Puzzles in a Pandemic

March 16, 2020 Brian Gondek 0

I have to admit, my first reaction to all the craziness about the epidemic was “Man, flights are getting cheap!”  At the onset, Christina and I were excited about the month of April and the ability to take quick trips to places like San Diego and Myrtle Beach at record low prices.

Tampa Two-Day

March 2, 2020 Brian Gondek 0

It’s a little misleading to call this a Tampa trip since day 2 was entirely south of Tampa, and day 1 was largely around Clearwater. But however you call it, we’re having a great time.

Exploring Tampa

March 1, 2020 Brian Gondek 0

It’s been a while since Christina and I have grabbed an impromptu flight to a new destination- the last time we flew anywhere was for our honeymoon in November. So this time around, we jumped into our trip with particular gusto.

Uphill Battles from Around the World

December 28, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

One of the things I love about escape rooms is needing to problem solve in a variety of circumstances.  It adds a unique twist to the game and tests skills you never new you had. I’ve reflected a little on my handful of most unusual uphill battles from around the world, and I’ve rank-ordered the list below.

Puzzle for a Buck

December 2, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

Hunting deer isn’t something I’d previously thought of as a puzzle, but this season, I’ve started to see it a little bit differently.

Louisiana Blitz

November 13, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

I had heard legends of the escape rooms in Louisiana. The first mention I encountered was in St. Louis about three years ago. After solving an escape room with a pretty neat design, the owner mentioned that the only rooms cooler than his were in Louisiana.

Dallas, in a Nutshell

September 5, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

Escape room. Local attraction (Reunion Tower). Geocache. Forest preserve. Tex Mex. Barbecue. I’m just reaching the end of day 1 in Dallas and I’ve already packed in most of the necessities I was shooting for.

Chicago to Dallas: $46

August 21, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

Most people seem to hate Spirit Airlines.  I used to be right there with them, but over the past two years, they may have become my favorite airline.  I just booked a quick 1.5 day getaway to Dallas for $46 round trip.