My biggest adventures have birthed some of my finer stories, yet I’m learning the adventure is not only about the objective. Becoming a father to two incredible children has certainly adjusted my assessment of what makes a good story. An epic tale of struggle on the walls of Yosemite National Park has it’s place, as does the tale of a gentle walk through a local state park with a toddler in tow. Both are worthy pursuits, and their stories are worth telling.

I am not the friend with the first ascents or descents and I haven’t pushed a lot of envelopes, but I’ve lived an outdoor life and shared many a campfire with friends and kindred spirits. We’ve been cold and wet, tired and spent, but mostly we’ve been happy to be in each other’s company, and we still laugh loud and long in retelling the stories. Over all the decades and all the trips we’ve learned this much: great friends make great trips, and it’s the stories that last forever.

To be continued…