Scout Summer 2025: Showers, Friends, and a Wedding
Writing Week 3 during Week 6. Better late than never, right? Routine has never been my strong suit.
We’ll pick this back up with a glorious weekend spent in Crested Butte. We spent the weekend exploring fields overflowing with an abundance of wildflowers, making friends with the deer (and another moose!), and gaping up at the starry skies, so clear we could see the Milky Way by 10 pm. We also had our first campfire of the summer! Since most of our camping is in the forests on the West Coast, we rarely have a campfire due to fire danger, so evenings spent cooking over the fire and staying up to look at the stars feel like a special treat.
During our time here, I found myself reflecting on the forced simplicity of our summer lifestyle. Because the Scout sits in the truck bed, we typically avoid driving from camp to explore whenever possible. This means we usually bike, hike, and explore right from camp. While we may “miss out” on some things, I’m so grateful for the way this simplifies our travels. It’s so easy to get caught up in making sure you see the “best” views and hike the “best” trails, but I often find I derive the most joy from discovering the unmarked trail behind camp, or biking the empty dirt road no one else is on. The lack of expectations creates room for the little joys to sneak in and surprise you. It also serves as a reminder that this idea of seeing all the “best” stuff is just artificial pressure created by the internet. If we don’t buy into it and instead just enjoy the life in front of us, we will be much more satisfied.
Okay, end of rant. While we were in CB, we were able to catch up with a few friends in town, which is always a welcome shake-up to 24/7 N+M+R time. We rarely fight on the road, but a new energy, new voices, and new stories are so refreshing.
We left Crested Butte on Sunday with a quick stop at the Farmer’s Market and headed towards Summit County via the scenic route (longer, but always better).
We had a 10/10 road trip day discovering future spots to explore, stretching our legs frequently, and stopping in towns like Leadville along the way (also a spot on the “must return to” list).
The first place we went in Summit County was, obviously, Outer Range for some food and a drink before we did a quick jaunt to the edges of Silverthorne. I tested my skills driving on the dirt road out to camp and was rewarded with another Moose sighting (and a bit more confidence)! There were a ton of spots back in this area and great views, along with creek access, but the mosquitoes limited our ability to enjoy it all to the fullest. That said, Nick got in a nice ride while the “girls” went for a hike.
After a quick two nights near Silverthorne, we headed down the mountain to spend the rest of the week in the Denver area and celebrate our friends Brett and Andi’s wedding. The big hotel bed, “real” showers, and time with friends were just what we needed after a few weeks on the road. I’m not one to typically do my hair and makeup daily, but man, does it feel like a treat in the summer.
Saturday came quickly, and it was time to say goodbye to our friends and to Colorado. Up next: Montana.
- M
