Category: Chris’s Blog

  • October 28, 2025 – I actually got an office day!

    October 28, 2025 – I actually got an office day!

    Today was what I consider an “office day”, that is a day spent catching up on all the things that I should be doing (and get backed up) when I am out in the field. Spent most of the day working on Commercial Electrical Claim pricing and scope (what repairs are needed to get the insured back to “pre-loss condition”), and other processing support.

    My new Thermal Imaging camera showed up in the Amazon delivery today. I think this one will service my purposes better than the last version that made it about 1.5 years and died. I think the physical connection to the phone is the problem. The new one works via WiFi connection and it won’t have that point of failure. It will also work on either Android or iOS.

    Of course because I have a new tool (toy?) perhaps I needed to test it out on some willing suspects. See if you can identify the dogs in the gallery below. It looks like I will need to calibrate the temperatures the first time I am out in the field.

    On another note, it looks like Winter is almost here. The ski resorts are opening, the first avalanche was caused by a back country skier, and the grass was crunchy when I went out with the dogs this morning.

  • October 27, 2025 – Longmont, CO

    October 27, 2025 – Longmont, CO

    Today was spent with a drive up to Longmont, CO for a solar inspection. When I accepted the appointment I did not realize it involved a drive up a 3.7 mile, almost vertical dirt road with multiple switchbacks, single car width, no guardrails and pretty steep drop-offs. I did stop on the way down in a few places to take a few photographs. This area was part of the 2024 wildfires.

    The fire retardant dropped from the air tankers can corrode and etch both metal and glass if not cleaned off properly in a timely manner. This is becoming an immense problem in all of the wildfire areas. It is a corrosive material.

    This evening I completed yet another continuing education course in the Healthy Homes Series I am trying to finish. Got a ways to go, this is a pretty long series of courses. 2 down 16 to go. Maybe I will have that done by next year.

    It’s going to get cold tonight. The morning low will be 25 degrees. To make this more special it was raining this evening so everything may be a little slick in the morning.

    Here are a few photographs from my travels today.

    And we have another certificate for the collection.

  • October 26, 2025 – Connections and Winter Prep

    October 26, 2025 – Connections and Winter Prep

    Busy day today. It was Winter cleanup day here in Aurora, Colorado. First Jesse cleaned up the leaves around the rock in the backyard, then it was time to blow out the irrigation system so that the lines do not freeze over the Winter. We are now ready. Of course in the process of blowing the lines out we did find another broken pipe from last Winter. Can’t win on that. At least it is not the constant battle with sand that we had going on in Florida.

    I did get out for a little over an hour to connect the two sections of trails on my workout tracks that have been driving me nuts figuring out how I was going to connect them. Now that nagging space in the GPS maps is gone and I can start on the rest of the trails. My goal for this coming week is to finish the Toll Gate Creek Trail. There is not that much left.

    Climber got into some trouble today. She has re-started her high pitched whining when she can’t see her people. I really thought we were done with that, guess not. She is going to have to learn that this will just result in a loud bang on her crate and a “CLIMBER, KNOCK IT OFF!” Res hates it when we get onto Climber, he leaves the room and goes and sleeps someplace else.

    The photos above are from various activities today.

    My GPS track for today’s workout:

    Total distance: 5.09 mi
    Max elevation: 5518 ft
    Min elevation: 5438 ft
    Total climbing: 347 ft
    Total descent: -341 ft
    Average speed: 4.21 mi/h
    Average cadence: 58
    Average heart rate: 129
    Average temperature:
    Total time: 01:14:42

  • October 25, 2025 – What to do today?

    October 25, 2025 – What to do today?

    This morning’s walk started at the Central Recreation Center and then up the Toll Gate trail to Horseshoe Park (yesterday’s area of interest) and then back down the Toll Gate Trail past the rec center and towards Quincy Reservoir. I still have a nagging little gap on the Toll Gate trail I will fill in on a day without much time (City Hall to Mississippi Avenue). Would really like to join those two sections, but parking is a pain in that area.

    Total distance: 4.97 mi
    Max elevation: 5627 ft
    Min elevation: 5533 ft
    Total climbing: 265 ft
    Total descent: -255 ft
    Average speed: 4.12 mi/h
    Average cadence: 57
    Average heart rate: 131
    Average temperature:
    Total time: 01:13:33

    Took some neat photographs on my walk. Take a look at the gallery below.

  • Jesse @ FineArtAmerica.com

    Jesse has added more neat photography to FineArtAmerica.com, please check it out at:
    https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jesse-pannell/shop

    Take a look at the images tab.

  • October 24, 2025 – Horseshoe Park

    I am trying to get serious again with my effort to explore and map all of the Aurora, Co bike paths and trails. This is not a one year project and I did hit a setback with my coals with my health issues over the Summer.

    Today it was Horseshoe Park.

    Total distance: 4.87 mi
    Max elevation: 5608 ft
    Min elevation: 5505 ft
    Total climbing: 362 ft
    Total descent: -361 ft
    Average speed: 4.17 mi/h
    Average cadence: 57
    Average heart rate: 129
    Average temperature:
    Total time: 01:11:07

    Nice walk to connect a Olympic Park from earlier this week with Powerline Trail

    My current progress since the doctors approved my return to activity follow my Cardiac Ablation and earlier IVC filter removal.

    Total distance: 5.88 mi
    Max elevation: 5732 ft
    Min elevation: 5429 ft
    Total climbing: 5702 ft
    Total descent: -5732 ft
    Average speed: 4.12 mi/h
    Average cadence:
    Average heart rate:
    Average temperature:
    Total time: 04:44:41

    Some wildlife was hunting and being hunted on the trail connecting Horseshoe Park to Toll Gate and Power Line Trails.

  • February 1, 2024 workout

    February 1, 2024 workout

    Sometimes a long walk is all you need. Exploring the Aurora trails

    Unlike Florida things here have hills. The powerline trail is great.

    Saw the Prarie dogs

    And ended the route with the geese

  • 2024-01-27: Cincinnati –> Nashville –> Denver

    2024-01-27: Cincinnati –> Nashville –> Denver

    What a day. Started my day off in Cincinnati doing an inspection of a severely damaged apartment building. Ended up being much easier than I thought it would be so the search was on to find an earlier flight home.

    Was able to find a flight that got me into Denver an hour earlier than originally planned.

    Got to see an awesome sunset on the way to Denver.

    Always amazes me how much moonshine is available in Nashville’s airport.

    Almost home

    Finally on the A train to Perioria Station, where Jesse was there to pick me up.

  • Southwest

    Southwest

    I used to love flying this airline. The magic was lost when I suddenly realized that I was paying as much for a business class ticket on southwest as I was for first class on American. And my two bags fly free on American as well.

    Plus, on American or any other airline, I know I have a decent seat that is not dependent on who is scamming the early boarding process in front of me.

    I always have liked the Flight Crews on Southwest, but the costs and the seats suck. I usually only use them when they are the only choice for a direct flight

  • We have less snow than Florida!

    We have less snow than Florida!

    We have less snow here in Denver than some of my friends in Florida.

    That may change tomorrow.