“The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes “sight-seeing.” – Daniel J. Boorstin
On this latest trip to Sedona, I was in the company of true travelers.
This twenty-fifth annual (non!) bike trip allowed each of us to set off in different directions. Perhaps a group of five went hiking, two others stayed behind to forage the local grocery stores for our next dinner, while a few went to explore the local art galleries and shops.
But each and every time we gathered back together around the pool or in the kitchen, we regaled each other with our stories of our encounters.
Although the Roadrunner Hour scenery was amazing, more often what captured our attention were the opportunites to get a glimpse of how other people live their lives.
Seven of us went on the Verde River ducky-kayak adventure where we had the privilege of having Greg as our guide. I believe that if you look up enthusiasm and ridiculously-hard worker in the dictionary, you are bound to find a photo of Mr. Mills. His excitement about the Verde River, his pride in the company he works for (Sedona Adventure Tours), and his obvious love of his wife and two young boys was humbling.
Greg told us about his golden retrievers, Abby and her daughter Daisy. He told us about his wife’s goats and her dream to make goat cheese, we learned about fishing for bass and about his life growing up on the Verde. He shared stories about the birds, the trees, his chickens and the locals, all while making sure that we were all safely traveling down the river.
For just a few hours, we didn’t just have a fun paddle down the Verde River, but got a glimpse into another man’s life.
I am guessing that by most conventional measures Mr. Mills would not be considered rich. But the man we met was wealthy in all the things that matter and generous enough to share some of those moments from his bountiful life…
All your new Canadian friends want to say thank you Greg. Thank you for sharing.
Related articles
