When Hugh Mathews decides it's time to get out from under his tyrannical father's thumb and away from the life he's been living, he does it in a big way. Packing what he'll need to survive in the wilderness, and with only his dog, Orion, for companionship, he heads into the mountains. When they find a abandoned cabin, Hugh begins the arduous task of repairing it, as well as hunting for food and everything else they'll need to stay alive.<br><br>Soon after, Ansel Jeffries, a nature photographer, arrives at Hugh's cabin, seeking an abandoned mine he wants to photograph. After talking with him, Ansel sees the potential for a story in what Hugh is doing -- and why.<br><br>Ansel convinces Hugh to let him tell it, meaning he'll be living at the cabin with Hugh. When he moves in, will what becomes friendship between the two men grow into more?

Off the Beaten Path

“We’ll wear most of our clothes,” Ansel suggested. “Layers will keep us warmer, and that’ll give us more room in our packs for food.”


“It’s only twelve hours,” Hugh protested, since they were heading to the town where Ansel filed his story on the abandoned mines. They had to go there to pick up Ansel’s car, which he had left in a parking lot of a local bed-and-breakfast—with the permission of the B&B’s owner.


“Twelve hours in good weather. Making our way through who knows how many feet of snow, with the possibility of more falling while we’re hiking, could at least double that time.”


“Okay. True. We’ll have to use your tent if we need to set up camp for the night. Mine’s not exactly usable anymore.”


“I don’t have one. Remember?” Ansel replied.


“If push comes to shove, we’ll find a cave.”


Chapter 38