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My journey on the road of life has been quite the adventure. I'm a 73-year-old outdoor junkie, who, at the ripe age of 22 had his life take a detour. I sustained a C-6 spinal cord injury from a diving accident, paralyzing my body from the neck down.

On the heels of the big NBA Allstar Weekend, it seems appropriate to address a love/hate relationship I have with tourism. Hate is a bit strong. It’s mostly a love affair, but there’s another side that I can’t ignore. To begin with, I’ve been involved in promoting travel to our state since the late 70’s when I was in the advertising agency world.

Behind that smiling countenance and bullet-proof positive attitude that you’re likely to encounter is the other me: frustrated, beaten down and yes, depressed. Sometimes. Lately it feels like it’s more often than not. My aging spinal cord injury isn’t helping things. Walking, even with crutches, is more difficult than ever. Two worn out painful shoulders are awaiting replacement surgery. Leg spasms are ruling the day. Waaah. Sounds like a lot of complaining to me.

This blog was meant to be. I’m writing it on Veteran’s Day, at the mouth of Utah’s famous Cottonwood Canyons on the first day of the 2022 ski season, in a veteran-owned coffee shop that donates free coffee to troops all over the world.

If you’re retired or looking forward to the time when you will be, you’ve probably said there are things you want to do “while I still have my health.” I’ve been retired for almost 12 years, and I’m still saying it. However, I recently learned that “We don’t know what we don’t know” can apply to the degree of physical health and stamina we still have, as well as to our mental abilities, especially when it comes to international travel.