Rest in Peace Skip

Skip belonged to my dear friend Scott and his lovely wife Kim. For the last 3 years Heather and I have stayed at their house the night before the start of the CTR as they live super close to the trailhead. Besides taking up his guest room once each year, we also spend a good deal of time fishing and hiking, and drinking beer and the occasional coconut Rum together. At our wedding ceremony, I asked Scott to read a passage from A River Runs Through It and he agreed to do so. Scott and Kim sprung Skip from the joint back in 1999 and he's been exploring the beauty of Colorado as a member of their family ever since. Skip enjoyed their company, and they his, for 11 years. It's unfortunate that they didn't know each other during his other three years of life but...at least they did know each other. Tragically, Skip passed away early this morning.

"...in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the South Platte River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."

You will forever be missed Skip. May you run happily in endless fields of green.