Growing up in western Colorado it was easy to fall in love with the roaring rivers that ran cold and clear all year round and the stony mountain peaks that obstructed the horizon of the deep blue sky; things that simply aren’t the same anywhere else. Summers were spent traversing those peaks and seeking out hidden mountain lakes replenished by months of snowfall. I come from a family of happy hikers. Family vacations typically involved a trailer, a campfire and several treks out into the pine covered wilderness.

Needless to say, Valparaiso, Indiana was one of the last places I thought I’d be when I graduated from Colorado School of Mines. However, with the engineering degree came an offer to put it to use in the steel industry and it was too good to pass up. Ever since relocating to Valparaiso I’ve been hearing “Hi! Welcome to Valpo.” From Pete who sold me my new mattress to Angie at the shooting range, everyone is so excited to help this newcomer find the best places in town, recommending their favorite burger places and supplying me with brochures of things to do on a rainy day. It rains a lot here.

Although my beloved mountains are far away, I’m excited to start fresh in this place where everything is new and unknown. It’s huge and terrifying but in this place I feel like I can spread my wings and learn to fly.