I’m old as dirt, single, and have done more than the average person. Some of my earliest memories are camping with my family in New England and Canada. When I was 6, I remember hiding in the bow of our dingy on a cold day while sailing with my father. After my father died when I was 8, my mother remarried, and we moved from Boston to Los Angeles, camping while crossing the country. While camping in Yellowstone bears raided our camp and ate our food while I slept and is a fond memory, as is rinsing off in a cold stream in the Tetons, probably my first “bath” in weeks. On that same trip, hiking in Bryce Canyon with the fantastic rock formations and the heat in the Mojave were also highlights. After settling in LA, I remember camping trips along the west coast in Sequoia, Mount Shasta, Salton Sea, and Crater Lake, to name a few places. Each of these places is stuck in my mind.
My family moved overseas when I was 13 years old, following my stepfather’s job in Bahrain. I stayed in the states and went to a prep school where I found my identity in sports and math. When I was sixteen, my family moved from Bahrain to Singapore. After flying to Singapore for summer vacation, I was offered a summer job in Indonesia. Over the next five years, I kept in touch with my mentor, who gave me that first summer job, and he put me to work during summers worldwide until I graduated from college.
I got three degrees in engineering (BS, MS, Ph.D.), and I worked developing engineering software. I left engineering to work in the Information Technology field for the money. Regular jobs helped me afford my passions for competing and going fast. It is no wonder that I got into racing bikes at a high level, raced sailboats, and, later in life, got into motorsports.
My love for hiking led to my becoming an avid backpacker, and I regularly go to the gym to improve my strength and stamina. I settled in Colorado over twenty years ago and learned to love the mountains as much as I love the ocean.