The Valley of the Shadow

by Doug Mielke
The sign read: DO NOT attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day, especially May to September. But that was for normal people. The Hermit Trail spanned only nine miles from the canyon's rim down to the…

Alone Together

by Doug Mielke
Danny Fitzgerald was the king of our neighborhood. It wasn't because he was an admirable person, nor was it because he was a great athlete, or one of the more popular guys at our school. He was the neighborhood king because we feared him. Danny…