Camping together is how two neighbors in southeast Denver became trusted friends. Rachelle Miller recalls the initial connection, “My neighbor, Becca, and I met each other because I moved in two doors down, and through getting to know each other, we realized we both enjoyed camping.” Rachelle was cautiously optimistic. “We both shared what we like and the gear we have; we both had tents, we both had stoves. Together we had everything we needed, so we decided to go camping together.” The outcome was more than she had hoped. “We had a blast! We discovered we have compatible camping styles. And that’s how our friendship began.”

Fireplaces served as the primary way to warm homes during the winter before boilers, furnaces, and space heaters. For generations, there was a rhythm of preparation established by cutting wood for the winter. Wood cutting remains an embodied way to love our neighbors in our modern age. The labor of cutting, hauling, stacking, and storing firewood demands sacrifice. It is a physical and practical act of caring for our neighbors each winter.

Being freely & lightly attuned to the natural world around us reminds us of the patient pace of the Creator. This is not something to accomplish, but something to enter into, because it’s all happening anyway, and we aren’t at the center of any of it. We are invited to meet God in the wonder, enjoyment, and grief of it all.

Cycling is a practice rooted in the joy of exploration and spans across cultures and generations. The invention of the bicycle in the early 19th century revolutionized personal transportation and leisure. Bike riding has evolved from a means of transportation to a recreational activity and sport for cyclists of all ages. Cycling is emblematic of Colorado culture as it is a practice that expresses freedom, adventure, and well-being.