Clayton Finally Gets Published

Well, it only took about a year, but I finally published something at work. I won't mention too many specifics (for fear of ending up in legitimate search results), but I finished a sort of bulleted literature-review on a very popular chemical, used in termite treatments and flea and tick sprays. Up to this point, there hasn't been a real comprehensive source of information on it, so I've added one little piece to the big picture. If you care to take a look, check it out here.

Oregon Surfing Pics Finally Posted

I finally scanned in the pictures we took earlier this year with a waterproof camera. The shots are from Otter Rock, about 5 miles north of Newport, OR. The break there is somewhat shielded from the wind, and on calm days is fantastic. Last time I went out it was dead calm, with 6-9 foot waves at 11 seconds...

This particular day I was out with David Elwood, who was demonstrating superb kayaking skills while trying to take some photos. Fun fact: David works on wave energy research and just got a wave energy buoy in the water about a week ago - and just a few miles down the coast.

Anyway, check out the pictures here.

Costa Rica 2007

I'm going to Costa Rica to go Surfing.

Since most people I know have already been there, I don't feel particularly bad about taking this trip. I've got to get out of the Oregon rain or I'm going to go crazy.

Everyone says Costa Rica is fantastic, and some even say it's their favorite destination. So I'm armed with more information than I probably want. I've got the Lonely Planet guide and the Surfer's Guide to Costa Rica (highly recommended).

Trip Plan:
Where: Costa Rica
When: Nov. 20 - Dec. 6th
Why: Surfing
How to get in touch with me: I imagine I'll have a chance to check my email between sets :), so you can catch me there. You can also find my profile on Travel Buddy.

After that I'll be working for another 2 weeks and then visiting family in Columbia, CA.

Extreme Salsa Weekend

Last weekend, the demographic in Corn-Valley shifted slightly for about 24 hours. Rumbanana hosted a weekend of salsa music, workshops, and partying, that brought in people from all over the west coast, including L.A., Portland, and Vancouver B.C. The band was hot (Afincando from Portland) and the dancing was as per usual... check out Mike and Simona performing after midnight here.

Casino de Rueda - Cuban Salsa

2007 has been a big year for many things, including a ridiculous amount of Cuban salsa dancing. I started taking lessons with the local group here, Rumbanana, run by Mike (white shirt) and Simona (far left), back in February. It's been one hell of a party ever since, since I've been taking classes or dancing as much as 3-4 nights a week.

This crew throws the best parties in town. Most amazing part is, Mike and Simona built the group from the ground up, starting classes within the last year, and now they have a huge group of followers. Their group, Rumbanana, even won first place at the 2007 Cuba Baila in Vancouver B.C. See video at their website.

If you want to see video of my silly self trying to dance (from one of our practices), go here.
If you want to see what Cuban salsa is supposed to look like, go here.