Andrew Orr-Ewing and Basile Curchod (pictured with former Bristol group members Dr Fabiola Cardoso and Dr Matt Bain) visited the SLAC National Accelerator Center in Menlo Park, California on 16th August 2023 to learn about the experimental capabilities of the upgraded LCLS-II X-ray free electron laser. The visit was also an opportunity to discuss plans for upcoming experiments using LCLS-II in late 2023 as part of the UPDICE project. Basile and Andrew also gave a joint seminar on their theoretical and experimental studies of the ultrafast photochemical dynamics of pyruvic acid in the gas phase and in aqueous solution.