My Cave My View

Gary Torres with his father. Courtesy photo

Uncle Joe teaches me to poach a deer

by Gary Torres My Cave My View Most people called my dad Uncle Joe; even those not related. I was a young boy, about nine years old, when my dad and my uncle Cosme took me hunting up on the mountain. The only problem was it was not hunting season. Some people would probably call that poaching,...

Moses (or at least a credible AI facsimile) joins a group of local hikers for a warmup donut on the Honaker Trail. Courtesy photo

Moses hikes the Honaker Trail

The flyer said, “Youth Hike. 60 degrees. Pack a light Jacket. Bring a lunch, snacks, and water.” I woke up and there was snow on the ground, so 60 degrees, a light jacket and snacks sounded inviting. I consider myself young compared to dirt, so I gathered my hiking gear (Pepsi, Almond M&Ms...

Filling a balloon with hot air at the 2026 Bluff Balloon Festival. Gary Torres photo

CaveGuy is full of hot air

I told my too kind and loving wife that I won tickets and so we were going to the Bluff International Balloon Festival. Without even looking up she said, “Finally a good use for all your hot air.” I was going to protest but I remembered Ms. Beckwith’s Shakespeare class, “The Lady doth protest too...

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Apparently, we are not going to make pennies anymore. I realize that in the overall picture of big important things that are happening in the world for the US to quit minting pennies is not too important. But to me, well it’s just another step toward the inevitable march towards senility. This...

The bones of more than 3,700 friars are interred in the charnal house at Convento dei Cappuccini. Courtesy photo

Make no bones about it

This being retired is much harder work than work was. Although, let’s be honest it was a guvmint job. I remember there were lots of meetings. I am sure we talked about some pretty important stuff and figured out innovative and remarkable solutions so that when we showed up on your doorstep and...

An adventure thru the 49th and 51st states

I am in Denali National Park in Alaska, and a large grizzly bear keeps looking at me like I am a plump corndog. It is unclear if he found me or I found him, but I decide to give the jerky to my too to kind and loving wife and I tell her that I will meet her back at the camp. I have a head start on...

Cowboy with a Pocket Knife

I am sitting in the airport with two of my grandkids and my too kind and loving wife. I always have my too kind and loving wife with me when I take the grandkids because my children don’t think me and the grandkids make very good decisions when we are left alone. I Dunno! We have made it a...

The $5 Horned Toad Happy Meal. Ted Palmer photo

Stevie invents the $5 Happy Meal

As part of President Trump’s effort to make America great again, he has written 142 Executive Orders in his first 100 days. At this feverish pace you may have missed a few important life changing data releases. All the information related to UFOs and the Kennedy assassination was released, which...

“We Thank Thee O God” is etched in the rock near the top of San Juan Hill, the last major obstacle of the perilous journey to San Juan County on the Hole in the Rock Trail. Courtesy photo

Etched In Stone – Hole in the Rock

Last time we talked, I was standing on the edge of the Hole in the Rock looking down towards Lake Powell. I was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I saying to my too kind and loving wife, “Mmm, hmmm, $&%# grhaahhh.” She said, “Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Roughly translated what...

Devils Garden along the Hole in the Rock trail. Courtesy photo

Short cut to San Juan on a Hole in the Rock Trek

I have been hearing stories about the great Hole-n-the-Rock trek since I was a kid. It has taken me 65 years to finally go find out what all the fuss was about. But I was undaunted by the challenge that lay in front of me. You have to realize that my too kind and loving wife is a direct decedent...