A couple of weekends ago, I found myself leaving the familiar surroundings of my home, Moab, UT, destined for the chaotic world of Las Vegas, NV. Although Las Vegas wasn’t my final destination, it was the beginning of a journey which was bound to be life changing. I was headed on a 5 day excursion with 11 veterans with disabilities who had traveled from northwest Florida to experience all that the southwest has to offer.
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| The Majestic Grand Canyon |
Although the goal of this trip was to go rafting down the Colorado River, by way of the Grand Canyon, our journey included so many spectacular adventures and places, it seemed like each was the most exciting day any of us have ever experienced. Our river guide, Ben, joked “…the great thing about this trip is that it is full of firsts. For most people it’s their first time flying on a small plane, their first time at a dude ranch, their first time in a helicopter, their first time on a J-rig, heck, even their first time camping!” Aside from the last one, this was true of me and for many in the group. Our hosts, Western River Adventures, certainly did a wonderful job adapting their services to accommodate a group which included people with visual impairments, amputees, and people with post traumatic stress. Our many days of firsts were guided by kind smiles and patient hearts, and we all felt wonderfully taken care of.
I wish I could write about the trip from start to finish, but so much happened I don’t think I could do the whole expedition justice. I will say that our participants headed back to Florida with inspired enthusiasm, and a reinvigorated thirst for life. One of the participants, Chuck, said to me on the last night “You know that we will be best friends forever right?” I responded affirmatively, and knew in my heart that it was true.
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