a snowy mountain tops with a meteor in the sky

Rising into the Unknown

Life is a journey, let’s chase the summits and relish the adventure all along the way.

latest adventure posts

Minnesota Expo 2027: Bringing the World to the American Heartlands

It has been great working as co-chair for the Minnesota Expo 2027 to help bring the first World’s Fair onto U.S. soil in over 40 years. Minnesota will be an excellent location to host international citizens and already has the necessary infrastructure for future development. The plan is that for 93 days in the summer of 2027, Bloomington and the Twin Cities will be home to various Expo events, including international pavilions, unveiling new technology, art, culture, science, and much more. Our proposed Expo site is 62 acres east of the Mall of America with an urban center, transportation networks and is near the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The City of Bloomington has also been an essential expo supporter and asset in identifying site options that fit temporary needs and long-term city and commercial developments. Our effort to bring the expo to the American Heartlands is made up of political, civic, and business leaders that see the value of assembling the world to have a meaningful conversation about the well-being of Earth through the “Healthy People, Healthy Planet” themed exposition.

Enlightening Trip to Egypt and Jordan

My recent trip to Egypt and Jordan felt like a journey back in time! I had the opportunity to visit so many historic sites that were truly incredible to witness firsthand. Immersing myself in the local culture and history was the best part of my trip. I visited Tahrir Square, or "Martyr Square,” in downtown Cairo where most political demonstrations have been held since the early 20th century. Both the 2011 Egyptian revolution and the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak happened there.

Grit

10 years ago at the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. I’m proud of all of my kids for different reasons. They all have very different personalities.

I Can See Clearly Now

Whenever people start a conversation about which of the five senses is their favorite, I’m baffled because there's only one that really matters to me. My sight. I'm not a foodie and could go without eating if there was a pill to replace food. I do like hearing, but there are a lot of annoying things that come with that. Smelling is 50-50 to me, and I will admit that parts of touch are important. But nothing comes close to seeing.

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr

The third Monday every January commemorates the life and work of the American civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. Although workers across our nation generally have the day off, the best way to honor Dr. King’s legacy is to consider the holiday a “day on” with community involvement instead. Clayco’s Black Resource Group (BRG) and marketing team created this flyer to showcase events that people can attend virtually or in person in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, including a day of reflection and service, volunteering, community celebrations, and more. BRG’s mission is to help provide a path toward equal opportunity and ensure that Black employees feel safe and welcome in their workspace. I strongly encourage you to attend any of the events listed to join us in creating more inclusive and equitable communities.

Minnesota’s bid for the 2027 Expo

The World’s Fairs have an incredible history and have given us some of the world’s most remarkable inventions, including the telephone, live television, and clean energy cars. The first modern World’s Expo was Britain’s Great Exhibition in London in 1851. Remembered as the Crystal Palace Exhibition for Joseph Paxton’s magnificent iron and glass structure, it was an enormous success. Since then, World’s Fairs have focused on innovation, technology, and cultural exchange, with themes offering a glimpse into utopian futures. The World’s Expos gave rise to a number of widely-recognized global landmarks like Seattle’s Space Needle, the Biosphere in Montreal, and of course, Paris’s Eiffel Tower. Constructed as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair, the wrought iron tower – built from 18,000 pieces of metal and named after engineer Gustave Eiffel – was a technological masterpiece of construction. It has since come to symbolize France and is one of the most iconic structures in the world.

ADVENTURE

Building Buttercup

a fence in a field with trees in the background

I can’t describe the powerful emotion I felt at this moment, for everything lost and gained in my whole life. It was a spiritual experience, from my heart.

ADVENTURE

Climbing Capitol Peak

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Adventure

Adventure is in my DNA

Ever since I read the stories of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, I’ve looked at all of my life as an adventure. Listening and learning from my father was amazing story in history over the course of 40 years taught me that adventure was in my DNA at conception.

I’ve always been able to keep calm and have a level head and every situation I can remember. The only exception of this rule is that I don’t believe a person should not panic if they’re drowning. I would definitely drown panicking.

Beyond that all of life’s twists and turns good and bad ecstatic or heartbroken all add up to the different color crayons in your crayon box. That was a quote from my dad upon hearing some shocking news about my own colorful life.