It started a year or so after Alex and Clark had left the nest.

Strenuous outdoor adventures had become our go to activity as the boys grew up. Canoe trips, bike rides, marathon hikes, climbing 14ers.

If the venture didn't require tapping deep into our reservoir of endurance and pain tolerance, it was a missed opportunity. 

A and C knew how much I enjoyed these experiences so for that Father's Day, they offered me an entire day. They were in for any feat we could accomplish in a 24-hour window.

A couple hours later, after checking flight schedules and rental car availability, the plan was set. We would fly out of Minneapolis around 5:00 PM, arrive in Denver and drive to Manitou Springs at the base of Pikes Peak, Friday night. Get up at 4:00 AM, hike the 26-mile round trip to the summit and back, and return to Denver for a 4:00 PM return flight to Minneapolis.

There would be no cushion for bad luck or under performance, but if we succeeded, we would set the bar for making the most of that day.

Two out of three hikers made the summit and there was time to stop at a brewery on our drive back to Denver International Airport.

In honor of that overachieving day trip, the boys and I still get together on a June weekend for a strenuous outdoor activity. We have toned down the time commitment out of respect for competing family interests.

This year it was a fast and furious bike ride on the Cannon Valley Trail on a 95-degree Saturday afternoon.

Our abilities are still comparable which makes it more rewarding. We know the time is coming in the near future when dad will not be able to keep up.

For the last five years I have made a point of saying this could be our last Father's Day adventure. Lives evolve and priorities change. This is normal and appropriate.

Yet the three of us seem to be in a stable holding pattern. The trajectory of our efforts, the experiences and relationships that give us joy, and the value's that inform our choices are constant.

The nature/nurture debate continues, but when genetics and environment align, the result is predictable.

With Father's Day a couple weeks away, my hope is your appreciation for your progeny matches mine.

Jim