11,749 feet above sea level.

I had the opportunity to do something I hadn't done in a long time in climbing to the summit of Mount Timpanogos at 11,749 feet above sea level. This is definitely one of my most favorite places on earth. The last time I did this I was 18 and several (we won't say exactly how many) pounds lighter, but nevertheless it was still an amazing experience. Earlier this spring I set a goal that I was going to get it done for sure this summer before the end of summer. I hadn't found anyone willing to go with me until Karina mentioned my brother-in-law was considering going with some colleagues from work. I immediately called him and invited myself first, and then convinced him that he wanted to go!

We chose the Timpanooke route (my personal favorite) and agreed to meet everyone at the trailhead at 5am sharp. When we arrived at the parking lot of the trail head I was astounded at the number of people who had also decided to hike at the same time. Not a single parking spot available! So assuming the forest rangers would be merciful due to the sheer volumes of people hiking the mountain we parked right smack in front of a "No Parking Sign", geared up and headed to the trailhead.

I prefer hiking at night without flashlights and can usually see better anyways. The only problem was the lack of any moonlight, and the heavy tree cover made the trail pretty dark. So after a 15-20 minute wait for the others we decided to stick close to another group who had much better lighting and were kind enough to let us tag-a-long.

After an hour or so there was enough light I could begin snapping photos. This was taken right at daylight about 2 miles up the trail. You can see the Twin Peaks in the left of the picture that overlook Snowbird ski resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

This was one of my favorite pictures of the hike.

So after a little more than 14 miles of hiking one of the most beautiful and inspiring places in the world our feet sore, faces sunburned (actually blistered) we returned back to the car and found a $125 parking ticket!

Needless to say it was worth it.

My nasty sunburn.

Hiking so early in the morning before the sun rises you forget you still are going to need sunscreen.

Back in Singapore

What a long couple of days. Traveling can certainly wear on you especially when you visit the other side of the world. I spent the day in Singapore and will shortly be on my way to arrive at my final destination. I left Salt Lake late Friday afternoon. It took two hours to Los Angeles and after a couple hours on the ground it was seventeen hours to Singapore. All I can say is thank goodness the company policy is to send us business class on international trips. When compared to my usual trips to the Bay Area on mini regional jets with extremely close quarters, having a seat that transforms in a bed long enough for a large 6'3" kind of guy is very welcoming. Food was great and Singapore Airlines really treats you like a king.

A Warm Thanks To All My Friends

I'm a self proclaimed "technology enthusiast" that has never taken the time to get involved with the more social aspects of the Internet. I've always assumed that things like Blogs, Twitter, My Space, Facebook, Flikr or anything of the sort was meant for people who have much more spare time than I do. Perhaps its has something to do with me sitting in front of a handful of computer monitors at the same time for 10-12 hours a day? I used to enjoy a game or two but but it seems my spare time on the computer (which is usually in the evening after kids go to bed) is usually consumed by leftovers of unfinished tasks from earlier in the day. In my line of work there is always research to do on the latest technology, a complex problem to solve, or a slide deck presentation to prepare.

Recently that has all started to change. A month or so ago I decided to give Facebook a try, and so I created a profile and sent an invite to a colleague from work. He accepted and I thought that would be the end of Facebook. Much to my surprise a few days later various invitations from family and friends started showing up in my inbox, and still every day there's a new invite from either a family member or an old friend.

Along with the invitations have also come links to individual blogs, photo galleries, and the various web sites that tell the stories of the lives of so many of you whom I've lost contact with over the years. I generally don't consider myself to be of the sentimental type, but I've found myself drawn in and consumed with learning about the lives of so many of those individuals I've come to realize I dearly miss. As I read through the many stories and travelogues a long forgotten memory is often triggered and for a brief moment relived. Often I'm left with a smile on my face and warming of my soul.

Many of you have made impacts of various sorts on my life, and many of you will never know of positive influences you've had on me. As I've come to be reacquainted with so many of you I've come to realize how truly blessed I've been to know so many good people.

I'm not sure if any of you will even read any of this, but nevertheless I say thanks. Thanks for the warm memories you've helped create. I can honestly say I wouldn't be the same person without you. So I pledge to do better. I pledge to be a better friend and reach out to many more of you. I pledge to re-acquaint with you and your families, as I hope I can inspire and lift as you've done for me. Thank you for being who you are.