[Travel snippets – TS – a series of reflections on past travels and adventures]

Arizona and Utah is one of my favorite trips from the time before Margaret and I had children. We were newly married, in love, and had the freedom to just jump in a car, or on a plane, and do whatever. That said, it was an interesting trip in terms of some stark contrasts in the capabilities that Margaret and I have, and the things we are comfortable with.

Bryce is spectacular from a scenery perspective. From up top, you can see a landscape that you will see in few places in the world. Descend into that landscape, and you will find a much more inviting and hospitable world with trees, shade, life, and canyons. Don’t judge a book by its cover I guess, dive in and explore.

I really liked Zion, and I zipped up the ascending trails in fast fashion. Margaret, not so much, not good with the heights thing. On the other hand, Margaret is a marathon runner, and at that time she was in extremely good shape (and still is), whereas I had let my fitness go a little. So when it came to a nearby hike, she killed me, almost literally 😉 In life, and business, it helps to know what your partner can and cannot do. It can be an asset if the capabilities are different and complementary, when properly leveraged, but it can also leave one or the other being left behind. Successful partnerships require a compassion for, and an accommodation for these differences.

Both the drive to Grand Canyon from the side we approached it (and I have seen it from both sides) and the canyon itself is picturesque. We walked some part of the way down the trail, before returning to the top. The walk was tree-lined and enjoyable.

I once worked with a man who was walking down the Grand Canyon trail with his family. He looked around to find his daughter had slipped off the edge. He scrambled down to the bottom as fast as he could. When he got there, she was dead. It is hard for me to imagine what he had to go through scrambling down, discovering she was dead, getting her out of there, and then living with it the rest of his life. He was a nice man – what a terrible thing to happen to some one. There, but for the grace of god, go all us parents.

The great American outdoors has many wonders. Some of the best are to be found in the Arizona and Utah area. When planning your trip, it is helpful to know a little about your partner. What they can and can’t do. What they will and won’t do. What they might do. It is a playground full of memories that can be had no where else, but be careful out there, life happens.