Taking time off, exploring new lands and finding new adventures with my partner was all I wanted to happen for myself this year. I am grateful all this still happened even though it was not the grand adventure to Iceland we had planned. I had the opportunity to extend my time here at CalSAC and I knew I would need time away from work and my life here in Oakland to get the rest and recovery my heart and body still needed. Staying true to CalSAC’s personality, my partner and I leaned into our adaptability and embarked on a three week cross country camping trip to Utah and Colorado.
Capitol Reef National Park
We rented a campervan (I would highly recommend) and visited the deserts of eastern Utah and the mountains of western Colorado. Each day was filled with hikes to explore the national parks or forests and swimming to keep cool from the desert heat. The time to sit at our campground, enjoy the quiet noises of our surroundings and to read many books on my list was the break I needed.
We felt fortunate to have the opportunity to safely travel to these places, which were less crowded than any other summer season due to the pandemic. Our favorite spots we visited were Canyonlands National Park in Utah and San Juan National Forest in Colorado, which is home to an exhausting but beautiful hike to Ice Lake. The time away off the grid and the time with my partner is what I needed to feel rested and rejuvenated.
Ice Lake Hike in San Juan National Forest
I am thankful to have a home to come back to, and a job that I enjoy at an organization committed to supporting out-of-school time staff in navigating through these challenging and uncertain times. I returned feeling rested, energized and ready to show up for the team and the field. I hope all of us in the field create space to take a break, even for a short time, to ensure we can continue to engage in this challenging and fulfilling work together.
This blog post was written by Selena Levy, CalSAC’s Co-Director of Programs.