It's a Dez Life

Knox's 1st Birthday

2012-01-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

1st birthday, 1st cupcake, 1st taste of sugar. It's all over now...

buddy Cruz and Knox

not so into the hat

proud mommy

this one takes the cake, literally. i mean, the boy can eat... but never anything like this before.
classic!

San Francisco

2012-01-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

So, for my 30th birthday, the wife surprised me with a great party that had all of my friends show up for a great time. It was a great night, and a real surprise.

For her 30th, I took her up to San Francisco for a night. The grandparents held down the fort with Knox, while we enjoyed a 1-night getaway.

What a great city.

Here are some pictures of it.

We left to SF at 7:45 Friday morning from John Wayne. Nice, and easy.

a quick hour long flight due to an empty plane and prime flying conditions!

the 24th floor where we stayed had a magnificent view!

the room with a cityscape view..

took a walk to Chinatown

Dim Sum, of course...

"back alley" in Chinatown. for some reason, i'm always on the lookout
for a ninja with 'nunchucks' on the loose...!

the aloha spirit is everywhere

We walked and walked and walked...
had to burn off calories for dinner later

we were accidental tourists

even made it up Lombard St.

the weather was great. not sure why it's always sunny when we visit SF?...

crab snack after our long walk, much deserved

the birthday girl

always a good view wherever you are in SF
crab / alcatraz / brew...

this Franciscan has great style and they play oldies. i like that.

there was no way we were going to walk back... haha!

foodies will know. it was a special night.

Dungeness crab, sea urchin and caviar olive oil puree, toasted bacon brioche

Louisiana Prawn, cream of artichoke, citrus salad, served in a tangerine sauce

Kobe beef cheeks, smoked veal jus,
sweetbread fricasee w/ truffle and spinach
, thyme bordelaise

Seared Filet with a lobster truffled Mac & Cheese "en brioche"
accented with a red wine, shallot, thyme bordelaise

romantic

we paired each course with a wine. wow. a bit foggy the next day.

happy eaters

nic's dessert: the Fleurburger. dark chocolate ganaoche, Beignet banana milk shake
and frozen fennel ice cream "Pommes Frite"

my dessert, various sorbets with crispy popcorn

the man himself: Chef Hubert Keller

the next day

Union Square activities

Burger Bar. another Hubert Keller restuarant. great stuff

I HEART SF

city view from the bar at the top of the Grand Hyatt

back home Saturday 4pm.

found this little number in Chinatown for the boy.

couldn't wait to see him!

Knox Birthday Bash

2012-01-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

Knox’s

1^st Birthday Bash

Who: Desert People – Groms, and older Folks too!

When: Saturday January 21^st 3pm

Where: Ocotillo Wells / Dirty Mike’s Cantina

What:

· There will be a Pinata! (not a plethora, just one)

· There will be no clowns or a bouncy house.

· There will be some magic, but no magicians.

· There will be cake.

· There will be some adult beverages and maybe a party hat or two.

· There will be a 1 yr old who rocks the house, and some music to rock the desert with!

Presents are not required, but please take a picture with the birthday boy so he can look back at them one day…

He will be stoked that he rocked the desert with you all!

New Years 2012

2012-01-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

Wilbur and Friends...! Not sure which one of these was the lucky winner. They all look so tasty!

Wendell picked a good one, Thanks Wendell!

getting the coals ready for 12 + hours of cooking

making sure the coals are hot!

real life. raw. unfiltered. enjoy it

oinker

the groms helped out too...

hot lava rock insertion

more grom assistance

the tie

the wrap

the laydown

the covering

the alter

the next day

the uncovering

video of the uncovering

looking and smelling good

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-29T19:24:00.001-08:00

you know the drill...

birds everywhere

gettin' our Turkey on...

meanwhile...

still some empty desert out there... just gotta go outside the fence...!

then you run into these guys... DANG IT!

awoke Sunday morning back in San Clemente to this...

Orale!

2011-11-20T19:46:00.000-08:00

a few shots from spending the last 4 out of 5 weekends in the dez. T-day will be 5 out of 6.

Shooooooooooots!!!

love mud hills

ocotillo moonscape

from the top of Shell Reef

the Gang's all Here

Sean'dra' went down

break time

future dezert soldier

2 out of my 3 puppies

endless possibilities

this was a really fun ride

Family Time!

2011-11-04T08:11:00.001-07:00

Another random nugget...!

2011-10-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

It starts of kind of slow, and you're saying to yourself.... huh?...what is this... you guys are wierd....?

Keep watching and it will sort itself out with a big payoff !

Too funny. All-time Horvath!

Dezert Time - Get Inspired

2011-10-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Just watch this.... !

Solo Freeride from steven haughelstine on Vimeo.

20 miles east of Borrego Springs CA, is a riding spot that is known as North Ocotillo Wells. This spot is more laid back than the south Ocotillo area, less jumps and more trails. So, I decided to go and video myself riding this area. It was fun, even though I was by myself.

tidbit from cabo, circa 2000

2011-09-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

last of this tape from cabo.

so many videos, so little time...

old school desert coming soon

Snorkelman

2011-09-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

By special request, I have the infamous Snorkelman!... Love Jimmy shaking his head and "the look" from Shandra.

Just barely scratching the surface here. Hours and hours of raw footage to comb through still.

Sony HandyCam Videos Galore

2011-09-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

Over 10 years ago, Horvath and I went in on a video camcorder. The thing still works perfect and looks brand new.

I am holding on to a treasure chest of Video Gold.

I have classic & timeless footage, that is just waiting for the viewing public to see. Old desert action, Mammoth, Mexico, Tahiti, Hawaii, wild parties, Summer (the person) madness, the beach, it doesn't end. It's going to take me months to sort it all out.

To kick off my run of video uploading madness, I have Gordo LeLe. From Cabo. He makes the best dang tacos and tortas in Cabo. We liked him so much, he sang at Tim and Summer's wedding after-party.

AWESOME solo at 1:18 in....Enjoy!

Mike

2011-08-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

CHROMEO

2011-07-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

not sure why I like this, but I do...

Mammoth 2011 Video time

2011-07-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

ahhhhhhh Mammoth... 8 days / 7 nights, can't wait to get back...

here are some random videos from the trip...

mellow ride back from the lookout by camp

the Convict Lake bridge crossing

late night crooners

serenade mission # 2 "Under the Boardwalk"

motown getting destroyed!!!

have to end this on a good note...
ahhhhhh......

I surf

2011-06-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

this is classic!

only memories of the life you lived...

2011-04-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

Is your life what you though it would be?... Do you LIVE, everyday ?...
Do you have the memories that you wanted to create, or thought you would create?...
Do you live to work, or work to live? Are you living?
As you read this, a moment is gone and is now a memory, how do you process it, to make it last forever?
Are the details of life getting in the way of living?

I loved this little video below. Take from it what you want.

TODAY from m ss ng p eces on Vimeo.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Mark Twain

pre-surf wave check !

2011-03-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

D. I. Y.

2011-03-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

Changing the oil on my truck yesterday was one of the most satisfying things ever. Wierd, huh?

I know, I know, "Man, you can get your oil changed at EZ Lube for like 20 bucks man!, why do it yourself!"

I've got a thing about taking the truck in to some place who supposedly charges you $20, but then adds on disposal fees and an extra $15 for the extra 2 quarts of oil that my truck takes, 7 quarts total.
Next, they try and get you with better quality oil, which my truck actually needs - synthetic 5w20. Every oil change I've had done at these places ends up around $45, for the low grade oil! Then you have to make sure that they really changed the oil filter, and check that they put in the correct amount of oil, and hope that they put the right kind in. Have you seen some of the guys that do this for you? Not the sharpest tools in the shed to say the least, and then they try and tell you that your battery is bad, you need a new air filter, and anything else they can think of...

Solution:
Ford Motorcraft Oil 5w20 - spec oil that my manual asks for - $18 at WalMart for 7 quarts
Ford Motorcraft Oil Filter - same - $3 at WalMart

Total time to change oil: 15- 20 minutes while drinking a beer.
Ford sure makes this easy to do on an F150. Everything is super easy to get to.

Satisfaction level of D.I.Y.: 10

It also helps having a little help...!

first one...

2011-02-23T07:08:00.001-08:00

Adjusting well !!!

2011-01-30T09:12:00.000-08:00

Knox Rockford Gardner

2011-01-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

has finally arrived!!!

to all of the people with children... ok, I now officially, "get it". unreal!

still Winter in San Clemente...

2011-01-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

and the ocean is still cold. Could be worse I guess...

Lifestyle Change

2011-01-13T09:42:00.001-08:00

yes, there will be some changes...

New Year - 2011

2011-01-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

We weren't planning on going, but the wifey made it to the bar for a solid 45 minutes on New Year's Eve... 18 days before the due date!

The next day... NEW YEARS 2011

Belly Food

2010-12-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

When the wife has a belly with a baby in it, the belly needs constant feeding.

Here are a few pictures of the nourishment.

"The Hit is Out"

2010-12-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

Be there or be square

last years event turned into this > THE HITS OUT 09'

Fall / Winter in SC

2010-12-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

down the trail...

Mike D

2010-11-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

Nicole and I were given the oppurtunity to give Mike one last ride over to Shell Reef last week. Also, Shane, Shannon, and his Mom, were able to ride with us. Very special for me, because it is how Mike lives to this day, through the spitting images of him.

The last time I was at Shell Reef with Mike, it was on the "Metzger Ride". Janet and Shane met us over there since she had to drive over. Mike had to get off of his bike in his 'visor-less helmet', to herd a semi-naked Shane around the flats of Shell Reef, back over to his mommy by the truck. I've wathched the video that Kelly took on my camcorder a few times, along with us jumping a little hip over in the "Playground" area....so much life and living. It still seems like I will still see him next weekend, or hear his voice, or see him and his truck at the property in Ocotillo, the next time I go out.

Snowballs in the desert, "taking Mike to the River" (cooler of water duping on him), "Silly little"- voice by Mike, Sunday's viewing of the canned oytster eating, the visors, the muumuus, the collecting of cans, his genuineness... i think about these things everyday...

We miss him so much.

Janet and friends on top of Shell Reef sending Mike through the desert air...

Incoming!

2010-11-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

UPDATE!!!: the winner was Jimmy and Anne. So get to it.. no more sitting on the microwave, Jimmy.

With all of the recent news and announcements, I've arranged for a little poll above.

If you have an idea of someone else or want to say somethin', go ahead and comment using the button below.

Congrats to Shandra and Amy!

Desert Time in Ocotillo Wells

2010-11-02T12:13:00.001-07:00

check the vid to get motivated...

still truckin'...

2010-10-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

just a random walk out front about 6 months into it...

Red Rocket of Love

2010-09-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

custom style

Lowers Contest

2010-09-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

seriously, the waves we nuts this past weekend, right on queue for the lowers contest - this video is good for pre-surf ampage>

SF

2010-09-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

San Francisco is a super fun place to visit. Easy to get to, it even qualifies as day trip if you are so inclined...
We left the airport in SF bound for OC at 4:55pm, and I was eating a pizza on my couch at home, a few minutes after 7pm - gotta love that-

Anyways... there is plenty to do, especially when you have a wedding to attend...! It was super fun, and I think that we will be going back in the next few weeks, just because~

beers in chinatown - good times!

the wifey looking super

fastest ceremony ever...

after all, it is San Francisco...!

my favorite belly

mmmmmm... crab on the wharf is yummy goodness

here are the rest of the pictures... San Franciso Pictures

Baja!

2010-09-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

after a few years of not going to Mex to surf and have fun because of all of the "stuff" happening down there, I finally went back, and boy it was nice...

i really missed this place... glad I went back

Beautiful Mike

2010-08-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

Mike will never, ever be forgotten. It's too hard to compose words right now. We miss you Mike~

a Memorial fund has been set up for him if anyone would like to donate. He had 2 small children...
People wishing to donate can go into any North Island Credit Union branch or mail checks to:

Michael J. Dickinson Memorial Fund
P.O. Box 85833
San Diego, CA 92186

Mike

recent pics...

2010-07-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

just a few random pictures from the beach the last couple of weeks...

rivi nights...

San-O tuesdays...

Trails action

Ocean Fest

2010-07-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a fine day in 'the Clem'... Beautiful weather, and the friends got together for the beach walk to the pier...! Fun in the sun~

MAMMOTH !!!

2010-07-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well it was back to Mammoth for the 4th of July Weekend... something like 21 of us including all of the groms!

I'm not a religious person, but this place truly is God's Country.

click here for all of the pictures...

rode up to the top of a mountain by our camp...

our campsite...

you know how we do it... you will never go hungry at our camp!

hangin' at the one of Mammoth's lakes'...

nice~!...

is this the cutest picture you ever saw?...

frosty?

our waterfall at the campsite...

some videos...

thanks for all of the good times... PERFIGLIANO!!!

here is the link to all of the other pictures...

CLICK HERE FOR MORE MAMMOTH PICTURES 2010

oh yeah, and as a special treat for the campers... bonus video of our friend! lol

changes

2010-06-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

been making alot of them lately...

on friday,

2010-06-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

On Friday I went to a screening of a picture...
It was kind of a small screen and it had weird seating, but the lights dimmed and I saw this…

seeing this made me want to tell you…

if you notice that I am looking a little fatigued, or a little queasy, or that I’m eating tons of pickles and ice cream… please take it easy on me!

Coming soon – Jan 18.

N

indo memories...

2010-06-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

since i'm back surfing again... some oldies but goodies from the vault

Tuesday night San-O

2010-05-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

my Mon-Fri work week is like Groundhog's Day. Every day - no fun and work. The way we add a little flavor to the week is by taking advantage of living in soCal, and heading down to the beach every Tuesday night.

Tuesday night @ San-O is back, rain or shine.

So live a little, and break up the work week...because you can!

McGrath

2010-05-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

still killin' it... forget the gear, the riding looks way fun

last trip this season?...

2010-04-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

we will see... the temps are still below normal - here are a few from Pole Line on the 25th of April

check out some pictures of reggie HERE

Wipeouts

2010-04-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

seriously nuts

Easter

2010-04-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

With the desert season winding down, everyone headed to the desert for some Easter goodness...

the end of wildflower season... still a few left

everyone was hanging out here when the 'big one' rumbled through the desert

wooshkie's place...

they were putin' in work on these things

whaat they turned into the next day

saturday night was perfect for grillin'

the tavern was lit up perfectly

J feeling proud about his custom roof extension

"tommy like wingy"

Easter brunch

The rest of the pictures can be found here CLICK HERE - EASTER 2010

Hangin' with Rob White

2010-04-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was a good time hangin' with Rob White on Easter Weekend... He pretty much looked the same all weekend... NICE! Cheers to Rob!

Renner in Ocotillo

2010-03-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Saw this on RacerX this morning... I'll be there - Watch Renner do the 'Hog Leap' aka the 'Shell Reef Bomb Drop'

Ronnie Renner is calling you out...to ride!
Join motocross superstar and X Games Gold medalist Ronnie Renner as he heads out to some of the top off-road riding spots in California. Renner and his crew will visit Ocotillo Wells (March 26-28), Glamis (April 7-11) and Pismo Beach (May 28 -30). You'll have the opportunity to ride, hang and rip up the desert sand with Renner, the cast of the Great Ride Open and other FMX legends at a few of Renner's favorite moto playgrounds. It's not every day you get to ride and party with the best. There's no rigorous schedule, no info booths and no egos...just pure freeriding. Load up the trucks, bikes and haulers and be a part of the action.
Ocotillo Wells is Renner’s favorite playground, making it the perfect spot for the tour to kick off. Located about an hour south of Palm Springs, Ocotillo Wells is legendary for its desert riding and natural terrain park feel.

A wide variety of off road vehicles can be operated within the park. These range from dirt bikes and ATVs to sand buggies and modified trucks. Any vehicle with a license plate or off road registration may be operated within the park.

Ocotillo Wells is located in Southern California in Imperial County. Take 1-10 East from Riverside County. Take left on 86 S in Indio towards Brawley/El Centro about 50 miles. Take 78 West to Ocotillo Wells. Just before the town of Ocotillo Wells is Cauhilla Trail on left hand side. Take Cahuilla trail about 1 mile. Red Bull Base Camp will be visible on the left.

dez stuff 3/12/10 - 3/14/10

2010-03-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

took a couple pictures on the way out...

just off of the 78 on the last stretch

views everywhere...

i can tell you how sharp these are from experience...ouch!

a classic ocotillo

pink and white...

these are about to pop all over the desert

there will be carpets of sand verbena everywhere

what in the world?...!

northwest in the park, nice spot to enjoy a cold drink

the trestle on a beautiful sunday afternoon

we know where are the 'cool' spots are

yes - that's lard in the orange helmet

ye ole' clown camp boulevard

don't know what to look at here...

mega rob white framed in, a permanent fixture at the bar now

click on the comment link if you wanna say something about this picture!

RAIN !

2010-03-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

as I try to dispense guidance to get Payne out of the mud, some drunk guy keeps yelling in the background - good work Payne...!

the dirt is going to be 'da kine' this weekend...nice!

here are some more pictures from the last couple of weekends...

a river runs through it...

"where are my owners?.."

canadians pull chicks

love this spot...

hangin'

hey Kerrrrrri!!!!!

ahhh the morning...

supercross at the tavern

GRINGO BANDITO - odalay holmes !!!

2010-03-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

Has anyone tried this yet?... Gringo Bandito? It's the product of the 'Offspring' frontman Dexter...I'm always looking for a nice alternative to Tapatio or Chalula. Looks like they have it in San Clemente at Las Golondrinas.

I also like this stuff - they have it at 'la Tiendita' - you can only take it in small doses though, like a few drops on fish tacos with cabbage, or a teaspoon or so when making a batch of my Guiness Chili .

since we are making asada tacos in the dez this weekend... i'll try and grab a bottle of the

Gringo Bandito!~

random pictures

2010-03-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

it's been all desert stuff lately, so I thought that I would add a couple of pictures with different scenery...

Calaveras State Park from last summer...

indo from a few years ago...

last summer again - north shore - HI - rocky point

but it is desert season, so may as well....

North Ocotillo Wells

2010-02-23T14:57:00.000-08:00

you can add up all of the beer drinking, hell raising, barn burning antics that go down in the dez and you get a few memories... but in the end, when I am sitting in the cubicle daydreaming - it's all about the RIDE...

Solo Freeride from steven haughelstine on Vimeo.

Bean Down!

2010-02-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

while it was a beautiful Saturday in the desert, the weekend was cut short when Bean took a blind corner and crashed with a quad rider. Bean would walk away after taking a hit on his knee, and his back was feeling a little worse for wear... The other guy was not as fortunate, as his foot was hurtin pretty bad.

jeepers creepers... stuck in a rut

the corner that got the best of bean...

the aftermath - taco city

Dirk Bikes in the city...

2010-02-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

Say what you want about the Metal Mulisha, I am loving this new 'poaching' thing they are doing. Taking the dirt bikes to the streets and hitin jumps before they get caught. They just busted out a new one in San Clemente... check it out here SC Jump . I've looked at this tabletop a million times!

You know that when are driving along the road, you are always checking out nice hits along the way - "mind riding", and wishin' that you could do the same...!

san clemente

san francisco

the season continues...

2010-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

Bean found a nice lookout, the slots on one side...

and the property on the other

it was reported that Anza Borrego got about 5 inches of rain...

fully saturated, the wildflower season should be kine

Charlie and Joey enjoying a mid ride rest at the 'Mud Boils'

the bikes take a breather

Dez had a bodyguard this weekend - Bella

nerd alert

a visit to stickles place is never dull

random action

2010-01-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

just the pictures from the last couple of weeks... enjoy

the infamous 'Gas Dome'

Sunday morning 9am

came across these stuck fellows a few weeks ago... I asked them if they needed help, and then took a picture of them!

went on a ride to the 'Boils'

Nic got to go on her first buggie ride... it was a fun one, the 4 of us went over by Pumpkin Patch and did a big loop back to camp... much fun indeed!

shaka's all around

lovin' the natural 'Moonscape'

the 'Blu-Inn' RV park really stepped up their game

you say the word 'desert' and the dog is ready to go

for a few more random shots CLICK HERE!

go ahead and post your comments below...

Elvis's 75th Birthday

2010-01-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

my all-time favorite Elvis picture

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

went to the Reverend Horton Heat show at the House of Blues to ring in the New Year... Thanks to Horvath for being the designated driver for the night!

a pretty bad video, but the sound says it all...

Metzger and Friends in Ocotillo

2009-12-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

Now, that was a weekend to remember. Not only did we have excellent weather and no crowd, but we got invited to go on a 'FreeRide' with the Godfather himself, Mike Metzger. Yes - that is a big name drop, but how often do we get to ride with the best, trek ocotillo on some tight trails, and check out some creative riding and jumps?... Nice!

We went from the Blu-Inn to Pole Line around Artesian Well (the tight trails) to Gas Dome to Shell Reef to the Playground and then back to camp as the sun went down... Man, it was like we had free admission to a show with the main star giving us a 'behind the scenes' look at it... sweetness!

Anyways, here is a picture of our first stop. The guy in the sky is Steven Haughelstine. If you haven't heard of him already, you will soon....this guy has crazy riding skills! Check him out at his website http://freeridemx.com/ .

From left to right: Sean'dra', Lettle Bean, unknown, Jason, unknown, Norm, Miles, unknown, Metzger, Dirty Mike, unknown, Terry. CLICK ON ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE

Reggie was with us, but he got held up on the tight trail...helping someone out

we had Ben and Kelly backing us up at the Gas Dome and Shell Reef...

top it off with a concert Saturday night at the Blu-Inn for all the people who couldn't hang on the ride...lol

ok, so sorry for this hack job of a video, but I took the footage with my iPhone, and I put it all together using WMM for the first time.

another video

Thanks for the Ride, Mike!

RIP Cinqmars

2009-12-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

This guy was ahead of his time - mad bike skills, natural McGrath / McGoo skills. The video below speaks for itself - absolutely classic footage.

Freestyle motocross pioneer Mike Cinqmars passed away today 12/11/09 at 2:08 a.m., according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner's Department. His cause of death is still unconfirmed, and an autopsy is scheduled for sometime next week. He was 31.

Terrafirma 5 from FoxHeadInc on Vimeo.

Clinqmars

Women and Children...

2009-12-13T14:55:00.000-08:00

You are officially being put 'On Notice'... mess around and you will pay the price !

hard labor for the bad ones...

and there is nothin' you can say about it...

and you kids...

better watch it!...

the cactus is sharp out there

this message brought to you by: The King of the Hill

and of course, the rest of the weekend - click HERE

Desert off-weekend

2009-12-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

no desert this weekend... instead, hung out around town...

started out with a little poker Friday night

then went to the 'White Elephant Party' Saturday night...

for some reason everyone wanted the "Snuggies"!

and the New Orleans Saints Hat.... not so much!

Sunday was rest and relaxation... some decorating, and "3 Bean Guiness Chili" for football

veggies in bacon drippings

ground chuck

Guiness of course!

Black, Pinto, and Kidney Beans...

voila!

chili eaters in the house

meanwhile, nic decorated...

while I enjoyed the neighbor's front yard decoration...

Happy Holidays!

T-Day 2009

2009-11-29T20:51:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving in the desert. Ocotillo Wells. 4 Turkeys - 2 buried, 1 deep fried, and 1 BBQ'd - all of the fixin's you can imagine. Here are some pictures to show how it all went down.

The buried Turkeys took about 5 1/2 hours, and they were well worth the wait.

Rob W took care of the deep fried one.

Now to get the perfect Deep Fried Turkey, you may or may not want to watch the video below.

Being stuck is so much more fun when you are not the one who is stuck. Here are 2 Chevys getting some Ocotillo love.

Here is a lesson on how to cut a rope without a knife.

Yes, and here is the Tarantula that almost killed Frogger!

And the video below to prove it! Listen to the sound of terror! aAHHHHHAAH

The weather got nasty one night.

But you always get rewarded if you can weather the storm!

Good times once again.

To see the rest of the pictures, CLICK HERE .

Sundays

2009-11-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

I love Sundays - it is my favorite day of the week. If I'm not in the desert, there is nothing I'd rather do than make a whole bunch of slow cooked goodness that you can smell around the whole block. Yesterday it was Chili Verde inspired Pork. Less than 20 bucks for all of the ingredients too - How you gonna beat that!

Get out there!

2009-11-19T07:13:00.000-08:00

It's a big desert out there. Hit me up for a ride, if you wanna go check out some of the "road less traveled".

Rick Kane

2009-11-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Rick Kane was the man in the movie "North Shore" . This is a little iPhone vid I took when Nic and I went out there last month - look familiar?...

Veterans' Day

2009-11-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

My Grandpa - Arthur Komori - lived on Kauai for most of his years - I visited him many times as a kid but really only found out about his legendary exploits when I was much older. He was a bronze star veteran and was present at the Japanese surrender on the Battleship Missouri pictured above. Inducted into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame - this man lived an amazing life.

He once commented...
"How would one fare as an agent , if caught as a spy? It was understood the Army would not take responsibility or admit to my role or status and I would die rather than reveal my role. Ala Nathan Hale. To give my all for my country, for my parents, for Hawaiian people was my objective."

Ocotillo Time

2009-11-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

Desert season is here. After a lovely summer of warm water and fun surf, it's now all about early nightfall and colder weather. You know where can find me on the weekends now... the dez. With 1 trip under the belt so far, the body has been broken in - and I am ready for some Ocotillo.

Also, why is it that best tasting beer is always at some random place in the desert that you stopped at in the middle of a ride?...Seems to me, when you are out exploring the Anza Borrego desert, the best times are always had out in the 'middle of it', while talking story and having a coldie. So join in or not... whatever you do, LIVE IT , and as always - BE SAFE!

Here is the best weather link for Ocotillo Wells . Ideally, check it on the Thursday or Friday before the weekend.

Cat Fight

2009-11-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

are you kidding me!

Dez Cortez

2009-11-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

Well, since I going with this blog madness and named mine "It's a Dez Life", I may as well honor the real deal 'Dez Cortez' with the first post.