1991 Rugby World Cup - Day 1

Tomasin, Bachman and I left San Francisco on an America Airlines flight to Dallas. In Dallas, we met up with a number of members of the Tennessee Long Rifles Rugby Football Club. The group included a number of guys that Tomasin had played rugby with in Jackson, Mississippi. Together we boarded a long flight to Gatewick Airport in England.

I took this trip slightly more than two months after I separated from my ex-wife and about a month after the infamous coming home to an empty house incident. To say that I started the trip feeling more than a little reckless would be an understatement.

Depart from your local airport for Dublin, Ireland via American Airlines.

Date of Separation

My ex-wife and I separated on this date.

George Thorogood

Kurt and Joy Snipes and I saw George Thorogood in concert at the Sacramento Community Center Theater. I had two tickets, but Alison didn’t go. Kurt and I started the evening at the bar in the Hyatt Regency with one bourbon, one scotch and one beer.

Andre Agassi

My ex-wife and I saw Andre Agassi play in the 1990 Volvo San Francisco Tournament. Agassi was 19 years old.

Andre Agassi won the title by defeating Todd Witsken 6–1, 6–3 in the final.

1989 San Francisco Giants versus New York Mets

Randy Wong and I saw the San Francisco Giants play the New York Mets. The Giants lost the game by a score of 3 to 1. The Mets scored two runs in the top of the tenth to win the game.

This was a very good Giants team. They made it to the World Series, but got swept by the Oakland A's.

A picture of Randy, Goose Gossage and I from the game is here.

Chuck's wedding

Larkin and I went to Chuck's wedding reception, a King's game, back to Chuck's house and then crashed at his house in Christian Valley.

The Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers that night by the score of 104 to 89. Wyman Tisdale was the high scorer for the Kings with 27 points.

1988 California International Marathon

I ran the California International Marathon. My time was 3:29:09 for an average pace of 7:59 per mile.

The 1988 California International Marathon results are here.

Larkin and I ended up at Matt and Sherry's old house on Essence Way in Antelope after the race.

Gibson's Walk-Off Home Run

Drew and I watched the end of this game.

Rob and Barb's Wedding

I was a groomsmen in Rob and Barb's wedding.

1986 Kings versus Celtics

Larkin, Cindy, Hunter and I went to the Sacramento Kings versus Boston Celtics NBA Basketball game in the original Arco Arena. The Kings won the game by the score of 105 to 100.

Woodson scored 27 for the Kings, while Bird scored 29 for the Celtics.

The original arena seated 10,333. Our seats were in the last rows of the north end zone. Larkin and Cindy were sitting in the two seats in front of Hunter and I.

1986 Bullets versus Hawks

Visiting Nooter in Washington DC, he, his then girlfriend and I went to the Washington Bullets versus Atlanta Hawks NBA game. The Bullets won the game by the score of 111 to 105.

Maunte Bol had 15 blocks!

Halloween 1982

The Milwaukee Brewers played the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 World Series. It was a hard-fought, thrilling seven-game series (often remembered as the "Cardinals vs. Harvey's Wallbangers" matchup). St. Louis ultimately won 4 games to 3.

My ex-wife and I went to a Halloween party at Buoy Way. Nooter and Geselbracht were living there in a duplex.

With a Brewers jersey and hat and a mask with shaggy hair, I went as Gorman Thomas. Gorman Thomas played center field for the Milwaukee Brewers; he started all 7 games of the series in center field. Thomas was not considered a handsome man.

Nooter dressed as a bottle of Tylenol. At time, Tylenol was being hacked to poison people. If my memory serves me right, Hunter came dressed as woman, while Devan was dressed as a man...

Datapoint Trip to San Antonio

Larkin and I traveled with a group from Farm Credit to San Antonio to visit Datapoint.

First Marriage

Alison and I were married on February 20, 1982 at the Bidwell Mansion in Chico.

Larkins and Sugar Bowl

I skied with Joe and Cindy Larkin at Sugar Bowl. It was the first time that I skied with Larkin. It was also my 25th birthday.

Jimmy Buffet's Coconut Telegraph Tour

A group of us saw Jimmy Buffet at Caesars Tahoe. He performed there as part of his Party Time '81/Coconut Telegraph Tour. I was dating Nancy at the time.

Farm Credit

I started working for Farm Credit as a Research Analyst on October 6, 1980. I was a joint employee of the Federal Intermediate Credit Bank of Sacramento and the Sacramento Bank for Cooperatives.

Gerald Ford as Vice President

For a few hours on July 16, 1980, the Republican National Convention was in a frenzy over rumors that Gerald Ford would join Ronald Reagan on the ticket. When that deal stalled, Reagan called George H. W. Bush at his hotel to offer him the Vice President spot instead. At the time, I was on a fishing trip with my dad in Elko, Nevada on our way to the Ruby Mountains. My dad was extremely excited about the prospect of a Reagan/Ford Republican ticket.

Jimmy Buffet's Volcano Tour

Wallen, Jill, Melissa and I drove to the Berkeley Greek theater to meet a large group. He performed there as part of his Volcano Tour. I can remember Hunter dancing in front of me…

John and Jill Wallen's Wedding