Labor Day

Labor Day has three of the best seasons all rolled into one day. It's, by far, the best Monday of the year. It's also the last paid day off of the summer until Thanksgiving for the working folk. Even though I didn't have the day off and was flipping burgers at the local burger joint I enjoyed everyone coming in to celebrate the last slice of summer... and it seemed to be like a generous slice.

A man came in with his four sons to get shakes, all of them decked out in outdoor clothes with their pants tucked into rubber slickers, they had been fishing up in the Uinta's since Saturday. One friend came in who had spent his day four-wheeling the Timpooneke dirt road along the face of Timp. My brothers went camping down at the Meadow hot pots last night, and other friends were camping up Provo Canyon. My parents and sister hiked to Donut Falls up Big Cottonwood Canyon, and my parents also attended church up in Brighton yesterday to enjoy the last of the summer mountain air.

I had some friends text me from Lake Powell wondering if I had time to drive down their forgotten wakeboards to them on Saturday. I had a BBQ I was planning on hitting up, but decided to be the Lake Powell trip angel and make the long drive down. I spent Saturday evening camping on the banks of that gorgeous red sand lake. It was worth the quick turn around trip to sit by a campfire surrounded by stars and listen to the country music being played by our camping neighbors across the beach, and then wake up for a quick boat ride.

It does my heart good to see so many people out doing their outdoor thing. Being recently moved from San Diego back to Utah... soaking up the changing air and taking advantage of these mountains is everything. And knowing that so many people were enjoying their favorite little corners of the outdoor world this weekend absolutely thrills me. I picture a birds eye view of the wasatch front with all these people in different canyons and on different ledges, hunting, hiking, fishing, camping... all waving their little arms and celebrating the last of summer, the beginning of fall, and the anticipation of winter. It's an adorable image.

Such a wonderful gateway holiday, this Labor Day of ours.

Here's my Labor Day pictures from my quick overnighter to Bullfrog, UT: