One story that Dad loved to retell happened when I was in college. I invited 4 friends to go spelunking in Weybridge Cave. It was Thanksgiving weekend. We were fairly well prepared with skills and equipment. The entrance to the cave involves climbing down 40 feet or so of cliff with freezing cold water splashing over you. We ended up spending a couple hours more than expected in the cave, and by the time we all climbed back out we were fighting off hypothermia, and the first snow of the season was falling with a couple of inches on the ground already.

We had dry blankets in the truck cab, so we all doffed our wet clothes and huddled together for the short drive home. Meanwhile, Dad got worried and recruited our neighbor Walt Sears to go after us. They passed us on the road, turned around and followed us back. When they pulled in behind us, their headlights showed 5 naked guys running out of the truck into the house.

It was a close call with a happy ending, just the kind of story Dad loved to tell.