So after about six miles of snowshoeing… through totally fresh snow… being the first one out on the Swampy Lakes trails after this massive snowfall yesterday, my epic morning is a success. My legs feel like they are going to fall off and my back is killing me, but I made it to the snow shelter and built a fire, had my coffee, and smoked my pipe (my most recent innovation). I took a wrong turn and added an extra two miles to my hike, but oh well. We men need these kinds of things… a place to reach, a mountain to conquer… while the snow is blasting in our faces and falling out of trees on our heads, while our legs can’t go anymore and our fingers are at the most painful point  from the cold, when we sink in the snow up to our thighs and can barely get up… we have to do it. We have to win. Then on the way home we have to drive on solid ice, rocking out to loud music and reveling in the conquering of our biggest challenge. These are the things that make LIFE rich. Emerging victorious! Heres a few pics… along with the gray jays who flew in to check me out and warm up by the fire!!