Our trip to Moab brought back many wonderful memories. It was two years ago that I (a highly trained tour director with 12 days of experience) first lead our tour to Moab with the help of our wonderful, first-time organizer, Colette.  It was only a couple of weeks earlier that we had met Colette in a coffee shop in Yachats, Oregon and she was game to head back to Moab and organize a mandala and a events worth of events.  What were we thinking?  As it turned out, she gathered to a merry band of helpers and we all had an amazing week.

Now two years later we came together again, this time steeled veterans, and kicked off the 2010-2011 Gaden Shartse Monastic Tour. Once again she gathered her band (Tom, Mary, Mike, Fiona, Natalie, Jose, Marc, and Teri) and a new group of monks met, embraced, and blessed the people of Moab.  We have truly come to love Moab’s, unique beauty and the are so fortunate to have such friends.

In addition to the regular schedule of events, once again they managed to get the monks out on the Colorado River.  Yes that’s right, on the 4th of July Dr. Bob, his wife, Jill, and their kids treated the monks to a river rafting trip. Uncle Mike, aunt Mary, and sister Susie joined in the fun and we had an adventure!  In the evening we were treated to dinner under the stars with lots of fireworks and new friends.  Yes the tour is off to an auspicious start.

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