BMF Adventure Club

10/16/2024

A few weeks ago, a podcaster, and now a friend, asked if I would sit down with him and share some of my stories. His name is Eric and he’s a real podcasting pro. His studio and production are topnotch. Eric also owns a coffee company called Got Your Six Coffee. He makes seriously good coffee.

I’ve done a few podcasts in the past where I’ve shared some of my stories. I used to enjoy doing this kind of thing, but a few years ago I had a change of heart. Now, it feels weird when I tell my stories. I talk about that weird or embarrassed feeling as I get towards the end of this podcast. Anyway, we covered a lot of ground in the podcast and not just the adventures I’ve had over the years.

Speaking of adventures, tomorrow at 2pm myself and three other guys are going to compete in an offshore sailboat race from Galveston to Port Aransas. If you are in the Galveston area tomorrow , you should head down to Pleasure Pier around noon. Once there, you’ll be able to see around one-hundred sailboats gathered to race. Seeing all of those huge sails gathered in one place will make you say WOW! In fact, it was this exact sight that inspired me to take sailing lessons a few years back. We will be out on the water for about twenty to twenty-five hours or so. The part I’ll enjoy the most is being out there in that ocean in the middle of the night. Watching the moon reflect off of a dark and vast sea is indescribable. So open and yet so empty at the same time. It’s incredible. I wish everyone could see and feel something like this once in their life.

Okay, enough of my psychobabble.

If you listen to the podcast, I hope you find it interesting. Also, if you’re the praying type, there’s going to be a lot of sailors out there in the Gulf racing on Thursday and Friday, and then heading back to our home ports on Sunday and Monday. Maybe you could keep them in your thoughts. We all want to make it back home safe. Right now the weather and wind looks favorable, but all it takes is one slip or miscalculation and things could go bad quickly.

All right, I’ll end as I always used to back when shared my stories by saying I hope that you Find Your Adventure and Live Your Life.

PS-Got Your Six Coffee’s mission is as amazing as their coffee. You should check it out.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Chris Pruitt, Vice President and General Manager of Nexstar Media Inc., as he opens up about his unique approach t...

07/09/2024

So Jamie and I are all good. She weathered the storm by herself since I’m up here in Missouri. The only damage is the already tornado-damaged-roof on the house got even more damage. Luckily it had not already been replaced. All of my friends at Watergate Marina Boaters sent me continual updates on Peggy Lou. She made it through the hurricane unscathed thanksto Scott Fitzgerald.

06/28/2024

Tonight I saw Texas country music singer Jason Eady. About a year and a half ago, I heard him sing this song. He had just written it. It’s so good. In fact, I wrote a story about this song the next morning. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen. I too have had enough of Mean Spirits.

Jason Eady is an American singer and guitarist, originally from Mississippi but now based in Texas. He is affiliated with the Texas country music scene, part...

06/09/2024

This is literally me trying to talk people into doing some of the crazy stuff I routinely do. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.

03/15/2024

That day we went to Preston, Idaho to reenact our favorite Napoleon Dynamite scenes.

03/10/2024

I’ve been driving a Jeep Wrangler since 2003 and now I’ve also got a Jeep Gladiator. Know how many “Ducks” I’ve been awarded over the years? None! Zero DUCKS given! Life is not fair…….

01/01/2024

What a year! I started The List in 2013 and I’ve kept it going ever since then. I thought that it was fitting to end this year by completing the oldest item on The List; Wear my pajamas to Walmart.

When I started The List in 2013, people had suddenly decided it was okay to wear your PJ’s like normal clothes. I would see them in Walmart and it would make me laugh. On Christmas Day this year, Jamie got us matching pajamas and we wore them all day long. We went to IHOP for breakfast and later in the day stopped at Buccees. It was a ton of fun.

I’ve already got plans in action to whittle down The List in 2024. In fact, I’ll knock off a big one tomorrow morning. This one has been on The List for years. I’m super excited!

I was talking to my buddy Doug this morning. I told him that the biggest reason I started and have kept The List going all these years is that it gives me something to look forward to. Having something to look forward to is one of my three keys to living a happy life.

Well, I wish you all the best in 2024, and I wasn’t kidding about teaching more people to sail this year. If you want to give it a shot just let me know. It will be an experience you’ll never forget.

Why sail? In a boat out on the ocean, you’re guaranteed to Find Your Adventure and Live Your Life.

In case you’re curious, here’s a look back at what all happened with The List in 2023. A total of 40 memorable adventures.

1/1/23 Ran the Kingwood Marathon #1
1/14/23 Moved Peggy Lou to the ocean
1/15/23 Ran the Houston Marathon #2
1/28/23 Went on my first cruise to celebrate Jamie's B-Day
2/19/23 Ran the Austin Marathon #3
2/26/23 Ran the Cowtown Marathon #4
3/4/23 Ran the Woodlands Marathon #5
3/17/23 Took Peggy Lou on our 1st ocean sail
3/18/23 Ran the Seabrook Marathon #6
3/31/23 Saw Taylor Swift with Jamie
4/1/23 Ran the Irving Marathon #7
4/22/23 Ran the Wahachie 30 Mile Ultra Marathon #8
5/6/23 Ran the Hidden Hills Trail Run Marathon in Graham #9
5/7/23 Ran the Wildflower Trail Run Half-Marathon in Bastrop #9 1/2
5/11/23 Ellie graduated from college, danced at Gruene Hall with Jamie, and met Lyle Lovett
5/20/23 Took Ellie, Jamie and Juan to Cancun for graduation
5/22/23 Went SCUBA diving at Isla Mujeres with Seal Team Cuatro
6/3/23 Ran the Tejas Trail Marathon in Spicewood. Marathon 10 1/2 this year
6/18/23 My first ocean solo-sail (Father's Day)
7/4/23 First night cruise at sea. First time anchoring Peggy Lou
7/8/23 Ran Hell's Half Acre Marathon in Fort Worth. It started at 10pm. Remember the toe surgery. Marathon 11 1/2
7/22/23 Rode in a hot air balloon with Jamie
7/22/23 Ran Summer Stunners 25K in Phoenix 110 degrees
7/22/22 Completed running 12 marathons in one year challenge
7/30/23 In ER with kidney stone
8/12/23 Ran Habanero Marathon in 105-degree heat to OFFICIALLY complete 12 marathon challenge
8/13/23 Took Jason on his first sail on Peggy Lou
8/31/23 Stayed overnight at Arid Peak Fire Lookout with Walter
8/31/23 Spent the night on a mountain summit; Arid Peak; Elevation 5,306'
9/1/23 Biked the Hiawatha Trail with Jamie, Kelley and Walter
9/8/23 Got Covid for the first time
9/22/23 Went Spearfishing in Playa del Carmen
9/26/23 Went to Pink Concert with Jamie, Tracy, and Denise
10/16/23 Started taking dance lessons with Jamie
10/27/23 Completed my first off-shore sailing race. Harvest Moon Regatta
11/4/23 Attended Chava and Sam's wedding in Mexico
11/5/23 Asked Jamie to marry me while in Mexico
12/2/23 Ate dinner at Casa Bonita; Denver
12/21/23 Walked to and from work for 3 days, 10.75 miles each way, 64.5 miles. My most miles in 3 days
12/25/23 Wore Pajamas in public. IHOP, Buccees.

12/30/2023

While Eleonor was in town, we worked on her sailing skills. I now have no doubt that she could handle a sailboat on her own.

One of the things I enjoy most about sailing is introducing others to the sport. I like watching their fear fade as they become more confident. What’s most fun is hearing them say something like, “I just sailed this big-ass boat in the ocean!”

My boat is in the slip about 80% of the time. I want to change that. I want all of my friends and family to learn how to sail my boat. If I’m not sailing it then somebody should. That said, I’m making a series of videos showing step by step how to sail the SV Peggy Lou. In this video, Ellie shows you how to prepare and rig the boat. The next video will be on raising and lowering the sails. After that will be actually sailing the boat and coming back in to port. I’ll make some other videos on things like the safety briefing and how to handle emergencies. If you want to learn to sail my boat on your own just let me know.

If you want to get all official and take a real sailing class, I know an outstanding school in Watergate where I keep my boat.

One more thing, awesome job Ellie! I’m sorry, Captain Pruitt.

This is an instructional video on the steps to rig and sail the SV Peggy Lou. In this video we use our 90% jib on our self-tacking unit. Use the self-tacking...