to Arizona. As we drove into Cave Creek I found myself wondering 'Does DMX still live here? If so, is he looking to put together a new Ruff Ryder crew?' But I guess I'd have to work on popping wheelies on a motorcycle to qualify anyway :(

The Balloon Festival was pretty cool, but I just wish we could have actually seen balloons take off and land. Still I loved seeing them because I've always wanted to ride in one. It's strange because I want to fly in hot air balloon but Jenn is scared of the thought, yet she has sky dived before and wants to go again and I'm terrified of that thought. Anyway, balloons were cool but the food lines sucked and we spent about an hour of the 3 hours that we were there standing in line to get some fries. So here's a pic of the good part of the festival to help me forget about the lines:

The babysitting came the next day. Memorial Day circa 2015 me was someone no one on Earth would let babysit their toddlers. Memorial Day circa 2016 me, however, is a responsible adult who is capable of watching a 6-month old and a 14-month old, with Jenn's supervision of course. Okay, she pretty much did all the work but I was there for support. We managed to keep them safe and return them in one piece to their respective parents. Sadly, I failed in my mission to get either of them to say "Randy" as their first words, maybe next time. My favorite part of this experience was when the 14-month old was sipping away at his bottle and suddenly passed out next to me. I'm pretty sure something similar has happened during a past Memorial Day, but the bottle wasn't full of milk and the person passing out was closer to 360-months old.

The question I'm sure some people are pondering is 'do I miss the old lifestyle at all?'  If you think I enjoyed that lifestyle, then I guess there's no way I'm going go convince you I don't miss it. But the real answer is I never really liked it, so I can't say that I miss it in the slightest. I honestly can't say I understand how anyone who has a stable relationship and is surrounded by people they care about would ever long for their wild and crazy party days. One is fulfilling and the other is empty, at least in my experience.

Last year I found myself in my apartment complex pool on Memorial Day night, surrounded by people I really didn't know having what I considered to be fun mostly because of the drinks we had that day. This year I found myself in my girlfriend's apartment complex pool, surrounded by her and her family, looking up clear headed at a clear sky on a gorgeous night and thinking 'this is the life'. Oh...and it didn't hurt that I had a belly full of steak, I guess I didn't completely trade in the BBQ portion of Memorial Day.