Benjamin

I heard from my friends Brian Nicodemus and Bryce Parker about this little secret in Marana, where you can pay $20 to ride a real bull! Every other Friday night they hold a mini rodeo for bull riders to practice bull riding. How could I pass up this opportunity? To ride a real bull for only $20’s!

When I arrived at the rodeo early i walked up and signed my life and personal well being away to ride the beast. It would be about 2 hours until I ride. I met up with Brian and Bryce’s friend CJ Brewer who gave me some spurs and started telling me strategy on what to do. Cj only had enough gear for one person so we were going to have to share the equipment between rides. That was until I met my rodeo coach Dustin Gonzalez a 15 year old with a fiery personality that matched his ginger hair. He was hurt so he wasn’t riding and was letting me use his gear. He showed me how to warm up my rope and some advice on how to ride a bull. He basically put me through Bull Riding 101. His coaching was amazing, too bad i didn’t record that. This youtube video was the best i could find.

Everyone around me knew that it was my first time and kept asking me if I was nervous, scared, or crazy. I guess I was little of all of them, but i actually wasn’t that nervous until I got onto my bull, “Desert Storm”, and felt how strong and massive He is! They strapped my hand to his back so tight that it was going numb. They asked me if I was ready and I said “Lets Do It!” Just like cliff jumping, once you jump theirs no turning back.

$5 Parking, $20 To Register, Riding A Bull Is Priceless from Ben Beck on Ben’s Bull Ride.

Once they flung open that gate , Desert Storm was out of their with me flailing on his back! He headed straight for the far fence, bucking me the entire way. Once we got to the fence, he turned abruptly which made me think that he was going to squish me into the fence! So I grabbed onto the fence to pull me off. That was my 6 second adrenal rush! I got a great cheer from the crowd and the announcer. I also got a good bruise on my arm from grabbing onto the gate, i guess your not suppose to do that. One things for sure its an experience and a rush that I will never forget!

I’ve always thought that doing the tv show “The Amazing Race” would be so much fun, but after this weekend I realize that I would suck at it. My friend Alexis and I decided to try our hand at the Great Urban Race in Phoenix this year. The race encourages you to dress up in costumes and Alexis really wanted to be Shamu for reasons i still don’t understand, which made me her “trainer”.

So we got their and we were excited to see all of the great costumes. We walked around for a bit and then it was time where they handed out the clues, and then we were off. A bunch of people bolted for the door, while Alexis and I found a table sat down and devised a plan.

We were already at a disadvantage because we didn’t have a map or smart phone! So we quickly came up with the game plan of going to the Phoenix Library to use a computer to look up the clues and map them all out and do them. Great plan right!? So we started our adventure out walking towards the library, and when we got there it was not what we expected!
All the computers were full and we would have to wait an hour to get on a computer. Luckily we found Jerome, who had a ticket that allowed him to get on the computer in a few minutes. He was so nice and wanted to help us,so he offered his computer time to us. I think he was doing it because he crushing on Alexis. The funny part was Jerome was so nice but wasn’t very good at using mapquest. Hahaha, by the time we got done he printed off a several pages, mostly ads and small maps that weren’t readable. Out of 5 pages printed we only had 1 that was semi useful as a map of downtown Phoenix.

So we were off again still with almost no directions, we just ended up asking fellow racers for answers to clues and directions. I know we are totally cheaters but walking for hours in the Phoenix sun was starting to get old. Even with cheating it was still fun going around to find the different clues, and doing the activities.

Some of the Activities we had to do

* Unscramble a quote and who find the author who said it?
* Find 3 differences between 2 pictures
* Take pictures at landmarks
* Take a picture with someone who has a mustache with your fake mustache
* Make a hand puppet
* Take a short yoga lesson

After our last clue I was so happy to ride the light rail back to the finish! We completed it in just under 4 hrs, the winners finished in just 2 hrs. We would of finished a lot quicker if we didn’t have to backtrack so much.

I decided that i want to do it again next year, but we will be much more prepared with smart phones, food, and will not lock my car keys in my trunk (whole other story)

Who hasn’t seen Dumb and Dumber and not wanted to chill in a heart shaped hot tub?

Back in college we were in New Jersey and the only request we had for a hotel was that it had to have a heart shaped jacuzzi tub. We found one in the shady part of town but it was worth it! If you really want one they have them for sale but I’d say you try one at a hotel first. Whatever the price of the hotel the pictures are always priceless!

In Philadelphia people don’t see “Rocky” as a fictional character, he is a living legend. I can’t tell you how many people went off raving how great he is and how much he did for the city. After telling us all this the locals told us where the statue and stairs of Rocky were, and we were off to see them.

It was so much fun to see the statue and even more fun to run the stairs! I felt like Rocky, only thing missing were some cow carcasses to punch.

Rocky Steps from Ben Beck on Vimeo.