Trip Report 2020: A Retrospective

[Stephen]

History will likely record 2020 as an annus horribilis for the world writ large. For me, though, it’s been an oddly good year. In the tradition of RME years gone by, I figured I’d offer up a photographic retrospective.

While I got married on New Year’s Eve 2019, we didn’t leave the building until after midnight January 1st, 2020. We didn’t know it at the time, but our wedding was apparently the last party anyone would get to go to!

January and February were fairly non-descript; I suppose. There was a sense of foreboding in the air as we read about what was happening in Asia and Europe, but all in all it was a pretty normal few months. Then March, and the End of the World. At the time I was still working for the Athletics Department at the U, and boy it was eerie up there for a few weeks. No one in the buildings but the front desk, facilities management, and IT. As with everyone, by the end of March we were all transitioned to work from home.

Going a bit stir-crazy, I headed out on a few close to home day trips in April along the PET.

And the TCRR.

As the weather warmed up in the spring, I spent a few weekends out exploring the West Desert.

 

[Stephen]

My wife and I were originally planning on taking our honeymoon in the UK and France over the summer, but as we all know, that was no longer an option. On both of our bucket lists was driving the Pacific Coast Highway from top to bottom. It was an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity to take 21 days to just drive. Memories to last a lifetime, for sure!

 

[Stephen]

Spent a few weekends up at Flaming Gorge in August.

Over the summer I had decided that after nearly a decade of rolling in the Trooper, it was time to upgrade my backcountry exploration vehicle. After much deliberation I settled on a 2017 Nissan Armada.

And I immediately got it out on the trail in AFC, the Uinta’s, and Moab.

In October I was lucky enough to go on the RME Montezuma Canyon and Grand Staircase trip.

Final outing for the year was back down to southern Utah to explore some new roads.

2020 turned out to be pretty alright, and 2021 is already shaping up to be at least as eventful for me. Hope to see you all in the New Year!

 

[Greg]

Looks like 2020 was a great year for you, Stephen! Thanks for sharing, love seeing stuff like this.

 

[Gravy]

Sounds like you had a great year. Cheers to 2021.

 

[Tonkaman]

Thanks for sharing Stephen. I’m glad to see you had such a great year, it looked amazing!

 

[Royal se]

For the United Kingdom I do not know but for France I believe you did not lose to change and to see the pictures,
like that in France, there are very few and in addition you have to know them.
Virtually all roads and paths are forbidden for ATV, motorcycle and 4x4. You have to be from the place you want to
go to find out which way to go. It is not like at home (USA) where the paths are passable under some
conditions. In France everything is forbidden!
Wishing you a better 2021 than 2020