BMW Palm Springs to Las Vegas Rally

On Saturday, I helped transport BMWs from Palm Springs to Las Vegas. This was for the BMW Ultimate Drive in connection with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation. I got up and left at 5:00 a.m. and got to Palm Springs before 7:00 a.m. Just getting there was over 100 miles. I wanted to drive the 335i convertible so I was the first one there. When I went to choose my car, some other woman had her name on the list for that car. Dang it! Oh well. I got to drive the Z4 coupe si. The Z4 has a higher top speed anyway. After breakfast, we left for Vegas around 8:00 a.m. We made a stop at around the 80 mile mark and had some snacks. We made another stop at a rest stop at around the 160 mile mark. A few of us had to get gas in Baker. I might have been able to make it all the way to Vegas if I drove slowly and conserved gas, but who wants to do that. I'm glad I got gas, because I was able to drive the way I wanted to. I broke my personal best record again in the Z4, because it doesn't have a speed limiter/governor. That was a lot of fun! I saw a few cops waiting to catch someone at the side of the freeway, but I was able to spot them first and slow down before they saw me.

We got to Vegas but we didn't get to stay. We headed back on the big bus. It was really comfortable. We saw "The Wedding Singer", "A Cinderella Story", and "Titanic" along the way. I tried to get some sleep, but the caffeine from all the Mountain Dew prevented me from falling asleep. I finally got home around 8:30 p.m. I traveled nearly 800 miles just to end up back at home.

Andy's Best Man

I had lunch with Andy Nagai today. He says that he's getting married! He asked me to be his Best Man. I said that I would be honored. He's getting married to his girlfriend, Ayako. They're getting married in June, 2008. All my friends are getting married now. I have to start planning for his bachelor's party. I wonder where I should take him....

NightRiders

Last night I went on a night ride with a group of riders called "Friends and Family." We met at 8:30 p.m. at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and took off at 9:00 p.m. We biked about 10 miles to Pasadena and then biked back. It was a fun ride and I want to do some more late night riding. Next time, I want to race with the Wolfpack gang that goes all out superfast for 60 miles or so at night. That will be fun but I'll be supertired at work the next day.

We came back to Disney Hall around 11:00 p.m. and then I biked another 10 miles back home. After taking care of a few things at home, I finally went to sleep around 1:00 a.m. I still managed to get to work by 6:00 a.m. I want to go on some more rides, but I've got to get ready for the BMW charity event. I'm transporting BMWs from Palm Springs to Vegas. That will be fun. Hopefully, I won't get any speeding tickets. Well, at the speeds we go, I hope I don't get thrown in jail. I have to get to Palm Springs which is over 100 miles away by 7:00 a.m.

Here's a shout out to my nightriding homies from the Friends and Family ride: That was an excellent ride, Ernie, Ben, Michael, Johnny, Mark, and Israel. Hope to ride with you guys again.

Korean Classical Music Performers Part 1

Korean Classical Music and Dance Ensemble. Watch this very short clip and learn some culture. I like the drums, but I'm not crazy about the twangy instrument sounds. This was one of the many performances at the Grand Ave. Festival of music and art. Run Time: 1:09 minutes.

Korean Classical Music Performers Part 2

Korean women on drums. Run Time: 1:24 minutes.

Korean Classical Music Performers Part 3

Korean Classical Performers. Run Time: 1:24 minutes.

Korean Classical Music Performers Part 4

A long time ago, Korean farmers held festivals to celebrate the new harvest. The gong sounds represent heaven and the drum sounds represent earth. Together they make harmony....or something like that. I don't know. I never really could pay attention to anything. I've got a really short attention span. Run Time: 1:02 minutes.

Korean Classical Music Performers Part 5

Korean Classical Music Performers Part 5. This guy must have a strong neck to keep spinning his head like that. I would get dizzy. I guess he would look silly if he twirled his head like that if he didn't have that long ribbon. Run Time: 1:35 minutes.

Korean Classical Music Performers Part 6

Korean Classical Music. Run Time: 26 seconds.

Korean Classical Music Performance Part 7

Korean Classical Music and Dance Ensemble. Run Time: 27 seconds

Grand Ave. Festival

I had sensory overload at the Grand Ave. Festival in L.A. There was a ton of stuff to see and listen to. There were a lot of different musical and artistic performances going on at once. I especially liked the Korean Classical Music performers. I wish I could have been in more than one place at the same time.

Heart Walk L.A.

I got my ass kicked at the Heart Walk in Los Angeles. Well, not really. It was right after I got to the top of the rock climbing wall on the hardest level that I felt like I got a really good work out. Man, I need to work out my arms more. I was always good at climbing, but haven't climbed anything in years. Those rock climbers who climb to the top of really high peaks must be really strong. I also need to lose some weight, because my arms were shaking when I tried to lift myself up to the next grip I could reach. And I really needed to reach far.

Anyway, the Heart Walk was pretty fun. Pat Harvey, a news anchor, from KTLA Channel 9 News was there to kick off the event.

I also got a lot of goodies. I got so much, that my fingers started hurting because the bag was so heavy. Maybe that's why I had a hard time climbing the rock wall. Yeah, that's it. It was the heavy bags full of goodies.

It was really nice doing the 5K walk through Exposition Park and the Rose Garden. Next time, I'm going to run it and see how many laps I can do before the last person finishes.

MOCA

Museum of Contemporary Art