So as I was sitting in Florida visiting with family when I get a text, out the blue, from my son Sean in Colorado  “Need a response ASAP – what’s your schedule like 3/2-3/7?”

I am a bit of an impulsive guy by nature, always up for some adventure, though our son can take spontaneity and adventure to the absolute next level… I guess, as I’ve gotten older, I naturally have gotten a little more subdued though Sean is many years from that… (The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and Sean probably comes by this naturally, like his Dad, just ask Joanne…)

After a few moments I responded to the text with what’s up and what do you have planned. Sean goes on to text how he has had the Havasupai Indian Reservation Hike on his bucket list for some time and he had just, by chance, scored 2 tickets/permits for the hike during that time. The cost for a fee/permit is $100.00 per night with a 3 night minimum. The permits are not cheap though they are often sold out years in advance unless you are lucky enough to get one as a resale or in the lottery…

Sean had been lucky, as the temperatures are still a little cooler this time year and many people prefer to go several weeks later in the season. The summer is popular, though the trail is closed once temps get to 115 degrees (more on that in awhile)…

Most people probably would need to do a little more research before responding, though “Carpe’ Diem” was top of mind in that moment, and Sean and I had talked about doing an adventure together for a long time, so I immediately responded : ” Yes, I’m available and in…”

Next I headed to do some research to see what I had actually committed to

Heres’ what they say on the NPS site about hiking to Hasupai Village, Navajo Falls, Havasua Falls, Mooney Falls, & Beaver Falls:

• Make sure you are fit, athletic, well hydrated and prepared for a difficult desert hike. Sunscreen and sunhats are recommended.
• During summer months, temperatures can reach up to 115 degrees. Trails into Supai will be closed when the temperature exceeds 115 degrees.
• RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL HIKERS AND CAMPERS

• Trail Begins at Hualapai Hilltop

  191 miles/308 km from Grand Canyon Village
  or 66 miles/106 km from Peach Springs, Arizona.

Trail Distances (one way)	Miles–	Km
Hualapai Hilltop to Supai	–8	13
Supai to campground	–2	–3
Hualapai Hilltop to campground	10	16
Campground to Mooney Falls	0.5	0.8
Mooney Falls to Colorado River	–8	13

Camping is primitive to say the least. “Have I committed to living on puddle water & grubs for a week, while hiking with a 60 lb pack and probably nearly 40 miles in 3 days…?”

Well no turning back now… so just need to get organized, packed, prepared, and hope Sean is as good at back country camping as I believe he is. Joanne threatened him by saying, “if he doesn’t return me to her in one piece, she would be coming to live with him the rest of his life…. God forbid… so Sean had plenty of leverage to watch out for his Dad now…

Our plans finalized for this adventure were for me to fly to Denver, where Sean would pick me up and we would spend 2 days camping in his “Tacopad” on the drive to Hulapai Hilltop, AZ. Camp 3 nights in Havasua Falls Campground and then hike out and spend 2 days driving back to Denver. A fun week for sure.

Sean picked me up at Denver International on March 1st and we immediately headed for I-70 to drive across Colorado and on our way to Utah. Catching up with my Sean was great as we started across Vail Pass and on to Grand Junction crossing then into Utah. We briefly stopped in Moab, UT as we talked at length about possibly getting a bear can, for our food, given so many reports of animals getting into food in the Havasua Falls Campground. After some contemplation Sean opted for some P-cord and we would just sling up a stuff sack, hoping that would be fine. (That’s what we ended up doing and had no issues…)

That first day was a long drive. Sean had wanted to get to one of his favorite boon docking spots high above “Valley of the Gods- Bluff, UT” near Mexican Hat, UT.  We arrived about 1 hour before sunset and Sean proceeded to show me one a few of his favorite lookout spots before we settled on a great place at the very top of the mountain/mesa. We were able to scavenge wood for a small campfire just before sunset and Sean broke out his grill and made us dinner of sausage burritos.. (Yum!) We enjoyed the fire, until the wind picked up and we got concerned about floating embers… It had been a long day so we crashed by 9:30pm. I slept in the TacoPad and he slept on the ground next to the truck.

We both woke early to an amazing sunrise and some of the most spectacular mountain scenery you can imagine.  A hike before breakfast, with Sean exploring many cracks in crevices, while I just enjoyed all the views of Monument Valley in the distant. This is an incredible spot and I was so glad Sean brought me here. We definitely couldn’t get up here in our RV or Mini…

Packing up we had to get on the road as we were going to spend another long day in the truck on our way to Hulaipia Hilltop and the trailhead for our Havasua Falls adventure.  Sean stopped several times along the way so I could take some pictures of Monument Valley, Mexican Hat, The classic “Forest Gump Highway pic…, and then Route 66. We arrived at the trail head around dusk and proceeded to scope out the area. We looked at several available parking spots to camp tonight,which would also serve as a place for Sean’s truck while we were on our hiking adventure. Note: – Deciding on a spot near the wall would protect us from too much traffic or wind though until a passing camper explained that the reason those sights are available is too many rocks break off the cliff and often damage vehicles … (Didn’t see that one..) Sean proceeded to look for an alternative spot and quickly relocated... Our plan was to eat dinner and then do some pre-packing for our early departure first thing in the morning.

Sean certainly has loads more experience than me on hiking like this, so he had a plan and quickly packed our packs, clothes, food, equipment and anything else we would need. I was little help as he was on a mission and was very efficient in his logic and decision making. I remember several things he handed back to me during the process and just said “you don’t need this…Too much weight.”.  Sean had purchased or borrowed several items for the trip. One thing that proved invaluable was his Water filtration and pump system, Although we now know there is a place to get Spring water in the campground, it would have been nearly 1 mile from our final campsite. Instead, Sean used his system and just pumped water out of Havasua Creek the entire week which was very close to our campsite. This worked perfectly and neither of us had any issues. The stream also allowed us to easily wash dishes after meals and it provided an incredible background noise our entire visit. Once in the campground area you are never far away from the water or falls…

MSR TrailShot Pocket-Sized Water Filter for Hiking, Camping, Travel, and Emergency Preparedness

We started our decent from Hulapia Hilltop at 7:30am in the morning. Everyone said to start no later than this time so you can avoid the heat of the sun the first 2 miles of the descent and switchbacks heading to the stream bed trail the remainder of the hike. The hike from Hulaipai Hilltop to Supai indian village is about 8 miles. The first couple of miles are the toughest with all the switchbacks. One note you have to be aware of; there are no roads to Suapai Village. Everything there is brought in by Mules or helicopter. Hence you see many teams of mules (6-8 at a time) trucking equipment & supplies in both directions.  Everyone is advised  (more than once) to give these mule trains and wranglers a wide birth on the trail. They have the right away. Without these mules the town couldn’t survive and I will tell you many people would not be able to see this incredible valley. Sean & I fundamentally agree you need to earn this adventure and having mules doing the grunt work is really discounting the adventure and also  could lead to excessive commercialization. Although I wish everyone could see what is here, the sad truth is commercialization and exploitation could some day ruin the natural experience of this valley. It is on private Indian lands,  which have been here for thousands of years and is not a National Park. It is close to the Grand Canyon National Park. We both hope they can find a way for balanced approach moving forward on tourism….

The hike to Havasupai Indian Village is about 8 miles. With the pack and heat it can be quite challenging. We started early so heat wasn’t an issue. You need to make sure you pack adequate amounts of water for this hike, as no water is available for nearly 7  miles and it can get very hot at times. You are definitely cognizant of anyone hiking out as you can see the toll that this grind of a hike will take on you…

The rock formation, mountains, stream bed, and walled valleys consist of many WOW moments though I’d be lying to you that near the 8 mile mark we were ready for a break!  Arriving in Supai you can quickly tell this is a rustic native American village.

Note- Groceries/supplies: We did not realize there would actually be an adequately supplied store in the town. Actually one just as you get in town and another in the middle of the town. The town has a school for the children, Post Office, grocery store, and a scattering of shacks, homes, & residences. Life is tough in Havasupai for sure…

We have only a few pics from Havasupai Village, as there are numerous signs posted thru-out the town warning  “no photography ” is allowed especially of the mules. Easy to understand they don’t want pictures of their homes and definitely don’t want pictures of the mules (probably for fear of push back of animal rights groups…)

Taking a break at the Sinyella Store at the outskirts of Supai Village we were able to each get a gatorade and a few snacks and rest a bit at their picnic tables. They have this pack of very cute black dachshunds roaming the grounds which were quite entertaining… We also got to chat with a few other hikers.

Putting our packs on we proceeded to the Indian Reservations Office to check in before starting the 2 mile hike down to the campground. Every person must register, get a wrist band (to be worn at all times), and then get a tag to place on their tent.  Easy process… If you don’t have a reservation or permit you will be turned around quickly as you can’t be here… Every permit holder group must have a designated leader as well.

Note -Cell Service: Interesting we were told that once you start the 60 mile drive into reservation lands and the Hulapai Trailhead you would no longer have any cell service. This was true until we got to the Registration office in Supai Village. Apparently there is a pocket here of 3g coverage which proved to be helpful to communicate before starting the last few miles to the campground. Later in our stay we discovered you could get cell service for about 1 mile outside of town just before you start your final descent in the campground area and Havasua Falls.

The first Falls you see, as you depart Suapai Village is Navajo Falls. The green blue water and mineral deposit formations are amazing and with the temperatures really starting to rise we see many fellow campers wading and swimming. Not now, though good to know for our next 3 days…

The final descent we bump into a few entrepreneurs, from town, selling Fried dough, American India treats, and a person selling a few T-shirts out of a pack. Capitalism is starting to prosper outside of Havasua Falls ….

Getting to the campground entrance/fence we immediately notice the tables of left goods we had been told about. Apparently many visitors decide to lighten their loads considerably for their hike out after their 3 days here. You can’t believe what is left behind, though I guess it’s a small sacrifice to guarantee a successful hike out of there… We each find a pair of gloves, you will need for hiking Mooney Falls. We find an few extra tanks of fuel, which we don’t need, water jugs, bags, and a few other items that may work for us while here, which we will probably just leave on the table when we depart… Sean actually scored a nice sleeping pad left behind.

We are told by several departing hikers not to camp by the entrance but to take the time to hike the additional 1-2 miles for a better campground spot for your 3 days. We continue on, crossing the stream several times, and then scoping out several areas. Sean finally decides on a spot not far from the Havasua Creek that should work great for us. The water is close and apparently several times a year, when it rains, the entire area needs to be evacuated from the campground. But we should be good for our stay as no rain is in the forecast. Apparently they have built many picnic tables for the campsites now and although we didn’t have one we found one abandoned down by the stream bed that worked well for our 3 days here. Note-Toilets: We were not far from one of the toilets. (They are pit toilets, with no running water, and often run out of paper so pack something to use. – At least we didn’t have to break out the shovel while there…)

Since we hiked into the campground nearly to the end we were only about 100 yards from Mooney Falls. Let’s head down for a quick after dinner visit…

Mooney Falls is a spectacular water fall that towers nearly 200 feet high. Although this area is so well known for Havasua Falls, those that don’t venture past Havasus Falls don’t get to see the the even more impressive and higher Mooney Falls. Visiting Mooney Falls requires a descent down the chains, through the cliffs, and then some very slippery ladders. It is no doubt an adventure in itself. More than once did we see people freeze on this difficult descent and head back up. The mist from the falls covers you during the descent and the chains and rocks are treacherous and extremely slippery. (This is why getting those gloves at the table are a must!) We didn’t have a lot of time this evening, as the sun was setting, and we wanted to get back to the top before having to do it in the dark. It wasn’t very crowded this late in the day day. We will return tomorrow morning for a longer visit, though you want to do it early as it can get quite crowded and frustrating with so many attempting this hike. Note:- Hiking Mooney Falls; leave by 8:30 am to hike down, wear gloves, protect your camera equipment as everything gets wet, don’t go if you’re claustrophobic or scared of heights, and make sure you descend with your back to the falls…. (Can’t believe people tried to go down like stairs?)

Our first night camping in Havasupai Campground went well. Note: – Campfires, we were told by signage and in writing, were not allowed in Havasupai Campground. Apparently given it is early in the season and it can get cold once the sun goes down we were told campfires could be allowed right now contrary to everything we had been communicated. Just before dark, Sean & I had started collecting firewood & kindling. This is not an easy task as everyone was doing the same and most of the campground had been fairly picked over. Sean got lost for about 30 minutes and came back with are large armful of wood!  (I pretty much only found kindling…)

We had a terrific evening camp fire and then headed off to bed. It was a cold night… and at times the wind changes in the valley and you can immediately feel the cool breeze off the Havasua Creek. None the less, we slept well and the running stream of white noise was great. After a quick breakfast, Sean pumped some water and we immediately headed again for Money Falls and the trail to Beaver Falls. This hike is about 3.5 miles one way. We started our descent at Mooney again and immediately got caught in a traffic jam of people just frozen on the chains, ladders, and tunnels. I think we spent nearly 20 minutes in the tunnels just standing still. (Not for anyone with some  claustrophobia tendencies…)… Our strategy today was to immediately get on the trail to Beaver Falls and visit Mooney Falls again on the way back. We wore water shoes for this day as we had heard there were several stream crossings on the way to Beaver Falls. The trail seemed pretty worn until it wasn’t and we discovered several alternative paths  along the way, though we just continued close to the stream bed. The stream had numerous small falls along the way, several places of deep pools, and scenery that was amazing. The hike required us to get wet nearly waist deep several times, scramble rocks, climb ladders, walk over suspended paths of small valleys, bushwhack a little, and stop numerous times for pictures. The sun starts on the East side of the Valley, passes over the valley, and then disappears early on the west side of the valley. Note: We were told that we needed to be at Beaver Falls by 11:00 am if we wanted any quality time at the falls with the sun still out. As we arrived to the descend from the trail down to the Beaver Falls we were greeted by a Reservation Ranger that checked our bracelets and took our names.

Arriving at Beaver Falls we discovered a series of spectacular stepped falls filled with freezing water.  Not having showered in 3 days we had to go for a swim  and clean -up. The water is cold and having the sun still on you helps some, though the sun was totally gone by Noon. Don’t waste time here getting in the water as it’s even colder without that sun…

There were probably nearly 50 people here enjoying Beaver Falls with several continuing on to where the Colorado River converges with the Havasua Creek which is another 5 miles down stream. We considered continuing on, though decided instead to finish here at Beaver and then head back and take in Mooney Falls again in the afternoon. Also, we didn’t want to get to the Mooney Ladders & Chains too late do to the ascending traffic concerns. The Hike to Beaver is said to be only 2 miles, though  I disagree and so did the ranger. We both figured it’s between 3-3.5 miles so nearly 6-7 miles round trip back to the campground.

Getting back to the campground we took a little break from the day and then decided to hike to Supai Village and try the one restaurant in town for early dinner The Supai Cafe . With everything having to be flown in by helicopter you can only imagine the cost of food here. Actually for 2 of us to have Burgers & fries with all the fixins it was about $28.00. The food was good, the air conditioning on this hot day was even better, and sitting to watch the towns people and happenings was the best. We got to see the helicopter land and take off several times and then the Mule train arrive at the Post Office across the street. We chatted up the people next to us who happened to be teachers at the school in town. They were not with the tribe and they were a wealth of information. We asked them how they buy things while living here. They immediately answered Amazon Prime… They can get everything they need through Amazon except fresh produce. As the Mule/Mail herd was arriving they immediately said “see?” and pointed at the Amazon insignias on all the packages just strapped to the mules. So Amazon Prime even has Mule delivery via USPS to the post office here… Crazy!

Noticing so much other equipment in town we inquired about maybe a private secret road all the stuff is delivered by. They said it all comes by helicopter. Even the tractor they use for construction. They are limited to 3,000 lbs so everything is dismantled, brought down in stages, and re-assembled in the village – again Crazy! Note: – The helicopter is $110.00 to fly out to the Hulapai Hilltop Trail Head and takes about 8 minutes. They don’t take reservations and it’s a first come first serve line they operate until no one is left each day. We were told locals get a local rate … We did talk to several (many) that were opting for the helicopter ride out because of the grind and uphill challenge, in the heat, with a 60 lb+ pack. The hike from the campground to Supai village is uphill and the last 2 miles of the hike to the Trail head is totally uphill with many switchbacks. The challenge with that last couple of miles is it about a 1500 foot elevation gain in the last mile and when the sun comes around on that face it is a very daunting task. Apparently they have many search & rescues on that face.  It is a daunting hike out and few look forward to it with many breaking down and opting for the helicopter?

Our last day in Havasupai Campground we decided to take it a little slower given we knew we had that daunting trek out the next day. We decided to spend some time at Navajo Falls and then Havasua Falls. Navajo is smaller, though again has several cascades of water like Beaver. The water here is blue/green and when the sun hits it is just magical. We discovered that the lime deposits, attached to the rocks, are a big part of the water color here . It almost looks like coral or volcanic rock and can be very misleading when you go to stand on one and immediately the deposit is crushed and you are up to your waist in the water with your leg now submerged in the deposit. A very strange feeling for sure. We both had heard the water is considerably warmer here so both took swims and spent time just sitting on the falls. Very relaxing for sure.

Havasua Falls is the first big falls you see when descending into Havasupai campground and no question is a WOW moment. Hiking down to the pool with the Falls crashing behind really is a surreal moment.  No wonder this place has become so famous, so quickly. Actually Beyonce did a video shoot there recently and definitely added to the interest in visiting this special place. We took the short hike down to the Falls and spent some time just in awe. The crashing water with the red rock background is an amazing natural site and surely is a moment where you know nature is ultimately in-charge….

Enjoying a little video of all the Falls near Havasuapi Campground:

Many times during the day Sean & I had talked to fellow hikers about the anticipated trek out the next day. Each of us had the same concerns about the expected high temperatures the next day and hitting that last 1.5 miles with the hot sun on us with these heavy packs. Most people were talking about leaving by 4:30-5:00am in the morning to get a head start,  though many were definitely considering that $110.00 helicopter ride…

After dinner we both decided to relax. While I just sat at the table reflecting on the day, Sean had taken a little walk by himself. As he arrived back to the camp-site at 8:00pm he proclaimed his new departure idea. “How would you feel about leaving now and hiking out in the night?” – He was just as concerned about the next days heat as I was. I told him to give me a minute to ponder this. We had already hiked nearly 7 miles this day. Nearly 34 miles in 2 days and it is very dark and remote out there in the Arizona desert. I was not enamored with the idea though was definitely concerned about the heat the next day. Neither of us had the helicopter as an option given our thought about earning this adventure, so I asked Sean if he really thought we could get out of there in the dark ? He hesitated for only a moment and said …”Yes” – Ok I trusted him and was in. It took us about 30 minutes to break camp, pack our packs, filter water(we were definitely going to need that water for this hike), and say good bye to Havasuapi Campground. As we walked through the campground several other campers asked about our departure and you could see their heads/eyes roll as we passed by. Sean reminded me “I got this…” I reminded him what his mom had said about living with him the rest of his life…”!

Getting to Supai Village, which was empty at 9:30pm at night, we met a lone mule rider on the outskirts of the town . He said he was town security and as he flashed his light in our eyes asked us “What we were doing?” Sean explained the concerns about tomorrow’s temperatures and we had decided to hike out now in the dark with our headlights. The patroller responded …”Yeah… we don’t let people do that”.  Sean said “why not?” – which he responded that “it’s very dark and remote out there and people easily get lost and we never find them????” Sean proceeded to put his best sales hat on and convince the patroller who eventually relented (though took our reservation #, names, and License plate of our car at the top). He said “at least if your vehicle is still at the top tomorrow we’ll know you didn’t make it out and maybe we could send a search & rescue out???” As we continued on I asked Sean “Are you sure about this?” – He hesitated for a moment and said -“I was until that guy was doing everything he could to discourage us… ” – We talked for a moment and then we both said “Let’s just do it!”

So hiking in a few days earlier it took us about  6 hours after subtracting all the stops for pics, in-town supplies and registraion. With that in mind we were hoping we could do it in about 6-7 hours heading out. As we entered the valley the 3/4 moon came out and helped our headlights with lighting the way. ?We were out there in the middle of nowhere’s for sure and I kept asking Sean,  “are we still on the trail?” There are a couple of important turns that have to be made and then many opportunities to get off the main trail for secondary trails that hopefully will connect you back with the main trail up the road. It was a beautiful cold evening.  (about 36 degrees F). As we hiked in the darkness we heard owls, coyotes, other small animals, hoping not to run into a mountain lion…, and had to do a fair amount of loose gravel walking and cactus avoidance along the trail. About 3 hours in we finally could see a small light on a mountain in the far distance that we were hoping was the on top of Hulapai Hilltop at the beginning of the trailhead. It was a long ways off though we kept looking for that beacon of hope as we continued our ascent from Supai Village. We emerged from the stream bed and began our ascent up the mountain about 4  hours in and we knew immediately this was going to be the toughest part of our journey back. For the next 1.30 hours we fought our way up those switchbacks encouraging each other forward. It was 36 degrees out and we both only had T-shirts on at this point with our 60 lb + packs and were both sweating uncontrollably. This is where we definitely need our packed water. We went thru nearly 3 quarts heading up that mountain. To say this section is a grind would be an understatement . I can’t imagine someone trying to do it in the summer when it’s over 110 degrees..

At 1:50am we crested the top exhausted. It had taken us 5:20 minutes to hike out with just a few water stops or pack adjustments. We both high-fived and embraced in congratulations. This will be a hike we will both never, ever forget…

We shared a small celebratory beverage, while packing the car and changing our soaking/sweaty clothes. When we checked we had completed 18 miles in hiking this last day of our Havasua Falls adventure and had loggged a total of 45 miles in 3 days . Not bad for a guy that had his knee replaced last year and is Social Security eligible….

Since we were still wide-awake from our hike we decided to drive about 80 miles to the closest gas station and crash in the car for the night. We arrived at Seligman, AZ and crashed in a parking lot for a few hours and then planned the 2 day trip back to Denver International airport and Colorado. We took a pic that morning at the Classic Route 66 Sign (now made famous by the Pixar/Disney Car’s movies)

Since we were ending up with some extra time and I had my National Park Senior Pass with me we decided we would make a quick stop at “Grand Canyon National Park”. Sean & I hadn’t been here since our 2001 cross-country family trip so it was fun to reminisce, see the NPS movie, and do a few miles of walking along the perimeter. It was also nice that the crowds weren’t very large this time of the year…

While taking in all the breathtaking views of Grand Canyon we got a chance to talk to two returning hikers that had just finished traversing the South-North Rims and back. We must be crazy, though they had us convinced and Sean is already planning next years adventure nearly 50 miles in the canyon…

A few hours down the road we made a roadside stop to clean the truck some and repack the entire TacoPad before continuing on to Cortez, Colorado for the night. Neither of us had showered in nearly a week and I made an executive decision and coughed up for the hotel and dinner out. Nice to get a shower and sleep in a real bed!

Only a few minutes from our Cortez, CO stop was “Mesa Verde National Park”. Of course we had to stop here for some tourist viewing the next morning. Not everything was open though we did get to visit a couple of small museums, visitor center and catch a few pics of several cliff dwellings. Again neither of us had been here since the 2001 trip together…

We still had a lot of miles to accomplish this day in order to stay on schedule, so we left Mesa Verde heading  West/North West. We drove thorough Durango, CO, Pagosa Spring, Wolf Creek Pass, and arrived at pre-dusk at “Great Sand Dunes National Park”. Neither of us had ever been here so the quick stop was worth it and we soon realized we need to have a return visit to spend more time in this very unusual National Park.

As we exited Great Sand Dunes NP we looked for another hotel for the night. We headed for Alamosa, CO only about 30 miles away and checked into the Super 8 for the night. (Wow! – having a shower and bed for a second night… This could become a habit?)

We headed to downtown to sample some local fare and ended up at the Purple Pig Pizza restaurant per a recommendation. The food, atmosphere, and Hall Fame Motocross Rider we met all contributed to a great evening!

Next day we woke to our final day of driving of our adventure. We still had a ways to go, though found the time to make a quick stop at “Gardens of the God’s” in Colorado Springs, CO. Although I had just visited here (along with Pike’s Peak), this past summer, Sean had never been here. I figured since we were passing right by why not take a quick drive through. This is known as the busiest public park in the country, as it’s owned by the city of Colorado Springs, and when it was deeded to the city it was required to have free entry for perpetuity. The price is right and the views make this a special place and a great last stop on this epic adventure.

So this was a fitting last pic of our 7 day adventure. We had without question been in several of God’s magical Gardens over the last week. I had no idea, when I said yes to that text a few weeks earlier, what this trip would be all about. Not many Dad’s get to spend a week like this with their adult son. Sean and I are very similar in many ways. Both determined, hard headed, stubborn, Type A personalities. I’d be lying if I said the week was all rainbows & unicorns. How could it be with two very strong willed independent people. What it was: an incredible gift that I will be forever grateful to him for suggesting. We both laughed, yelled, disagreed, even had a few tears, and then laughed some more during this saga. How could we not. We both got to understand each others’ own journey a little better. It is so wonderful to be able to put a parenting mentality behind you and just be a friend of your adult son.

An old friend of mine use to say “Life is about Living… Really Living!!!!” Sean walks this talk every day of his life. Of course life can have it’s highs and lows and we both shared some of each on this trip.

Ultimately in the words from one of my favorite movies “Dead Poets Society” – quoting Henry David Thoreau – “The Dead Poets were dedicated to sucking the marrow out of life. That’s the phrase from Thoreau they would invoke at the beginning of every meeting.” The Dead Poets worked to “suck the marrow out of life”—meaning they wanted to squeeze their lives dry of everything they had to offer.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, to discover that I had not lived.

“I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary.

“I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life” 

– Henry David Thoreau

 

In my humble opinion we both can feel very good about being successful this past week in “sucking the marrow out of life” during this incredible father/son adventure and my continued “Revolutionary Journey….