NCAA Indoor Championships

Received an email out of the blue that I was selected as chief umpire for the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque. Surprise…..I completely forgot that I applied!

Great news….and a bunch of work to do. 

Speaking of work: i just finished the job in Denver and just accepted a new client in Boulder. So, a new project…..a relocation 1200 miles away. And I better find a place to live!

So I email my aunt Michele in South Denver and ask about apartments in the area. Easy peasy, she invited me to move in with her and hubby Jim. HUGE load off my shoulders! (and if you want a sunrise view, drive Rt 93 north toward Boulder....daybreak on the right, Front Range mountains on the left....stunning)

Saddle up for the short ride down (above) I-25: mandatory uniform is USNA Class Blazer. 

Zoe is a big Breaking Bad fan, and there is a gift shop in ABQ that is the official supplier of blue meth (ie rock candy) for the show. 

Meet up with West Point all-time record holder Mica; the man went sub-4 in college! That’s some good wheels. He had some epic battles back in the day with Navy stud RJ. 

He brings me to a little coffee shop whose previous occupant was a less than benevolent type: Breaking Bad's Mr Tuco Salamanco

Is there anything better than Mexican food in a coffee shop? 

Zoe informed me that the ABQ Convention Center is home to statues of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. I send her the following pictures, and she howls….

Buddy Dave airbrushed me into the scene. I think I should get show royalties now

My hotel room is 87 kinds of awesome (and it’s comped)…

First rate swag….

One of the umpires looks familiar…when Joy stops laughing at me, she reminds me that she lived in Eugene a decade ago and worked with me at Hayward Field before moving to Austin. 

A trip to ABQ isn’t complete without a run to The Frontier…..56 oz of posolé for $18? Seriously? If I had an IV bag, I would have filled that sucker up. 

The Convention Center is one of the best indoor track venues in the country. 

First day was long. First drink was nice. 

Breakfast….Yes, the Frontier again. Just ridiculous. 

My man Dan, starting line clerk emeritus. This guy worked at the Olympics in LA 1984 and Atlanta 1996. The lad has some stories…

Taking a break before events start up. 

Kinda cool when a protest is written up by a guy you watched win an Olympic Gold Medal (actually several) 30 years ago. Q had his own set of wheels. 

The meet went well, owing in part to my tendency to over-prepare….more credit due to amazing team of Ryan, Joy, Andre, Randy, Mark, and PK (below). 

An impromptu tour of several Breaking Bad sites: 

A nice meal and drink in the airport 

And oh by the way….while I was checking out all the Breaking Bad stuff in Albuquerque, who was back home in Boulder doing a signing for their tequila? The stars of Breaking Bad!

My timing stinks. 

But I had fun anyway!