I’ll try to keep a long story short:
I’m Randi! Colorado Springs born and raised, went to college at UMAINE (c/o 2000), was a P.E. Teacher for 8 years and helped my husband start and run an outdoor adventure and education nonprofit called UpaDowna for 13 years. I have a wonderful husband named Steve, son (Cody), and 2 dogs (Aster & Bella) I love volleyball, paddle boarding, van camping, and anything outdoors!
Steve is my husband, he grew up in Florida where he attended UF for awhile, then headed west to NAU in Flagstaff and eventually the Army (where he served in Iraq for 9 months) and finally where we met…Colorado Springs. As a medically retired combat injured vet, his passion for nature inspired him to create UpaDowna to help get others outside. His hobbies now include being a scuba instructor, working on our Ford e350 van, fixing up our off-the-grid cabin in New Mexico, and now…a Captain and boat surveyor!
Cody is amazing. He’s one of the coolest kids I know, and it’s not just because he’s our kid…ok, maybe it is! A gifted athlete (he takes after his mom…) a mature-for-his-age intellect (he takes after his dad), and a kind soul…this kid never stops impressing us. Of course his Minecraft skills and knowledge of cars will knock your socks off too!
Aster is the wise and calm dog. A Blue Heeler mix, she’s the older of the two dogs. We adopted her when Cody was 5 and they have grown up to be best friends! She is now in her mature years, loves to go on walks, chase squirrels, eat bacon, and is living out her final years with my parents on the farm.
Bella is the fat and sassy one. She was born in 2018 and is a Border Collie mix. He favorite things are sleeping, taking rides in the Jeep, and the sound of crunchies hitting the bottom of her bowl.
Our family has been lucky enough to go on lots of adventures. From a little mountain town where Cody was born, to running an organic farm, even living in an RV for a year and everything in between…we’ve done a lot as a family. We‘ve been to D.C., San Francisco, Maine, driven cross country twice, and lived in Colorado the whole time. Travel outside of the U.S. is the one thing we really haven’t done yet. A recent trip to the USVIs has been about it so far, so we look forward to new adventures!
Destination Adrift 