Flying Back in Time

August 4, 2025 | Chris

One of the stops we made in Nebraska was the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum. It’s in a small town southwest of Omaha called Ashland. And what a trip that was! The building is massive and looks like it could house a small airport.

This place is where Cold War history comes alive. Walking through those doors felt like stepping into a different era. I learned that the Strategic Air Command was basically the backbone of America’s nuclear deterrent during the Cold War, responsible for long-range bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles. What struck me most was how the museum doesn’t just showcase military hardware, it dives into the human side of things, the crews who lived with constant pressure and the families who dealt with the uncertainty.

The aircraft collection is unreal! The planes are the real stars here. The main hangar is packed with seriously impressive aircraft: the B-36 Peacemaker, the B-52 Stratofortress, the SR-71 Blackbird. It was pretty surreal.

It’s more than just military history though. The museum also covers civilian aerospace, with exhibits on the space program and interactive flight simulators. Everything is put in historical context. You’re learning about the geopolitical tensions that drove development and the people who risked their lives flying these machines.

If you’re anywhere in the region and have even a passing interest in aviation or Cold War history, this place is absolutely worth the detour. The collection is world-class, and you’ll walk away with a much better understanding of a pivotal period in American history.

The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum isn’t just old planes, it’s a window into a time when the world felt more dangerous, and it’s history you can touch and experience.

Rolling Through Nebraska

July 28, 2025July 29, 2025 | Chris

My wife and I just went on a weekend road trip across Nebraska. Our first stop was the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney. It’s a massive archway literally spanning Interstate 80, impossible to miss as you’re driving along. We pulled off to check it out. And I’m glad we did!

Talk about a bridge through time. The Archway tells the incredible story of how the Platte River Valley became America’s highway to the west. This was the same route that the pioneers used on the Oregon Trail, California Trail, and Mormon Trail. The valley was basically the GPS of the 1800s. The river provided water, the terrain was relatively flat, and it became the perfect pathway west. Later, the transcontinental railroad followed the same route, and eventually, so did Interstate 80.

Walking through the exhibits was quite an experience. It felt like time traveling between wagon trains and steam locomotives. I imagined following in the footsteps of hundreds of thousands of people who made this same journey with so much more at stake. They were leaving everything behind for a new life, while I’m just road tripping with a can of Pringles, listening to an audiobook.

There were a couple of small windows you could peek through to see I-80 and the endless Nebraska sky stretching over the Platte River Valley. You can almost imagine those wagon trains stretched out across the landscape.

Okay! One stop in, and Nebraska’s already surprising me. This state’s got stories to tell, and I’m here to listen.

Not Young, Not Wild, Just Free

June 26, 2025June 26, 2025 | Chris

I recently celebrated another birthday. Celebrated here meaning I ate at an all-you-can-eat buffet and seriously questioned whether pants with buttons were necessary that day.

And as the flames danced atop the birthday candles – metaphorically speaking, that is, as there wasn’t any cake at all – I couldn’t help but notice something off. Not in a “should’ve used a lighter instead of the blowtorch” kind of way, but in a deeper, more poetic sense. The candles just didn’t seem to fit on the cake like they used to.

Flashback to 30 years ago: San Diego, CA, 1995. A younger version of me stood on stage, guitar slung low, sweating under the stage lights. Oh, and singing the mighty words from Triumph’s Magic Power… I’m young, I’m wild, I’m free!

A friend snapped a photo of that moment, forever capturing a time when life was loud, raw, and deliciously unpredictable. And back then, birthdays came with adventure baked right in.

Today, I may not be jumping off amps or waking up from city to city but I still feel the fire. I still feel the energy. Fewer guitar solos, maybe, but I still hum the melody of a life that’s mine. On my terms.

So here’s to another trip around the sun! Even if the candles lean a little to the left and the frosting hides a few existential questions.

Freedom isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s in the quiet confidence of knowing who you truly are. And still dancing with it. Birthday cake in hand.

And no, I still don’t think pants should’ve been required.

How Cool is That?

June 3, 2025 | Chris

Wow, what an incredible surprise! I just found out that my song Me and My Samsonite was included on the official 2025 Wyoming Road Trip Playlist curated by the Wyoming Arts Council and Wyoming Humanities. I honestly can’t put into words how honored and excited I am.

As an artist, you always hope your music will connect with people, but to know that my song will be part of the soundtrack for so many travelers exploring the beauty of Wyoming this summer is truly special. I love the idea that Me and My Samsonite (#21 on the playlist) might be playing as someone drives through mountain passes, stops at a historic site, or just soaks in the wide-open sky. After all, traveling is what the song is about.

My heartfelt thanks goes to the Wyoming Arts Council and everyone involved in putting this playlist together. It means the world to be recognized alongside so many talented Wyoming creatives. I mean, really… how cool is that?

So, if you’re hitting the road this summer, I hope my song, along with the rest of the playlist, adds a little extra joy to your adventure. Safe travels, and happy listening!

Turning Point

April 30, 2025May 5, 2025 | Chris

It was the last day of April, 1992. In the thick of the LA riots, I had acquired my first Bible. As the city burned outside my Hollywood apartment, I diligently read the Scripture for the first time in my life. Soon after that pivotal moment, I made a decision to be baptized. Yet the years that followed brought unexpected spiritual hurdles. The truth has an uncanny way of doing that to you, I suppose.

Eleven years later, in 2003, God woke me up. Guilt and remorse began to engulf my conscience. Religiosity unraveled. Friends drifted away, some passed on, and my first marriage began to falter. It was a dark time, for sure.

Around that period, I felt compelled to write a song where every line was a jagged little pill. It took three years to finish it. Though it remains the hardest song I’ve ever written, it gave me relief. My soul could somewhat breathe again after. Today, well, I’m still a work in progress, but grateful for the lessons I’ve learned since. God is good!

Hotdogs and Marshmallows

April 6, 2025April 7, 2025 | Chris

The bonfire crackled and danced under the vast Wyoming sky as my friends and I gathered around its warm embrace. A weekend of fellowship was had. The evening air, crisp but pleasant. The usual wind, nowhere to be found. We took turns roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, laughing as some turned golden brown while others, inevitably, met a fiery demise.

The scent of smoke and toasted sugar filled the air, mingling with the quiet snorts of the horses that had joined us. They stood just outside the circle of firelight, their large, gentle eyes reflecting the flickering flames as they observed our little gathering. Their presence added something special to the night — an almost mystical touch, as if they had come to share in the moment.

Conversation ebbed and flowed, sometimes lively, sometimes soft and reflective. Campfire stories were told, as were cringeworthy dad jokes. The fire held us together. Its warmth not just physical but something deeper — a reminder of friendship, of simple joys, and of nights like this that stay in your memory long after the embers have cooled.

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

November 22, 2024November 22, 2024 | Chris

Thanksgiving Day in America, a tapestry woven from threads of gratitude, memory, and connection. Amidst the fast-paced rhythm of our lives, this is the moment when we pause, breathe, and marvel at the beauty around us.

Thanksgiving is like a bridge between the past and the future, a quiet interlude where time slows down. The clinking of glasses, the aroma in the kitchen, the laughter that fills the air – all these create notes in a symphony, each contributing to a melody of togetherness and appreciation. This day is more than just what is laid out on the table; it’s about the invisible bonds that tie us together, the silent acknowledgments of love and support.

In the gentle glow of the autumn sun, we reflect on the harvest of our lives — not just the literal one, but the harvest of experiences, relationships, and growth. It’s a time to recognize the richness that comes from being part of a larger whole, to see our own narratives intertwined with those of friends and family.

Thanksgiving is an invitation to open our hearts and minds, to give and receive with grace. This is an opportunity to celebrate the simple, yet profound truth, that we are all connected in this intricate dance of life. Each moment of gratitude is like a ripple in a pond, spreading outward and touching others in ways we may never fully comprehend.

Here, we gather around our tables, cherish not just the feast, but the stories and the memories that come with it. On this day, we take a moment to reflect on what it means to be alive, to be part of this grand mosaic, and to find gratitude in the everyday miracles that make life truly extraordinary.

Ghost Town Remnants

November 14, 2024November 14, 2024 | Chris

The wind whispers secrets of the past. A relic of a bygone era stands. A desolate land, where time seems to have paused. A weathered sign stands resilient, a beacon of hope and community in an otherwise abandoned landscape.

The motel, once a haven for weary travelers, now stands as a monument to dreams unfulfilled and journeys left incomplete. The building behind, with its boarded windows and peeling paint, tells a story of prosperity turned to neglect. The wooden fence, weathered and broken, mirrors the barriers we erect in life, only to watch them crumble with time.

The silence is deafening. There’s a stark reminder here of the impermanence of human endeavors. Yet, amidst the decay, there is a strange beauty, a testament to resilience and the passage of time. The backdrop tells of a poignant metaphor, that we are in a journey filled with moments of clarity and confusion, hope and despair, connection and isolation. It could be a reminder that, like a ghost town, we too are shaped by the forces of time and circumstance, leaving behind traces of our existence in the sands of time.

Images from an Eerie Odyssey

October 24, 2024 | Chris

Across the winding paths of my travels, Halloween has never been mere costumes and candy. My journey through arthouse museums, rustic graveyards and historic landmarks has unveiled the spine-chilling essence of this eerie holiday. Every now and then, I would capture images that represent a moment where the supernatural feels tangible, almost breathing down your neck. Not your traditional fare, for sure.

In every photo shown here, Halloween’s true colors are affirmed. They’re a chilling dance between reality and the unknown. These images are windows into a world where the line between the living and the spectral blurs, and the darker spirit of Halloween lives. Each frame of my journey tells a tale of the haunting beauty and eerie allure that lies just beyond the veil, waiting for those brave enough to look. And if you are one, beware.