Goodbyes

I met with friends on one of my last nights on the east coast before travelling west to Arizona. We decided to head out to a cave, so I could see it for the last time. The cave, located alongside the Potomac river in Maryland where I lived was one of my first and still a favorite.

It was well after midnight when we reached the our the footpath; walking the last few steps into the grotto, all grew quiet as we approached a tiny opening at the base of the encircling cliffs. I felt small and insignifcant before this stone which has stood for millenia slowing wearing away.

Inside the cave we sat in total darkness talking quietly. All of us were explorers and we recounted the adventures we'd had together, laughing at the close calls and the total flops. At some point in the night I left the cave to stand outside for a bit. Behind me was the darkness of the cave and before me the moon shined over the Potomac, lighting it up like liquid silver.

I had spent most of my life here in the forests and the hills, but earlier this year I had gotten a taste of the high country and the rugged deserts to the west and knew that was where I belonged now.

I turned my back to the river flowing east and re-entered the cave to spend what was left of this last the night with my friends, but I had already said my goodbyes.

-2016-
bayou goula towhead

-2015-
the sea test

-2014-
the circumnavigator pt5
the circumnavigator pt4
the circumnavigator pt3
the circumnavigator pt2
the circumnavigator pt1
falling dream
the darkness
one hell of a mile 3&4
he will return
the believers
the horror pt2
the horror pt1
traces
death valley
whiteout

-2013-
paradise of outlaws
the mountain climbers 1&2
brought to surface
one hell of a mile 3
primordial
the lost world
inner gorge
a ghost story
the riddle
slaying the minotaur
heart of darkness
bayou
public lands
organ music
two sought adventure
the virgin river
the road north
preparations

-2012-
steal the world
the end of the world
el dorado
the valley of the kings 2
the valley of the kings 1
one hell of a mile 2
one hell of a mile 1
the mountain climbers rr4
heroes rr3
rainy roadtrip 2
rainy roadtrip 1
the transgression
sandstorm
sinister 2
sinister 1
dehydrated
anatomy
sleepwalking
new chapter

-2011-
like sedona?
torn in two
blink
bridge to nowhere
the door
hitting the wall
elusive 2
elusive 1
harquahala
hole
pick up lines

-2010-
revisited 2
revisited 1
which way?
lost mines
chute
monolith
freeze
slice
in their footsteps
a dance with death

-2009-
goodbyes
undercurrents
casting the bones
mountain thief
the deer hunter
strange temple
sanctuary
burial pt. 3
burial pt. 2
burial pt. 1
the apparition
return to hell
forsaken
the lower depths
underground lake
stretch sewer
the hidden lab
shadow movements
meager rations
sw8: the conclusion
sw7: lost gold mines
sw6: the big tubes
sw5: gold!
sw4: el calderon
sw3: redondo
sw2: ghosts
sw1: westward bound
leviathan
formaldehyde dreams
the underdark
in the beginning