Red’s Rainbow Chair

It’s been just over a year since Josie and I have been on our G.A.S. Adventure.  The first half of the year I wrote regularly of our travels, the awe-inspiring Nature we encountered, honored and enjoyed and the amazing people we’d met along the way.  Our second half was and continues to be a much different experience; deeper, more fulfilling, more connected, more aware of what’s important.  I’ve remained silent within my writing, as well as my communicating with anyone and everyone via telephone, text or e-mail, closing myself off expect to those I share the present moment with.  It allows me to be more present with you.  I am extremely grateful. 

We partook in four weddings across the United States throughout the summer and finished the change of seasons with a splash of Fall colors.  Interesting thing about the weddings we helped celebrate, they were all performed outdoors. The first of these four Love stories began at a remote, rustic wilderness lake lodge in Washington’s Northern Cascades.  This is one of the most incredibly beautiful places on earth. Everyone enjoyed their favorite activities, whether it be hiking, biking, swimming or just lounging in the shade of a tree with a cold one in hand.  Perhaps most importantly was the dancing and celebration shared by all and the union of two special Souls. Thank you, J & C! The second took place in the rolling hills of Montana on a beautiful private Horse Ranch.  The alter and seating area were surrounded by a small native trout stream in the shape of a horseshoe and covered in a carpet of carefully selected Sage grass and wild flowers.  The power of the land could be felt and is honored by the use of a sacred Native American Sweat Lodge located between the trout stream and an Artesian Well providing pure cold drinking water from the hillside just few short steps away.  One of the most beautiful and powerful ceremonies I’ve experienced in my life!   Thank you, L & M.   The third was near the Northwestern Coast of Washington at the home of one of the family members getting married.   The property has ponds surrounded by a majestic looking Cedar grove, a lighted horseshoe pit, Fire pits, acers of manicured lawns and fields dotted with flowerbeds and bordered on one side by a large lush vegetable garden and grape vineyard.  Beautiful celebration! Thank you, R & T, for allowing us to share your special moment with you.  The fourth and final wedding took place in a beautiful mountain chalet event center near Durango, Colorado.   While gifted with a sunny clear blue sky, the fresh snow-covered peaks of the San Juan Mountain Range dominated the visual senses.  As the ceremony commenced, a light Autumn breeze could be felt and heard as it whispered through a simmering gold Aspen forest.  I especially loved the pictures and stories thoughtfully wrote and placed on each of the dinner tables in the wedding reception hall. Each a unique testament to past adventures they’d shared with family and friends on their favorite wilderness escapes.  Thank you, B & J!

For a few brief weeks between the third and fourth weddings, we made our way east to Minnesota and visited family and friends.  We started in Minnesota’s North Woods and reunited with a young man that Josie and I have known since he was born and is now married and a father himself.  We’re thrilled to have finally visited their home and hung out with’em all for a while.  One of my absolute best times ever, was exploring with he and his kids a thick Cedar grove near his cabin in search of chair legs. That evening we roasted smores over the camp fire while sitting in our newly built Peace Chairs, reminiscing about the past days adventures, planning for tomorrows, all the while, enjoying the moment.  Thank you, T & C & Family, for a truly awesome time.

As I write this, we have once again left the safety and comfort of Durango and ventured out into the wild places that fill our hearts with serendipitous joy, mystery and adventure.  Before I leave you, I’d like to tell you about a young man by the name of Kyle, or Red, as he told me he prefers to be called and his Rainbow Chair.  Eric and Lauren, as many of you know, compete in what is known as Ultra Running Events.  Which means they run really really long distances.  And I’m quite proud to say, they both did exceptionally well in this particular event.  Although I’ve given up running long ago, Josie and I are thrilled to be their personal support team during these events.  And where everywhere we go, when inspired, I love to build, cache, giveaway or barter the chairs.  However, most of the time I just like to sit in nature and commune with her.  What’s made this journey of sharing the Peace Chair so aggravating, interesting, and joyful over the years is how people respond to them.  It’s almost as if the chairs are invisible or taboo.   Approximately 97% of the time people don’t say anything to me about them.  The remaining 3% of people are curious enough and courageous to ask me about them.  Red, however falls in that rare, less than .1 % of people that don’t just see it and ask about it, they WANT IT!  While Josie and I were sitting near the aid station where Red was a volunteer assisting his fellow runners, he himself being an Ultra runner, alongside a place called the Rainbow Trail, he approached us and said. “That’s the coolest chair I’ve ever seen!  Where did you get it?!  Words like that are music to my ears and so I gave him a brief background history of the chair and offered him a seat.  Like most everyone that sits in the chair, he had a smile on his face and commented on how comfortable it was.  However, unlike most people, Red wanted to know how much it cost and would like very much to take ownership of one right NOW.  When I told him I no longer sell them, the look on his face was beyond disappoint.  You’d a thought he just lost his best friend.  He thanked us for sharing and walked back to the aid station.  I knew in that instant what was going to happen next.  I went for a hike along the Rainbow Trail near the aid station in search of dead pine trees and found the perfect Legs.  That evening at the finish line in the cover of darkness, I gifted Red his Rainbow Chair.  The look on his face was more gratifying than any money could buy.  Of course, he offered to pay for it, but like I told him, I no longer sell them and told him why I gifted it to him.  Not only does he possess the rare quality I mentioned above, but he understands and epitomizes the power of being of service.   You get out of life what you give.  Thanks Red, for G.A.S.ing me up!!!  x>