This was taken during my first hike in Negro Bill Canyon. The heat was debilitating (105F; 40.6 C). The knees of my pants are wet from my having poured water from my hat onto my head in an attempt to cool off. The image had some fuzziness to it because unbeknowst to me, the rear element of the lens had some dirt on it.

The passage of time has resulted in the replacement of everything I’m wearing. The boots wore out, the cotton pants were retired when I switched to nylon pants, the shirt was retired when I switched to nylon shirts, and the hat was replaced by one with a larger brim. In 2014, the day pack is still in use.

Also still in use is my photographic aide-de-camp,
Joe Tripod. He continues to serve in the field.