Veteran’s Day weekend was the “first” for many participants of Sierra Club’s Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO). For some, it was their first time braving a hike. For others, it was their first time touching a kitchen stove. For many, it was their first time enjoying the beauty of Anza Borrego State Park. Yet, collectively, it was a peaceful weekend surrounded by the warmth of community, an escape from the hold of social media and technology.