Trip to Moab

For Pioneer Day weekend I went down to Moab with some my greatest friends, and saw Arches National Park. It's really quite a remarkable place. It was very timely too, because I was getting very sick of the routine I was in. This was a great get-away, to spent some time relaxing and recharging. There's nothing quite like a good break.

On one of our hikes we got to talking about why we go on vacation. We asked ourselves what was so relaxing about hiking in sweltering heat in southern Utah in July. What's our motivation to get up and get away? When we take breaks, why do we travel long distances instead of seeing what our neighborhood has to often?

Regarding the last point, I knew some people in Northern Ireland who had never been to see The Giant's Causeway. From my own hometown, some friends have never see the Golden Gate Bridge or even bothered to cross it. It's funny sometimes how we'll travel around the world to see something, but wont bother with the wonders in our own backyard.

Anyway, I took this break because I wanted to get out of my office. Travel someplace where I could mentally escape my responsibilities even if only for a few days. I'm not trying to get out of my duties, I just needed some space.

More importantly, I went on this trip because I wanted to spend time with my friends, including my best friend. I wanted to strengthen my friendships with these people who are, in my opinion, the creme of the crop. They've meant a great deal to me. I was glad to be able to reconnect. Camping out in Moab, without any outside stress or obligation, allowed us to focus on what's most important.

At night, we were bombarded with stars. Our perspective of these constellations is quite fragile. We constantly forget about them simply because they are overpowered by city street lights. We all need a reality check now and then.

I highly recommend seeing Arches National Park and spending a lot of time there. Just go during a cooler time of the year!