Saturday we took a few kids on a hike to the old mining town of Monte Cristo (in the Northern Cascade Mountains).  It was a beautiful day for a hike and a great time for going deeper with students. You’d be surprised at the discussion you can get into hiking 8 miles on a chilly day. There’s something amazing that happens when you just have a couple of hours to spend with teens. It gave me an appreciation of why Jesus spent a lot of time hiking between towns with his disciples.  No programs. Nothing planned. Just quality time.