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Sometime this winter, the telephone rang and my friend Bekah announced that, ready or not, she was comin’ for a visit.  I am lucky to have a Bekah in my life in the first place, and a visit with her is like a wrapped gift falling from the sky.

Bekah’s a young buck by age (She turns 22 this week. Happy birthday Beks!), but she’s at least a decade wiser in spirit. Goofy as all get-out. Book smart. Intuitive. Comfortable in her skin. Sees a glass half-full. Fast to laugh. Beautiful. A speedy learner. Selfless. Knows what she wants and is confident enough to ask for it. Goal-oriented. Loving. A thinker. The minute I met her, I wanted to be her friend. We bonded fast, and have shared some fun adventures and even better conversations.

Stars, moons, and the universe’s dark matter aligned in honor of Bekah’s Utah visit. She was on spring break from her senior year of college. Bryon completed the final manuscript of his new book. I had a break among writing projects and guiding trips. And Junebug, well, she’s retired and always ready to go. All eager to venture into the wilderness, we dumped ourselves for five days amongst the jumbled red rocks of southern Utah. We spent three days on the trails of Gooseberry Mesa, the famed mountain biking destination, then two days zooming around Zion National Park proper.

When the week was said and done, southern Utah managed to widen the spot I have for it in my heart a little more. The star of the show was Bekah, though. If I had spent the week with her in a broom closet, I would have still called it a raging success. I emerged from “spring break” with her feeling happy, centered, light of foot, and even lighter of heart. Bekah, thanks for being a perfect gift.

Bekah looks north from Gooseberry Mesa. On Day 3, she and I descended into the badlands below for off-trail play.

When Bekah gets excited about something, she slaps her cheeks really fast and air kicks stuff. On this day, Gooseberry Mesa got the air kick.

Bekah and Gooseberry Mesa get their pretty on.

Bryon and Bekah run the South Rim Trail's slickrock on Gooseberry Mesa.

Bekah points to our destination, "Right down there!" We wandered some serious badlands on this day.

On our fourth day, we zoomed up Zion National Park's East Rim Trail and on up to Observation Point. It was fun chasing these two uphill!

More higher! More chasing!

Bekah and I powerhiked up Angels Landing on the morning of Day 5. She was sick on this day, but you'd never guess by her smile.

Coming off Angels Landing on our last day, this little gift is still going.