"When Dreams Take Flight..."

There is a very old legend, an ancient positive omen, that tells of a flying Eagle and the mysterious huge shadow it makes upon the waters they often journey over...

The legend says that if you are timely enough, likely even skilled enough too, you may become part of that special moment when an Eagle takes flight over water. If you indeed lucky enough, this positive omen also suggests that then your own dreams, the things you hold most dear, will also take flight as well...

Adventures are all about dreams...

Adventurers are inherently dreamers...

We live our dreams out there as we wander and trek, scramble and climb, paddle and raft, among the mysteries and wonders of the wild places.

It's as if we have all at one time been embraced by the Eagle's shadow over the waters.

On my latest sea kayak trip, in order to fulfill some distant island longings, I was drifting closer to a rocky shoreline with many old growth trees reaching far up and out over the waters. The shadows I drifted among shimmered with the occasional ray of golden sunlight and reflected sea bottom. I then noticed that very large, darkly shaped shadow on the water, which could only be a very certain unique nest up so high in these old trees. When my kayak touched that shadow, it moved and grew in size and shape, and when I gazed up those huge living wings could now also be seen.

To drift for such a long time in the shadow of an Eagle over water...

What wonderful, elusive moments...

Now I am pondering, and especially dreaming even more, as I very much believe in such ancient omens and timeless legends.....

DSD

My thanks to N. Rosing for the top image above and to K. Daniel for the lower image.

"Embracing Motives....."

"But if adventure has a final and all embracing motive it is surely this: We go out because it is in our nature to go out and climb mountains and to sail the seas, to fly the planets and plummet into the depths of the oceans. By doing these things we may touch with something outside or behind, which strangely seems to approve our doing them. We extend our horizon, we expand our being, we revel in the mastery of ourselves." W. Noyce

Embracing why... we embrace our selves...
DSD

My thanks to S. Alvarez for the top image above and to B. Hatcher for the lower image.

"Become....."

On that high mountain side...

Become the adventurer, become that person, you've always wanted to be when out there.

When overcoming those white water rapids, take on the form of that courage, you've always envisioned in yourself.

Deep in those canyons...

Or out upon that distant trek, face into those risks and trials, you've chosen to be part of your journey.

While out with your kayak, riding upon those immense waves,

Embrace the changes in yourself as the wind embraces you...

When out in such wild places, my Friends, we each may become the adventurers, the individuals, we've always wanted to be.

The wild places and our adventures are such wonderful, powerful, means...

We each are the medium...

Becoming something...

Do you hear your new self calling.....

DSD

My appreciation to G. McCormack for the top image above and to K. Thompson for the lower image.

"Standing Before..."

It seemed a significant unfolding epiphany as we rested there that adventure day...

There we were, now standing quietly before our chosen objective. Having made great time on the trail with one of our earliest starts yet, we now had some moments to pause and gaze up at what we were journeying towards. Off came the packs, then the hats and headlamps too, as first light was now just upon us. Then the fleece, gloves, and even a few peeled off their boots for a restful airing of tired feet.

Our conversations then were open, and respectful of what was to come. We seemed to realize the enormity of the chosen challenges, and the implications of such commitment was exhilarating yet humbling...

The muted tones were still of enthusiasm though, as while still holding on to our dreams and goals, we seemed to be letting go of trying to predict and control the outcome yet to be experienced... There was a softening, within our expectations that blended well with the determination there; less of ego if you will and more of intentional allowings... A peeling away down to the basics of why we were out there...

To meet this goal, we each would likely have to modify, maybe even set aside our own personal objectives, so that the group could attain a shared success. It seemed a process, however brief, of 'standing before', of distilling our gear, ourselves, and our desires to a core of something essentially else...

It felt more pure in a sense, more relaxed yet more focused, and with a different kind of energy - as all that was left was now spirit, shared spirit as we stood there before going onward and upward.....

DSD

My appreciation to G. Wiltsie for the above wonderful images.

"Outward Bound... Out Beyond..."

Each and every spring I set aside some special time, to again read over my Outward Bound journals, and then to gaze over those precious images from years long past... Such reflections have become important moments of meaning and memories that have set direction for myself and so many others. A gift from Outward Bound and 'out beyond', which is a reference I noted in my journal from my first course. It was said by an Instructor who used it often to reflect the wonders of the wild places and the mysteries of the experiences we were about to have out there... I now know that such amazing journeys do not simply happen without much preparation, planning, and the development of unique vision and program perspectives - all of which takes great efforts to put in place.

When recently visiting Outward Bound Canada's website I could see how, yet once more, they are setting course for 'out beyond' on some very exciting new adventures.

They say again: "In sailing lore, Outward Bound refers to a vessel departing the safety and comfort of the harbour to venture into unknown, unpredictable waters. In educational terms it has come to mean resiliently adapting to the unexpected, embracing a path of skill and mastery and leading with compassion". I do so love this metaphor...

They write: "In response to a changing world, we've simplified our delivery model and expanded our focus on partnerships with national organizations that, along with us, are committed to building community assets and community strengths at all levels of society".

Some of these new experiences for out beyond include the Outward Bound Veterans Program, where "Sometimes this is the first time Veterans have had the opportunity to share impressions of their experiences in a completely supportive and like-minded forum with other Veterans surrounded by the beauty of the rich Canadian wilderness landscape. Your home".

Then there is the Women Of Courage Program which, "Brings women together to share a powerful experience of discovery, while immersed in the beauty and serenity of the natural world". The Aboriginal Youth Asset Building adventure is so very unique as well, and is seen as a 'Mountain Spirit Program', combining culture with adventure into ageless, timeless, priceless experiences.

Such wonderfully potent new opportunities for musings and meanings for those who choose to participate. Please have a look and pass this information forward to anyone who may benefit from these journeys.

Outward Bound, out beyond, yet again... Setting out upon unique courses and exciting new directions where so many will be able to create a spirit and life of adventure from wandering among the wonders of the wild places.....

DSD

"Of One's....."

One little piece,

One small portion,

One step, one thing,

One day, one night...

We don't really climb a high mountain all at once.

We more truly reach just for the next bit of rock...

We don't actually hike those long valleys endlessly.

We more simply take just that next step...

It's not about the distance it seems,

It's more about the focus we take and the spirit we bring.

The task of the whole,

Then becomes the wonder of the one's...

So on that day, during that moment,

When taking just the next step,

We are then on our way,

To being present.....

DSD

"Somethings Different....."

It had been such a long, trying, stormy day out I remember... Many of us on that Outward Bound course had not experienced such sustained rough weather before. Yet, not only did we endure, but we bonded and were to experience the potency of humour and playfulness in the midst of the winds, sleet, and rain. The next morning we were up early before our Instructors, had cleaned up and prepared breakfast even before they got moving, all amidst even more joking and good natured teasing. They gave us much space and time that stormy day, night, and next morning to become 'something more'. When they joined us for our meal they simply smiled and said, "Somethings different about you crew", and then let us find our own meanings within that message...

I could not have been more pleasantly surprised when, many years later, a close companion and Mountain Guide, said as we reached a very elusive summit, "Somethings different about how you climbed today...". The memory of our Outward Bound course, the smiles and strong feelings, echoed from both of these moments even though they were decades apart...

Here, now I write, having returned from a solo summit, where I had climbed for time to muse and wonder while scratching out some ponderings. I had been up there before, yet this time it felt, it seemed, so surely that somethings different now. The rocky terrain may have been the same, but the emotional vistas were not, and the older eyes now looking out were very different as well...

On special occasions I find myself, in a very particular way, looking into the faces of younger adventurers and then passing on these two words during some high wanderings. "Somethings different", I quietly say... and watch as they smile, now each of us knowing, that within such adventures, something very elementally is truly, wonderfully, different.....

DSD

"The Pack Goes On... And The Realities Shift..."

So much preparation, so much enjoyable anticipation, and then it is here...

What comes next is a very particular moment when the pack goes on...

A point in time where everything before falls away.

A point in space where the elements all now join.

At that brief, yet profound pause, when the pack goes on - the realities shift...

Each of us knows it. Each of us has felt this.

It had all come to that very special point of awareness.

When the pack goes on... The realities shift... And we are on our way.....

DSD

My appreciation to R.Reid for the top image above, and to J & M Monkman for the lower image.

"Paradox Sports - The Way Of Inspiration By Example"

There is a great deal within adventures and so much out among the elements that we may feel to be paradoxical... Paradoxes within the beauty of effort, of spirit and wonder, of embracing the seemingly impossible... So what is this mystery of paradox to be discovered within our wanderings; who are these inspiring adventurers of such Paradox Sports?

Old wise references say that paradoxes may first be perceived as beliefs of seemingly self-contradictory statements, and yet hidden within are amazing explicable truths. Persons, things, or actions can all exhibit apparently elusive but true contradictions it would seem. Quinn & Cameron said that most, "Fundamentally, paradox embraces clashes of ideas", and that this meeting, "involves contradictory, mutually exclusive elements", that are most interestingly, "present and operate equally at the same time". Fletcher & Olwyler point out that the way towards understanding such paradox is to grasp that these "seeming impossibilities have to do with a person's own limited frame of reference", and most importantly that, "when a way is found to make both concepts real simultaneously, a deeper truth is revealed".

Paradox Sports have found a way to reveal such truths... A way of inspiration, a way of example, and a way of embracing all sides of ourselves and all the many unique challenges we each face, be they physical, emotional, or of the psyche and spirit too...

Their vision is one where, "Paradox Sports envisions a world where people of all backgrounds and abilities can pursue a life of excellence through human-powered outdoor sports, regardless of physical disability or limb-count".

Empowerment is their method, inspiration is their means, especially by way of setting adventurous examples for so many. They believe their journey is indeed the destination and make their way notwithstanding seemingly impossible barriers of circumstance or perception. Like they say when, "A paraplegic scaled the 3000 foot walls of El Capitan and a blind man climbed to the top of Mount Everest we were all forced to recalibrate our perceptions of the possible". One of their callings is to grasp for more clear 'perceptions of the possible' - four words that resonate for anyone who adventures, almost all who wander out there, and that we each eventually embrace closely as we create our own path, our own trails through the trials of our lives...

'Authenticity' is one of the ways which they put their beliefs into motion; as written on their website: "You won't find too many wallflowers in our group, but you will find wounded vets, climbers who lost limbs, people with congenital amputations and paraplegics. Right alongside of them, you'll bump into world-class climbers, riders and cyclists, business owners, bookkeepers, musicians, inventors, and university professors filling out the ranks. What brings us together? It's the desire to give back to a community that has given us so many memories, lifelong friends, and rich rewards". Such genuine connections are often much of what we seek when we venture out in the wild places with other kindred spirits as ourselves... They say further that, "Whether we're climbing, paddling, biking, surfing, or hiking, the physical challenge in a natural environment brings us together", "The desire to live a life of excellence, to pursue our dreams and reach our goals while helping others reach theirs".

Read over DJ Skelton's story who in the midst of his own recovery from injuries as a Veteran, found himself asking, "Does one really need arms to climb? How about legs to ski?", and how such reframed reflections speak to "The phenomenal power of the human spirit"... Timmy O'Neill's story too shares these shifts of paradigms about the hidden potential that usually lays quietly within all of us and describes how to find, "The truly indomitable and irrepressible human spirit that is fostered through exploration of wild places both internally, in our minds and hearts and, externally, in our rivers and mountains"...

I find it difficult to put into words the connection I sense and the inspiration I feel when pondering the potency of such experiences... There is much here we could all muse by the campfire about and then so hopefully embrace in the ways we choose to see the world and then lead the adventures of our lives...

Look over their Glossary too, reflect on the words and meanings found there, that are not often encountered on an outdoor adventure site, like: "Disability Paradox, Quad, Renegade Spontaneity, Stump" among others...

Paradox Sports is a community where such shared paths may be created, in so many unique adventure ways, and wild place means. I have always believed, have experienced myself, and seen in so many others, that there is more within us than we often know, so many hidden elusive strengths than we may ever realize, and Paradox Sports shows us how to discover these by a 'way of example'... Please visit their site, read the stories there of inspiration by example, and pass forward their resourceful and spirited message to anyone who may need it!

DSD

My thanks to Paradox Sports' Gallery for the above images.

"The Quietest Voices Calling..."

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."

I. Kant

There are very few of us adventurers who have not had desires and dreams about, and then actual experiences in sharing the wild places with, our family of wild ones out there. Our experiences become so very special when this happens, when we see them, especially when we share a moment among them, and so we hope though while elusive that this will happen again and again for us... Most of us cherish these moments almost as none other, they are so unique, so touching. Then we also often want to reflect upon our own lives through totems and symbols of what these special creatures of the earth represent to each of us...

I have forever longed for such connection with the wild ones, the quiet ones, and have been so grateful when it occurs. We admire their courage, their tenacity & endurance, their strength, their energy, the very spirit with which they live their lives out there. Without asking for anything in return they share with us their wisdom, and the mystery & memories of ageless wonders... Yet we also know, as ones who wander out there, the risks they too face. We have seen the realities and the impacts of changes and clashes of territory, species, and cultures. We feel it deeply when their hurt voices are raised. The truth of it is, even with their wild ways and powers we may envy, that they are really the most vulnerable ones, these quiet ones who call to us...

Within their callings they point us towards ways of fulfilling our own longings. We adventure as we can, they must venture always... We wander wild places to enhance our lives, they journey wild places because it is their lives... We are an integral part within both of each others history and future. They are our most precious ones. They are an essential part of our family, can be our teachers, our guides, our healers. They are the most vulnerable ones. They need us, yet we need them just as much, do we not my friends...

What would the wild places be without our family of wild ones? We often hear their voices when they call in the dark, when dawn begins, and they can be heard too as we stop and listen and still ourselves when we wander out there. They are the quietest voices, strong but often scared voices, they call as much to us as they do to each other to listen, to hear, to know, to feel...

Strong as they are they are vulnerable too. We know of such vulnerabilities, as we have touched it through our human frailties and with the risks we experience as we adventure. We are as vulnerable as well for in losing these quiet ones, in not hearing their voices, in not taking those paths that might mean some extra efforts on our part - will most certainly result in the loss of experiences shared with them and horizons only dreamed of...

We can do this, we who wander and adventure. We have strengths that can be theirs, and these quiet ones will then in turn share their wisdom with us, which may a saving grace for all...

On this 40th anniversary of a Day for the Earth, please listen with me for a while as the quietest voices are calling... They are calling for us. They are quiet voices reaching out to each of us. Let us each respond, in our own way, even in some small way, and then go out there again, to see them, to embrace them, because we really are on one and the same path.....

DSD

"The Way Of Adventure Xing..."

Following the Tao is an ancient way of wandering through many levels of understandings...

It is a way of living, a path to head out upon, a trail of mystery to follow, and an enlightened course set out before us. It is one of countless ways of being in the world, and especially out among the wilds, that I have pondered over so many seasons. Tao is one way of many that I am sure adventurers seek out and embrace... A way of seeing, of moving, of blending with what we discover out there and within each of us as well...

In the woods, by those waters, I was recently reading and musing over the Tao concepts of 'Xing'. Interestingly, Xing (pronounced zing), seems to reflect further, deeper concepts involving meditation and moving, waking and walking, and holds to other ancient ideas as well that involve finding certain personal pathways, of following the flow of things, of becoming the activity itself...

Xing is written to have even more elusive, more hidden meanings, that reflect something of the elements. So Xing may mean not just a 'way' of being, but the very means - the elements themselves, the very music by which everything is then composed.

To wander a trail, to muse by the water, and to ponder one of the many great philosophies... Such wonderful quietly adventurous moments in the wilds as we approach this Day for the Earth...

DSD

"Of Images And Reflections..."

There is a small mirror in this mountain hut, placed just by the door. When I return here, I have often thought about why it was placed just so; positioned in that location and in that unique way.

I wonder... was it put up by one who knew that the image we see of ourselves just before we head out on another alpine start - is a telling reflection... Of excitement and desire, of commitment and confidence, maybe of challenges and even a touch of doubt at times...

All those who have made it to this remote point before would have passed this piece of glass and silver. All would have shared in the hopes we each have of summit dreams and our aspirations of altitude out there... All those yet to come will stand there too, seeing themselves before they adventure out, registering for a moment before they depart, the images of our outer self and often of our innermost self too...

These glimpses are telling, often calling, sometimes quietly sharing of the adventurers' we hope to be in the wild places, the experiences we so desire to have, among the journeys we intentionally undertake.

Then, when we first step back into the warmth and comforts of that mountain hut, returning from a further high point, maybe another trial by rock and ice and snow... That mirror waits there still - holding within it reflections of another kind... Those of accomplishment, of a wonderful summit success, even of humbleness, of fellowship and fulfillment. A simple small mirror it is... With such powerful, lasting reflections...

DSD

"Over And Over Again..."

"Over and over again, those with the 'adventure attitude' return to places of previous failures. They do so not only out of sheer persistence, but because they are slowly gathering knowledge that they know will eventually lead to success." A. Hobson

Time to reflect again on the gathering of such experiences... DSD

"Working It Out..."

"There is a way out of every dark mist; over a rainbow trail." R. Motherwell

Adventuring is often about solving problems out there, and meeting challenges while encountering and tangling with the unexpected. Many times there can also be no better place than the wilds to get a sense of whatever else may be being bothersome in our lives. While wandering we find room to back away from concerns and develop more perspective and clearer horizons on any issue. The wilds inherently provide us with the ways and means and elements to see any such distractions in a much greater, richer, and larger vista...

Getting out there supports us in seeing things in new ways, for our resolve towards solutions, and provides the energy to get whatever it is out of our system. We work it out among the waves, sort it out while moving over rock, find the quiet we need in the desert to think, the meditation so useful along the river to let go, and the inspiration among the mountains to keep on...

Many times whatever it is, seems to simply disappear like the fog does when the sun rises high, and then we often discover there was nothing of real substance there to worry endlessly about anyway.

Wild places are a gift for natural resolution... It's not about escaping from something back here, its more about working it out by embracing the wonderful elements and rainbows out there...

DSD

My appreciation to K. Su for the above wonderful images.

"Gifts Of....."

"We were two men in a land of stone and we walked toward the same star...

That... was the gift of our mountains". G. Rebuffat

Stones and stars,
Rock and sky,
Wind and waves,
Wild wonders to ponder,
Elemental gifts while we wander...
DSD

"Listening For Echoes..."

Once again...

Finally, wonderfully, quietly and closely,

Because if we keep listening,

Then our echoes appear...

From ages past they call out,

Within experiences long over,

Ringing of inspiration,

Noiseless sounds of such beauty...

From what others have shared,

Precious strengths and their wisdom,

The encouraging substance,

These elemental echoes of hope...

Quietly waiting once more,

A glad tear in my eye,

Being as still as I can,

When listening again,

Now the echoes come calling...

DSD

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

"Remember......."

"Remember... The dream that comes true in midocean or at the dry waterhole or on black ice; the animal that appears at the precise and empty instant you need it to whisper in your ear."

R. Shultheis

Remember, my dear friends, remember such moments from within our lives of adventure, and smile once again at the wonder of it all... DSD

My thanks to A. Jones for the top image above, and to G. Glembin for the lower image.

"Spring Shugyo....."

Shugyo is an ageless Eastern tradition and regimen for training and testing oneself. This is a process of personal tempering that is applied in many martial forms, such as the Shotokan and other traditional styles I have studied over the years. It is also an approach to preparation many adventurers I know practice during the spring. Shugyo is a part of the 'Budo' systems where very intense physical training is designed to develop oneself, not just physiologically, but also in character and especially spirit...

F. Morgan wrote, "Shugyo isn't a routine part of training; it isn't something you do daily, weekly, or even monthly... The idea is to find a memorable occasion that will have emotional significance to those taking part... Then shugyo serves as a cleansing rite of passage." He said too, "Shugyo doesn't have to take place in the training hall, and if your spirit is strong, you don't need someone else to drive you on. In fact, undergoing shugyo alone, with no one else to motivate you or look after your safety, can temper your spirit like nothing else can." I and some friends have often thought of our adventure spring training in this way. This kind of journey has also been a part of many of my own solo's through the mountains or when sea kayaking by myself out among the islands. Through such a process we embrace not something we so much learn, or is taught to us, but more so something we find deep within us... It is a part of our shared indomitable spirit and that personal inner voice which says quietly, but firmly - we will return and we will not give up... At certain times and significant points in our adventures things may seem beyond us - and then such spirit can be the difference between being able to go on, keeping safe, or not.

So as F. Morgan writes further, "Plan a project that will truly test your physical and emotional limits, an obstacle you previously believed insurmountable... Where you do need to carefully and intelligently push yourself to the edge of your limits and beyond."

In doing so, we will be both tired and tried, but in unusual and truly rewarding ways. This is about a toughening, but not just of the body... There is a real tempering of the spirit, where we will rise to new levels of understanding and motivation, create distinct enhanced endurance the likes of which we may not have experienced before... This is about developing a different kind of discipline that polishes our spirit like a gemstone...

I believe as with adventures themselves, and as A. Hasegawa wrote ages ago, that "Paradoxically the need for shugyo is even greater in an affluent society."

Enjoy your spring training my friends...

DSD

"A Wide Canvas....."

"Climbing... offers a wide canvas upon which to paint adventures... the mind is working, the body is working, and the spirit is working to get up this puzzling piece of rock. The same elements, I have found, exist in running rivers... tell of magic in that moving water, and its many gifts: gifts of beauty and adventure, of battle and achievement, gifts of joy and skill, of the pride of mastery, gifts of solo endeavour and of rich companionship." R.Robbins

So well said and such truths to be found in these many gifts... What shall we each paint next...
DSD

"Why A Mountain Has A Face..."

We were by the rocks and rushing waters deep within that valley; feet up, cloud gazing - when we each said in almost exactly the same way, 'Why do you think they say a mountain has a face?'... It must have been because we were both looking at the same cliff above us that had some very interesting hidden images seemingly within it.

A mountain, we mused, is most certainly an entity... a creation of nature and those mystical forces that blend elements and energy in ways not fully understood. Peaks always have their own personality too and in that way have many faces. The profile of a summit is as unique as any human figure, and the weather, among other elements, puts a new face upon that rock that is never the same twice over in any season. It may be well too that we believe in such images because of how these high places support us in facing up to so much out there...

Cliffs and slopes and summits of mountains are mysterious places where we become by overcoming - we meet confidently, resolutely, and steadfastly, that which we must face in ourselves by letting our real natures be seen and experienced. We turn our faces upwards and discover courage, determination, and composure too upon such a visage...

When we trace the face of a mountain with our chosen routes we now more closely experience this adventure with heightened senses. Then a mountain slowly allows us to get to know its' image, the emotions hidden within it, the expressions of its' moods, all with such intensity...

Even after many years and seasons have passed, we can then return yet again to the familiar faces out there, and smile... Much like how the mountains surely smile back in return, as we reach out and touch our close friends' face once again...

DSD

"A Threshold....."

"At some point in every wilderness journey, a moment comes when triggered by a sudden sensation, a glance backward or a stop to look all around, the trekker realises that a threshold has been crossed, that the last vestiges of tamed landscape have been left behind and the surrounding territory is purely wild." M. Mardon

I do so love that very moment..... And often ponder how it seems very much like that, both externally out there, and also within our internal landscape as well.....

DSD

My gratitude to C.Rouse for the top image above, and to B.Carmichael for the lower image.

"A Thousand Meanings....."

Deng Ming-Dao mused, "When one walks in the woods or climbs mountains, there is a wonderful unity of body, mind, and spirit... One is freed to observe nature's lessons. Gnarled roots. A flight of swallows. Bladed reflections of rushing water. Just budding bare branches. Gray rock, cracked, shattered, and worn. A fallen tree. A lone cloud. The laughter of plum branches. Even a little circle of rocks beside the trail - who put them there, or did any hand arrange them, and no matter which, what are the secrets of that circle? There are a thousand meanings in every view, if only we open ourselves to see the scripture of the landscape."

Today, I hold a single rock in my hand, from such a circle, remembering one meaning from within a thousand... Now, I think I will splash just a little bit of paint upon this stone, and place it somewhere special just for you...
DSD

"Tracking Them... Tracking Us..."

They are such beautiful, ephemeral entities... Wisps of fur and grey that we are so lucky to hear let alone ever catch a glimmer of... Their beauty is a reflection of those truly wild beings within the timeless wild places. No wonder they are such a cherished spirit animal and clan whose ways of being many have wondered over. This day I am remembering, was unusual in that late season - the conditions of the ground, such moisture, remnants of the last snow, and that cool air, made for a perfect combination of elements...

As we set out we were just beginning to sense what an amazing day this would come to be. We were simply hiking and had no initial intentions of any kind of tracking. Yet now, when we discovered their fleeting impressions crossing the trail more than once, this now grasped our attention closely. We followed what we could in our inexperience and excitement, hoping to be able to see more of what we were attempting to read. But spirits like that don't leave much sign and mostly only give a sense of their presence, and that I pondered, is exactly as it should be...

But the distinct moment that gave us such pause, that took us in real surprise, was to come near the end of this full day of wandering and followings.

Not long before we regained the trailhead, at a curve in the path among old thick trees, we came upon a different kind of layered tracks... These tracks were our own, still apparent although changed, for clearly across them and also right within them were more fresh tracks of the grey ones themselves. We were startled with this discovery, trying to understand what was represented there. Then with a dawning of awareness we became amused by what it likely meant. From the number and direction of their unique prints, there could only be one interpretation. We pondered in wonder over, at what point in this day, as we had slowly journeyed along - at what point, did our novice attempts to track them - become moments when they were now tracking us...

The shivers of excited realization experienced at that moment were from much more than the dropping temperature...

DSD

"Momentum From The Inside..."

The great mountaineer Reinhold Messner wrote: "There is no greater stimulation for one's own enthusiasm than self-determination... motivation is momentum from the inside... The critical dimensions of self-motivation includes mind, spirit, and body. It controls the will, stokes an 'inner fire', and lets us do things completely... Motivation does not fall from heaven. It is hidden in all of us. It has only to be awakened... Motivation is like bottled, concentrated energy. It is stored for a long time as expectations, hope, and dedication... I know that the strongest motivations come from the inner depths of the soul."

Time to mine those depths we all have for the gems of motivation that will surely be found there... DSD