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MENSCH madness
Five friends. Eight cities. Twenty-five(ish) NCAA March Madness trips.
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2025 - Clearwater, FL
This is a bit of a different entry, because it's the first one I'm writing after building this site and sharing it with the boys. And...
escharf9
Mar 317 min read


2024 - Las Vegas (The Westgate Hotel)
Las Vegas 2024 This year it’s back to just me, Mark and Ezra and we’re back in Las Vegas for the first time since 2018 - the year I tore...
escharf9
Jan 11, 202411 min read


2023 - New Orleans
Just got back from the latest - and I think one of the best - March Madness trips. This one was in New Orleans, and only the fourth time...
escharf9
Jan 11, 20234 min read


2022 - Philadelphia
March Madness weekend in Philly. Mark picked up Ezra, then me at the airport and we drove in to our AirBnB on South Street. We walked up...
escharf9
Jan 11, 20223 min read


2021 - Indianapolis
A bit stranger than usual - not only due to COVID, but I came up to Indy a few days early for Margo's YAGP (Young American Grand Prix)...
escharf9
Jan 12, 20214 min read


2019 - Philadelphia
Another March Madness trip in the books. This one started a bit unconventionally for me - flew into LGA from Canada after two days of...
escharf9
Jan 12, 20194 min read


2018 - Las Vegas (Caesar's Palace)
Okay, so somehow I don't have a record of this year in my journals, so I'm pulling this from memory. Unfortunately for me, this was one...
escharf9
Jan 13, 20183 min read


2017 - Memphis
…Now I’m in Memphis chronicling our last March Madness trip. The drive down started slow, but the five hours flew by, especially after I...
escharf9
Jan 12, 20175 min read


2016 - Louisville
Picked Mark up at the airport Thursday around noon and checked in at our hotel - Hampton Inn. We drove over to get some lunch at Troll...
escharf9
Jan 22, 20163 min read


2015 - Las Vegas (Caeser's Palace)
Flying back from Vegas to Nashville after another great NCAA trip. We figured out that thi is the 17th year since we started. Does that...
escharf9
Feb 16, 20154 min read


2014 - Las Vegas (Bellagio)
Just landed in Vegas and eagerly awaiting Mark’s arrival. Ezra comes in a few hours and we’ll kick off “Ezra’s Retirement Party Weekend”...
escharf9
Jan 20, 20144 min read


2013 - Hmmmm.
This is another confounding one. I've always thought we only missed two year (2001 and 2004) due to personal conflicts, however, I have...
escharf9
Feb 7, 20131 min read
2012 - Las Vegas ?
I have not found any record, photos or distinct memories of this trip, but I'm pretty sure it happened.
escharf9
Feb 7, 20121 min read


2011 - New Orleans
I’m waiting to go to Baltimore for work and I realize I never wrote down the details of my New Orleans trip. It started with Ezra’s story...
escharf9
Jan 20, 20112 min read


2010 - Uncasville (CT)
Flying home from another March Madness trip - only this time we didn’t go to Vegas. I flew into New York City on Thursday (I got up at...
escharf9
Jan 20, 20104 min read
2009 - Indianapolis
Just got back from my weekend in Indy with Mark. The usual Vegas trip didn’t happen this year - Vegas burnout + no money + Ezra going to...
escharf9
Jan 19, 20093 min read
2008 - Las Vegas (Flamingo)
Wow, what a trip! In all the years we’ve been doing this, we’ve never done as well as we did yesterday - we didn’t miss one bet - and...
escharf9
Jan 19, 20084 min read


2007 - Las Vegas (Flamingo)
Got in late last night. Mark’s plane was delayed an hour so I sat and read and watched the crowds. We took a cab to the Flamingo and were...
escharf9
Jan 19, 20073 min read


2006 - Las Vegas (The Stardust)
This year it’s me, Mark and Ezra. We’re staying at The Stardust, which is pretty much a pit (they’re tearing it down next year), but it...
escharf9
Jan 19, 20063 min read


2000 - 2005
Ok, let me just start by saying this whole exercise of trying to remember each of these trips has been a struggle - and, in many ways, a...
escharf9
Feb 2, 20035 min read
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