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What’s it like turning 53? (en español) It’s a question I’ve been asking myself, and the honest answer is that it feels a lot better than I ever expected. Some days it feels like it happened just the other day. Other days it feels like a week or a month in the future. But what has changed since I turned 50 three years ago? I no longer walk on eggshells. I feel a much deeper sense of peace and freedom. I say no without guilt. I no longer need anyone’s approval. I make my own c

(in English) Kuma es quien empieza todo. Antes de que termine mi café, ya está junto a la puerta o parado al lado de la correa, dándome esa mirada que dice que la playa no es opcional. Para ser un perro que necesita un empujón para despertarse cuando llegamos, es implacable a la hora de salir de casa. (Kuma significa “oso” en japonés, クマ, y de verdad tiene el talento de un oso para estar adormilado y terco al mismo tiempo.) Para cuando llegamos a Piedras Pintas, la luz es baj

(English below) (o: Cómo me corrieron de mi casa y así salvé mi paz mental) Qué curioso es cómo funciona el universo. Uno no planea exactamente desarraigar toda su existencia, pero cuando la vida te da un empujón agresivo hacia la puerta, pues nomás agarras el carro y te vas rumbo al sur de la frontera. Así que aquí estoy, viviendo la vida increíblemente de una persona con doble nacionalidad en México. Todo está totalmente bien. Por supuesto, los perros están sufriendo horror

Someone posed on Facebook about winter riding. A close friend of mine said a "Little from column A and a little from column B." And I also have a very close best friend who lives in Jefferson, WI, who has taken care of me and some of my winter riding needs. Yes, winter riding, as we all know it, takes place in the winter, but most of us know what that means. Putting on the bravery to ride when it is absolutely uncomfortably cold. I did that back then because I didn't have a c

Los ambientalistas de sillón flojos se quejan mucho y no hacen nada.

¡Viva la vida! I haven’t been able to do anything strenuous since Saturday morning, all thanks to an encounter with the ocean on Friday. I was at the beach with the dogs when a wave taller than me hit full force, knocked me down, and slammed a rock hard against my foot. It stung, but I brushed it off. Later that afternoon, I even went on a mountain bike ride to Nacapule. There was some discomfort, but nothing prepared me for what was coming. I went to bed Friday night plannin

Every time I pedal out past the edge of my neighborhood, the ride turns into an impromptu safari. Heading north of the house, the desert scrub and dusty shoulders seem quiet at first glance, but if you keep your eyes peeled, the landscape is practically teeming with life. Just last week, I tallied three slow, velvety tarantulas ambling across the sun-baked dirt, one hefty rattlesnake coiled vigilantly near the trail’s edge, and a roadrunner darting between the creosote bushes

Hurricane Polo hit us here in San Carlos on Tuesday. It wasn’t the kind of storm that erases a town, but it left its scars all the same. For me, it was just the relentless rain forcing its way under the doorframes, pooling quietly across the floor—a small, messy reminder of what was raging outside. By three that afternoon, the skies had broken enough for me to take the dogs down to Piedras Pintas. Watching them run against the bruised shoreline, kicking up wet sand, it felt s

Biohazard Chef / Chef de riesgo biológico Oh, look at me—the culinary visionary and absolute master of the "biohazard" aesthetic. After practically poisoning myself with that garbage-sushi catastrophe yesterday, it’s truly inspiring that my own survival instinct didn't bother to kick in, leading me to punish my digestive tract all over again. After that disaster, my friend and I had the inevitable "what are you having for dinner?" conversation. My brain was screaming for a ni

Back of the Store Sashimi: A Tragedy in One Act (en español) I call this "Back of the Store Sashimi." Why? Because I didn’t have actual sushi rice, and this culinary hate-crime would have rightfully resulted in my immediate deportation from Japan had any customers actually been unlucky enough to try it. The "Method": Take 1 cup of long-grain rice (the kind that mocks the very concept of sushi) and 2 cups of water. Boil it, then simmer it for 15 minutes until it achieves the t

(In English) Una actualización de la Parte 1: la mujer que rayó mi carro. Ya me enteré de quién es. Diana Lynn. Por lo que he escuchado, está bien loca aquí en San Carlos. https://www.facebook.com/dlboxerdog https://www.instagram.com/dianalynn1960/ Update from Oct 25 '26 - She's at it again. Sí, después de esa interacción, regresé y vi unos rayones horribles en la parte trasera de mi 4Runner. Me enteré de que presumió de eso en redes sociales. Todo cuadra. Tengan los ojos bie

Scroll farther down for English. No me duele escribir esto… ¿Alguna otra persona ha tenido que enfrentarse a la tóxica actitud de superioridad de un dueño de perro sin correa, que cree que las reglas simplemente no se aplican a él/ella? Me sucedió esta mañana en la playa. La responsable era una inmigrante estadounidense: la definición de manual de una "Karen" con aires de superioridad, que trata las reglas locales como si fueran meras sugerencias. La vi venir con tres perros

Yesterday, I took the dogs fishing. By the end of the afternoon, I realized I hadn't actually done much fishing at all. 1) Go fishing. 2) Don't take your dogs with you if you go fishing. 3) Give up on fishing because two dogs is like having ten undisciplined toddlers. 4) Play with your dogs. 5) Sit and think... 6) ...think about how everything is well in your mind and your own world. Instead, I played with the dogs. I sat. And I just thought about how quiet and well everythi

If you’ve ever explored the stunning coastline of San Carlos, you already know that its rugged volcanic cliffs and crystal-clear waters are an adventurer's paradise. But for me, the best journeys are the ones shared with my favorite four-legged companions. Today, Kuma, Lucia, and I headed out for a refreshing, high-energy trek through the reefs and hidden sea caves right here in our backyard. Shaking Things Up at High Tide The adventure began where the desert dramatically mee

Some legends are born in the gym; others are forged on the jagged volcanic rock of Tetakawi. Today marked Climb #14 for Kuma. It was #15 for me, but let’s be honest—I only got that extra one in last week because the old man "needed" a rest day while I scouted the trail with some new friends. Turns out, he didn’t need the rest; he was just saving his energy to put me to shame this morning. 5:54 AM: Shoes (and Paws) on the Ground We hit the trail before the sun could start its

Here is a version tailored for the Tetakawi Adventures vibe—keeping it rugged, local, and filled with that "San Carlos" energy. Desert Grit: The Megalith vs. Nacapule I had that itch to ride that just wouldn't quit. Even though I came up a few feet shy of a clean 10-mile "ego number," I logged a solid 9.54 miles from the house to Nacapule and back. The highlight? Ripping back through that "downhill-ish" singletrack. It’s hands down my favorite stretch of the trail system I’ve

Saturday, April 4th, in the middle of the Semana Santa (spring break) halabaloo, I climbed up Tetakawi with Kuma for the 11th time. This time there was a Red Cross “filter” at the trailhead, preventing people with hangovers from climbing. The Red Cross guy asked me if I was hungover (no), if I had water (three big Nalgene bottles), if I had eaten breakfast (spinach and almond milk shake), and if I had gone to the bathroom (#1 and #2 all set). He had me fill out a form and t

Riding in San Carlos is a blast. Road or gravel? Sure, they have their place. But for my money, taking a fat bike over a full-suspension rig is the way to go. Those massive tires just own the terrain. Since I’m not in the racing circuit anymore, I’m out here for two things: fitness and fun. Mostly the fun. The Gear List Before hitting the sand, I had to dial in the setup: PSI Science: I rode out at 20 PSI for the pavement. Once I hit the beach, I dropped the Presta valves to

In San Carlos, there’s a difference between a hike and a climb. Most people find that out the hard way. I’ve been hunkered down here since late February, and while the town has its charms, the mountain is what calls. And where I go, Kuma goes. Kuma isn’t new to the game. He’s a veteran of the Montana backcountry—we’ve tackled Great House Peak in the Big Snowies , Upper Basin Lake , and the steep stretches around Red Lodge. He’s put in the miles from the open range of the Acto

¡Hola amigos! I’ve been living in San Carlos, Sonora, since last February (more about why I am here later), and honestly, swapping the Chicago skyline for the jagged peaks of the Tetakawi was the best "personal reason" move I’ve ever made. Back in Illinois, I was fighting Lake Michigan headwinds and dodging potholes on the street and urban commutes. Now? I’m 1.5 miles from some of the most rugged, soul-cleansing terrain on the planet, and I’m doing it all on my State St. Mega