road UT trippin’ LOVE L OCAL
BY MONIQUE BEELEY
UT
SUPPORT LOCAL EVER SINCE “THE WORLD AS WE KNEW IT” TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PEOPLE SAYING “SUPPORT LOCAL,” “HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR,” AND WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE JUMPING UP TO HELP. Whether it’s dropping off food at the local food bank, donating money to local non-profits, or lending a hand to your neighbor, giving has come in all shapes and sizes. And I have personally felt the love flooding my social feed, paying close attention to how I can help those in my community. Utah is my community, and the residents are my neighbors. Utah is a place that is so near and dear to my heart, and we as Utahan’s have the honor of living amongst greatness. And we, as Utahans need to protect and preserve this greatness, by treating it like the treasure that it is. HOW, you ask, do we safeguard the places and spaces we play? It’s simple, one step…aka…one thoughtful action at a time. Stepping on to the trail, not off the trail. Packing out your trash, not carelessly leaving it behind. Looking at the rock art, not touching or creating more. What I’m referring to here are some of the Leave No Trace principals.
26 DISCOVER UTAH KIDS
As more people are getting outside there is going to be more impact, which really means we all need to do our part. And those of us that are seasoned outdoor enthusiasts (and parents) need to help others who are new to this outdoor arena. In addition to being good stewards of our land, we also need to be good stewards of the communities and towns that surround and support the places we play. Imagine for minute Moab…without Moab. What I mean is, take the town out of the picture. Some of you might say, OK that works, now we have more places to recreate or I just want to go out in the desert and “socially distance” with my family. I’m fully selfcontained (bathroom, food, water, gas, etc.) anyway so no big deal, or I never go into Moab anyway, I just use the public lands, trails and then go home. Well, if there are no bike shops, there are no local mountain bikers to create and maintain the trails. If there are no guide services, there goes a great opportunity to try something new and be educated by a local who is passionate about the local history and geology. If there are no restaurants and shops, we would have to drive a really long way if you forgot to pack the milk, or wanted a night off from
