The End of an Era.......

The Winning Stable of 2009 Ring Derby Cars

Well it is bound to happen I guess. The world keeps turning, we get older, and we have to pass the torch to the next generation. Today was the last Pinewood Derby for the Ring family. We will miss the feel of pine, the smell of burning graphite, and ruining Mom's expensive craft paint brushes. We pulled out all the stops for our final run. The boys got some design ideas from a really cool book, we did some research online, and we locked ourselves in Grandpa Ring's workshop to work some magic.

As you can see in the photo, Dillon did awesome!! He named his the "Yellow Monster". All of the painted accessories are his weights. He got First Place in his age group and the Rings drive their derby cars off in the sunset as Champions!! In one of his races, his car came out of its lane, and slid sideways across the finish in first. It was pretty cool.

I threw in the pic of Morgan and Dillon not only because it is a great shot, but also because it is a one in a million view of a natural Dillon smile in a photo. Very rare---trust me.

Back in the saddle again.........

Denver and Dillon proving their manliness in Clear Creek

My last day at work on the Reservation

I have hiked through the Grand Canyon in the dead of summer, backpacked down cliffs and in the frigid waters of Willow Valley, wrestled Flatheads that weighed more than my inflatable raft, and the adventures continue on.

However, computers get the best of me. I have not been on here for months out of fear of trying to get past some technical glitches. It took the urgings of some visiting family and the patience and knowledge of my wife to get me back on here. Thank you Monica.

I worked most of the winter up on the Navajo Indian Reservation. (Very cold) So I am very eager for the 2009 Backpacking season. We kicked it off with a trek up West Clear Creek. It was a simple, but beautiful weekend. We even got Susie and Micah to join us. We are going to make Micah a mountain man yet!!!