A 78th Trip Around the Sun

Monday, July 7, 2025

You know, they say that 78 is the new 25.

I hope that "they" are right because today was my 78th birthday.

As a clean shaven youth,

I had no idea what life had

in store for me

 

As a deep, DEEP backup on

the University of Washington

football teams in 1966 and 1967,

I was just beginning to figure

out where I was headed

A wedding, a family and a career in teaching and coaching set me on my path that would include a passion for traveling.

One of my concerns as I've aged is how long will my health keep allowing me to travel?

This past year saw us take a trip back to the East Coast in September to visit Civil War battlefields in Harpers Ferry (WV), Antietam (MD), Gettysburg (PA) and Manassas (VA).

That trip also saw us taking in the Memphis vs. Navy football game in Annapolis, Maryland.

November saw us journey far into South America with stops in the Chilean capital of Santiago de Chile, the Argentine cities of Buenos Aires and Mendoza with a side trip to Colonia, Uruguay.

In December, I took a fun, solo trip to São Paulo, Brazil and then we joined family and friends in Las Vegas to celebrate son Andrew's wedding to his bride, Jill.

In January, my need for wanderlust took us to Gijón, Spain for three months to coach the hometown American football team, the Mariners. 

At the end of our stay in Gijón,

we side tripped again, this time for

a few days in Marrakech, Morocco

Finally, in June, Laurie and I drove through California's Gold Country, an area that neither of us was familiar with until now, on our way to a non-wedding as it turned out in Seattle, Washington.

The return drive from Seattle included a stop in Ashland, Oregon to see a play performed as part of the famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It was a Bucket List cross off moment to be sure for us.

As it turns out, after reviewing the last year, my body is still saying:

"TRAVEL ON!"

Celebrating my birthday

at dinner tonight

We were joined by Koreen and Brian FitzGerald at Camarillo's iconic Mexican Restaurant, El Tecolote for another fine dining experience.

Yes, I definitely do remember

It was a good birthday thanks to family and friends,

THANK YOU!