The selection of sites is perfect: gorgeous views, time for walking, taking photos, and lunch. I especially loved the Red Rocks, but being on top of the Continental Divide was also spectacular. Harley Thomas explained things well, including the geology and some about the flora and fauna, as well as some local history. He was enthusiastic, pleasant, helpful, kind, thoughtful, and professional.
In the middle of the trip, however, I was jarred to be told while talking to a fellow scholar of religion about research on religion to stop talking about it. Harley stated that what we had discussed up to that point (which had mainly been historical) was all right, but that we should now stop (we had just begun to address contemporary topics), because religion was not a suitable topic in this setting, that people could be sensitive about religion. I later asked him if the company had told him to tell people not to talk about religion or politics. He said that it had not, but that he had had a bad experience in which three guests had started a fist fight and had assaulted him (or had perhaps tried to). How horrible that violence is spreading within this highly polarized country in this way! I have great empathy with Harley and his need to maintain safety for all. There must, however, be a better way than to remove the free speech rights of guests entirely. Or the company needs to let guests know before they sign up that they may not discuss religion or politics on the trip.