Mission With No Record

Sixty years ago this month, John Ford released a movie starring John Wayne called "Rio Grande" based on a short story entitled, "Mission With No Record."  JC and I went on our own mission to the Rio Grande Friday morning, but with a small change.  We brought along our beautiful, camera-happy momma to make this a "Mission With A Record!"  Below you can almost make out our target for the day - the Rio Grande!  Looks like a short hike to me...

Going down the cliffs was pretty slow for little JC.  His legs are really short!

So this is how we went down most of the way.  Good thing my dad was there!  Look we are getting closer!  We've almost made it down to the second plateau...

Once we got to the second plateau, things got a little bit easier for my dad's back and for all of us!

Alas, before we could continue our descent down off the second plateau, the sun started to set necessitating a return ascent.  Rats!  Unlike John Wayne's Kirby Yorke, we did not succeed in our mission.  But look how close we got!

The return ascent started off quite easy.  Here is an action shot showing JC hauling across the second plateau...

Then the ascent got tougher....Here JC asks, "We have to climb up that?!?"

Wait a second...did you hear something?!?

The howling of the coyotes caused us all to flash back to an early scene in Willow!  And so the ascent restarted with a sense of urgency!

We reached the crest and made it back on the White Rock plateau.  We may not have made it to the Rio Grande, but the shared experience will give my brother and I a bonding experience we both will remember for the rest of our lives.  How will a two year old remember an experience for the rest of his life you may ask...

....because this was the "Mission With a Record"!