![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-12-57-07-PM-1024x768.jpg)
Happy birthday, Dan!
![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-12-58-02-PM-1024x768.jpg)
Dan’s birthday is one week after mine, and we almost always travel as our gift to one another. This year is a little different of course, but we managed a socially-distant trip to Grand Lake, Colorado and spent his birthday paddling Monarch Lake in our packrafts.
![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-1-13-21-PM-1024x768.jpg)
Perhaps you can tell from the photos that we had ever-changing skies, but it was always beautiful. 73 degrees, a mix of sunny and overcast, windy enough to keep things interesting but not so gusty that I was paddling for my life.
![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-1-50-25-PM-1024x768.jpg)
I am incredibly grateful for birthday boy. Especially in these bizarre days when he’s nearly the only person I spend time with, I feel lucky that we enjoy each other’s company so much.
![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-1-20-19-PM-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-2-16-28-PM-768x1024.jpg)
P.S. Our packrafts deflate, like this:
![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-12-43-43-PM-1024x768.jpg)
…and pack down to the size below. (In the ads they are described as rolling up to “the size of a roll of paper towels,” which is possible with more effort, but we prefer using these duffel bags which also carry our life vests, paddles, seat cushions, etc.)
![](https://gowestyoungwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Photo-Aug-12-12-29-48-PM-768x1024.jpg)