Black Mountain (Benton)

There's more than one Black Mountain. The one we hiked today is in Benton. And while it was not a 4,000-footer, it was a pleasure, although it was a bit steep at times and today's temperatures made it feel like it was July, but oh how wonderful not to have to deal with any snow, other than a small stretch towards the top. I hiked in shorts, t-shirt and my new hiking shoes; no boots, no snowshoes! We ended up hiking with our friends Ken and Ann Stampfer. They are always good company. One of the pleasures of hiking with them, other than the friendship we share and that Ann and I can match each other with all our talking and insights, is watching Ken with his camera. He is a gifted photographer and it is fun watching the artist at play. Well, it's been a while since you've heard this, but the slide show can be found here.