"I thought... you said this... was supposed... to be a 'moderate'... hike?" he gasped out between breaths.

Hutch mopped his forehead with a large bandana and stuffed it back in his pocket. "It is."

"I was afraid you were gonna say that."

With an encouraging pat to the brunet's shoulder, Hutch said, "You'll survive, Gordo. I'll take point for now, Starsk. The map shows that the trail narrows significantly here as we climb, so just take it slow, and watch where you put your feet, okay?"

"Lead on, 'Dan'l'. I'm right behind ya."

Hutch grinned, and turned to head back up the trail. He set a somewhat slow, but steady pace for their climb. The trail narrowed to no more than eighteen inches wide at a few points, and at others, one slip would send an unwary hiker sliding down thirty-foot slopes to land in the creek below.

Forty-five minutes later, the two men crested the top of the first grade and came to an immediate halt. Turning back on the way they'd just come, they could see the expanse of the valley and the mountain range beyond laid out before them. Shadows created by the waning afternoon sun cast long patterns of light and dark for miles over the hillsides and across the valley floor. High above their heads, the cry of a hunting Red Tail Hawk drifted down to them. It was the only sound to be heard in the vast expanse of space before them.

Starsky leaned in close to Hutch's ear and whispered. "Know what?"

The blond's eyebrows raised in silent question.

"It was worth it."