It isn't unusual for our photo expeditions to be very long and hard. This one started at about 2 a.m. and included a drive to the Richland Creek area for a hike there, followed by a drive to Sylamore Creek and a hike there. It was late afternoon when I took this shot, and as soon as I was finished here, Connor and I began our two-hour hike back to the trail head, which we made just ahead of darkness.

It was Connor's custom after a long day's hiking to lie down on the seat next to me and put his head on my leg, ask me kindly to scratch his chest by nudging my hand with his nose, and promptly fall into doggy slumber for most of the ride home, and that's what he did on this day as well. We made it home about ten or eleven that night.

Taking photographs is fine, and sometimes some nice images come out of the camera at the end of the day, but the part of these expeditions that I count as truly priceless is the company of my hiking buddies and the memories I have of our time together.