Oh yes, TD. Loved it out on my own and wondering while I wandered off the beaten path about what was over that upward swelling of land...and not realizing I was walking on an old lava flow. Not the thing to do, but ignorant of the possible consequences. This was on a reservation, but not inhabited by anything but critters. The Acoma Reservation was atop a high outcropping of rock...nice folks.

Once in Nam exploring, I found an old cave that was easily escaped by a rope hidden on a rock shelf about 7 foot above the cave floor. After climbing up, I pulled it up after me and left it on the shelf. The view was amazing and I was virtually invisible to the outside world. It was easy to make my way down, but it would have been a difficult climb to the top without the rope.

What was weird, to me at least, was how the guys didn’t realize how good Army issue jungle boots were. I had to lead them up a rock face once by literally walking up it, when they didn’t believe it was possible. Those boots were awesome in any terrain we faced. It surprises me those fools followed me, but I got a kick out of it when they weren’t looking.