A good reason to buy snow shoes

It was a beautiful day! Saturdays normally are because I have an excuse not to focus on work. So I took Vanessa to spend the day with Audra, while her husband, a couple of kids, and I went for a walk and possibly into a cave.

We were not in a hurry, and I had brought the camera along. I took some pictures and each picture had a conversation. If they are worth a thousand words then we may as well share the load right?

We had enough rope to play with on the way down the hill and a cliff just high enough to be real for the younger explorers. I brought my kite along. Something about kites makes me happy. I think it is because the ending of Marry Poppins.

And because I think he says it better than I can I present to you the thoughts of a crazy man:

Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you're no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are the things you should notice anyway. To live for only some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. ``Here's where things grow. But, of course, without the top you can't have any sides. It's the top that defines the sides. So on we go . . . we have a long way . . . no hurry . . . just one step after the next . . . with a little Chautaugua for entertainment . . . Mental reflection is so much more interesting than TV, it's a shame more people don't switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant, but it never is.
--Robert Pirsig, from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Just to the left of center is the cliff we rappelled down.

That is me and my kite walking up the hill. Our fearless decision making leader is up ahead.

The Killdeer mountains were the sight of a "battle". The cave we had purposed to explore is the subject of many myths, I can't deny any of them.