Welcome to Notes From The Road, a monthly recap of where we’ve been and what we’ve been up to over the last 30 days.
I don’t know about you but July, for us, was all about beating the heat. For two weeks we tolerated near triple digit temps on our property. The idea was to get a feel for what the place is like in the heat of the summer. That experiment only confirmed what we speculated all along, it’s too hot for spending as much time outside as we prefer. Thank goodness Colorado’s high country offers cooler temps and endless camping opportunities and so back to the mountains we went. While the month felt like a bit of a slog, some fun adventures kept us entertained. Here’s a look back at the highlights from July…
Weddings & Portrait Sessions
Weddings and portrait sessions this month took us to Vail, Keystone, and Steamboat Springs. As photographers, the biggest challenge we’re faced with in the mountains is inclement weather. In July, we were gifted with nothing but beautiful days.
National Forest hopping
We have the utmost appreciation for the abundance of public lands here in Colorado. For full-time nomads like us, it means we can go to work and then set off to another beautiful campsite not too far down the road. July’s wildflowers were especially spectacular this year and made each of our hikes and campsites that much more enjoyable.
An evening with Underdog Rescue
I just happened to open Instagram at the right time one afternoon to learn that Underdog Rescue was holding an adoption event that evening in Palisade. We were at our property just 30 minutes away and so the obvious thing to do was quit work for the day, grab a camera, and go take pics of the pups. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday afternoon.
If you’re not familiar with Underdog Rescue based in Moab, they serve the Native American communities in the four corners region where an estimated 500,000 stray animals roam. The work they do for the betterment of the animals is incredible. And in case you didn’t know, rez dogs are the best dogs. 💛
Paddleboarding misadventures
In an effort to beat the heat one Saturday afternoon we decided to paddle a 15 mile stretch of the Colorado River not far from our property. This was an ambitious outing for two people who’ve only ever paddleboarded on a river once before but my naiveté told me we could simply let the current do the work if we got sick of paddling. That may have worked out had there not been a 20mph headwind for the duration of our paddle. Let me tell you, being blown upstream is no fun at all when many miles of river lie between you and your vehicle. We eventually made it but our bodies paid the price for working harder than we’ve ever worked on a paddleboard. We’ll have to try again one day when the conditions are more in our favor.
This month on Patreon
This month we get candid about what life is like when we’re not quite sure what’s next for us. Is it a mid-life crisis or just the liminal space we find ourselves in when we’re transitioning to the next great adventure? In this month’s podcast, you’ll hear all about that plus some tales from July’s adventures (and misadventures). Join our Patreon to listen to the conversation!
Thanks so much for following along! We hope you’re staying cool and enjoying all that summer has to offer.
Cheers,
Michele & Mark
