Late last night we got home from an amazing rafting/camping trip. Knowing this trip was coming up definitely helped me get through all the hard work I was doing on the clinic last week. Carrie, Seth, Caleb, Brian and I set out Tuesday after work, with the raft in tow and camped at Rifle Gap enjoying Beergaritas and Campers Stew (both are A-MA-ZING!). We got up earlyish in the morning, had percolator coffee and oatmeal, packed up and headed out. After stocking up on more Beergarita ingredients and cold fried chicken, we hit the river. We put in in Glenwood Canyon which is my most favorite part of all of Colorado. If you haven’t driven on I-70 through the canyon, it’s definitely worth it. Riding the train through is even more amazing and, of course, floating down the river is the very best.

We had an epic day navigating rapids, eating and drinking delicious things, with me tripping on the rocks which left my legs all bruised and scraped up (par for the course) and swimming in the hippie dips (a section in the river where the hot springs drains into little pools – I could live there forever.) It was such a perfect day spent with people I love… kind of a last hurrah for our little group before Seth and Carrie move to Ft. Collins.

Things are a-changin around here but I’m living in my new way, soaking up all of life there is, cherishing every moment because who knows what tomorrow will look like. As I sat on the raft yesterday, laughing as people cracked jokes and teasing Caleb about his country music, I just drank it all in, sealing the day into my memory and enjoying it as much as I could. It’s amazing how much more of life I live these days.

camping at rifle gap

Caleb’s amazing raft

The boys fished at the end of the trip.

I’m always amazed at how tranquil and healing it is to be on the river. I so get why people spend their entire summers on the river.

Love this pic

catching a brown trout

at the hippie dips

making huge bagel sammiches at the end of the float (I was head chef.)

(read Carrie’s version of the story here.)