Last year, I decided to take the time to look back at 2015 and review how things went, so I decided to take the time to go over this year to celebrate what I’ve accomplished and to make some goals for 2017.  2016 started strong with high hopes and carried that way the majority of the year with a number of lows and some major highs.  I don’t do this as a way to brag, just as a way for me to reflect upon how my year went and perhaps a way to inspire whoever reads this to review your own year.  Away we go…

2016 Year In Review

Travel Log

Places

• New Years in Chile
• SXSW in Austin, Texas
• San Ramon/San Francisco, California
• Adventures in Iceland
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Bought A Plane in Cadillac, Michigan
• Austin, Texas
• Seeing Ryan and Melissa’s new baby in Brookings, Oregon
• Celebrating Brady and Mandie’s Wedding in Reno, Nevada
• Tableau Conference in Austin, Texas
• Visiting Paige in San Francisco, California
• New Years in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Before this year finishes up, I will have visited three new countries with 1-2 at the beginning of next year before I venture back to Portland.  I’m currently at my hotel in Amsterdam and soon to be off to Belgium before getting to Switzerland.  Keeping my wanderlust in check by getting out to explore this planet.

Festivals

• Deep Freeze in Seattle, Washington
• SXSW in Austin, Texas
• SOAK Festival in Tygh Valley, Oregon
• What The Festival in Wolf Run Ranch (Dufur), Oregon
• Oregon Country Fair near Eugene (Veneta), Oregon
• Burning Man in Black Rock City, Nevada

This year I was able to attend more festivals than the years past.  So far I put What The Festival and Burning Man at the top of the list.  I had an amazing time at both.  This year I flew into Burning Man in my own plane and was able to share it with a number of others by gifting flights.  The thing I love about festivals is the friendliest that exudes from others.  Great place to strengthen current friendships and make new ones.  Keep them coming!

Pilot Life

Last year, I flew the majority of the summer and fall, however this year, my summer flying was kept pretty low for the first couple months of the summer because I was saving up to buy a plane with my friend Jeffrey.  I’m happy to say that I’m now a proud owner of a beautiful 1969 Cessna 172.

Jeffrey and I were passengers in a jet to Michigan, where we soon after, were handed keys to our own plane which we flew back to Portland in the first week of August.  Took around four days with us exploring some great sites along the way.  Racked up around 18 hours of flying during the journey and will be writing more on this later.

A few weeks after getting the plane to Portland, I flew her to Burning Man.  Landing on the playa was one amazing experience and one that came with a lot of lessons.  I loved the experience and will plan on doing it again this year.

Though I didn’t fly as many people as I did last year, I did rack up more hours in a short amount of time.  I had one amazing year flying so far and I’m excited to see where it takes me next year now that I own an airplane and have an entire summer open to explore and take people up.

Portland Living

My life in Portland has been going strong.  I’m living in a house with some amazing people to keep costs low to save money and pay off debt for more travels.  It takes about twenty minutes for me to get to the airport to fly my new plane.  I’ve got Mt. Tabor a few blocks from the house which has spurred me to start running a few times a week.  I’m staying active in my social circles, exercising regularly (most of the time), and keeping up finishing projects at my day job in downtown Portland.

Though I’m always wondering where life will take me, I’m up for the journey and excited to see where things will go.  I don’t know if I will remain in Portland over the next couple years, but either way, I’m enjoying the time I have there now with the amazing friends I have in the area.

New Years Goals

I don’t usually set myself new years resolutions and such, cause most are broken pretty quickly.  So I’ll see if I can write out a few goals to work on for next year that I’ll hopefully stick with.

• Lower my body fat another 5%
• Travel to at least 4 countries
• Start training again for my IFR license (let me fly through clouds)
• Add more content to this blog

Happy New Year!!!

I’m excited for 2017, my 2016 was pretty amazing and though there have been some terrible things that have happened in our country, I’m optimistic that things won’t go in the crapper and that 2017 will be even better.

Thanks for reading my blog and I hope that you have the best time this evening and that all your days in 2017 are amazing.

Happy New Year!!!  See you in 2017!