Three Great Places to Hike in California

 

The founder and former CEO of Makena Capital Management, LLC, David Colin Burke helped grow the global investment firm to include more than 400 clients with combined assets under management in excess of $20 billion. A resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, David Colin Burke enjoys hiking in his free time.

Offering a wide range of landscapes, Northern and Central California have plenty of options for hiking enthusiasts. The following are three must-visit areas:

1. Yosemite Falls Trail - This 9-mile trail can be completed in one day if started early. Boasting stunning panoramic valley-floor vistas, the highlight of the trail, naturally, is the view of Yosemite Falls. Hikers can often feel the mist from the falls at certain points along the trail.

2. Mount Shasta - While many people visit Mount Shasta with the intention of reaching its summit, the snowcapped mountain features several hiking trails that can be completed by the average hiker. One of the most popular hikes is the Gray Butte Trail, which takes roughly three hours to finish and reaches 7,000 feet in elevation.

3. John Muir Trail - Located east of Fresno, the John Muir Trail is a 211-mile hike that stretches from Yosemite National Park to Sequoia National Park. It is surrounded by mountains as high as 14,000 feet as well as an abundance of deep canyons and clear lakes. The entire trail takes about three weeks to hike on average, but many people stick to single- or multi-day hikes for portions of it.

UVA School of Law’s International Human Rights Clinic

With a leadership background in venture capital and private equity, David Colin Burke maintains a strong connection with his former universities. A law graduate of the University of Virginia (UVA) who also completed an international relations graduate degree, David Colin Burke sponsors the UVA School of Law’s International Human Rights Clinic.

Organized as a yearlong program, the clinic places law students in projects that provide them with advocacy skills within the human rights realm, both domestically and abroad. Working integrally with law firms, human rights attorneys, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), participants travel to Washington, DC, to fulfill project requirements. They also maintain direct contact with clients and with the supervising attorneys associated with client NGOs.

The International Human Rights Clinic also coordinates class discussions at UVA. These explore issues such as professional and ethical dilemmas that often arise in the course of legal work. Other sessions focus on human rights campaigns and movements and how to design effective advocacy strategies. Past project areas have included advocacy before human rights treaty bodies operating under the United Nations and litigation within African and inter-American human rights systems.

Tips for Triathlon Training

The former CEO of Makena Capital Management, LLC, David Colin Burke is currently the managing director of the family office Tuolumne Capital, LP. An alumnus of the University of Virginia, he maintains affiliations with the institution as a lecturer with the Virginia McIntire School of Commerce. In his leisure time, David Colin Burke enjoys training for triathlons.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic temporarily closing most health clubs, triathletes are looking for new ways to maintain their fitness and train for their next event. One idea to get your cycling miles in is to invest in a turbo trainer, which is a type of stationary bike with an advanced design. Some turbo trainers use fluid or magnets to provide resistance, and some “smart” models even allow you to adjust resistance with your phone.

To maintain your swimming muscles, try using resistance bands to strengthen the parts of your arm and back used in a swimming stroke. Increasing strength in areas such as the triceps and pectoral muscles will also help you become a stronger and more efficient swimmer. Lastly, while you can continue to run outside as part of your triathlon training, maintain social distancing by avoiding crowded trails and high-traffic times of day.