Arizona offers so much to see and do, and those who are new to Kitchell from other states take advantage of our mild year-round climate to see the sites.  And when our team members enjoy the same outdoor experiences, even better.

Recently our Fort McDowell Project Engineers Jenna Laughman, Trey Martin, Caymian Gordon, and intern Keegan Shepherd hit the road for a weekend camping trip to the beautiful Mogollon Rim (just north of Payson, Arizona).

While the guys stayed at the site all weekend, Jenna ventured up for a day trip. The highlight of the trip, in her eyes, was the gorgeous views.

“We hiked a few miles along the perimeter of the rim, which made taking little breaks quite enjoyable as we got to take in the beautiful scenery that went on for miles,” she said. “Trey suggested this spot for us since Caymian, Keegan and I are from other states and are new to Arizona, so this was our first experience at the rim.”

One pretty cool coincidence was that the night they went camping was the same night of the Perseid meteor shower. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky at night, so they enjoyed watching a handful of shooting stars.

“We also made our way over to Woods Canyon Lake for a bit. We didn’t stay there long but it was nice to see some water in Arizona. Overall this was a great team bonding experience,” said Jenna.

Aside from the views, hanging out by the campfire and eating s’mores, the group had a lot of fun getting to know each other outside of work. Back at Kitchell, they’ll work together on the Fort McDowell project for the next two years.

“Work is always more enjoyable when you’re alongside people you can call friends.”