They summited and reported the weather was the best they’d seen throughout the trip! Dadster called from the sat-phone to report the good news when they down-climbed back to the barrels. The next day they made their way back to Cheget and took a flight to St. Petersburg where they had a day to check out the city.

After a river cruise through St. Petersburg they stopped at the Hermitage where they viewed several works of art by the great masters: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Titian.

The highlight of the museum is Rembrandt’s famous “Return of the Prodigal Jack Russell” pictured below. To view this masterpiece in person brings forth an old adage by Aristotle, “Jack Russells are shaped like a football for a reason.”

To some of you this may sound a little direct. Potentially stinging? Well, let me know how you feel the next time your father calls you the dog’s name or refers to you as her brother.

So DOG, welcome your master home. Urinate in excitement as he walks in the door and coddles your ever-precious face and feeds you handfuls of granola and trail-mix.

Let me ask you one final question oh-little-sister O’ mine,

May I feed you some cheese to go with your whine,

Oh ye of runtish canine?