Before I jump into the CO update, I want to take a moment to talk about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a hero of mine, who passed away from complications of cancer on Friday. In many ways, she epitomized our nation’s values - a relentless advocate for equality, who led with compassion, conviction, and integrity. It’s because of her that as a gay person, I have the right to work without fear of being fired, that I can marry who I love, that I can’t be arrested for being who I am. Those are precious rights that should be inalienable, that if we were truly a nation that believed in equality for all, would not be up for discussion. But we aren’t there yet and while great strides have been made, there should be no doubt that the Trump Administration is a threat to equality, to the promise that makes our country great. RBG proved that dissent can be patriotic, that our founding fathers were not perfect, and that we are an evolving nation that is still trying to right wrongs of the past and deliver on its promises for the future.
If you’re voting this fall (and if you’re a US citizen, you better be), I am urging and asking you to vote for Joe Biden. He is not the magical solution to all of our problems, but I believe that he will be a leader that will seek to unify and not divide; trust scientists; ensure healthcare access for all; advocate for equality; lead with respect for all people (even those who didn’t vote for him); and restore decency to the White House.
It would also be nice to not have a president addicted to Twitter.
National Voter Registration Day is coming up - if you need to register, go here for more info.
Finally, VOTE.
Now, onto the fun.
It was a busy work week, but on Wednesday evening we spent some time at Lake Irwin and took a drive to check out the changing leaves.
This weekend brought a real adventure - camping along the Colorado River in the desert in Utah with one of my best friends from college, Alyssa, her fiancé Ty, their dog Crash, and their friends Lauren and Zack. I hadn't seen Alyssa since October 2018 and after canceling a visit earlier this summer, it was great to finally spend time together. We arrived after dark on Friday night to Hittle Bottom Campground and spent the evening at the campfire and watching shooting stars.
In the morning, we got to see the area’s beauty and we spent the day rafting on the Colorado River. Luckily for us, Alyssa and the rest of the Utah crew are experienced rafting guides and did most of the lifting as we battled some pretty intense wind and some fun ripples/mini-rapids. It was a toasty 88 degrees and it was nice to cool off with a float.
It was a great day and an amazing way to see the beautiful landscape.
On Sunday, we got up bright and early, broke down the campsite, and headed to Arches National Park. It was incredibly beautiful, and I was awestruck by the rock formations and the desert.
Geology ROCKS. (Get it?)
After we left the park, we got some great Mexican food in Green River and began our trek home. It was an amazing weekend exploring a beautiful part of the country with some awesome people.
Utah pictures are here.
Colorado pictures are here.
