8/18-8/19/2022 This is my first entry in the 'Experiences' section. Conceptually it is similar to 'Travel', but when I think of travel the focus is on the trip and the destinations. Experience focuses on being in the moment, wherever the moment may happen. The distinction is subtle, but imporant to me at this stage in life.

This was a multi-day work trip to southern California. With business concluded and some time left, it's a chance to revisit some places (I lived in Orange County most of the '90s), and also to experience something new.

Flying over LA I'm always reminded why I left - just too many people in one place.

Laguna Beach used to be a favorite place to hang out, stroll on the beach, and watch the sunset. It's changed a bit in the twenty years since, but not that much.

The photo above has a HDR artifact from the phone, that's just the way it came out. Kinda cool. Like a double-minted penny of photos.

It was a cool trip down the memory lane. Even parked in the same spot I always used to park, at the top of a very steep street. Guess now I'm good for another twenty years.

On to the new - I connected with my former college roommate Tito, who lives here, and he suggested we take a sailboat out of Long Beach. Joining us in the captain role is Phil, who used to attend my motorcycle trackdays at ORP some ten years ago.

The boat is a Beneteau 31. I've sailed smaller sailboats like San Juan 21 and Catalina 22 on the Columbia. It was technical sailing, with constant tacking in gusty winds, dealing with current and river hazards like sandbars, logs and rocks. I've also been out on the ocean in a sailboat, but never at the helm. This would be something new.

Long Beach is a busy commercial port and it's fun navigating among the many large vessels, both anchored and underway.

The wind is very light. We motor out past the jetty, shut the engine down and raise the sails. At first it's hard to get above 1kt speed, but as the day wears on the winds pick up.

At some point we spot something orange floating in distance and decide to investigate.

Turns out to be just a set of birthday balloons. Good practice maneuvering, and we eventually pick them up despite not having a boat hook onboard. Doing our part for the environment. We later retrieve another one.

There are several ships anchored offsore and we sail out for a closer look.

The winds pick up enough that on our way back to port we reach 6.5kts, close to the ~7kt hull speed limit of the boat. It's fun, and being able to just set a course without worrying about running into things takes a lot of the stress out of it.

Once in the harbor we stow the sails and fire up the engine. Now I want to learn the technicalities and get certified for bareboat charters. Being able to do this all over the world will be fun. Will have to look into lessons once I get back.

Upon some reflection, I realize that I don't necessarily want to own a sailboat, at least not a large one, but I do want to experience sailing in a variety of environments. Most likely there will be more chapters to this story.

As far as experiences go, the Portland Japanese Garden is unique. It combines several styles and genuine authenticity - to the point that the Japanese come here to study garden design. There are many stories and much background that I will add as I find time/energy, but in the meantime below are pictures - from summer, and then winter.

Earlier winter visit below.

And now also fall.