Summit Stones & Adventure Musings...By DSD

"He Hadn't Noticed..."

2012-01-29T06:50:00.000-08:00

I remember being that young, being so focused, so full of energy, with such motivation, determination, and not easily distracted at all. We met just after my descent from Sentinel Pass. He was on his way towards a solo scramble of Mt. Temple - one of my very favorite high places to wander upon. My day had started hours before first light as I wanted time alone up at the pass and the summit. The mountain wouldn't see too many this day anyway as the forecast was questionable and the light rain mists came and went. But the clouds kept drifting higher so I went anyway to spend time with the ancient rocks up there, the many old memories of mine that reflect upon Larch Valley, and with the Grand Sentinel, a climb I haven't made yet but still dream about. It was staying very cool, and the mist had blanketed everything with dew, while the gentle rain came and went as I noticed his approach. He was moving fast and steady, which this scramble asks of you, as it can be a long day out. I was perched up on a big rock and think I may have surprised him as he hadn't seemed to have noticed me, just as he didn't seem to notice the rain. He was so excited to be there, and just as eager to be on his way, but paused after learning I had been up there more than a few times myself. So young, so full of energy, dedication, and focus... I very much enjoy time with my fellow adventurers like this, even if brief moments they are. Its' almost as if we share a synergy in those seconds, of interests, dreams, intentions, and commitments. You all know exactly what I mean, I'm sure Dear Friends. There is something mysterious, yet so very powerful, in these sharings we all have experienced out there... Just as he was heading off after our short encounter, I told him to check out one of the large cairns, above the Pass, that mark the ascent to Mt. Temple's rock bands. He would discover something there, just a small gift... Something I hoped he would enjoy, as he then made his way up that wonderfully elusive mountain to the highest summit around here. He hadn't noticed all of this at first, but that is the way of things, when one's young focus is so intense. But I also know what he would then notice, as he attained his solo summit dream up there, and then would remember those moments forever..... DSD

My sincere appreciation Friends for sharing your images of your own moments of Mt. Temple.

"Adventure Intentions..."

2012-01-27T10:24:00.001-08:00

"Standing in the inspiring vision of my future, I boldly take every step - large and small - with courage and intent." J.L. Huie

Our intentions, first steps, such important steps, here within the beginnings of our new adventure year... DSD

Thank you Neil for your contemplative image that reflects those moments when intentions become real.

"Wild Place Thaumatourgos..."

2012-01-22T06:26:00.001-08:00

Languages and stories are like stones for me; the older and the more unique, the better... The Greeks for example, knew how to blend both the mysteries and the realities of life in many of their ancient stories. Their culture was one built upon and also set many times within stone as well. They revered people who would journey into the wilds and return to share their tales. These were the Thaumatourgos... the ones who were changed, who underwent powerful transformations as they met with and endured the elements. This ability to do this within such experiences belonged to the realm of these 'wonder workers'... Adventurers are indeed Thaumatourgos and are certainly a part of that group that embraces all of the wonders out there. As adventurers, we marvel at that which we wander through, we seek out the elements and the beautiful mysteries of nature, as we know of the these potential transformations that will surely become real for us. The wilds are the places and the elements are the means... We adventurers see this every time we journey among the mountain giants, as we wander the hidden valleys and forests, as we travel among the distant coastal islands, and over the mysterious northern lakes too. Philosophers have also mused over the Thaumatourgos, but in their own unique way. Their view of such transformations and reflections are of personal beliefs, especially those about responsibilities, and also in the understanding of the concept of 'gifts'... Most adventurers I know are philosophers in their own right - poets too; as they create their own magic or 'Theurgy' out there through spirit and effort, energy, and altered perceptions. Any personal transformation is about change, in appearance, in form, and through expression. The wonder of such workings is that we see this all the time out there, like when climbing upon the face of a mountain through the various seasons. We ourselves experience this intensely when we return changed in so many ways from what we were before our adventure experience's had unfolded... As with the frozen rivers which will transform to flowing waters, as with the so stormy ocean which returns to its' own calmness, we too become an inherent part of the whole wild place Thaumatourgos. Sometimes... when wandering the wilds, I can even transform back so many years into that younger version of myself as I climb or kayak or canyoneer. Now that is a magical gift. Such transformations, our personal adventure Theurgy, is truly a transmutation of the elements. What a powerful, wonderful, blend of expression, spirit, and magic this is..... DSD

My gratitude to our Fellow Adventurers who shared their images here of their time among the Greek Islands.

"Your Journey....."

2012-01-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with.....". Such an old musing, attributed to an even older way of thinking and seeing. But the real comment here, the essence of the pondering itself, is what comes now. 'Begin with', what we each ask ourselves this early season; with what kind of action; in which direction, and then we each must just take that next step... Don't you just love such beginnings my Friends... DSD
The image above is of two fellow adventurers who themselves enjoy such reflections. Thank you.

"Waiting Inside....."

2012-01-15T06:14:00.000-08:00

There is a person I hope to see out there often, hiking on a trail of dreams to a very distant valley... There is someone I feel we know quite well, out upon those ocean waters, among those so secluded islands... There is a wanderer we each sense out beyond too, wondering at the beauty & mystery of both sunrise and sunset... There is also a familiar individual rappelling, deep into those canyons, just out there a little ahead of us... There is a climbing partner of ours, who waves once again at us, from those heights of rock and spirt and thought... That person, that paddler, this climber, and hiker, is the real adventurer within each of us my Dear Friends. There is an Adventurer inside each of us here, waiting to journey out there, so we can meet with each other again, and share so much more with ourselves in all of these wild ways..... DSD

My appreciations to our Friends who share their images of dreams and visions with us in this early year.

"Contemplations..."

2012-01-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

"Crimson light through pine shadows. Setting sun settling in the ocean. Night follows the setting sun. Day follows the fleeing moon...". D. Ming-Dao
A winter hike on a coastal beach, an old book in my hand. Meditations about a calming storm, now sleeping under a wild full moon..... DSD

"Wild Place Veils..."

2012-01-07T08:00:00.001-08:00

For we adventurers, our wild places are so very much more than a location on the map. There are secrets out there, unique unknowns, further, farther, higher, and within as well... Wild places may become our special sanctuary too, if only we allow ourselves a glimpse beyond certain kinds of veils... I remember, what was disguised within those cold winter days out with our dog teams, and beyond that veil of continually falling snows... We remember, that unseen mountain, invisible to us through that white out, yet that presence we found beyond will never be lost nor forgotten... We recall, the rain that seemed to forever screen away those distant coastal islands, until we journeyed through that misty curtain and then beyond even that veil too... The shades of nightfall, the disguising fog on a long beach trek, the apparently concealing mist that covers a deeply forested river valley - all are veils that secret so much beyond them and then within as well... Then as we seek to pierce those veils of understanding and perceiving within all of this, and as we see that which was first invisible, now through the rising, wafting smoke of our camp fires - our wild place veils slowly, wonderfully, begin to drift and fall away... Perfect timing for our unfolding new year and the adventure dreams and plans we are each creating..... DSD

My appreciation Dearhearts for your wonderful misty mindful images.

"Unfoldings....."

2012-01-06T12:29:00.001-08:00

Here we are once more Dear Friends, at the trailhead of our unfolding year... What adventure shall we embrace next..... DSD

"Put Some Boots On Your Dreams..."

2012-01-01T06:33:00.000-08:00

To ponder is one thing. to muse another. Reflection is wonderful, and dreaming is a gift. We have such abilities to envision all that we so want to wander among and through. Our minds create the possibilities, and then it is time to climb further... "Put some boots on your dreams", our Outward Bound Instructor said. Then we were to learn of the wild places beyond contemplation; of the terrain of taking actions. These were steps on trails of another kind, towards horizons of dreams now made very real. 'Boots on our dreams' - a so potent shared metaphor, said so long ago to us, long pondered over many more seasons, and now passed forward once more to all of you Dear Friends for our New Year's..... DSD

My thanks for the sharing of your images and you wild companionship Friends.

"Happy Holidays My Friends!"

2011-12-23T09:35:00.001-08:00

"My beloved is the mountains, and lonely wooded valleys, strange islands, and resounding rivers, the whistling of love stirred breezes, the tranquil night, at the time of rising dawn, silent music, sounding solitude..." St. John
A very happy holidays to you all my Friends! I am in from some quiet wandering and wanting to express my appreciation to all of you Fellow Placers who shared Summit Stones this year, to Blogger for supporting such a wonderful way for all of us to connect, and especially to the amazing adventurers who 'Adventured For Another Reason' these seasons... We have all shared in such a special year of wandering the wild places... Now choose your present Dear Friends, as it is waiting for you out there someplace, as you dream and envision the horizons yet to be... The very best to you all! DSD

"An Expression Of Emotion..."

2011-12-18T05:41:00.001-08:00

"The real goal. It wasn't, oddly enough, the summit of a mountain or the top of a cliff at all. That's because the goal wasn't really a place, but a feeling. It was an emotion deep inside him, and inside all of us; a sentiment we all search for, but which always seems so elusive." A. Hobson

This quote, these words, so strongly resonated with me the very first time I read them. These intonations, have also echoed out so many times as well over the long years within our wild places... I mused a little this past fall how we adventurers are 'Artists of Life'. Through our journeys and actions out there, we paint our lives full of wonderous experiences. This is our hard won expressionism... Over the long seasons we all wander, it seems that it is not a full enough account to imply that we adventure in the ways we do only to attain some objective. When we put our words and dreams into action, we are doing so for other purposes as well. This new mien, this symbolic representation, this special affirmation of motion out among the wild places - voices so much more... What was inexpressible begins to reveal itself, what is impressible from those very deep inner sensations becomes known. On that climb, where these words were composed and shared with the winds, we recognized again when up so high, the real depths of such valuable emotion... Inner experience becomes a barometer of our outer efforts. What was initially emotive, now manifests and blends with true meanings and the reality of it all. We do what we do out there because that is purposefully symbolic for what is meaningful for each of us... Thus we create our own expressions, of affections, among connections, with each other and the wild places.....DSD

My sincere gratitude to Kraig for him keeping me pondering about us all as 'Artists of Life', and also to you David for your inspiring images...

Happy Holidays my Friends...

"A Fire Gazing December Dedication..."

2011-12-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

Endless long moments within those last fleeting hours, lingering of our selves and those so alive coals as well. The warmth of an adventure day quietly shared about with smiles, high place wanderings and reflections of such wonderful challenges... Gazing into the fire now understanding more than what is seen, the flames continuous flickering telling of many inspiring stories. Everything now of lasting memory comes once more to our minds, from past journeys and many seasons of friendships from out there... All things seem distinctly possible when embracing the fires of our lives, the ones that we now rest beside, and the others from so deep inside..... DSD
A dedication for you, my Fellow Wanderers, and also for your 'Adventures For Another Reason', all during this year...

"Who Would Have Thought..."

2011-12-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought, I mused once again, that such trials within our adventure trails, would create so many other potent experiences... Who would have thought, that on a mountain side like that, among those severe edges, testing of skills and confidence, that we would begin to realise things only known when we each take that step further. Who would think, that with those doubts out there during a snow storm, that almost never seemed to let up, we would begin to let go and then sense the wonder of the unknowns... No one could have known that our anxieties upon that cliff face, would prompt us to go beyond, and discover more of what we each can then turn into powerful personal motivations. There were those chills too, in the midst of that mist and endless coastal rain, during our longest hike yet - no one had pondered how our best days would develop within such trying inclement weather. Who would have thought, that being so off course due to paddling through those relentless winds and waves, that we would again sense more within us than we ever first knew... None of us had expected that the wearing of the cold in our coldest winter camping trip, would be a catalyst for developing even deeper abilities for endurance. Who would have thought, that a whiteout above 10,000 feet, would help us now to see more clearly, how and why prior preparation and practice was so very important. Who could have predicted, that upon a northern lake and island, where we experienced so much of what was not expected, we would begin to embrace how wonderful the hidden surprises of the wild places can be. Who would have thought, that down within our darkest and deepest canyon, we would find even other depths within us, reflecting those out there among those ancient grounds. Who would have thought... I muse time and time again..... DSD

My gratitude once more Dear Fellow Wanderers, for these wonderful images that prompt such thinking.

"New Dimensions..."

2011-12-09T09:24:00.001-08:00

"One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions...". O.W. Holmes
Gazing out there many days, we often see the truth of this in the distance... DSD

"We Found Our Mountains..."

2011-12-02T05:41:00.000-08:00

After long seasons for the skills and preparation, even longer years in the seeking, eventually, it seemed, we had finally discovered our own special mountains... Now that we had done so, then came another kind of understanding: That they were out there all along, simply patiently waiting for us to make the efforts... It was almost as if they knew, we would eventually make the journey... So upon one of their highest summits, with challenges before and after, now each of us and the mountains too were smiling... Yet, now today, we ponder and wonder over, how we thought we had finally found our mountains. Then slowly, we began to realize - that now our mountains had found us as well..... DSD
My gratitude for these images from some Fellow Adventurers who have also had the same discoveries.

"Breathing In..."

2011-12-01T09:45:00.001-08:00

"To breath in that which animates us - is magic..." Anon
Well then my Friends, let's breath in very, very deeply this day... DSD

"A Mountain No One Wanted To Climb..."

2011-11-27T05:26:00.000-08:00

Of course it had been climbed, but it has for decades now, been a mountain none seemed to want to climb again... A lonely place, it seems up there, not a coveted nor cherished route, with chancy rock and iffy terrain, not really inviting at all. It is away from all the other high points around there, those objectives most people seek out as being of more significance. This mountain is not near any easy access; actually is a struggle to even get to see. Maybe it is a shy mountain, if you will, and has not been that engaging of us because it simply likes its' own solitude. I understand that... Many of us, peoples, wild ones, and wild places, need our quieter times, our distance from all the usual stimulation's and distractions. That doesn't at all mean this mountain has no secrets though... There are a number of routes to make one's way up there, certain twists and turns that need creative climbing, with vistas you would never guess are present. Yet they are there... The rock only seems questionable, until you move past those first bits, then it is as strong and sure as any I have been upon. But it does require that extra effort. The summit itself is truly unique, like few I have shared the winds with. It has a natural shelter up there, where the rock turns in upon itself, but still allows the sun its presence too. A warm, calm, and very secure high point it is, unusual to find in such places. This elusive mountain and I are close friends now, and a part of me is glad few journey there. As I made my way back yesterday, I began thinking of our next visit, and a smile slowly grew upon my face, looking forward to that time I will spend with my old friend..... DSD

Thank you Dear Friends, for your images of your own elusive high places...

"Of Educations..."

2011-11-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves...". A. Gide
Time tomorrow, for a very long trek, among the mountainous tomes out there, which still have so much to teach us... DSD

"Turn Around..."

2011-11-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

I very much like really early alpine starts, especially when heading out solo. There is just those many special somethings that unfold when we get going before first light and are already moving with the dawnings as our adventure day begins... This day though, I was to find out what it meant when we go too early. This was a difficult scramble route; meaning more challenges with route finding, exposure, and lots of focused hands on the rock as well. I had made quite reasonable time, but even by headlamp, had reached a point in that darkness where it was no longer safe to continue. It would have been very easy to get off route too and now this scramble would have technically become much more. So I made the decision to descend. I pondered the aspects of our 'turn around points' as I did. Those altitudes, timings, and places on long routes, where we have previously determined that a decision like this is imminent. Then when almost down in the valley, as the real first light began revealing itself, I turned around and looked back up at my route. Most of it was now illuminated by the emotional warmth of alpenglow. Then I began to wonder, looked at the time, thought about another 180, and what my energy level was... Then turned around once more - I headed back up, into such a very long day of climbing, up in the midst of the lingering alpenglow, then later among that rays of the setting sun. Another level of meaning and metaphor it seems, had been shown to me about 'we don't know if we don't go', and all by simply turning around..... DSD

My appreciation for your own 'turn around' wonderful images my friends.

"Our Adventure Efforts..."

2011-11-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

"Whether our efforts are, or not, favored by life, let us be able to say, when we come near the great goal, I have done what I could...". L. Pasteur
Effort - A singular word with so many varied personal meanings... DSD

"Slowly... Slowly... So Surely..."

2011-11-13T05:16:00.000-08:00

Slowly, slowly, so surely, we adventure and make our way... So slowly, slowly, we journey. Among the wilds, seeking, endlessly asking and wondering. So surely, yet slowly, we strive to gain the strength and all the confidences we need. Slowly we then climb, taking each step, making each move, up a mountains face. Slowly we then paddle, moving through currents and waves, staying true to our course. So slowly we then trek, through both desert and valley, searching in those forever moments, among sunrise and at sunset. Slowly, slowly, so surely we then sense an awareness of hidden meanings, within realizations and connections, from among such lasting memories. Slowly, so slowly, so surely, we finally cross that terrain of our selves, creating wonderful endless horizons, for our adventurous lives. Slowly, slowly, yet truly surely..... DSD

Dedicated to every one of the links here under 'Giving Back' who slowly but surely 'Adventure For Another Reason'...

"Remember....."

2011-11-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

"Remember... These great cathedrals of the Earth, with their gates of rock, pavements of cloud, choirs of stream and stone, altars of snow, and vaults of purple traversed by the continual stars." J. Ruskin
Our day for all to remember..... DSD

"The Fifth Season....."

2011-11-06T05:09:00.001-08:00

One trail, only a single small path it is, subtly leading into the trees, up from the valley floor, off deep into a northern canyon... One trail, easily accessible enough, and reasonably available for wandering during all four of our seasons. So each season I have visited there, with many reasons for heading up that little trail... Almost always on my own, in times needed for solitude, contemplation, and silence. Although with the overgrown trailhead it has, you would never really expect it to be there, as each season over the years has blanketed it so with even more foliage. It's almost as if the terrain itself wants to be elusive, and quiet, and set away from everything else... In winter the snow is deep there but navigable, the spring runoff is fast under the warming sun, summer can have a coolness too even amidst the hottest days, and fall in there is special as well with the changing colors and rustling of winds among leaves. While this little long trail recreates its' self with each season, it almost never seems really that different in other ways. Seasons may change there, but time slows too and becomes very still in those moments. Maybe that is why I wander there often, to slow my own life down, to then see, and feel, and know there are things in the wilds that have meanings deeper than the passage of a clock or calendar... That is how I was to discover, so long ago, that there is a fifth season out there too. A hidden season, a very elusive season, one only written or whispered about in those quiet special ways... This is the season that is just past winter, spring, summer, and fall. A fifth season. A part of and yet just beyond the other four. It is the time of stillness, of gentle first and last light, of a calming and a clarity. A season for emotions too that crystallize certain meanings, for remembrances of why we are both here and out there. A season that promotes quiet and contemplation. It allows understandings for whatever we each are seeking. It is especially a season of spirit. For all those ephemeral things that come and go, live and grow, change and remain familiar, as every other season does in its' own way. As adventurers, we develop an awareness of this season, the many of us who wander so, as it matters not really about the activity, time, or even the place out there, but then becomes so much more... It is a season of dawnings and sunsets within every moment, a season of meanings and memory, for all the mysteries and wonder. A fifth season it is, waiting so patiently to embrace every one of us with all its' gifts..... DSD

Appreciation as well to my fellow Adventurers for those two images of stillness and motion above.

"Adventure Tenacity..."

2011-11-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

"It is mainly tenacity that helps you operate closer to your maximum - tenacity of purpose regardless of your talents or intelligence or a lot of other things. You can make up for almost anything if you are steadfast and keep going in a certain direction steadily for a long time." R. Robbins

Imagine the experience that was speaking out for us in this way... DSD

"What Is It...."

2011-10-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

We ponder, wonder, then ask of the elements: Are those northern lights, or might they be the muses dancing with each other. Is that an old tree, or maybe it is an ancient one who has seen and endured more than we ever will know. Is that a northern lake, or is it a place of reflections of the wild places and of ourselves. This is a simple summit we think, yet it can too be a place of such secrets, elusive treasures from both without and within... Is that a canyon we see, or cathedrals of sand and stone, of ageless history, shadows and wonder. This mist before us is just moisture in the air we ask, or maybe this is a veil that may hide away more than terrain from our awareness... Over there is an approaching storm, and yet very likely too a symphony of sound and light and energy. That appears to be a rainbow, yet we all have felt the majesty and symbolism of this too. That looks like a river that is passing by, or more so like a personal metaphor for the journey we are all on... Is that an island we are about to land our kayak on, or is it terrain so beautiful as to seem to have never been touched by time. Is this just about an outdoor activity, or more importantly, very significantly, more so about who we are as adventurers out there... Are these simple adventures we set out upon, or are they journeys, means to wander, among paths for dreams and hope and fulfillment's, for the moments and mysteries and memories we create... What it is, it seems... is much more than what it may first appear..... DSD

My sincere appreciation to those Wandering Artists who created the above amazing images.

"One Foot In Front Of Another..."

2011-10-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

I am very much reminded this day of...

"I think that one of the lessons of climbing is perseverance, having a vision and continuing on in spite of obstacles, putting one foot in front of another steadily until you get to your goal. Learning that lesson in mountaineering helps you apply it to all other activities." A. Blum

Further truths from the wild places... DSD

Thanks as well my Friend for the Alaska image.

"Memorable Whisperings..."

2011-10-23T06:26:00.001-07:00

Quietly resounding, powerfully yet softly, through the tall trees, touching our faces... Quietly rewarding, of momentum and energy, brushed by the elements, painting each landscape... Quietly telling, gently whispering, of both warmth and our memories, always so giving... Unseen yet present, quietly recalling, of emotions and connections, gentle breezes of remembrance... DSD

Dedicated to Alan Arnette and his Seven Summits Climb for Alzheimer's -"Memories Are Everything".

"Wondering If....."

2011-10-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

"Yet another burned area presents itself further along the trail with many a scorched tree still standing, very likely to live on through many more thunderstorms. But one dead tree... seems to have stood in the ground through many revolutions of the earth... its bark peeling away exposing its wood to the elements. While the sides of the dead fir are charred, its upper surface is smooth, bleached to a uniform grey, and as inviting to an artist as a chalkboard. He takes a piece of charcoal in hand and sketches a woman's face, not in bold outline, but subtly, with shadings and blurred features, so that an unsuspecting hiker coming upon it later might wonder if Mother Nature hadn't drawn the image herself." M. Mardon

Oh, the wonders when we finally perceive what we eventually all see out in the wild places... Great to hear your season of adventures is going so well Andra... DSD

"Go Where The Energy Is..."

2011-10-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

I've heard Mountain & Sea Kayak Guides, as well as our Outward Bound Instructors, all mention it. We've seen it in action in the Grand Canyon; experienced it in ways hard to describe while climbing and when out upon the ocean; felt it so sustain us on longer treks... And we are still seeking out the meanings of to 'go where the energy is'... I believe this to be a quietly, profoundly, simply important concept for those of us who wander. We only need to witness its' magic once in a fellow adventurer, after seeing them so tired and worn out past where a person would be expected to last. Yet they do... We see them discover a different source of energy, a whole new wellspring of enthusiasm and motivation to keep on going. It is then we ask: What is this means for motion have they tapped into; what elemental energies have they aligned with... While as individuals we do vary in our physical makeup, our internal energies of motivation and drive, and as well in how our external objectives then pull each of us forward - energy is the essence that any adventurer draws upon to make their wild place dreams become real... Ability is only the beginning. Energy is what makes it sustaining. So, what does this mean - 'to go where the energy is'? Could it be about those places of geomancy where a force, some kind of latent power, emanates from the elements themselves... Might it be the synergy of shared vigour and fun that group activity out there radiates in countless dynamic ways... What is hidden behind that which incites each of us, that causes our hearts to beat so, that stimulates our mind, our spirit, the very core of our being... Maybe it is the potential to be discovered within every new experience; possibly the passions each of us have that fuels our personal flames; or also quite likely the endless variations of the elements themselves that never cease to inspire each of us out there... So wherever your elemental enthusiasms wait for you Dear Finder, trek towards them, embrace them, allow yourself to be infused by them. Ask yourself right then, why does this stimulate me so, what is it that I want here, what do I want this to mean, why is this so important for me... Such questions and the resulting musings will surely guide each of us to where your own lasting energies await..... DSD

Thank you Carol, for the inspiring images above of the energy within those wonderful storms.

"A Normal Part Of..."

2011-10-14T10:35:00.001-07:00

"You have to fail occasionally... sometimes you miss by a mile, and still there will be lessons to learn... And sometimes you have stupid ideas... Some you just lose... It teaches humility. If the problems we set for ourselves are not to be trivial, failure is a normal part of mountaineering...". V. Saunders

Great catch in belay and image. Good that we are all getting back up there too... DSD

"Beyond....."

2011-10-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

Right from the my very first step on that trail, I was beginning to see, how today would be an adventure for going beyond... Beyond the end of this trail, for it was only marked some of the way on this map. Further than the far end of the lake upon which I had heard a faint path continued to meander from there. I could see in the distance too, a kind of apex of water, rock, and trees that then met just up above. Beyond my lake, past the remnants of this trail, above that apex, were then the fast flowing waters of a mountain stream. It would surely fill even more with the rising heat of the day. Yet I would journey beyond it too, and wander close to its' smaller headwaters up among the remaining snow up there. Then beyond these fields of crystal, covered with trails of little fallen stones, up before me was the rock of a blue mountain. To day it felt I was seeking out something very much beyond this too; pushing some skills past certain limits, personal perceptions a bit further, and testing my endurance beyond what my age say it should be. Eventually I was moving across and up past those ridgelines, and then finally, wonderfully, having attained this small summit, I now felt closer to those elemental sources of my seekings. There I found many feelings very much beyond what I had expected... That happens to many of us up there, doesn't it my Friends. As I quietly stood there at the edge of the sky and stone, wind and clouds, my gaze looked out further and beyond - very much beyond what was now just before me..... DSD

Thanks S.B. for sharing these images.

"Upon A Summit By Oneself..."

2011-10-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

To stand upon such a summit; quietly, resolutely, calmly. Listening by oneself, to our most inner adventure selves... On our own, yet never alone. Gazing out before us, upon a sea of summits, and wonderful experiences too... To rest upon a summit in this way, to begin to know our mountain, so very personally and closely, is to touch the hidden and elusive, the most ephemeral, the very enduring, the truly elemental. Upon such a summit, simply by oneself..... DSD

Just feeling quite grateful on this weekend of appreciation. Thanks to our Dolomite wanderers for the above image.

"Adventure Aspirations..."

2011-10-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

"What we earnestly aspire to be, that in some sense we are". A. Jamson

"To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but what he aspires to...". K. Gibran

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Dear Friends... DSD

Thanks Grant for the inspiring image.

"A Silken Summit..."

2011-10-02T06:36:00.001-07:00

What a silken summit day it was... During a long flowing summer season of adventure's. Such soft early dawn light; glistening dew in the calm valley. The gentle breezes, brushing across our faces and smiles. The unusually warm temperatures up there so welcoming. A blending of effort and challenges as well, not too much, nor too far they were. The touch of that fleece vest I put on, such a familiar comforting old friend, one that has shared much out there with me. The feelings inside were a reflection of the warmth and touch of those rocks up there, and the close emotions we had for this welcoming elusive peak. To blend and connect with a mountain in this way, is to know something more, is another way of embracement, another of the elements to be discovered in our wild and high places. There was nothing barren or harsh about it at all. What a silken summit day it all was..... DSD

Much gratitude to our fellow wanderers for the above magic images.

"Mount Miles & Krowicki Peak..."

2011-09-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

"Mountain summits are small places with large symbolic potential... The sublimity of mountain climbing manifests itself in two ways: as an environment to be experienced and as a medium for self-expression." R. Mitchell

Please have a visit today Dear Friends, on our fellow adventurer Andrew Nugara's site linked below. It is the story of the climbs and the naming of Mount Miles & Krowicki Peak. Andrew was 'Adventuring for Another Reason', for his best buddy Miles... He took the images above and wrote that, "I have come to respect and admire Miles in ways I cannot effectively put into words so I will refrain from trying and offer this tribute in place of." His ascents and naming of these two peaks speaks many volumes... DSD

"Listen... Listen to the songs of the mountains, the songs of the forests and the river... Then listen more closely, for you may see that it is you that has been singing." Grandfather, Mountain Elder

http://www.freewebtown.com/anugara/miles.html

"How Far....."

2011-09-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go...". TS Eliot

Oh, the relative nature of it all within adventures; the inherent individuality this reflects. Our own choices, our own risks. Our personal distances, our internal heights and depths. How far we ask ourselves - yet once again, we don't know, of we don't go... DSD

Dedicated to those WCT hardy adventurers who wandered this amazing trail this past season. Especially those who 'Adventured For Another Reason...'.

Appreciate the image my Friends.

"To Beach Scribe..."

2011-09-25T06:04:00.001-07:00

Hiking on such secluded beaches, writing so many ponderings in the sand. Words about wild places we have experienced, notes for ourselves about being here, and then where we now want to journey... Stories in the sand of who it is we each want to become in those moments. All ways to beach scribe, to journal in such a wonderful way... Another means for envisioning our adventures, while gazing out upon both the waves and such sandy musings in time. Now while standing very still, and looking out over oceans of dreams and desires, seeing our scribblings once more in the sand, being caressed and moved by the winds gentle breezes. These ephemeral ponderings become hopes for our wanderings yet to come. Now we are listening more closely, to the murmurs of the waves, for they also respond to our words and their echoes. Long coastal beach hiking adventures, with sandy words that now become paths and trails, they speak aloud of the potential and promises we feel, so very deep in our hearts out there..... DSD

"Strange, Complex, Inexplicable..."

2011-09-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

"Songs, poems, literature, walking in the woods,evoke certain feelings...Sometimes they are strange, complex, inexplicable... often beyond comprehension." J. Masson

As adventurers we often touch upon the many connections between the wild places and the subtle poetry of it all. We have all experienced those moments of nexus, those trailheads and crossing points, that blending of feelings and knowings, from our wanderings deep within nature... Strange, yet so engaging they are. Complex, but so full of clarity they become. Inexplicable, yet so much a part of it all, and of us, as to feel that we have found something again that was never really lost... Only beyond comprehension until we recognize our ancient selves out there and what may be possible too... Then these elusive nexus become real, now a part of us again, and this potent inspiration transforms into motion and action, as we move forward, upward, onward, and even more inward... For a sense of this today, for a feeling of such poetry in motion, for some visual music of potential and wonder - take a few moments and enjoy under the 'Inspiration Link' section to the right: "Ueli Steck Going Home". The motivation and music there stirs the blood, brings a sense of wonder, and maybe even a tear to our eye as a fellow adventurer shares with us even more about what is inexplicably possible..... DSD

My appreciation to our fellow far place wanderers for the above images.

"Pathways Home..."

2011-09-18T07:49:00.001-07:00

Pathways of wonder and feelings, trails of beauty and stone... Canyons and rivers made up of dreams, mountains and forests composed of emotions... Stairways to such mystery and wonder, pathways of feelings to wander... All going home... DSD
Composed while paddling my sea kayak, heading back from a special wild place, leaving 'home' to return home once more... This was such a wonderful adventure, amidst a season of challenges out there, and for dedications as well for those who 'Adventure for Another Reason'...
My gratitude for the above image from some wonderful water people who also so enjoy their own distant island longings...

"Distant Island Longings..."

2011-09-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Have we not all gazed longingly... At a mountain summit, a very deep canyon, or especially at a distant coastal island... With all the wonderings and wantings that go along with that. There was a time when such longings over some select islands were very powerful for me. I had viewed these deserted distant islands from a shoreline, during channel crossings, even by air photos, and out on other paddle trips - but had not yet ventured out to visit and touch them... They seemed just beyond my reach back then, a bit further than my skills and preparations would take me. The winds out in that particular wild place can have a mind to take anyone way off course, or even to risk much more than one might have intended when launching out. I so much wanted to belong as one of those adventurers who had journeyed among those distant islands, shared in their secrets, enjoying their sunsets and campfires. I remember a mentor saying in his quiet voice that to really belong to something, you needed to find a way to 'be your longings'... This musing has evolved to mean many things and holds certain powerful truths deep within it... It allowed me to create the ways to eventually, finally, paddle through and wander over those elusive islands. Is there a distant island, possibly an elusive summit, maybe a dark and deep canyon, that has captured your own muse my Friends... Time to create the ways to 'be your own longings' Dear Finders... And time for me to head out paddling once more as well... DSD

Thank you David.......

"The Deepest Breaths..."

2011-09-04T05:56:00.001-07:00

The deepest breaths, in these moments, produce crystal memories of such meaning. The gasps and smiles, quite full of mystery, so much beauty for us to ponder. The deepest breaths, held the longest when, we find ourselves, among such wonders... Such deep breathing, when we push so hard, to achieve adventure desires, among our elusive choices. The deepest of breaths, within those last summit steps, we experience intensely, and not just upon mountains... The endurance of passions, require the deepest of breaths, for wild journeys out there, then on paths as well back here... The very deepest of breaths, taking in all about us, inhaling in what we are, inspiring who we may become... DSD

Dedicated this season to those adventurers who have followed their dreams while 'Adventuring For Another Reason', both this last season, and for those about to step out now...

My gratitude to our wild place friends who captured the above images while on their own adventure journeys.

"Descending Thoughts..."

2011-09-02T10:48:00.001-07:00

"When you come back down, you begin to think about what you did... Then you start to think: If I could do that, I can do anything. But if we had turned our backs at the bottom and never gone up, we would never have learned that lesson." J. Amatt

Ascent and descent, perceptions from both. Lessons from up there, gifts for ourselves, to bring back and share... DSD

Dedicated to those wonderful wanderers who have been 'Adventuring For Another Reason' this last summer season. My thanks to our high place friends for the above image as well.

"Confluence Within A Canyon..."

2011-08-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Canyoneering, canyoneering... A word we softly speak, so full of inspiration, anticipation, and excitement. The lowering, exploring, searching, , and peering into those desert depths of ancient rock and even older mysteries too... Such wonderful long days, such true challenges for us within this real yet surreal blending of desert elements. It was a time to unite again with close friends, to allow that joining with the sun and temperatures that was matching our enthusiasm, among a union of movement over, among, and between special stone. Canyoneering seems to very much be about flowing with what is there; in conforming to the nature of those countless twists and turns. Between sunrise and sunset, within the convergence of the elements with our musing and wonder - it was not lost upon us how such adventures as canyoneering out there, often mirrors our experiences as well when back here. Such amazing confluences, from deep within a lost desert canyon.....DSD

My appreciation to Fellow Canyon spirits, B. Hatcher for the top image above, and to B. Model for the lower image.

"Desert Dreaming..."

2011-08-26T11:10:00.001-07:00

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets' towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cliffs; where deer walk across the white sand beaches, where storms come and go as lightning clangs upon the high crags, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you beyond the next turning of the canyon walls". E. Abbey

Jeff's last comment, of the Meanderthals Link here, reminded me of my very favorite quote this last week as we were wandering among the canyons while simply desert dreaming... The desert and our other wild places do indeed hold out many dreams out there for us, so my wish for you today Dear Finders, which reflects what Abbey wrote above so long ago, is let us then envision these dreams and then become them..... DSD

My sincere gratitude to our fellow desert wanderers, A. Cavalli for the upper image above, and to M. Newman for the lower image.

"Desert Sun... Desert Summits..."

2011-08-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

We have made quite a number of southern journeys now to bask under the desert sun, to wander among the canyons, and to enjoy the desert summits too. There seems to be much geomancy out there especially during the glow of each time of the day... The colors of the rock evolve from red to cream, to greys and black, and yet it is amazing how each changes form depending upon sunrise & sunset, and even at high noon. There is an inconsistency in the rock that is so different; some allows a sense of sureness in scrambling, while others demand climbing with so close attention. I took a moment to reflect on our past experiences too within Joshua Tree as we hope to return there soon to that unique clime. I do so love the mirages that are created out there... The elements mix with our mind and we begin to see, even to become, more than what was before... It will never cease to amaze me about the differences and uniqueness of desert terrain; the actual feel of the rock; the variations in temperature - what a contrast to hiking and climbing in our Northern Rockies. The desert asks different things of us, in the way we move, what we need, the timings we choose, how a route is planned, among so many other spicy variations... This wild place's uniqueness allows us to seek out deep canyons, bike slickrock, climb upon ages old rock, and hike among the towers out there as well. That nature of variety itself in our adventures can be important for us... For when we discover new places and different experiences, then new ways of seeing and being in the wild places are created too... There exists such amazingly different combinations of the elements out in the desert: Moisture where you wouldn't expect it; the unique mix of dust, earth, and stone; the feel and reflections of the sun; the taste of the water; the heated air and how it moves in unexpected ways; and the the hidden surprises are many too... There were all those unknown tracks in the sand; unexpected vibrant green in deep canyons; dark openings into the earth that look never before travelled; and just a few small painted stones, appropriately placed gently on those desert summits with the registers created there so long before... We all need to embrace such diversity of adventure moments... Those that will leave us longing and dreaming of yet other days of desert sun... desert summits.....DSD

"Adventurum Mysterium....."

2011-08-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Musae, Movere, Ignis. Significatio, Elementi, Vita. Ignis, Ubi, Natura... Nine words of Latin. Written on some parchment. Found in an old register. Upon an elusive summit. It seems the interpretation though, is now up to each of us. Calculus... DSD

"Grey Wolf In A Storm..."

2011-08-14T09:49:00.001-07:00

This phrase, has become very special for me. These words have evolved, as we all do, over the seasons through many long adventures, and among such amazing wild place experiences. The memories and meanings are so vivid... It is also a powerful metaphor to live by, I have been learning, this 'Grey Wolf In A Storm...'. Especially during times of trial and adversity... On that day, so very long ago, I could sense the approaching weather - the winds were building, gaining strength, and the clouds were moving faster, getting darker. Surely a storm was coming. Now I don't know a lot about the behaviour of wolves in such weather, but the wolf I glimpsed that day appeared in a way, to actually be purposefully pausing there, standing in some safety back among those trees. We seemed to both be looking out upon the coming storm. Maybe each deciding what to do to prepare and where we should ride this out. I'm sure this grey wolf knew I was there long before I realized its' presence, and we were quite a ways apart, yet I caught a glimpse of movement, and that silver grey fur that was a real contrast to the darker woods. What mystified me next was that we both then seemed to just settle in to weather this storm through. It didn't last but for a few hours, winds gusting, rain casting shadows in sheets through the air, clouds alternatingly covering the peaks as if they were trying to hide them away... I watched for that Grey One as often as I looked up at the storm. That wolf never moved, never seemed to flinch, never ran, even when the thunder was right over head. It simply waited it all out, with a patient and knowing strength of purpose. Maybe in it's own wisdom realizing, that this too shall pass... Therein is what has become my metaphor, therein were my meanings... Now when my health issues or other adversities, like a recent back injury while out climbing challenge me, over and over again like that storm did - I think of that 'Grey Wolf In A Storm', and I find and draw upon the energy of its presence from that day to weather it all out once again..... DSD

"Fortress Mountain Moments..."

2011-08-05T11:26:00.001-07:00

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware." M. Buber

Fortress mountain is a spectacular peak hidden away in our Kananaskis, that guards its summit and secrets closely at times... While it is described as an easy scramble, as in many adventure experiences 'easy' does not always mean simple or straight forward. My moments out on this Fortress have evolved over a number of years and many long days upon it. While the mountain itself has stood fast and ready for those who would join with it, I needed a series of adventures up there before its' elusive summit was shared with me. Each trip had its own distinct trials, yet also very special and unique moments. I remember the first time out, among snow & sleet & wind, and leaving that cold clime with only an intense commitment to return. My second journey was during a time of injury that took away the speed and endurance needed to wander deep into that valley leading to Fortress Mountain, and the thousands of feet of rock to be covered. While the injury took away the energy, the spark of desire remained... Number three was not a charm but was still a gem. It became a special time out with a close friend; a col gained above a hidden tarn, and laughter ringing out among the close surrounding peaks, even when our summit that day was not attained. Another year passed, more seasons of patience, then a solo day out with no one else about at all, only sensations of covering a now well known approach, with feelings of tenacity and a deeper understanding of persistence, as well as affirming for myself once more that re-creation of one's own motivation for such elusive experiences has a value that resonates as no other... All in all, a very long journey in total, such a series of trials, many long days, many longer hours, so much effort and desire, all leading only to moments, simple moments, upon a guarded vault of a summit upon this mountain called Fortress. Even still... I think I just may go back... yet one more time... DSD

"Artists Of Being Alive..."

2011-07-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

"The most invisible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life itself. The ones who express the inexpressible... Their medium is their being. Whatever their presence touches has increased life. They are artists of being alive..." J. Stone

As this season unfolds and as I read over this favorite quote yet once more today, I began reflecting on each and every one of the links to the right here under 'Giving Back & Passing Forward'. These adventurers, these special people, who are 'Adventuring For Another Reason', are truly such artists of life... They are showing us all how to 'express the inexpressible' - those feelings, those emotions, those knowings, truths, and creative connections we wanderers have all experienced out there. These special adventurers have indeed made their 'being' now their 'medium' as well... Their unique efforts to give back & pass forward very much demonstrate how their presence ' touches and increases' life... What an honour it is to have connected with such adventurers, such artists of effort and life, such creators of intention, motivation, and commitment... Please support one of your choosing as best you can..... DSD

My appreciation for G. Epperson's image, which is the top one above, and is a special metaphor in motion.

"When A River Whispers Your Name..."

2011-07-24T08:29:00.001-07:00

"Rivers are magnets for the imagination... For conscious pondering and subconscious dreams, thrills, and fears... People stare into the moving water, captivated, as they are when gazing into a fire. What is it that draws and holds us? The rivers reflections of our lives and experiences are endless...". E. Fite

We have rafted, kayaked, riverboarded, and enjoyed endless hours of musing beside these same fast moving waters. They change with every season, with the storms in particular, but always do they feel so very familiar. Yet the river here has never been what it once was on another day before. Yes it has stayed true to its' elemental nature, and while being similar, even feeling like another home, it is constantly changing, forever unique... There have been so many long moments of pondering and wandering along its edges. Each and every time we find something new and discover depths not known before... There are certain rocks we know so well, select rapids that always remain, even as the seasons and the water levels change. This river has secret places to eddy out upon, and rest at that are especially comforting. When I listen very closely in those very silent moments, both from above and below these so cold waters, there comes whispers of welcome, whispers so soft as to be felt more inside than otherwise... When a river whispers to you, even possibly whispers your own name in this way, we forever become a part of it, and can never again really be apart from it - a bonding has been created in such moments, and with an element like this, which is an experience like no other. Our river is calling once again. Time to return home there again..... DSD

P. Huchton is one of those River Folk who created the lower image above, while C. Forelli is another River Spirit who created the upper image. Both I am very appreciative of.

"Ageless Spirits....."

2011-07-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here, now, by the late day firelight, I sit and ponder how far we have gone these last many days... To high and wild places I was not sure my worn frame would take me... But these old knees and the spirit behind them just kept going and kept taking just the next step. Beyond the breathing, past the mantra's, farther than my musings, then came these words: "An ageless spirit, not bound by time, nor by seasons, or even years... Only moments, of such beauty, while our ageless spirit, embraces all... We stand so still, as our breath returns, then our ancient spirit, adventures on...". Dedicated to all those wanderers who simply keep going, further, farther, onward, higher, and inward... DSD

My gratitude to those wonderful wanderers S. Alvarez for the top image above, and to N. Norman for the lower image.

"Kindle, Crackle, Sparkle..."

2011-07-14T19:15:00.001-07:00

A little kindle in the beginning, just some initial enthusiasm at first, only a bit, but essential for the whole journey, as here we go, kindling our way... Then comes the energetic crackle, as the momentum takes us further, farther along our adventurous ways. Now the fires of intention, commitment, and motivation are burning more brightly, consistently so strongly, then there we are, within the firelight and its' crackle... Sparkle is the inevitable result, the gleam to be found in our eyes, the smiles there too upon our happily tired faces. We sparkle with bright memories, and powerful connections now as well, never to lose that ground, gained through these wonderful journeys... Kindle, crackle, and sparkle... From musings by this warm fire, looking up at stars, and deep into those flames, then across at close friends, with such warmth in my heart... DSD

My appreciation to you, and you know who you are, for the warm images above.

"A Mystery I Could Not Solve..."

2011-07-10T05:34:00.001-07:00

This so elusive mountain, in this part of a distant range, with its' summit so concealed, an apex very unknown... The route was unusual, not just puzzling, but unassumingly challenging... A mountains stone character - the unique setting each has around, within, and upon it, has always so intrigued me. This one had a nexus of few discernables, no trails to it, no trace of routes upon it, no obvious way around or up. Many inexpressible challenges that quietly asked so much of me... It remains a mountain of such hidden rocky interpretations, and even more secrets to try and decipher. These are many of the answers we seek to figure out up there, and are a part of the mountains' prestige we all enjoy discovering. But not this time for me... No, not this mountain. Its' mystery I could not solve, and I loved it all the more for this..... DSD

My sincere gratitude to G. Wiltsie for the two images above. The upper of the elder climber and the lower of the young one pondering it all.

"Secret Places... Quiet Thoughts..."

2011-07-08T10:04:00.001-07:00

One of many, not many know. Secret Places, unknown wonders, so many splendors... Slow waves, such white sands, polished talking stones... Elements among elements, beauty within moments... A secret place, an island place, going back, coming home..... DSD

My thanks to some wonderful water folk, R. Bush for the lower image above, and D. Wall for the top image.

"The Time When We Throw Two Shadows..."

2011-07-03T15:19:00.001-07:00

There are very special high points of land, and as many such secret locations near the sea - where on certain days, during specific dates and seasons, that if we stand in a knowing way, we will throw two very different shadows... A few I know who wander out there, seek out these enlightening moments for the mystery, the fun, and the metaphors of meaning they inherently hold out for us... The visual image before us in those brief moments as we watch our shared shadow grow, and begin to move, is so wonderfully amazing. Just as intriguing are the meanings that wanderers give to this momentary elementally visual art... When sharing around campfires about these dual shadow experiences, I have listened closely while others have mused over and then discovered their own special meanings for this. These many representations have reflected personally poetic images of things something like: being in two places at once; of things from out there to those back here; from the many wild things who could be our totem shadows; in being both novice and experienced while wandering; in aspects of day & night or sun & moon; much as well about the yin & yang of confidence & doubt; and within things too of being young & old whether of age or spirit... So many parts of our inner and outer selves, all to be discovered, visualized, and found Dear Finders in those very special wild places and moments when we throw two long elemental shadows..... DSD

"Boundless Treaures..."

2011-07-01T10:34:00.001-07:00

"Let your mind be quiet, realizing the beauty of the world, and the immense, the boundless treasures that it holds in store. All that you have within you, all that your heart desires, all that your nature so specially fits for you - that waits embedded in the great whole... It will surely come to you... ". E. Carpenter

'Patience' our Outward Bound Instructor said, 'Patience and quiet', is all that we would need out there, for the gifts to appear... And they did..... DSD

My gratitude to those Canoe Adventurers M. Pryor for the top image above, and to J. Miglavs for the lower image.

"Looking Deeply..."

2011-06-26T13:20:00.001-07:00

I enjoy it immensely when our sea kayaks glide so softly, as they do in those long moments, as we come in now very closely to a quiet island shoreline... The waters out here are always so much calmer than further upon the open ocean. Then everything becomes very still... The water, our selves, and eventually the kayak too as it drifts more slowly along. Then I close my eyes and listen for a time, tuning into those other elusive elements that we need to sense and hear as well. At some point I find myself then looking over the side of the kayak, gazing down upon the water, seeing beyond the reflections of myself and the craft I am cradled in, looking deeply for something beyond... Because it seems there are always other things down there in those depths - movement of the life that lives in the world below, rocks that I would so enjoy to gather, reflections of another paddler, surprisingly looking like me but not really the same. If we all take some moments to look this deeply, there are symbols too, of the past, this present, and hopefully this wild places' future as well. Time to look more deeply..... DSD

My friendly appreciation to those water folk, T. Page for the top image above, and also to S. Shephard for the lower image.

"Seeing Inside The Mountain & The Wave..."

2011-06-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

More than a few decades ago, as I was in those early years of learning many needed outdoor skills, and among the endless yearnings to be out practicing them - I was given three small gifts... Two of these are similar in that they are small crystal figures. One of a mountain, the other of a wave. On each of these can be seen the unique outline and character of what we might expect to see upon such a mountain or wave image. The mountain itself has its lines, ridges, cliff like glass faces, the apex of these leading to the summit itself. The wave has its lines too, the curves we would expect, and the character of such waters that are felt in its crystalline presence. Two beautiful gifts. Two pieces of crystal that present images and also symbolism... The third gift though, was what had been said to me, written as it was in the accompanying card. For if you turn these two crystals around, on their more hidden sides, it is as if a section of both the mountain and the wave have been cut away. You can now see inside of these icons and gaze deep within them. Their internal worlds are both so very unique. You are able to see, and sense, and even feel so much more about that mountain and that wave... This is what my third gift was. A few words written for me that said, "You are an adventurous person. What you seek is inside. Inside of the mountains, inside of those waves, inside of yourself...". I thought to share this story with you my Friends, today as I find myself dusting these old gifts off, and remembering the enduring message of them, the truths they held out, and how they further inspired me to stay the course these long years of challenges, trials, trails, and adventures... Now its time to be away coastal beach trekking and coastal island sea kayaking... DSD

"Problems To Be Proud Of..."

2011-06-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

In the midst of my first Outward Bound course, among mountains I had dreamed over for years as a youth, we shared a day of long rappels and rocky learnings, while moving over a very high and steep cliff face. As I now again read over my journal from way back then, and ponder the many years that have passed, I see again yet another quote from one of our Instructors - one that I put a big question mark beside and underlined a few times too... That was a day of distinct struggle for some of us, a day of anxious unknowns and problems to be met that most had never been faced with before - especially for me it seemed as I experienced what it was like to be gripped up there; not knowing what to do next; not seeing how there was any solution to what was before me... With the boisterous encouragement of my new friends, and the sincere support of our Instructors, I moved through those moments; yet it didn't feel like much of a success. At least back then, in the beginnings of those initial learnings... Sitting on the rock in our circle afterwards, as the sun began its own descent, I shared how that even while having gotten through the day, I wasn't sure I might ever want to tackle that kind of problem again. Our Instructor led a discussion then about the nature of such challenges, the particulars of problems and trials that are often hidden from us - and that the real elemental issue about them to be solved is more often our perceptions rather than just the circumstances before us. The scribble from my journal captured what quietly had been said next though, as we talked more about our adventure experiences, and how they might assist us in navigating through other challenges in life. In facing these, our Instructor stated, it can be so subtly important as we make our way, "To choose problems we can be proud of... Problems you can respect yourself for having...". My young ears had never heard such a description. How could it be that we each 'choose' our problems, on the many levels they confront us? That we can then be the person we want to be proud of in having made such choices? Now after much time has passed I can gaze back upon the trials and issues, obstacles and hurdles, that were 'chosen' over the years and sense the self respect we each can have for having done so... Adventures can very much be the means on this kind of path of understanding. Adventures among mountains and canyons, over rivers and oceans, inherently hold out elements to us that we can be proud of for having faced and embraced them. We become full of self respect for having engaged with them. Then this experience, like a stone gathered up by a waterfall when out wandering, we then bring such perspectives back here, another so valuable gem from out there, and discover the ways and means to become proud of the life problems we all seem to eventually choose to navigate. That Instructor's quiet comment still amazes me to this very day..... DSD

My gratitude to the Quiet Ones for the images above.

"Touching A Hundred Million Years..."

2011-06-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

On top of this summit we touch a hundred million years... Imagine what these rocks have seen; envision our brief history in relation to them; perspectives upon perspectives... There, as we drift by those rocks of our Northern Shield lakes. we can know thousands upon thousands of seasons. So many passages of peoples, of animals... So beautifully carved by tons of ice and countless storms of snow. Deep in this canyon we also embrace the millenia, the timeless, the endless... We raft through ages upon ages, eons upon eons, among layer upon layer of time. Time though, is an unknown concept to such a canyon. Yet it still shares with us, allows us to touch a hundred million years... What a gift in being able to enjoy the memories of such earth and rock and timelessness, in touching a hundred million years and more... DSD

My appreciation to D. Tomlinson for the above images.

"More Within....."

2011-06-05T05:50:00.001-07:00

There is, you know... There can truly be, we realize at times, more deeply within us all... Within you, and inside every one of us. Depths yet to be divined, distances yet to be understood. Let's do whatever it takes, to find such wonders of potential within. For then all we do out there, the heights and dreams desired, the moments we so seek; there are more truly met and measured by - not just that of the physical, nor things only of the mind, very often by close friends, yet always from within our spirit... Synergy, energy, motivation, drive... Such enthusiasm within, becomes realities without. Then there is, we come to realize and know, so much more deeply within us all..... DSD

My gratitude to J. Burcham for the top image above.

"Now Is The Time..."

2011-06-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

"If there's something special you want to do, now is the time... If you want to make a difference in the world, now is the time. Don't be fooled into thinking you should wait until you are older or wiser or more secure - because it doesn't work that way. The wisdom will come. The security will come. But first you must begin your adventure." R. Atchison

An alpine start under a very full moon. Beginning a journey towards an unknown mountain. Anticipation, excitement, and such shared commitment within our new beginnings. Can there be anything else, quite like our adventures... Now was the time... DSD

My appreciation to Ron Atchison from 'Inspiration Peak' for this wonderful musing.

http://www.inspirationpeak.com/

"Again..!"

2011-05-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Right at the very top was the hardest rock; right at the highest point required the most difficult moves. Much later I would learn to call such places the crux of it all. It was only our second time though, to climb upon the face of these cliffs, in the midst of our Outward Bound course so many years ago... A cliff that may feel small in perspective now, but way back then it was a towering rock face for us all. It was during our initial day of learning to top rope, to begin to sense what movement means over this medium, to feel the character of the stone, to trust the belay of another, and to experience what it means to trust ourselves more also... Our Instructors were positioned one below by our belay partner and the other at the top of the vertical world in front of us. I had watched my new friends trying to find their best within, and now it was my own turn... The first bit went well while all the later sections were a real struggle. We were learning that we couldn't force it, nor muscle our way past, or even change the route by being frustrated at it. But we did figure the puzzle out, learned to blend with the rock problems, and all exclaimed happily and loudly as we moved over and past them. Then to my surprise, as I had just touched our elusive objective - one of the highest carabiners on this route, the Outward Bound Instructor up there called out: "Again!". 'Again what', I said through my big smile, as he yelled to his partner and my belayer below; then arranged for my lowering. Their intention was to have us grasp for that very moment even more closely, to build immediately upon a success, to instill so clearly for us in the midst of this experience what confidence like this feels like... When I moved through the crux and touched that carabiner the second time, it was now me who asked quietly but so happily, 'Again?'. And again it was, time and time again, for each of us! What had been the crux was now the key, what was once the hardest was now the most fun, where the challenge before seemed daunting now it was powerfully affirming... Now in these distant mountains, as I wrote the first thoughts for this post, and look across at the young ones waiting in anticipation, we each look at the other and laugh loudly as we call out: 'Again!!!'. DSD

"No Tread Between....."

2011-05-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

No Tread at all it seems, between us, and the trail this day. Within a flow, a sense of something else, such an effortlessness among our paths. These feelings, a so sweet spot to be, ongoing motion & momentum forward, no need for long to rest. No tread between us and the trail, nor between the mountain now. Steep slopes, so much loose scree, yet continuous movement still, with heads held up so very high. The knowing of endurance of another kind, an assuredness within each and every step. Forward, upward, now upon the peak, nothing between us and this ancient rock. No tread between anything at all, instead sensing, touching, blending, becoming one, between us and this whole adventure day.....DSD

My appreciation to C. Peter for the lower image above and to G. Dale for the upper image.

"Meditations Upon Windtower....."

2011-05-22T05:34:00.001-07:00

I have practiced meditation now since my teenage years, having learned many diverse forms and methods. In my journeys there have also been certain settings, selected wild places, where I have felt a connection between the terrain there and then the mantras utilized in a blending of those elements. Our Windtower is such a place near here... It is a mountain of a distinct form, of unusual rock, of a particular height, and a special location above West Wind Pass and the adjoining valleys there. Its' summit looks out in all directions over our Bow Valley, the Spray Lakes, and towards the many Rocky Mountain Ranges embracing this area of confluence and connection... I have scrambled there with close friends, my partner, and out solo so many times also. It is a challenge to put into words why I sense it to be a meditative peak. There are often many on the hike to the Pass, and also scrambling to the summit, yet on certain days, with a very early start on one's own, the ascent and the high point share other elementally calm secrets too... I often go when many would not wander in the poor weather. During a day of high winds, but with no troubling clouds or distinct rumblings that put ones neck hairs on end. Then you can feel the power of this Tower, and hear the callings of the winds play over the rock up there... Adventurous meditations become not only about a high and wild place, but also then more so of what is unfolding within - within the experience, within the mountain, within our mantra and breathing, then finding even more within ourselves as well..... DSD

The lower image above was gathered up from where I do not recall, but still wish to acknowledge the person who created it.

"Wonderings....."

2011-05-20T11:30:00.001-07:00

"People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering". St. Augustine

Time to go and wander, time to journey and wonder... DSD

"Trying To Catch The Sun - A Sea Kayaker's Game..."

2011-05-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

We understand it as that which emanates the light and energy and warmth that maintains life. We know her by her many names too. Many of us sit out endlessly on the stones and sand, watching the tides and waves that she so influences, as we enjoy feeling the warmth of the rocks she touches. An elusive elemental she is, but that doesn't stop us from trying to catch up with the sun... We often have set out from the shorelines of a distant island camp we have already set up, only with sunglasses and much lighter kayaks, on a course that requires no compass. Directly into the sunset we paddle, not quickly but surely, as she descends so slowly and gently, soon to touch and then hide beyond the waters... Off we go again trying to catch her, even while knowing we likely never will. But as adventurers we always try, for maybe, just maybe, this time we will get close... The game is more about the effort, the direction we are going, certainly the fun, and the ephemeral mystery of the experiences in those so special moments... This always seems to be a unique time of sight and sound and feeling as she touches, then sets beyond our liquid horizon... Too soon we then turn about on our paddling return, in the very last light, with laughter, and smiles, and new memories... Such a wonderful game, trying to catch the sun, one we are always kind of successful in each and every time..... DSD

"Two... Climbing As One..."

2011-05-06T10:38:00.001-07:00

Two climbers, two rope partners, two close friends. Climbing as one, on a mountain of rock, among endless beauty of snow and ice. Knowing that closeness and shared feelings of movement, sensation, of placement, and position. It is typically two who are out there, upon those mountain faces, while linked by rope, and commitment in that unique way. There may be two, but they are really climbing as one... A special experience of connection it is, of profound shared wonders and such potent energy. Touching the same rock - moving, blending, within the music of adventurous synchronicity. A mixing in of space, within moments of time, and of an agreed upon intention. One knowing the other, so very closely, in that experience of trust, confidence, and friendship. There may be two, yet they are more truly climbing as one..... DSD

"A Special Spring Tide..."

2011-04-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

While even so called, I was to learn that such tides occur not just in the spring, but rather when the Earth, Sun, and Moon are in concordance. They are the strongest of tides; the tides of extremes for highs and lows, when the pull, the drawing, of both sun and moon work synergisticly together. The moon was indeed very full as I looked out over those island waters; in a way I had not seen them in some time... The tide tables also shared what could now be viewed out among these quiet points of rock that were growing higher and larger as the minutes passed. The waters were withdrawing, were retreating, were letting go of their grasp upon the land. And as with all true mystery, now things were being shared that were not known before... I was up at that very early hour for just this experience. To listen in the night, to converse with the moon, to watch the waters ebb beyond, to walk upon a shoreline that hardly ever breathes the air, and hopefully to find those treasures that are only shared in those brief, ephemeral, moments such as this... They were indeed there... The pure soft sands, the countless shells and sand dollars, endless polished cobblestones, and tidal life so vibrant and full of energy. I wandered and strolled and walked and mused and stooped and sat... for endless moments, until the waters voice became more insistent to return. Then the first full glow of a distant horizon began to more show itself... Such a special spring tide... Another of those gentle, hidden, beautiful gifts from out there..... DSD

My appreciation to K. Garrett for the top image above, and to C. Johns for the lower image.

"Foresight....."

2011-04-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

I've got to say. when I stand still up here. upon this very high point, and not simply composing these words - but gazing too out upon the sea of summits, the pristine valleys, a distant river, way out far below... I've got to tell you, someone had some real foresight; such distant vision... To think that from way back then, they were aware of the probability that such wild places were so vulnerable; that they predicted those many potential pressures, and saw what could foreshadow and happen out here... I've got to say how amazed and impressed I am at that kind of foresight. In this National Park, as I ponder over a post for our shared Earth Day, I am so reminded of what they were able to foresee... The way they protected these wilds places and the wild ones too, for us all, for generations to come... The care they had for the future was indicative of so much. What gifts they set aside for us to enjoy, what stewardship they established, which was to predestine taking care of it all in this way... Those who saw this, those who did this, those who passed this forward for us; I've got to say - let's also honour them this day..... DSD

My appreciation to J. Chin for the great image above.

"All Spoke The Same Language..."

2011-04-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

"In the very earliest of times, when both people and animals lived together on earth, a person could become an animal if he wanted to, and a animal could become a human being. Sometimes there were people, and sometimes animals, and there was no difference. All spoke the same language...". Author Unknown

My gratitude to S. Boulet for the top image above and to B. Bosin for the lower image. DSD

"Cresting That Ridge..."

2011-04-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

There can be those certain objectives in our lives of adventure that we dream endlessly about, commit so much to, and plan over so often... There is this one elusive summit, this one special mountain peak, that I have gazed upon every summer in our Western Rockies. I eventually attained that goal of a solo climb upon it and those precious moments up there... My first time up on that mountain was a very unique experience and I longed to return there again. It had become something more than an objective for me.. I knew the route well and was confident in my planning to go solo again. Visualizing the whole climb was a joy - the very early alpine start, being alone upon that trail, just by myself through those long hours of scree... Then I would picture each rock band; their colors, textures, and individual characters. The preparation was such great fun, and the training very challenging, but worth every hour. I would endlessly see in my minds eye the approach, the ascent, descent, and return... There seemed to be, though, one point on the climb in particular that resonated deeply with me. The summit was important; yet it was the cresting of a particular ridge that was even more significant... I knew that when this steep ridgeline was attained, that barring the most severe weather, the summit was almost assured... Having been there before I could feel again that the real difficulty was getting to, and then up upon that distinct ridgeline. The point on that crest was where I had rested before, just as the newly rising sun came around the edge of the mountain itself... My silhouette was projected out and across the sky, then over the valley below - I had never viewed anything so amazing... Returning to such places and experiencing them again is so very special. Such goals, within those ridgelines of our adventure lives, become children of our soul, reflections of our spirit, projections of ourselves... Can you see yourself out yet again Dear Finders, upon your own distant ridgelines, with the beauty of the horizon endlessly shining out there ahead of you.....DSD

"A Percentage Mental....."

2011-04-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

On Outward Bound we had many long engaging discussions while on the trail, or resting and during meals later in the day. One theme that became central was the strong opinions our Instructors had that, while we could learn as many outdoor skills as possible, and practice them often, that a percent of our performance out there would always be mental... On many later adventures with older mountain guides and wild place mentors, I would spark similar discussion to learn of their views on this. They would all agree, even if the percentages changed a bit, that the key element here, be it about skills, fitness, endurance, or persistence past adversity - was indeed a fundamental percentage mental... But what does this mean, what does this look like, I would often ponder further, and still do to this day... We are all very individual adventurers with such varied upbringings, backgrounds, and perceptions. Our natures can be so unique and our nurturing so different too. This crux of a percentage, can be the catalyst or the downfall, but what are those elements in this essential mental component... Is it the persistence we develop over time, particularly under the supportive watchful eye of a seasoned experienced elder out there. Could it be the time and practice we put in, to sort out our skills and develop earned confidence in them. Maybe its the accumulation of the adventure experiences themselves, where we learn there is so much more within us then we ever first knew... Possibly we may have a stubbornness, a persistence of character, a willingness to push a bit further - are these part of our percentage that takes us higher... Might it be the ways and means we each strengthen our convictions, that personal determination we grow from within. This percentage surely is a part of the inherent power of envisioning within our dreams is it not... Is it the way we each seek to clarify and crystallize why we do what we do out there until these become gems of our percentage. Then too, there is that shared source which is created among friends and companions with those potent fellowships and connections. What about that powerful something else - like when we are adventuring for another reason; when we are out there for things beyond ourselves... Essentially this must be found too in the promises and commitments we make to not let others or ourselves down. Is it the assurance we sense if we prepare well, to find out what we each feel we need to know, often from the discussions with those who have gone before, and then we carry this along with us... What about all those techniques, tricks of you will, that we each develop to enhance our focus, to get us up that next bit, to move us on to taking a few more steps; the little 'psyche' kind of strategies that take us a bit further along the trails... A love of the wild places must be a potent part of this percentage too, from the way we feel at home out there, and in the ways the wilds resonate inside of each of us... Then there is the creation and recollection of the memories themselves that certainly make up a piece of this puzzle. Could those hopeful possibilities of time with the wild ones, those special ones out there whom we all are in awe of - could that also be a clue... Is it simply that we accept that these ways, those paths, are means towards becoming the persons we always wanted to be, out there as adventurers, and when we are back here also, are inherently calling out as a mindful percentage... Might it be that there are things within the trials we decide to face when adventuring, those discomforts, adversities, even painful experiences that actually draws us to them... Imagine that - as could it be we are of that hardy group that choose to make things more difficult and challenging for the fun of it. There is surely, clearly, a significantly important percentage mental within all of these paths comprising our adventure approaches. Just as when water finally boils on our mountain stoves, a simple degree beyond its set point, these small percentages will fire our enthusiasms, motivations, and endurance which will certainly all contribute to our adventure endeavors in the wild places... There are likely as many paths to enhancing these mental percentages within our chosen adventure activities, as there are adventurers out there. Therein is the value again of musing and pondering the wonder of why we do what we do when we wander.....DSD

"I've No Idea He Said..."

2011-04-02T10:03:00.001-07:00

We only met briefly; two trekkers out upon that long trail. Him coming back in, and me just getting going. Him returning with that look of such happiness and weathering; me simply beginning with no dust yet upon me nor a sun or wind burn upon my face.While we were only meet briefly we did talk for some moments. Some great shared time, like that we all have had on our trails, to chat about terrain, directions, conditions, vistas to enjoy, and secret places to discover...But when I asked that other question, we often query about too; that inquiry over timing, what he said intrigued me even more..."I've no idea", he said when I asked how long its' been and how long its' taken. "No idea at all, because I don't really know...", "What day or date it is, or the time of day really either...".All this said with a smile on the face of one who doesn't care, about such definers or parameters, when they long wander out there...He was returning with such a wondrous gift, of perceptions like these. I was just starting to head out, only beginning to sense, to be reminded again of the value of this way of wandering.We only met and shared briefly; but I won't soon forget...DSD

"When The Trees Sing..."

2011-03-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

"When the trees sing, It doesn't really matter if you know the song,Or if you know the words,Or even if you know the tune. What really matters is knowing, That the trees are singing at all." M. Stepanek

Inspiration can be found in so many places. Inspiration may be discovered among such diverse voices. I ponder this quote today from a very young philosopher. Thinking how he would have been so wonderful a companion and wanderer... Now as I listen to the songs of these of these so old trees, Among the wilds visiting with these ever present ancient winds, Musing about 'knowings', and singing, and other subtle wonders.....DSD

"Goal Questing....."

2011-03-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

"Goals... are part of an internal quest - one of fulfillment and excellence in the here and now. The key to goal realisation is to choose challenging destinations that will enable you to create joy during the journey." Huang & Lynch

Such enlightened perspectives on goals,

So personal reflections of our selves,

Adventures among every step,

Joy within almost all moments,

What could be more wondrous,

Than such quests for our goals...

DSD

"A Symphony Of Movement, Motion, And Music..."

2011-03-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

Who first called them 'slabs' we may never know, and they likely mirror those countless other local cliffs hidden away out there, yet near enough to us all. It was just to be a quiet day for me. A rest day for tired legs and old tendons. A day for simple recovery of walking, carrying little except some books, water, and a big lunch. I remember that day chuckling how it wasn't that long ago that a much younger one had commented about how 'retro' I was in still using my old cassette player I had to listen to the muses and their music. Now I have a little Shuffle too which never ceases to amaze me with its size, capacity, and simple complexity. The name fits with me as well as that is how I feel my hiking is now at times these many decades in, especially with a full pack upon my back.

I was early and able to find and lay claim to the best shaded ground, under an even more perfect tree nearby our slabs, in this ancient valley. With some water and my journal in my lap, and those fancy little ear buds all tucked in my ears, I now could simply watch the many others here practice and move their way up and across these many polished rock slab faces.

After dozing for a bit, and then waking to wonder what the young ones must think about the grey hair asleep under the tree, I turned up the volume some. Then I began to just watch, to enjoy their enthusiasm, and to appreciate their boundless energy. The next few hours was the best blending of the most amazing symphony of music, motion, and movements I have experienced in ages...

While they were not listening to what I was, they must have been hearing their own harmonies as they climbed. What artists they all were that adventure day. Each had a grace in their movements, and a focus to their motion... All were joined in that wonderful vertical dance upon ancient rock...

Not all were as skilled as others in leading these routes, but all were still artists of a kind... Even those that struggled or fell, still did so in a dramatic fashion - like the heroes we read about who always get up even after being solidly knocked down time and again... It seemed that when the tempo of my silent music picked up, so did their wonderful efforts...

Then when I was listening to some quieter sounds, their focus seemed to increase but slow. What amazing synchronicity it was... What beautiful compositions this all made, this symphony of motion, and movement, and music...

What a wonderful adventurous rest day it was, out among all this spirit and stone.....

DSD

My thanks to B. Model for the lower image above, and to P&K Smith for the upper image.

"Touching The Same Cairn....."

2011-03-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

Similar weather, such a familiar route.

The same sea of summits, views from memories too...

Ageless rocks of a cairn, holding close an old summit register.

Trembling some as it is opened...

And there, the same hand writing, now as back then.

Both words and paper faded; though meanings still so vibrant...

Then the simple placing of a few Summit Stones, and moments for quiet reflection.

Touching the same cairn, now with older lined hands,

Much greyer of hair as well,

Being tempered of energy,

Yet not of spirit.

So many years have passed,

To return to where it all began.....

DSD

My sincere appreciation to S. Abegg for the top image above, and to R. Ingraham for the lower image.

"Ask....."

2011-02-28T16:41:00.000-08:00

On this adventure,

In those moments,

What is it that you might need to ask...

What ponderings do you want to have answered...

What is it you hope to find; to discover yet again out there...

What could there be that you wish to more understand; maybe even about what you may already sense...

About out there, in the wilds.

About in here, within your heart.

From deep within your spirit too.

On this adventure,

In those moments,

Ask.......

DSD

"Ceremonial Stones..."

2011-02-25T14:28:00.000-08:00

The ancients called them Stones of Ceremony, Learning Stones, Rocks of Passage, among other cultural & spiritual references and descriptions too. They were used in sacred ceremonial experiences, almost always out deep within the wild places, most importantly as ways of keeping memories alive...

Being the substance of rock, that of lasting stone, they became symbols passed from one hand to another; from one generation forward hopefully everlasting in this way. They are instrumental as ways for remembering, for recalling significant events, to bring back memories of persons, in relearning lessons to important to lose, in sharing stories of challenge and accomplishments, wonderments, and especially of emotions too...

The stories that were symbolically attached to such Stones of Ceremony were woven into their history, beliefs, and ways of the people who polished them so. This is not surprising considering the enduring substance of stone, and the uniqueness of every one in its' own shape, color, texture, and even the character of each one.

I have seen how persons hold these memory rocks with such reverence, almost as if by handling them, they return to a time before and become more in touch with those who have long ago passed them forward...

Combined with the nature of stone we join and blend the wonders of memories and ceremony, and the synergy found in doing so, is truly another kind of elemental energy.

While we only pass through these elements, Stones of Ceremony are indeed one of the eternal elementals from out there. They are like the Scholar Rocks I have written about before, another of the mysteries of hidden history the I so enjoy reflecting upon within my own stone endeavours.....

DSD

"A Touch On The Arm....."

2011-02-22T17:08:00.001-08:00

I was just catching up with one of my old friends made while out years ago with Outward Bound. Both of us had been away recently coastal winter kayaking. There is a very close connection developed there that we have had for what seems ages now. We often chuckle and reminisce about our novice selves and the way we first faced challenges way back then. He was one who brought confidence with him to that experience, and then found new ways to grow this internal element even further when out there...During one of the many shared trust and personal challenge exercises, he stood beside me as I was next to go. Certain heights and some kinds of edges have always invited a bit of anxiousness for me. He could read this upon my face, and at that difficult point, he simply reached over and touched my arm... Then with a smile on his own face he just nodded to me...

This was a gesture reflecting subtle, powerful, quiet messages of 'I'm here', 'You can do this', and as he had just gone before, of 'If I can then you can'...

His face always comes to mind as I have passed forward such encouragement to others over these many years. Encouragement is a gift twice given it seems, and always, always, will bring a smile to each and every one of us adventurers...

DSD

"An Immeasurable What If..."

2011-02-03T06:49:00.001-08:00

What if.....

What if it all means we should go. You know, even with all of 'That'...

What if all of those other so important distractions, that daily distress, those preoccupations of people and time pressures, the never ending deadlines, family concerns, others issues, lack of support or sleep, that extra work, or feeling quite tired of it all - what if on another level of understanding and need, what if it all means you should go...

Of course, many of these are real concerns, important in their own way, and needing of some time and attention. But, what if, having all of these kinds of storms in our lives - rather than meaning we shouldn't or seemingly couldn't go, what if they all actually are telling us a different secret...

Even while they are trying us, testing us, to see how much we want these adventures; what if much of what we really need many times is to be found in the avocation of our wanderings out there... What if, by going, we discover more clarity, become centered again, more focused yet relaxed, renewed of energy, and so much more able to return to navigate all those other such things back here.

What if, after pondering this seemingly simple question, we each uncover a heretofore hidden and immeasurably valuable answer for ourselves...

What if.....

DSD

"Stone Stairways....."

2011-01-31T07:01:00.001-08:00

I have always enjoyed reading by a fire and later yesterday I took an old tome off a shelf which had collected too much dust. Paging through it gently, as such aged books need to be handled carefully, I found a note on a piece of paper I likely used as a bookmark way back when...

After reading the words there, I reviewed the pages where it had been found, then pondered who might have first said it. I do not recall the words as my own, could not find them in the tome, nor had any reference been noted.

The mysterious quotation simply said: "The mountains are stone stairways...".

Just these five words; nothing more.

As I gazed into the fire, many musings crossed my mind of how the mountains are indeed such stairways - ascending ways and paths of rock and ice, scree and snow, of challenges and trials, of directions forwards and upwards, towards profoundly personal experiences and meanings that we each discover all along the way.

Such beautiful stone stairways are our elusive high places that we each seek.....

DSD

"Romantic Realists..."

2011-01-24T07:12:00.000-08:00

We adventurers are such romantic realists, when we turn and face that which we each have chosen, as we make our own way out among the wildest of places...

To be an adventurer is at heart, to clearly be a romantic, and yet it seems very much a realist too. We take our dream like visions and make them come true. We move past everyday life back here, and journey into the extremes and emotions out there; and then return with spirits, hearts, and perceptions renewed.

That which really matters become the elements we seek to embrace; what is within the true nature of an experience becomes that which we seek to engage.

As adventurers, we deal with things as they are, while following enthusiasms towards things that are yet to be...

We are so imaginatively practical in the pursuit of our wild passions. So often playfully serious about our fun and our freedoms. We blend risk with romanticism, and distinct objectives with subtle fulfillment's.

Such romantic realists are we, such pioneers and wanderers, poets and bards, explorers and philosophers.

We everyday adventurers.....

DSD

My thanks for the top image above to A.G. Belt.

"Circumnavigations....."

2011-01-17T07:34:00.001-08:00

The circle is a powerful symbol. Many adventurers embrace the concept of the 'Grand Circle', knowingly or not. It blends with all of what we do out there as we enclose our wanderings within the language, ways, and means of such symbols. The circle has also been viewed as a continuous path in many cultures and histories. Circles upon, and within circles - or circumnavigations; are very potent adventures. Such voyages and journeys take us all around, all the way to the edges, and then finally back again...

We so circumscribe the elements, crossing meridians, and all points of the compass by doing so, in actuality and through the adventure metaphor as well.

I remember... Circumnavigating those many coastal islands, then returning again to the same point we launched and embarked upon, but not as the same persons at all...

We recall... Surrounding Mt. Temple from east to west, north & south and then back again, from trail head to scramble route, through hiking and climbing, and so much more...

We remember... Following the circumference of so many maps from wild places to further wilderness, then on to that internal terrain even more elusive...

I myself remember... The circuitous nature of returning, coming back full circle, to the very first mountain climbed, the initial river rafted, where a certain wild animal was first sighted, that place where the worst fall was taken, the lakes of my youth, the injury that almost ended these journeys, and those so special wild places where some selected little stones were gathered up and an idea was formed...

Such potent symbols circles are, such wonderful journeys circumnavigations become.....

DSD

My appreciation to M. Hill for the above images.

"A Misplaced Dream..."

2011-01-10T07:30:00.001-08:00

There is a river out there I know well, but have yet to run all of it. It is not the longest, or largest, nor the most grand - yet it holds a truly unique beauty within its' remote fluid wildness.

Near this river is a small somewhat hidden valley. I so want to journey down between the high rock walls that embrace the older growth forests held closely there. Some of those streams from this valley feed the waters of that river which is the only way to access this undiscovered area on my map...

At the far end, at the very farthest point from this river I have yet to paddle, is an unusual mountain. Not the highest, but certainly the most aesthetic one nearby. It is a severe craggy rock, with old ice and deep snow upon it on a scale not seen on many high points now. The summit of this distant mountain may not likely have ever been visited, other than by the wind or the feathered ones, or so it feels when I dream about it...

A season does not go by where I do not also find myself again envisioning a journey upon that river, down that pristine valley, and then slowly ascending that elusive mountain...

We all have such wild places & plans, possibly misplaced dreams that we need to revisit, from deep within our hearts, where our spirit longs to wander... The energy of life is made up of such hope and dreams...

I hope to dream again of my secret adventure there yet again tonight.....

DSD

My appreciation to A. Jones for the lower image above and to K. Su for the top image.

"What Will It Take....."

2011-01-06T07:11:00.001-08:00

What will it take, the Muses say,

Then too the storms call out,

What toll are we each prepared to give.

What will be asked of us, the shadows state,

What will it take, the echoes call as well,

For each to choose, then each to strive, with all they have,

On paths of efforts, and such trails of time...

Now let us commit, responds the ageless voices,

For then it seems, all the more surely, we will each discover,

Whatever it takes, to be on our way...

DSD

My thanks to F. Polimeni for the top image above, and to G. Wiltsie for the lower image.

"New Beginnings....."

2011-01-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

"Prevalent in primal lore are stories of beginnings... Sacred myths and cherished legends narrate the origins of the cosmos itself, the earth and its life, and human beings and their purposes. Only if we know how things began, the primal mind seems to say, do we know how to continue..". P. Novak

Therein is one of our many reasons for why we muse about the origins of our adventures; for the very why we do what we do, out in the wild places. We often seem to grasp why it is we began; yet understanding too why we keep going especially when the trails become trials is certainly as important.

How & why & when did you begin to head out there - we often inquire of one another.

What adventures did you first start out upon we also share about.

Then, most interestingly, as the seasons pass, as the many years come and go, we just as often find ourselves returning to those times and places and reasons we began with...

Adventures within experiences,

Wonders within moments,

Returning to beginnings,

Full circle yet again,

This early new year.....

DSD

"In The Wild Places..."

2010-12-20T07:34:00.001-08:00

In the wild places... We discover land & seascape as muse and are gifted with many intense experiences worth pondering over.

In the wild places we learn of nature and of ourselves as well. Elemental metaphors are both surreal and very real out there.

In these wild places we find that sense of freedom each being needs in their lives. In these special places the goal is to adventure and see new things, and also to see in new ways...

We begin to realise what wild really is, the strength within nature, and to know its' vulnerabilities too.

In the wild places we find inspiration, we re-create motivation, we more understand our motives - our why's for going and doing what we do out there...

We embrace the seasons of the wild places, the seasons for our lives, and the real reasons why such outback resonates within us.

We cannot be, what we cannot see; so we open ourselves up in the wild places. We share experiences so meaningful with family, partners, friends, and animals.

In the wild places we begin to know what we always knew. Many times out there our bodies are tested as they should be. Yet in the wild places we feel and sense more than body though; we also find real spirit...

In these wild places we uncover true humility and that which we all are part of. We exert efforts to preserve that which was passed forward to us knowing intuitively its importance...

In the wild places we learn priceless lessons, depths of insights. We want to attain goals, to be, to feel. We play, have such fun, returning to our child like lives.

In the wild places we experience the power of choices. We so push ourselves, and each other, while moving beyond self-induced barriers and past adversity.

In the wild places we enjoy endless sunsets, alpenglow, the wind, waves, and such vistas too many to count. We discover surprises, newness, realities before unknown. We see many levels of nature, true beauty, of the place and as a human in that place.

In the wild places we become more of the person we want to be; we go back to our natural selves, and return refreshed.

Ultimately... In the wild places, we find what we never lost, and are so grateful for these gifts.....

DSD

My appreciation to G. Wiltsie for the above images.

"Dedications....."

2010-12-16T07:20:00.001-08:00

The terrain of dedication is a diverse one. Like that which reflects our intentions for climbing a mountain itself, the meaning of our dedications, and what we wish to honour with our adventure efforts, is a very individual and personal thing. For myself, the study of what elements make up our resoluteness; in pondering the willingness we each choose in 'giving up to get' within our adventure goals, and in musing over why and how we devote ourselves so - remains a life long quest.

I thought of dedication again when returning with a close companion to a mountain where a fall took place, and how dedicated my friend is in keeping on in the face of such severe adversity.

I reflect on dedication as well when I read over the many wonderful links I have here to the scribings our fellow adventurers like Kraig, Stewart, Casey, Carol, and others make in their continued loyal commitment to the quality, frequency, and depth of their adventurous blog posts.

I think too of Rick McCharles at Best Hikes, in his year over year journeys to seek out and actually experience many of the best hikes of the world, his posts and pictures about them, and the amazing sharing in placings he has made of Summit Stones.

Then there are all of you too, fellow 'Partners In Placing', who share in beliefs about the importance of giving back and passing forward. What selfless dignity you have sharing in the smiles and karma along the way.

So, here's to you my Friends, as we dedicate ourselves once again - in sharing at this time of year; towards planning next seasons adventures; and especially within how we consider we might 'Adventure For Another Reason'...

Such inscriptions of our dedications are then indeed written in stone, within the forms of our vision, our desires, and our adventure dreams about the wild places...

I wish for each of you many very happy seasons of summits & trails, sunrises & sunsets.....

DSD

"A Story With No End....."

2010-12-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

That is what our adventures are... A story with no end...

A story of promise, of possibility, desire, and high expectations. The wild places inspire these stories and we become trusting of such experiences from out there.

We remember the uplifting moments, the fulfillment's, and the transcendence's of the mountains...

We remember the knowings, the innocence, and the expressions of the desert...

We remember the potentials, the futures, and the feelings that the rivers share...

We remember too the oceans and lakes with their newness, the breakthroughs, and their messages of hope...

Wild places for many often especially create experiences of freedom, sometimes for redemption, even emancipation's and forgiveness...

They are a story too so phoenix like in spirit, with endless new beginnings and meanings, grand memories and sensing of something 'more than' to be found...

So many musings to be discovered, so much to be enjoyed, all inviting us to go onward, to go forward, to go beyond. A spirited story with no end, as there doesn't need to be, because the wonders are also in the journey and the telling of the story itself too.....

DSD

My appreciation to J. Miglavs for the top image above and to G. Epperson for the lower image.

"Further Mystery & Magic Of Mixing In..."

2010-12-08T08:09:00.001-08:00

The higher and farther we go, the further we seek it seems, within our wanderings and the fun of our adventures. As have I too these last long seasons, and especially within the mystery & magic of 'mixing in'... I've written briefly about this before as it has become a wonderful part of the gathering, then particularly the painting, and finally in the sharing of these little gifts I call Summit Stones.

Many elements have called to me within these last long seasons, among so many wild places, wandering solo and with others out there. I have journeyed so much further and higher along these adventurous paths than ever before in search of certain kinds of selected stones and elements to 'mix in' with them.

There were deep canyons where I collected the seeping moisture of desert tears and sand crystals never likely touched before.

Out among a few secluded valleys too where at the ends of these, I discovered very old rock fire rings, and the remnants of weathered charcoal under those stones there.

I sought these elements upon one of the most elusive summits I've yet shared in, where that unique powder of rocks can be found hiding among the crevices up there.

I gathered other elements as well near such distant coastal islands, whose grains of sand and shells are so rare, and whose ash from fires there is so welcoming and warm.

There was also the elemental waters from snow fields, some glaciers too, from last years sun and wind dried alpine flowers, and the aged old pine needles and leaves found near our northern lakes.

Then when ridge walking, as I so love to do, I found that distinct high point of stone, with markings upon it that could only be from multiple lightning strikes, and the scrapings of this I was able to gather up as well...

Now, here, I sit quietly, with the window open slightly, listening to the soft music of snow gently falling. In front of me are quite a number of small Nalgene containers. Each has one of these gathered up elements within it. I know every one well, for the precious gifts they are, from such far away wondrous wild places. I will spend endless hours this winter, learning and practicing how to mix these in with the paints utilized on these Summit Stones - the techniques, the swirling in, the composition, and how this then will dry, all intrigues me greatly. Some selected stones absorb them well, while others need to be coaxed along.

Particles of each element, maybe the tiniest drop of moisture too, may be ground up or simply will be mixed in with the images of mountains, the alpenglow and fires, the flowers and trees, and the sun, moon, and waters that become part of the face of these painted cobblestones.

I so hope this then all blends together to further reflect the mystery we all sense from out there, those energies which resonate and emanate for each of us, and that which supports our intentions and feelings within our adventures. All of which may 'mix in' to call us further, farther, onward, upward, and inward...

Many seasons of gathering, so many hours of mixing in and painting, then sharing with my Friends & Partners In Placing, all blending now together during this wonderful sharing season as gifts for you Dear Finders.

Enjoy the wonder, mystery, and magic of it all.....

DSD

Mixing In Link: http://summitstonesadventuremusings.blogspot.com/2010/01/mixing-in.html

Partners In Placing Link: http://summitstonesadventuremusings.blogspot.com/2009/10/partners-in-placing-summit-stones.html

"When I Reach Into My Pack..."

2010-12-06T07:19:00.001-08:00

There is a very kinaesthetic and emotional experience in the touching of these small items, that I know will always reside in my pack. They hold enduring memories for me that have never lost their intensity, even though so many, many, seasons have passed...

When I reach into my pack, another old worn one in a series of such gear, especially during this later time of the year, my hand naturally goes for the small zippered pocket at the top. When I reach into my pack there, whether in bright daylight or darkness, I know exactly what I will find...

Three small, yet so significant things, tucked away in that little ditty bag, carried for so long. Always there with their presence. Three small items... One, a very small stone from a very first summit. The second, a tiny compass collected when I was so much younger. The third, a little metal tube with some ashes never forgotten. Three small items... Always carried with me out there, and forever in memory too.....

DSD

"All Along The Way He Told His Stories..."

2010-11-29T07:58:00.000-08:00

There are those of us who listen more and others who want to share much too. Most tend to enjoy both of the give and take of conversation and also the quieter connections when out there... He was one of our elder adventurers; one of the venerable ones who through time and deed and leadership, others would follow and listen closely too, often just for the many lively stories...

It was not so much an account of his own life, as it was about the shared tales of amazing experiences in the wilds. Grand narrations of high places and fast waters, with anecdotes of legend, which many of the young ones listened closely & intently to and were then embraced by these. Each new day would bring forth a new fable, and each turn of the trail a different tale. When the weather changed or the sun set, the tone and content of his stories would evolve also, into something when more than words were being spoken... The fire would be lit and the images would then begin to dance before our very eyes...

To blend such fun activities of adventure, with the sharing of so meaningful tellings, was unique and powerful. The subtle thing of this experience for many of us, was that a significant part of our own adventure journey had now become the stories being told along the trail.

These many years later I can still sense how, while the adventure experiences were great and memorable, what I now remember most are the shared stories he gave us - they have become unforgettable...

He is no longer adventuring, yet I am sure his spirit wanders still. Now during those times out when we are telling our own tales, we ensure to share his many wonderful stories too, all along the way.....

DSD

My appreciation to G. Wiltsie for the above images.

"Health Issues, Injuries, Recovery, et al..."

2010-11-25T07:22:00.001-08:00

I've received quite a few email in response to a recent post last November 15th. I am very appreciative of these. This has now also sparked some reflections over the many other such comments and questions that have been sent to me over the last years. So I thought to share some connections here today about past posts and other links regarding such health issues, injuries, adversity, and recovery we adventurers are often also challenged with.

This blog has a number of evolving key themes - those of giving back & passing forward; for inspiration & hopefulness however we each define and create this out there; about personal motivation; within understanding and overcoming adversities such as challenges in our health & injuries; regarding setbacks we all experience; and among those wonderful internal ways of pondering & musing that support getting back on the path and the trail...

It seems that, like experiencing the storms out there, it is not a matter of if, but rather of 'when' we will all take a turn in navigating through such issues. That is why I continually try to update and include the most inspiring and the best kind of sites under the 'Give Back & Pass Forward' links to the right here. These organizations and their enduring efforts & stories are amazing in what they support and accomplish in 'Adventuring For Another Reason', and in response to adversity...

If any of these areas are of interest for you, (as I get many email, comments, and questions about them) please first have a look at these sites. Then maybe try the 'Blogger Search Engine' too and the top of this blog. You can search back over all the years and seasons of my posts for something that may reflect your own key words of inquiry. If you don't find anything there either, then place a comment at the bottom of this post with your email (which I will not publish) and I will respond as best as I can.

If you are struggling today with an injury, a setback, or a longer term health issue, that complicates your dreams of adventure, please know that there are many of us within the links here that have walked similar coals...

I have shared in such struggles within my own life long health issues as well, from many injuries, to chronic challenges like Vertigo & Inner Ear Imbalances, to severe RLS, among others, and the seemingly endless physical, mental, and emotional challenges that accompany things like these... The many links here have been of great support for me in the midst of my own storms. While the issues vary, the connections and enduring spirit that each of these sites share with us are potent sources for inspiration and in ways & means of keeping going - in our own chosen directions of what we do out in the wilds, and for why we so want to return to our adventures again and again...

Any time, in any such moments, we can connect and share along the trail in this way, about such trials, then creates powerful and meaningful opportunities of spirit that carries us forward, onward, upward, and beyond.....

DSD

"When You Tune Into That..."

2010-11-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

When you tune into 'that'... You'll hardly feel 'these'...

However 'that' resonates with you: The why you are going; the meanings within the adventure purposes for why you do what you do out there. Therein are the treasures behind the veil, and at the end of the rainbow, for all your enduring wild place wanderings...

Then 'these' will become so much more insignificant; the distractions and diversions, the inherent fatigue, the necessities of effort and discipline, any elusive objectives not met, and the adventure goals that always need refining.

Because tuning into 'that' which echoes deep inside, is a path towards becoming your enduring bliss...

Whatever those hurdles then may be on your path, will now transform into incidentals, rather than obstacles along any trail you've chosen. Those things will actually now be reformed and reshaped into more lasting enjoyments, as they are overcome on your journey towards the why and what you are truly out there for...

And when we tune into 'that' elemental essence for our adventures, then any other of 'these' kind of storms will all simply pass by.....

DSD

My appreciation for the top image above to J. Foott, and to P. Nicklen for the lower image.

Like An Avalanche....."

2010-11-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

Like an avalanche it hit me, as hard and as unexpectedly, just as you might think it would...

We were on our way up to climb upon a mountain we know well. A familiar route, but one in the later season where attention was needed, and a heightened awareness for the objective hazards of unstable snow, inconsistent temperatures, and rockfall.

It was a simple comment, maybe said to me as both a concern and a question, but... well, like an avalanche, it took me...

Sharing time with a close friend, on a trail, and in a day up there, means so much for us wanderers. Such connections are invaluable, precious beyond description for the gifts they are. This closeness means we learn much about each other and find great depths within what we can then share...

No answer seemed required from that comment that was made to me, but I'm sure from the look on my face, it had clearly hit home. All that was needed then was in the question itself, it felt, as therein was the crux of the struggle I was having. Such moments are profound in how they connect all the pieces and the elements we seem to need, through whatever synchronicity or serendipity has just taken place... The natural world often provides such a means for these wild catalysts, for the closeness we develop and cherish, and then the meaningful commentary we are then able to compose for each other.

It has indeed been a difficult year for me, especially reflecting my health issues, and those of a family member too...

It appears to me at times, that what I muse and write about here, I need to often ponder and affirm in my own life again and again. Which is just what that question asked of me that day, put to words in that way by a trusted companion. Then like the subjective avalanche it was, it hit hard...

Now like other such events, it had passed. It was then time to talk and listen and ponder. Throughout a wonderful day up high, on a mountain with a friend, a companion, and a close climbing partner. Sharing such moments of strength and support, and not just from a rope, but from this kind of connection as well, are ways we may each navigate both the objective and subjective hazards we all wander through.

Isn't that so true my Friends.....

DSD

"A Different Kind Of Core Strength..."

2010-11-08T07:19:00.001-08:00

The older I get, the more important the physical training becomes. For preparation, injury prevention, maintaining hard earned endurance, flexibility as well, and the simple enjoyment of what we learn our body can do at the edges of seeming limits. The fitness concept of core strength is a very useful idea. One that is essential to every adventure activity it seems - be it climbing, paddling, biking, and especially when lifting and carrying a backpack. The analogy, metaphor even, of the core for our strength I feel is very important, yet one not limited just to our physical selves.

There is more to our nature, is there not, than the physicality of muscles. Are we not more than just what we genetically have been given for a body. Are we not also gifted with so much more then that...

Do we not sense this when we are really tested out there...

Maybe, at the very core of it, we are creatures too of vision and desire, drive and determination. We are also beings of purpose and passion, of values and character. We have such powerfully potent core elements within us of personal motivation too...

All of these can be said to be distinct internal strengths from deep within our core, our very center. We each most certainly have such fundamental components within the synergy of our individual selves.

As adventurers, these elemental energies are indeed a different kind of core strength. Ones so excitingly worth pondering and then exercising as well in their many unique ways...

Time for some training.....

DSD

My thanks to D. D'Angelo for the above images.

"The Path....."

2010-11-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

The path... Our path... Your path...

Seemingly of only rocks and stone, of ice and snow.

Countless places, where to start.

So many steps that may be taken...

This path...

That twists and turns, through canyons and valleys,

Meandering across coastlines and islands,

Above and below tree lines,

Traversing ridges and mountains...

Such paths...

Are guarded by weather and wild furred ones,

Watched over by aged ancient trees and bright flowers,

Shaded too by cliffs and so high rock towers...

These joined paths...

Always serenaded by winds and waves,

Beautiful songs we hear,

Such echoes they make...

The path... Your path... Our path...

Setting moons upon rising suns,

Towards horizons everlasting,

Our shared trails towards ourselves...

DSD

"Moon Shadows....."

2010-10-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

It would seem to many who wander that the night is only dark to those who don't adventure out in those shadowed hours...

Most of us know that amidst such perceived darkness is light of another kind; that which often surprises us with its presence, and its radiance. These are the reflections from our closest celestial body - our moon...

Many have continued to move along trails or over waters only under the glow of this being. Navigation under it, and by it, can be such a mysteriously powerful experience. Outside our tents on a night of the fullest moon, you can actually read or journal in the typically darkest hours. For many it is not just this light but also those shadows created and cast by it too that so hold our attention at times.

Legends say that the spirits out there come more to life, in this play of light and moving shadows, especially past midnight. Many tales have been written too, which describe the powers given over to those who are brave enough to stand out under the shining of a full moon, and who embrace the shades found within the shadows of such moonlight.

There is a so telling softness as well to such shadows and celestial light, often experienced when paddling across the moving waters, or when just beginning a journey upon the face of a mountain, and while starting out to hike slowly among the forested valleys...

Shall we now go and wander again, my Halloween Friends, out among the company of those wonderfully mysterious moon shadows...

DSD