Offspring Pays Tribute to His Legendary Father
U.S. Tour Kicks Off Rockin’ Minneapolis, MN

From nostalgic Led Heads to the legacy willed to aspiring drummers and musicians…many attended to pay tribute to “the man who changed drumming and music forever” voiced Jason Bonham last night.

The Legendary Bonham and super group Led Zeppelin have transcended time more than any band in history throughout the musical landscape.  Bonham enlisted archived photography and home video of his childhood sharing the story of growing up in a Legend’s household…in remembrance of his father’s passing 30 years ago.  Everyone could see how emotional this was for Jason and it was very touching to see how grateful he is about paying tribute to his father’s legacy.

*Bonham signing a drum head 10-19-2010*

You may or may not know that I am a gargantuan Zeppelin fan and you may or may not care.  Every kid who plays drums is captivated by John “Bonzo” Bonham.  And myself being tagged  “Little Drummer Boy” am no different.  I started logging hours upon hours behind a drum practice pad way back in 4th grade when I was first told there was no more room in the percussion section and would have to choose a different instrument.  Spite carved a different path and I proceeded to log hours that are required for mastery of any skill (See Gladwell’s Outliers). This past Tuesday night was a special night for me as I grew up in an era without “live” Zeppelin due to Bonham’s passing in 1980.  My only connection was listening to The #1 Hard Rock Band of ALL Time (according to VH1) on cassette and CD.  Jason and crew brought to life the Stairway to Heaven.

“We (the band) are Led Zeppelin fans first,” claimed Bonham as they went first-class.

The talent pool Bonham assembled to honor his father is outstanding!
James Dylan (vocals)
Tony Catania (lead guitar)
Michael Devin (bass)
Stephen LeBlanc (Keyboards, organ,lap steel guitar)
and of course Bonham (drums)

Here’s what you’re in for…

Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience Set List – Minneapolis State Theatre 10-19-10

Rock and Roll
Celebration Day
I Can’t Quit You Babe
Your Time is Gonna Come
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
Dazed and Confused
Lemon Song
Thank You
Moby Dick

—– Intermission —–

Good Times, Bad Times
Since I’ve Been Loving You
Black Dog
When the Levee Breaks
The Ocean
Over the Hills and Far Away
I’m Gonna Crawl
Stairway to Heaven
Kashmir

—- Encore —-

Whole Lotta Love

—

Bonham brought the house down concluding with…”Thank YOU and love the one your with!”

If you call yourself a Zeppelin fan and are anywhere near a venue with this limited show…This is a MUST-SEE Show!

John “Bonzo” Bonham…R.I.P.
Jason Bonham… “Thank You”

Crank it!
B-Rad

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Jordan recently took Diesel to a “Fun Day” at his breeder Gratitude Farms.

Here he was at 10 weeks…

He’s now at 160lbs.

Diesel & his dad Raboo (how much do they look alike?)

and one more…(just imagine each tongue on either side of your face at the same time)

Gratitude Farms raises fantastic African Boerboels and Cane Corsos.

Crank it!
B-Rad

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I am back from a week in the Lake of the Ozarks.  My first trip there.  Wicked Awesome.  All vacations / outings with the in-laws turn into contests and “full-contact” ….even activities you would think there would be no possibility of contact…there is.  Here we go.

This is the “sweet” picture.  With my 3 year old niece and her first time tubing.

Tube Wars with father in law

This one is without picture documentation.  However, I left with Tube Rash on both knees and elbows playing “King of the Tube” and also drank quite a sum of lake water.

Kneeboarding – My first time ever.  this pic was after about the 7th (maybe 10th) attempt at getting up.

Once you learn something, there is NO MERCY.  Why do all of these people want to WIPE me OUT??

Here is my mother-in-law taking me out.  Notice that I wiped out AFTER her.

Mini Golf – I finished SECOND to my sister-in-law.  This is a HUGE accomplishment that I detest ALL forms of golf.  There are 3 of us below ensuring “honesty”.  yeah right.

Peckers – A Gourmet Bar & Grill…  minus the “gourmet”

Cliff Jumping – First time ever.  Started out at a 40-50 foot cliff.  A good idea?

Here my father-in-law is stating physics… “for every foot elevation, the drop increases 1.4mph.”  Word.

My first Cliff Jump…”this isn’t bad”…”slow is for sissies” …”This may sting”

“This is going to Leave a Mark…or TWO.”

And I had a bruise the size of a dinner plate on my Aspen to prove that it left a mark!!!

Crank it!
B-Rad

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One trip thru and it will make you CRAVE eating healthy!

My wife got a little camera happy while whippin’ up some mean dishes!

Grub courtesy of the Market – Bison, Carrots, Red Pepper Potatoes.

If you live in or around St. Paul, go to the Farmers’ Market because it trumps the grocery store!

Crank it!
B-Rad

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The “D-Man” has his first birthday.  Hard to fathom that 10 months short ago we added this little guy to our family… 7 weeks old and 13 lbs.

Today he is 1 year old and 170lbs.  How would you like to gain 153 lbs in 10 months?

He still think’s he is a “lap dog” as here he is smothering Jordan

Here he is being “Large and In Charge”

Diesel’s Breeder “Gratitude Farms” is here in Minnesota.  They breed African Boerboels and Italian Cane Corsos in East Bethel.  They just had a litter of 13 yes THIRTEEN “Diesels” on Tuesday April 28th.  They also have litters on the way for Cane Corsoss.  If you want a fantastic temperament mixed with serious protection instinct… these are your breeds.

Crank it!
B-Rad

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Back from my first “real” ski trip ever.  We did a ski in / ski out trip.  Not as glamorous as it sounds.  Skis on at the house and then attempt to make it to ski lodge.  Here’s how my brutal Thursday went down…

Day 1 – Thursday

1 Ski’s on at the house

2 made it about 100 feet over a bridge before I fell down a bank into about 2 feet of snow.  10 minutes later I was back on my feet.

3 Fell down, taking my skis off so we can ride a ski lift to the top of another “hill” (unbeknownst to me)

4 arrive at the top of ski lift only to find that I, never having really skied before must find my way down a “blue” run.  For those of you non – skiers here are the ski hill codes

Flat land = no slope, flat ground, a great feeling that your feet are stable (that only exists in Minnesota)
Green = super “easy” / “fine to fall down” and kids as young as 4 are smokin’ me.
Double Green = semi “easy” / “falling down still feels ok”  12 year olds laughing at me.
Blue = intermediate / “slightly steeper” manageable by the 2nd day.
Double Blue = super intermediate / “where a lot of frickin’ snowboarders hang out”
Black = Advanced / “semi-crazy”
Double Black = Super Advanced / “Certified Freak Shows”

5 I manage to fall 4 times within the first 100 feet of my sorry attempt at going down this “blue” just to get to ski lodge so I can ride up the mountain gondola.  After a few choice expletives, I proceeded to rip my skis off and walk down the rest of this slope.  Not a great way to start my day or my ski weekend.

6 Ride the gondola.  Great view.  “What have I gotten myself into?”

7 Exit the gondola and head straight to ski school where I meet Dennis “Scuz” Warren, retired army sargeant, motorcycle racer, all-around “bad-ass old-dude”…and the patience of a kindergarten teacher with 20 students with fire ants in their pants.

8 Scuz teaches me a one thing at a time.  I fall down.  Teaches me some more.  I fall down… A LOT.

9 Day is moving along and now it’s time to go home…down “Doc’s landing”.  It’s a “blue”.  Here’s what Scuz says about it: “It’s not so much that it’s a ‘blue’.  It’s that Doc’s is a run that gets you psychologically cuz there’s no trees on either side and it looks like you’re going to fall off.”  Killer!  Just what I’m up for at the END of a high-stress day   so 45 minutes later I managed to fall and skid my way to the bottom of this run where I am greeted by my lovely wife.

Here’s a couple of comments caught on video:

What “Scuz” my Ski School Instructor has to say about my skiing abilities

Here’s what Shannon and I have to say about “Doc’s Run”…

Day 2 – Friday

1 Different Ski Area…where the 2002 Olympics were held.

2 Couple of greens.  couple of Blues.  “I’m gettin’ the hang of this”.

3 I get talked into descending a slightly more advanced “blue” right before lunch.  Fell A LOT.

4 post-lunch.  different ski lift.  “Blues” at the
top.  Well at the end of this “blue” there is a “black” and that is the
ONLY way out.  So, “What the hell?”  That was a quite LARGE mistake.
Moguls are not a beginner’s friend.  I made it…barely.

5 Skied “Blues” and “double-blues” the rest of the day.

Day 3 – Saturday

1 Back at The Canyons.  Skied my nemesis “blue” to get down to the lodge.  Only fell once.

2 Actually kicked some “blue” ass all day today.

3 Wiped out hard in between lifts.  Hit and ice patch and slammed my hip into the ground so hard, I found my inner “wimp”.

4 Had one more run in with a “black” that I was not
ready for.  Fell.  HARD.  Hit my head (helmet on).  Still gave me a
slight concussion.

5 Skied a couple more hills that would have been murder on Thursday, but were easy now.

6 Got yelled at by ski patrol for going TOO FAST, down
Doc’s Run (yeah, the one where on Thursday I thought I was going to
have a slight spaz.)  Me going too fast?  Yeah, I probably was.  Little
did he know that I wasn’t going too fast because I WANTED to.

7 I return to the house to be welcomed by my 3 year-old
niece who says “I’m a better skier than you, Brad”.  As this was her
first time also.  Check her out…

What I learned:

1  I was told everyone, no matter how tough, has an
“inner wimp” and that I would find it.  I found my inner wimp.  Right
after I hit my head.  I tapped out.  Time to go home while I’m still
ahead.

2 I realize I need more daily Oh S#@t! Moments
(OS!Ms).  Every time I went down a hill that kept getting steeper I had
an OS!M.  That was the best thing that could have happened.

3 Get up.  Do it again.  And again.  And again.  That’s the only way to learn something new.

4 If I’m not falling much, then I’m not pushing my ability.  Push more and fall more.  Learn more.  Repeat.

Overall, this was one of the greatest experiences of my
life so far at age 32.  I conquered a 2009 BHAG.  And only left with a
few bruises, and slight head ache.

Anyone want to go skiing?

B-Rad

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I have receive a lot of requests lately for an update on Diesel.  I was looking back at some pics from a short 7 months ago.  Amazing how much he’s grown and changed.

From this:  7 weeks old / 13lbs

to this:  9 months old 140lbs…  all in 7 months!!

Here he is “guarding” our patio

and again testing his boundaries of a room he’s not allowed in (notice his left paw)

If any of you are looking for a large breed dog with fantastic temperaments I recommend Diesel’s breeder of Boerboels and Cane Corsos in Minnesota!

Crank it!
B-Rad

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New Year’s Resolutions are in full-swing.  You probably have some.  Bottom-line is what’s going to be better in 2009?  We’ll re-visit more about YOU in another post.

Everyone is curious about me.  What are my “New Year’s Resolutions”?  I would rather call them GOALS because I change them throughout the entire year instead of waiting for a new year to turn over.

Before I get into a few of my goals for 2009, I want to review some events and things I am extremely thankful for and “firsts” in my life from 2008.  Here goes…

Jan ‘08
-proposed to Jordan at a Timberwolves’ game via Crunch and a DiGiornio’s pizza box all on the megatron

March ‘08
-received Z Health Level 4 certification

April ‘08
-had my first “Team Nelson” at the RKC certification.
-began renovation on new house.  It is silly how much we ended up doing to it.

June ‘08
-assumed ownership of my ‘first’ puppy – Diesel our Boerboel African Mastiff (as of right now he’s 115lbs at 8 months old)

July ‘08
-learned how to build my ‘first’ retaining wall.

September ‘08

-married my lady friend Jordan Sept 6th.  There was A LOT of ‘firsts’ involved with this one.

-Honeymooned in Hawaii.  ‘first’
-Caught a 225 lb Marlin deep sea fishing.  ‘first’

October ‘08
-Hansen family mission trip…’first’ time to Africa
-’first’ time bow hunting EVER was in Africa and bagged a Warthog, Black Wildebeest, and a Zebra.

December ‘08
-had my best business year EVER with Kinetic Edge.  YOU all made that happen!

Overall, it is by far my best year of my life ever… because of my new bride who puts up with my crap…

this got long with the pics so I’ll continue in another post…

B-Rad

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I’ve been busy since returning from Africa. No excuses though for you my loyal readers (and now viewers). I am committed to stepping up my blog posts. You are going to be seeing A LOT from me starting right now. Less typing / more talking and doing. VIDEO BLOGGING is here! I just bought a “Flip Cam” and it is the EASIEST thing I’ve ever seen for getting video up on the internet in short order. Also my lovely wife Jordan (J-dawg for those in the know already used my new toy right out of the package here:

She will be adding some of her favorite recipes for quick, easy, healthy meals. She is a killer cook and even though she cooks healthy I still need to watch MY portion control.

So for the kids at home this is a Video that requires SOUND so if you are at work…you have been warned! Break the rules anyway, I am WAY more interesting than anything going on at work anyway

P.S. I will be doing some vlogging (check out the cool word) on my Africa Trip as we get pictures back. They are coming soon!

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Married 7:15pm Saturday September 6, 2008.
In Flight by 11:42am on Sunday morning September 7.

Night 1 Big Island
Initial thoughts: Flying into Hawaii is beautiful! This is the first time I had been to any tropical island. Pictures in magazines don’t do justice the the crystal clear aqua water hitting the beaches. It was amazing!

By the time we got our rental car and found Jordan’s luggage it was about 7pm and DARK already. My pre-conceived thought process was we are going to be on islands where it is warm and sunny most of the day. My awakening was there is max only 13 hours of daylight at the peak of the seasons there. Crazy. Driving to the resort at dusk was still pretty cool. To think that the entire island was formed by lava is unreal. There was hardly any vegetation on the big island to the South of the airport. Everything was lava rock. Once we found the resort (NOTHING is marked in Hawaii…tourist central and signage is almost non-existent) we decided that we had nothing planned for the next day and are afraid of being bored. We booked a helicopter ride immediately. Then we ended up having dinner at a restaurant right next to the ocean which was very relaxing.

Monday Day 1 Big Island
Let the non-stop action begin!
Sunshine Helicoptor Tours on the Black Beauty. You meet some interesting people in life, especially on vacation. 10 minutes into flight and the lady in front was re-visiting breakfast again and again. Jordan then became a little nauseaus for the remainder of the 3 hour flight. What a great way to start the morning! We got to see the 4 rare main animals of the island: wild donkeys, wild pigs, cattle, and cats! Anyway…highlights were the lava tubes (which you obviously can’t walk out to due

to volcanic activity) out in the lava fields and also the HUGE waterfalls on the back side of the island.

After returning from the Heli Tour, we attempted to hang out at the pool which lasted about 30 minutes before we both got bored. So off to check out the rest of the resort.

Tuesday Day 2 Big Island AM
7am Captain Zodiac’s Adventure
We had barely checked in, when Jordan asked me “what do you want to do this afternoon?” I mean it’s already 7:45am, we just signed up for a 4 hour tour, and we already worried about what were doing at 12:30pm? I guess I opted in to this whole thing so here we go. She asked the guides about Deep Sea Fishing. They called the people across the parking lot and we booked a boat immediately (more about this later).

Chad and Leslie were our guides for this excellent adventure. You meet some cool people when you are doing these outfitter tours. Behind Jordan you can see Spinner Dolphins which were so dang fast jumping out of the water we couldn’t get a clean shot of them!

We also saw Pilot Whales on the way out to snorkel…they are about 1/10 of the size of Humpback Whales which start to migrate in November.

Here we are messing around snorkeling using the coolest digital camera by Olympus…it is awesome underwater!

Tuesday Day 2 Big Island PM
Bite Me Fishing Charter

Kevin and Chad were our lucky captain/fisherman for the 4 hour trip. The first 90 minutes might have been the most boring of the entire trip. Then we had a this little 4 pound wussy Tuna hit the line and ended up using it as live bait. Little did I know that I was about to experience one of the best adrenaline rushes of my life: 225lb Marlin!

Catching this marlin was one of the HARDEST things I have ever done…the forearm pump was unbelievable from the endurance that it takes to reel!

20 minutes later (after my wife calls me a Sissy)…here it is up close a personal.

Definitely one of THE major highlights of my life thus far!

Wednesday Day 3 Travel to Kauai
Outdoor Airports. Traveling island to island. Super Ferry.
Arrival on Kauai. Chickens and a lot of Roosters EVERYWHERE (more on this later).

Thursday Day 4 Kauai Am
Wailua River Kayak Tours. Had trouble finding this place cuz it had moved and we had an old brochure. Upon arrival we were greeted by Cole (Bob Marley’s son for sure). Cole told us there would be “organic” snacks offered at the waterfall. He did come through though with fresh papaya, mango and ginger!

Graham (from Kansas) as our Tour Guide…he told us ‘feel free to call me Graham Cracker’ I gained a new appreciation of “Rain Forest” where it drizzled A LOT even though the sun was shining. Am I a lucky guy or what?

This is the waterfall. I definitely have a fall back career in modeling

Jordan decided that we needed to workout at least one day while we were in Hawaii to we ‘raced’ back to the boat launch. About 2 miles of kayaking up stream will do a back reeeeaaaal good

Friday Day 5 Kauai AM
Kipu Ranch ATV Tours
Tom and Mark were our guides.

Jordan continually attempted to spin mud all over me but as you can see in the picture only succeeded into mudding herself.

This tour included areas where scenes from Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones were filmed. The rope swing was in the first Indiana Jones.

…of course I had to indulge!

Friday Day 5 Kauai PM
Zipline Tour with Nate (from the great state of Minnesota!) and his hyper-active assistant (whose name I can’t remember)

Check out our cool gear!

This me rising to a dare to trust fall backwards…

Of course the guides challenge the newlyweds to a contest (which we couldn’t pass up)…who could stay upside down the longest

This zipline tour was the closest real-life thing I have seen to the Swiss Family Robinson house out back in the woods!

The zip tour ended with a stop at this ’secret’ waterfalls where the rope got a little larger than the last one. Of course, once again I couldn’t resist descending from the largest/highest rock possible and attempting a cannonball proceeded to bruise my entire left ass cheek!

Saturday Day 6 Hanging at the hotel and back to MN
We had a late breakfast, each grabbed a book and sat back and relaxed before the flight home.

We had a blast!

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