Bachelor Party Ideas

Grand Circle Bachelor Party - Man vs Wild

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I just got back from doing the Grand Circle in Utah:

Grand Circle

It is basically a tour of some national parks in the UT, NV, CO and AZ. I rented a car an slept in 6 parks in 6 nights. It would make for a pretty extreme bachelor party, but I would post the ideas in case people were interested. I encountered tons of deer, amazing views, and managed to trash my rental car along the way.

Here is a list of the parks I hit:

1.Zion National Park
2.Bryce Canyon National Park
3.Capitol Reef National Park
4.Arches National Park
5.Canyonlands National Park
6.Monument Valley Tribal Park
7.Grand Canyon National Park

The trip was in the last week of November. The good thing being no one was around. The bad thing, it was really, really cold.

Here are a few pictures of the chaos

Here is a link over to the Blog I created for the entire trip.

Darren's Man Vs Wild Adventure

Rafting in The Shadows of Mt. Hood

To Read more about trips like this or book your own trip, visit Hitz Adventures

http://www.hitzadventures.com/

Into The Wild

The Book of the month is Jon Krakauer's, "Into Thin Air." Out this month is the movie based on another Krakauer book featured in an earlier newsletter, "Into The Wild."

Click Here For Site

If you are unfamiliar, it documents the life of Chris McCandless, a young men who goes off into the Alaskan wilderness to experience his own version of Thoreau's "Walden."

It made for a cool book, and hope the move will do it justice. If you get the chance, I suggest you check out this story of a restless youth. Below is a often quoted statement from McCandless...enjoy: 

So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality, nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different Sun." 

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Rafting in The Shadows of Mt. Hood

This month's feature is a recent trip to Oregon for rafting on the Deschutes river with some guys from Washington, California and Chicago.

I was eager to make the trip out West as it had been a while since my last visit. I read somewhere a quote, "Once you live West of the Mississippi, you will never go back East." I think that should be adjusted a little further west to the Eastern border of Colorado, but I definitely agree. Which is why I live in Detroit...?

The trip started in Portland, a very cool city tucked between the mountains. Portland is a pretty liberal city, not as fashionably alternative as Seattle, more raw and natural. Mt. Hood makes an incredible backdrop for the skyline.

The guys started streaming in Friday afternoon. After checking into Hotel Monaco we made our way over to a bar at the top of Portland's tallest building. It made for a great sunset view and atmosphere for the guys to catch up on each other's recent exploits. After drinks we polished off some meat and a nearby steakhouse. Portland's bars are all crammed within a 2 block radius, which is ideal for bar hopping. Portland is famous for their beer and music, and the group sampled both.

Morning came way too early as we had a 2 hour drive East to Maupin, Oregon for the rafting. I rallied the troops and loaded them in the van. After a quick stop at McDonalds we rounded the foothills of Mt Hood and arrived at base camp. The setup was pretty cool, as the rafting company had invested some serious coin to build a first class lodging and event center to surround their river operations.   A far cry from a barn with some rafts and a couple showers in the woods.

We got them on the water right away. We were the only ones on the river and that made it a pretty cool experience as many times you are herded down the river like cattle. The water was freezing. I am usually ok in cold water, but this was above my threshold. We swam one rapid and that was enough of the macho stuff for me.

After rafting everyone picked a room at the lodge, each with a different theme (fishing, trains, etc). Guys walked up the road for dinner and drinks before coming back to the fire. I grabbed my sleeping bag and found a spot along the river under a bridge, for a night under the stars.

I woke up early and took a swim in the river...stronger than any Starbucks blend. After breakfast we took the shuttle back to town along the Gorge...another picturesque view. I dropped the guys off at the airport and boarded my flight back to Michigan.

The majority of the crew were lawyers, but don't hold that against them as they were good people and good friends who appreciated a weekend of outdoor adventure

[Watch the Video]

Until Next time.

Darren Hitz
Hitz Adventures
p:248.910.8152
f :480.393.4077
darren@hitzadventures.com
www.hitzadventures.com

Olympic River Rafting in Tennessee

To Read more about trips like this or book your own trip, visit Hitz Adventures

http://www.hitzadventures.com/

It's Only When We Lose Everything That We Can Do Anything.

The above paraphrased quote is from "Fight Club", but it is also mentioned in this month's book of the month.

"Between A Rock and A Hard Place" is a story I am sure many are familiar with; boy goes climbing, boy gets arm trapped, and boy cuts off arm to escape.

What I wanted to talk briefly about is not the extreme spirit and determination this person possessed allowing him to overcome the life or death task in front of him, but the decisions he made before that day.

Our hero loved to climb and be outside. He was an educated man, with a great job at Intel, but gave it all up to live simply in Aspen, climbing, skiing and working at a mountaineering store. Even after losing his arm, he still climbs and lives an incredibly happy life.

Now, I am not standing on a soapbox telling everyone to quit their job and have fun all day or else I will have no more customers. Rather, remember, you are only here for a short while, and you can't take anything with you, so make sure you do something cool every once and a while. Whether that be climbing mountains, camping in the woods, traveling to Italy, or volunteering in your community.

This leads me to the quote I started this section with. As we separate ourselves from the cell phones, bluetooth, itunes, cars, mortgages...even for a weekend, getting as raw as possible, we see what is important and what we are truly capable of both physically and mentally.

And if we don't, the, "the things you own, will end up owning you." -Tyler Durden

All the best

Darren

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Olympic River Rafting in Tennessee

This trip was a small group of 5, all of whom went to school together at LSU back in the day.

I decided to go in on Thursday to Chattanooga TN to check out some of the natural scenery. I drove up Lookout Mt, which is a famous Civil War landmark. After walking through gaps in boulders about 2 feet wide at the top of this mountain, I came to an open area with a spectacular view of the surrounding area. Reading a plaque along the railing, I came to find that you were actually able to see 7 states from this ledge. I had to take there word for it as none of the states were color-coded like they are on the map. (That was a joke)

Anyway, when I got back to town, I was hoping the minor league baseball team would be playing that weekend as the stadium was awesome, but it was not to be. Long gone are the days of plywood centerfield walls with outfielders running through them to catch a fly ball.

The guys got in Friday and we got some dinner and hit some bars. Chattanooga is by no means a bustling metropolis, but as I like say, it has enough spots to get into trouble for a weekend, but after that you probably will get a little bored.  We hit all the clubs and bars and toasted the group before it was back to the hotel for an early rise for rafting. 

No problems getting everyone in the shuttle and out to Benton TN for rafting on the Ocoee (pronounced O-KO-E). The views were great along the river and afforded plenty of opportunities to jump out and float the river. This river is actually the river that the Atlanta Olympic Games held the Kayaking events. Many of the world-class kayakers train here...but these guys were not ready for any Eskimo Rolls on this trip. 

After finishing the trip we hung out, grabbed some pictures and headed back to town. Although camping was an option, I think these guys had a deep appreciation for a warm bed and indoor plumbing, which was not a problem.

The group was really mellow and instantly made me feel as one of the gang. I enjoyed the weekend and hope to be back soon.

Until Next time.

[Watch the Video]

Darren Hitz
Hitz Adventures
p:248.910.8152
f :480.393.4077
darren@hitzadventures.com
www.hitzadventures.com

Down Mexico Way - Offroad Baja Peninsula

Down Mexico Way.

To Read more about trips like this or book your own trip, visit Hitz Adventures

http://www.hitzadventures.com/

This trip starts in San Diego (I will resist the urge to tell you what Will Farrell thinks that name means in the movie Anchorman). Everyone flew in on a Friday afternoon, checked in the St. James in GasLamp and did a little tour of Old Town.

Old Town is a small neighborhood near Downtown San Diego that is as authentic Mexico as a US tourist trap can get. I thought I would get the guys ready for the real thing with a transitional area where they could practice 5th grade Spanish without the risk of insulting the locals and ending up in an Mexican prison.

After dinner we hit GasLamp and took in the sights and the  sounds of the bars and clubs. It was an early night for me as I had to make sure we made the shuttle to Mexico in the AM.

There was no checkpoints going down to Mexico, and I thought that was strange until I realized...why would anyone need to sneak anything into Mexico?

We hit the Baja beach and spent the next few hours learning the art of high performance off-road ATV. I went off course for a bit  and found myself riding in the surf (see image on left). I also found a way to flip the vehicle a couple times causing some serious bruising that would not show up until the following week. Those guys on TV that launch these things airborne and do some sort of Superman move...they make it look easy...don't try it...it hurts.

After we became masters in our own minds, we hit the highway (very scary) and went to an authentic Taco stand, a bit better than "Toxic Hell" (Taco Bell to the layperson). Following lunch we hit the mountains, where the trails were rocky and the views were incredible. One of the guys said that he was out of control and close to death about 30% of the time...I figured that was about right. I tried to blaze through a puddle and hydroplaned about 5 feet and promptly fell off and was soaking wet (I was slowly losing respect as the "Adventure Guy" with every minute). 

We survived an incredible day and checked into the resort before meeting up with our guide, Marcus, for lobsters on the beach at Villa Ortega. The view was incredible and staying down here forever, leaving all our corporate troubles behind, did not seem so bad. We asked Marcus what he did when not riding. His response: "sleep"...and we all just nodded. It was one of those moments where you wanted to ask him, how he bought things and why he did not work more and he might answer with a simple, "Why?" And you would realize Marcus was smarter than you originally thought.

That night we were all pretty tired and just sat in the hot tub all night drinking Mexican beer and reliving our day (no one drinks Coronas).

Truly one of those unforgettable trips. One where you come home and try and tell someone about it and you get frustrated because you just can't convey the experience in words or pictures.

Watch the Video

Until Next Time,

Darren

Add It To The List - Appalachian Trail

Add it to the List.

This month's column is about one of those trips you must make before you die...hiking the Appalachian Trail.

I became inspired by this trip after reading the book mentioned on the right "A Walk in the Woods." Now I am not going to sit here and say I have immersed myself in this entire trip....yet, but I have bitten off a couple chunks, enough to further whet my appetite and share the experience with you.

A brief background. The Appalachian Trail or simply The A.T., is a 2,174-mile hiking trail in the eastern United States, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. Along the way, the trail also passes through the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. The trail was originally conceived by Benton MacKaye, a forester who wrote his original plan shortly after the death of his wife in 1921. MacKaye's Utopian idea detailed a grand trail that would connect a series of farms and wilderness work/study camps for city-dwellers.

A continuous trail that extends over 2,000 miles is pretty cool, but what is even better is that the path is maintained by thirty trail clubs from various states, working together to keep the path clear and the lodges up to code. It is kinda like the adopt-a-mile signs along the freeway. How it works is that you enter the trail somewhere along the 2,000 mile stretch, like jumping on a freeway. Then you hike 10 miles each day (give or take based on your goals). Each night you aim to make it to a shelter and swap stories with the other hikers. These shelters are not quite as luxurious as the Ritz, but it gets the job done.

Along the way you will run into these people that are attempting to hike the entire trail. The crazy part about this, besides the distance, is the timing. You need to start in Georgia as soon as the Spring hits in order to make it to Maine before the temperatures drop in the Fall! What is even crazier is that there are people that have accomplished this multiple times.

Like I said, I have not done the whole trail, and am not suggesting you try it straight out of the gate, but rather make it a great weekend adventure with the friends or family. If you ever want to do the whole trail, shoot me an email, I am open to the challenge. I can only imagine what a feeling of accomplishment accompanies this achievement.

In my attempt to give you a glimpse into the mind of one these incredible adventurers, I have provided a link to a Journal from a man that made the entire trip from April to September. He wrote in his journal every night and posted it on the Internet. Scan through, read a couple days and maybe it will inspire you to hit the trail.

All the best.

AT Trail Journal

Darren Hitz
Hitz Adventures
p:248.910.8152
f :480.393.4077
darren@hitzadventures.com
www.hitzadventures.com

Milwaukee, More than Just The Home of Beer

To Read more about trips like this or book your own trip, visit Hitz Adventures

http://www.hitzadventures.com/

Milwaukee was the site for this party, and we had some big farm-feed goliaths in the house. Just to drive that point home, these fellas were semi-pro football players with daytime jobs as bail bondsmen..ouch.

I came into Chicago and stayed with some friends from college before heading up to beer city USA. The guys came in Friday afternoon and we dropped our stuff off in the rooms and hit the city. It was a great day weather-wise and Milwaukee is a awesome place to be to party. There are about 30 bars all within a few blocks of each other.

We started out the night at a traditional German-style restaurant. It was pretty cool, reminded me of Chevy Chase in European Vacation. We had our own room, with crazy implements of war littering the walls. The food was good, the highlight were these little fried Rueben rolls.

A few restaurant patrons kept walking by our room, and I asked the waiter why they kept looking in. It turns out they thought the guys were on the Green Bay Packers. I of course had to run with that and talk to the people about why we were down here and how I was wining and dining them to try to get them to sign with the club for the upcoming season. The fans wanted pictures, but I kinda felt bad at that point...I know...I scrwewed up.

After Dinner we made the circuit. Starting out in the historic district of Milwaukee, celebrating beer in the gardens and then heading over to a few college hangouts (Marquette University located in the city). We stubled home around 3am and got a few hours before getting up early for fishing.

It was a bit wet on Saturday, but everyone was prepared and we hit the marina around 10:00. There were fish everywhere. The guys had no problem hitting thier limit and spent the remainder of the afternoon drinking and messing around.

Once they got back to the marina, I met them at the dock and we went indoors to grab some Dinner at the Tropics. Pretty funny, all these fishermen telling stories, I thought that was just in movies. The Tropics was going to get lively later, so I checked them into their house for the night we got some cards on.

Guys were pretty beat and never got out of bed to go out. They woke up the next morning and headed home. Another successful trip for Adventure Bachelor Party, which is a good thing as these guys were the most physically intimidating crew I have come across to date.

        

To Read more about trips like this or book your own trip, visit Hitz Adventures

http://www.hitzadventures.com/

I think We will Need a Bigger Boat

To Read more about trips like this or book your own trip, visit my parent Site, Hitz Adventures

http://www.hitzadventures.com/

Heading to Miami,

I will try and avoid all the obvious Jaws references, or at least keep them to a minimum. I flew in on a Thursday and after meeting my brother, headed down to South Beach to check out the scene. Weather was nice, little did we know that 1 day after we left that a hurricane would hit the city. Actually the evacuation orders for the Keys was given on the day of departure, but as i said the weather was good for us.

We had dinner at one of the many restaurants along Lincoln Ave and headed back to the hotel to await the crew from PA.

The following morning they started flowing in, most coming from Pittsburgh, with others coming from a few random cities, 13 in all. This group featured a few dads, uncles and friends and even a few from the brides side.

Once they all checked in, we boarded the shuttle to an hit a few bars along Ocean Blvd. before dinner.

After checking out the view from Clevelander, be walked over to dinner, where we had a private room waiting for us at an upscale Argentinian Steakhouse. We had the Steelers on the projector and mini-barbeques on the table. After offering some toasts we then moved over to Mangos, where the salsa danicng is out of control.

Unfortunately one of our crew had a bit too much to drink at dinner and that shut down the party a bit early. Some of the guys kept going while a few of the elder crew headed back to the hotel to rest up for the fishing.

The next day we boarded the boat, and headed out for another beautiful day in Miami with attempts to catch a Hammerhead, Thresher or Mako.  First we had to catch the bait. It took us awhile, but we eventually hooked 4 Bonitas and set our lines for the Shark.

Unfortuately, even after one of our group tried to help out by personally chumming the water, we came up short, had a great day on the boat.

After we got back, everyone cleaned up and headed out for another night on the beach. After dinner at Smith & Wolinsky, the crew headed into the club at Amika. All I can say is, you pay for the view as a round of drinks at these clubs will send you running for the ATM.

 

The next day everyone headed back to PA. Even though we missed the Great White, everyone had fun, most importantly the best man.

Until next time,

Darren

To Read more about trips like this or book your own trip, visit my parent Site, Hitz Adventures

http://www.hitzadventures.com/

Free Fallin'

OK,

well. I am sure this has happened to every blogger at one time or another, but I just wrote this whole blog and lost it all when my Internet connection was lost. So let's try it again.

I am heading to Miami next week, but I thought I would spend some time going over a trip to San Diego (Saint Diego) for some skydiving.

These guys were coming in from AZ for the event. They arrived on Friday afternoon and the weather was pretty crappy. We got everyone checked in and then headed over to the Gaslamp tavern for a few Happy Hour drinks before Dinner. Across the street was the Dakota Grille where steak is their specialty.

After dinner we went to Broadway, a club in Gaslamp that is basically a renovated warehouse. It was pretty crazy. The guys ran into a bachelorette party and I left them about 1 AM so I could get some sleep.

The next morning the weather was still rough, but our driver promised the rain would pass as we got closer, and indeed it did. Everyone was pretty excited and it was a chore getting them to make weight, or at least one of them in particular.

He had to do some quick Rocky training and strip down to his underwear before the scale read 230 and he was approved for launch.

Once the training was done, everyone piled into the plane for 60 seconts of pure adrenaline. I watched them come down, grapping snapshots and listen to them dropping F-bombs to their buddies falling next to them as they came in for a smooth landing.

After the skydiving he tapped the keg and started drinking and playing horseshoes. We hung out with all the foreigners who came over to jump and listened to some pretty crazy stories.

It was awesome to see how everyone got along all through the simple bond of skydiving. There is something about falling from the sky that puts it all in perspective.

Once we left the DZO we made our way to the hotel and the casino, where I came up short per usual. The rest of the guys hit the townie bar and I met them the next morning for our flights out.

It was a great trip and I am pretty sure we got 5 new Skydive lifers.

Until Next Time,

Darren

        

SHOULD THE GROOM PLAN HIS OWN BACHELOR PARTY?

The answer is maybe “Yes” and maybe “No”

Traditionally, one of the key responsibilities of the Best Man is to plan the Bachelor Party…along with getting the Groom to the church on time and not forgetting the ring, toasts, etc.

However in this hectic world, with guys living in different states, with a variety of schedules; planning a Bachelor Party and getting it right can be a chore. If the Groom wants to see all his best buddies and have an event full of laughs and memories, he and the Best Man may have to collaborate and take the following factors into account.

Whom should be invited?

When should the event take place?

How long should it last?

How can it be made “special”?

Who can make the arrangements?

Whom should be invited? This is an important first decision, since the make-up and size of the group will have an effect on the rest of the planning. If relatives (Dad, a favorite Uncle, teenage brothers) are to be included it will influence what type of an event, where it happens and how long it lasts. Two and three day excursion or adventure weekends are becoming more popular and can accommodate participants of all ages. The focus is on adventure and making memories, along with celebration, so that older relatives and younger siblings don’t feel out of place. The same type of event can also apply for best buddies that are scattered across the country. A geographically centered location coupled with a two/three day event reduces travel time and gives them time to relax and compare notes from the past and present.

When should the event take place?  There are several factors to be considered. If the Bachelor Party is to be a weekend adventure event it should be well separated from the wedding itself. This will give groomsmen from out of town time to return home, get back to work and regroup before leaving for the wedding. Also some types of bachelor parties ideas encompass adventures that are best done at certain times of the year, eg lake fishing, white water rafting. Local bachelor parties with local groomsmen can be held the weekend prior to the wedding or the more traditional night before the wedding. If the plan is for a “destination” adventure weekend, then plans and reservations should be made early, using only reputable tour company with Bachelor Party experience.

How long should the Bachelor Party last? Weekend events are becoming much more common. They last from Friday night to Sunday afternoon, and some even start on Thursday. This gives those from out of town, time to travel and also allows everyone to relax, socialize, relive memories and start some new ones. Everything from golfing to sky diving is now being considered for these gatherings. These are mini-vacations for a group of friends and, in some cases, have turned into annual events. Everyone pays their own transportation costs. The weekend ground costs are usually split between all the groomsmen so that the Groom goes free. Everyone is usually surprised how reasonable the costs are, considering this is a mini-vacation and a chance to experience something new for the group.

How can the Bachelor Party be made “special” This is where the Best Man and the Groom need to put their heads together. What is it that would make this a memorable occasion for the Groom?  It is more than consuming as much beverage as possible and waking up the next day with a strange tattoo. Great memories are made of sharing an adventure, a special dinner, or sitting around a campfire telling tales from the past. Herding cattle and then challenging each other to ride a mechanical bull makes for a never to be forgotten weekend. Special T-shirts, with the date and Groom’s name, videos of the adventure…even an engraved memento to be presented to the Groom at the wedding reception are now becoming more common bachelor party ideas.

Who can make the arrangements? As was indicated in the opening, planning a memorable and exciting Bachelor Party can be complicated and often is overwhelming for the Best Man, even with bachelor party ideas from the Groom. The important thing is keep the idea, not lose the enthusiasm and let someone else do all the planning. Destination weddings have been around for years, and wedding planners or bridal consultants have used their knowledge to take the pressure off the Bride. Now the same logic can be applied to the Bachelor Party. New tour companies have set up weekend adventures with just the right touch, just the right location, just the right ingredients, to meet everyone’s expectation.

Let’s face it….weddings aren’t everyday events…and the Bride certainly has lots of input. Why should Bachelor Parties be different? The Groom should have input and can do everything from hint to the Best Man, to picking the adventure. Brides love the idea of her fiancé involved in something other than the “traditional” wild party, so go for it guys!

BoSox and Bluefish in Boston

Download boston_fishing.mp3

We were headed to Boston for a fishing trip for a friend from Michigan who is getting married next month. He is a hardcore Italian, so he wanted to taste Little Italy in the North End of Boston.

I got in early in the week to do a little site seeing around Harvard to see if I could "beat up some smart kids." I checked out Cheers and even all the Paul Revere stops along the Boston Revolutionary tour.

The rest of the troop checked in on Friday afternoon and headed to the rooftop for a little eye-candy at the pool. The weather was great and the view was spectacular. We enjoyed the pool for a few hours before getting showered up for a trip over to Fenway

We took a cab over to Fenway and hit the Cask and Flagon for some dinner outside the park. It was an incredible scene of baseball fanatics. I wish Detroit had the same zeal for their baseball team, but our team has sucked for so long the lack of appreciation is understandable. The park itself was pretty cool. It reminded me a lot of the of the old Tiger stadium with pillars all over the park that resulted in some interesting views. I was surprised at how short the Green Monster actually was. The game was pretty ugly for the home team as that got beat down 15-2. I did come about 5 feet from a home run, but I avoided the impulse to maul down a bunch of kids for the ball.

After the game, we headed over to Tequila Rain and did some bowling. We only made it through about 4 frames before we got shuffled out the door for improper use of a bowling ball. We regrouped downstairs and hit the dance floor. As usual, we all ended up going our own way and reconnecting back at the hotel and 24 diner early in the morning.

The next day we spent much of the day at the pool before heading off for an afternoon of fishing. The harbor was right next to the USS Constitution, so we got a brief history lesson in the oldest US Navy ship in the fleet.

We packed into 3 boats and organized a little fishing pool for largest and most fish. Our boat lost both, as we came up dry, going for the big one, while the other 2 boats stayed closer to shore and gather a bunch of Bass.

      

      

After Fishing it was back to hotel to clean up for the big dinner in Little Italy. We had a private room waiting for us in the North End and a new restaurant owned by former Bruin, Ray Bourque. It was pretty cool as our room actually opened up into the street so guys could just climb out the window onto the street for a smoke break and try to convince the ladies to come in for drink.

Ray Bourque was not around but called and talked to the bachelor for about 20 minutes. It was pretty funny as we were all Redwings fans and had to give it to Ray because as Wings fan, we hate the Colorado Avalanche, where Ray ended up winning the Cup. The manager took great care of us, throwing us some complimentary bottles of wine and a few toasts.

After dinner we hit the Faneuil Hall area. All I can say is, complete and utter chaos. Boston's bar district is out of control, the streets are packed and there are about 200 bars in a 2 block radius. Everyone ended up back at the hotel at 4:00am, just as I was headed off to the airport for my flight home.

The weekend was awesome and I have moved Boston in my top 5 cities...it does not matter the category...bars, women, restaurants, site-seeing..you name it.

Until Next time,

Darren

Spring Games Bachelor Party

It's Back,

Yes it was time for that bi-annual classic, The Spring Games, and this time we added a bachelor party theme as my buddy Keith was taking the plunge in a couple weeks.

Now I know there may be a few of you out there unfamiliar with the Spring Games so here is your refresher course. Somewhat similar to the less publicized Summer and Winter Olympic Games, Spring Games celebrates the athletes ability in "Feats of Strength." There are teams of 5 members competing head-to-head in various redneck games, all seeking that golden idol, holy grail, stanley cup of all cups....the Spring Cup....very clever title I know.

The team that wins not only gets bragging rights for 2 years, but also has their names engraved (Sharpie) on the cup for generations to gaze upon in awe. I have been on the cup the last 2 games (only 2 games have been played) and was not going to give up a shot at the Turkey.

There were 4 teams in competition this year: 1) Bay City Pirates 2)New Dance Show 3) Purple Passion and 4) Young and the Restless. I found myself on Purple Passion and had a pretty good chance of drinking from the Chalace of life at the closing ceremonies.

They day started out with "Home Run Derby" at University of Michigan. The twist was that competing teams could play the outfield and catch the ball for an out. This was the first year we added this wrinkle and actually made it virtually impossible to score when you have 20 guys in the outfield. I think the winning team had a total score of 2, both runs coming on dropped balls.

Next was Bocce Ball. We will just get this out there right now, I was not a strong player in this one. I have played bocce ball but not on an uneven field of grass...not much ball control...or at least that is my excuse. My team won, but only after I climbed on their back.

The third event was Around the World. A game we all played as kids on the basketball court. it took me 25 shots to get around, the 3rd highest scores...high scores were not good. We were first after three heading into bar games.

Bowling proved to be a tough one for us. I started with 4 straight strikes, but soon remembered I did not know how to bowl and proceed to bowl a 300 across 2 games. 2 games left, shuffle board golf, and darts. I felt pretty good about or chances even know we found ourselves in last place after bowling.

Golden Tee was rough as drinking began to take control of skill for some. We held our own and finished second and second again in Shuffle Board. It came down to darts, a modified version of dueling 301 games. We won one game and needed another team to lose badly to retain the cup, but it was not to be.

We finished a strong second but the cup got hoisted by the kids and I am not sure how I can go on, but I must train hard for the next 2 years to be able to make the 2008 games a lock for our team.

Until next time,

Darren

Goin' Back to Cali'

Apologies to LL Cool J, but I was headed to Northern California for a rafting bachelor party. I flew in a few days early to spend some time with one of my buddies who now lives in Sacramento. We drove up into mountains to check out the area as he had not ventured out of suburbia since he arrived.

We were in the middle of wine country, but we will save that for the bachelorette party trips. After checking out the mountains and meeting the rafting guides, we hung out in "Old Sac" where they have turned a section of downtown into an 1800s-style saloon town. Of course we visited every bar in the area before moving to the modern downtown district and hitting the clubs, where Masons/The Park leads the way.

         

The next morning, I got up and headed over to the Embassy to meet up with the bachelor party. There was about 16 guys, all friends from the Sacramento area. The groom was known around the gambling world as the "Giant Killer" for he had quite a successful run at last years World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.

After everyone checked into the hotel, it was downstairs for the open bar. The guys pretty much cleaned the hotel of their liquor and beer before moving off to the private dinner downtown. The meal was great, but the best part of the celebration thus far was when each guy went around the table and told a story about what they remember most about the groom and how each story seemed to grow a bit over the years.

After dinner we headed out to the bars. Posing outside of one bar, some random girl sneaked into the shot as you can see below, but no one seemed to mind as she was not too shabby.

I left the guys at about 1:00am and headed back to my buddy's to get some work done. The next morning, everyone was struggling big time. Lots of searching through rooms for random guys. I eventually got everyone downstairs, crammed some food into them and we headed off for the hills and the adventure portion of this trip.

Some of the guys were less prepared than others as you can see below where one is wearing a snow cap and dress shoes. Not your typical rafting issue clothing. Once we got everyone into wetsuits, it was off to the river. These guys were on the S. American where they were up against some decent Class III. After having lunch half-way through, they hit some heavy stuff and headed to the campsite for some football and relaxing before dinner at the Sierra Nevada House.

These guys closed the night at the Coloma club. A biker hangout....lets just say these guys stood out a bit, but after buying a few shots, they were right at home.

Everything went great and the guys were up late cooking marsh mellows by the river and drinking beer until the sun came up.

Another great trip. Until next time....

Darren

Rocky Mountain High

John Denver. He brought us such classics as "Rocky Mountain High" and "Thank God I'm a Country Boy." Pure genius. I was off to Denver and eventually Ft. Collins CO to pay homage to the legend and get some rafting in. I came in a day early and took in a Rockies baseball game and spent the evening stumbling around the LoDo area of Denver. Plenty of new rooftop beer providers for me to sample. I shook off the cobwebs the next morning and awoke to an amazing site; 50+ hot air balloons scattered across the sky, with the Rockies as a perfect backdrop. I got some great shots (email me for them).

I headed out into the middle of nowhere (AKA the Denver Airport) to pick up the guys from Houston for the Bachelor Party. They all arrived at about the same time and after pouring a few in the terminal we took the shuttle out to Ft. Collins. The ride was a bit longer than anticipated but the view was a decent distraction.

Everyone checked into the rooms and met downstairs for some Tequila Happy Hour. We took the shuttle into town and hit the Rio Grande, famous for mind-altering margaritas (3 drink limit) before going to dinner at a high-class Bistro.

Following dinner we sampled most of the bars, everything from Martini Joints to Zydeco Dance Halls. We all made it back alive and were a little pissed that we missed Girls Gone Wild the night before, but hey, that was not why we were there...right?

   

Everyone rallied the next morning to make it in time for breakfast at Vern's and then it was off to the hills. We all put on wet suits for this one as water coming right off the mountain tends to be a little cold.

It was a beautiful ride up the mountain and we were fortunate to have high water, allowing us to run the whole 17 mile stretch. We rumbled through rapids like Pinball and Rollercoaster before breaking for lunch. After lunch the waves got bigger as we hit the class IV rapids. It was hard to believe that no one got tossed, but everyone made it home alive.

Once we got back to base, I broke out the paddle and T-shirts for the guys. We posed for some pictures and changed into our polyester leisure suits for the final night in town.

We headed over to "Coopers" and were able to watch the video of the trip on the big screen. A bachelorette party crossed our paths, and we forced both the bride and groom-to-be to do some shots. Another night on the town, before crashing...I should say I crashed, and when I got up to catch my flight home they were still going.

I did not think I would like Colorado(I am a a lifelong Redwings fan and that automatically makes me an Avalanche-hater), but I was wrong. Little known fact, Colorado gets more sunshine than any other state in the union (48 - We don't count those other 2 territories). All the people out there are fit and a bike rack is attached to the top of every car. I have never seen so many Jeeps in my life. And I am not talking about Cherokees, Libertys, or even Wagoneers because those are not Jeeps.

Until next Time,

Darren

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Squeal Like a Pig!

Click here to listen to Podcast:

http://www.adventurebachelorparty.com/blog/Podcasts/West_Virginia_June17.mp3

I was heading back to the location that started it all. My first trip when starting the company was rafting in West Virginia. I was going down this season to check out the new hot spots in the city and to spend some time with my friends at the rafting company.

I flew in on Thursday and after walking the city and meeting with my restaurant and hotel contacts, I headed out to Fayetteville in my PT Cruiser rental (hated it) to see my friend Rob. We headed out to Summerville lake to do some wakeboarding. The lake was amazing. I am a rock freak as geology was one of my majors at Notre Dame. The exposed layers of sedimentary sandstone, revealing hundreds of thousands of years of geologic activity, was beautiful.

After doing some laps and sharing a few beers, Rob showed my a place where he first learned the art of cliff-diving. I was a little nervous as my last year of travel have left me in less than peak physical fitness and was not sure how much climbing was involved. Fortunately there was a rope to help scale the rock and the pictures below show my 60ft plunge into manhood, WV style. As for my platform dive, let's just say my backside is still bruised.

Rob's family was kind enough to take me in for the night and after grabbing breakfast at the famous "Cathedral Cafe" I headed back to Charleston to meet the NYC boyz for the bachelor party.

They trickled in throughout the afternoon and huddled around the hotel TV to stay up on their World Cup Soccer pools. After a few libations, we headed off to dinner, where Chef Wong supplied us with an incredible steak and salmon meal...the best in Charleston.

Following dinner it was off to the bars. We succeeded in getting tossed from all the bars and were back in bed by 4AM. They guys rallied the next morning for an early rise and following some omelettes, we boarded the bus and boomed the Deliverance Theme Song....our song for the entire weekend.

After arriving at base camp, we quickly signed our lives away and boarded the shuttle for the New River experience. Everyone got a safety briefing, and I made sure our guys paid close as a recent drowning in the nearby Gauley River that week had everyone focused.

After a few hours surfing rapids, hitting holds and getting hammered, we arrived some Karma Hole. Basically you jump off a rock into a vortex which churns you up and spits you out downriver. I got held down for about 25 seconds and it scared me a bit. The part that freaks you out is that you have no concept of your surroundings or when the ride will end.

After getting back in the boat, Rob let me guide the raft a bit....I need more work. The guys all jumped off a 20ft ledge before closing out the day at Greyhound Bus Station, or Bus Stop...I can never remember all the witty rapid names.

After tipping a few cold ones, the guys dug into a serious pig roast. It is a bit savage seeing this pig just chillin' on the grill, but I got over it and stuffed my face.

Following the roast, we headed to the house I booked for Saturday night. This places is amazing, the guys are always blown away when they check in and climb the spiral staircase to their rooms. Once they each had a chance to test out the antique 10-headed shower they rallied for an all-night Texas Hold 'Em tournament.

I went back to Rob's place to hang out with the family. The following morning we dropped everyone off at the airport for their flights. As usual, the guys had an amazing time and promised to function as unpaid salesmen on ABP's behalf for anyone looking for Bachelor Party ideas.

I really enjoyed my time in Charleston and Fayetteville with Rob's family. It was great to escape the big city hustle and bustle. I could easily see myself moving to a place like this and spending my days hiking and kayaking (assuming I can get in shape for it).

Until next time,

Darren

Texas Freeze Out

Click Here For Podcast:

http://www.adventurebachelorparty.com/blog/Podcasts/Dallas_Cattle_Drive_2-17-06.mp3

Since I was home this last weekend, I decided to work on my stack of Bachelor Party Adventures from earlier this year.

This one actually took place in mid-February. It was 8 guys from NYC looking for a little City Slicker action. I headed into Dallas early that week to catch up with an old friend from college (Clown Boy). After sharing a few beers and reframiliarizing myself with the various attractions of the city I was off to the Embassy Suites to meet the guys flying in for the trip. The week before I got down there they had unexpectedly hit 80 degrees on the thermometer, but wouldn't you know it.....25 degrees the week of the trip.

Now, I am from Detroit so no big deal, but the locals were calling in the National Guard, ready to declare a state of emergency. It was actually pretty cold, especially with the freezing rain.

These guys definitely came to party, and after checking them into the hotel they demolished the open bar. I packed them into the shuttle and we headed to the steakhouse for dinner. This was one of those real Texas steak restaurants, where your options were Steak, steak and steak.

The waiter was a good guy and showed the guys the old, pull the cork out of the wine bottle without breaking it trick (If you do not know what I am talking about, email me as it is a surefire way to make some easy money). After dinner it was off the bars. These guys were crazy and carried the party back to the hotel.

I showed up at the Embassy the next day to get them off to the ranch and I came across a nice note on the door that mentioned how they were opting for the late wake-up call. We finally got everyone going and in the shuttle and arrived at the ranch to find a keg waiting for us.

It was real cold, so the cattle drive was a no go. I got them on horses for some photo opportunity, but they only lasted about 20 minutes before freezing solid. I made the mistake of giving them golf carts. Golf carts and beer are not a good combination. We organized a few games of tag with frequent trips back to the keg.

After Dinner and some Spa treatment the guys woke up to a little skeet shooting practice. What was I thinking, you think I would learn my lesson after the carts, but I did not. Anyway, everything went fine and I am happy to say that those 8 guys kicked the keg in under 24 hours!

We headed back to Dallas for another night of mayhem before departing back for the big apple. We did not get enough time on the horses but everyone had an incredible time and did not let the cold weather stop them from leaving their mark on the city.