• Utah

    Salt Lake City to Moab

    September 29, 2014 - By 

    Day 1 after Lake Tahoe: Drive the 580 miles to Salt Lake City and arrive by evening.  The beautiful drive took longer than expected due to towing (we had to fill up the tank every 180 miles, ugh!), and after an entire bag of Cheetos and a twinge of guilt, we made it to my friend’s house by 9pm. Driving through the salt flats at sunset: Our original plan called for only one night in Salt Lake City, but with so many errands to run and such wonderful hospitality from my friend, we stayed for two nights.  For only $500,000, you…

  • California

    The Ironman Race That Didn’t Happen

    September 24, 2014 - By 

    The pro athletes usually plummet through the waters exactly at 6:30am the Sunday morning of race day, followed by the amateur athletes at 6:45am.  That was at least the case last year when Chris and I dreadfully stepped into the chilly, placid lake to face our first Ironman triathlon race despite air temps shockingly reading 30ºF.  (We found out later that our first Ironman is now considered the most arduous Ironman race.) This year, we looked forward to taking the year off from triathlons, and instead eagerly awaited race day to volunteer for the event and cheer on our friends who had spent all…

  • California

    Romping & Nguyening Part 2 Begins: Abalone Diving

    September 18, 2014 - By 

    Having only spent exactly 1 month and 1 day at home with 2 weeks of it at Burning Man, our planning and preparation for the adventures of Romping & Nguyening Part 2 was no doubt a challenge.  With only a hasty 9 days, we knocked out our jam-packed list of to-do’s which consisted of unpacking and cleaning 2 weeks of Burning Man gear and our trailer, packing for our 3-month U.S. road trip, and meeting a handful of friends and family for lunch/dinner before departing. In a way, packing for the 3-month road trip was a bigger pain in the ass than…

  • Nevada

    From Home to Burning Man

    September 6, 2014 - By 

    The obvious reasons for our excitement upon returning home were familiarity and comfort, but the other reason was simply the sheer fact that home is San Francisco. I had looked forward to satisfying my thirst for wanderlust, but unlike many travelers, I had not planned on using travel as a means of escape from uncertainty. Preoccupied with an amazing career and countless hobbies, sports, activities, and friendships, I at times wondered myself why I was leaving behind the dream life to embrace the unfamiliar arms of culture shock and scams. But the answer was obvious–my heart yearned for new challenges that exist far beyond the pressures within the office…