AUGUST

August 5 - 11, 2001: Summer Ranch Week

Sunday, August 5, 2001
A pretty good size crew this week, about half returnees. We have Kevin, “Doc,” who was here two weeks last year. He brought along his fiancée Judy this time. Erin and her mom Marty from Fla. are here again for a third time and Dan from WI. is here for his third time, he’s Tanya, our former wrangler’s uncle. Also with us is Steve from N.C. and Tim from Indiana.

Monday, August 6, 2001
A good shake down day, riders out by 10am. Horses were spread out this morning and it took the wranglers a long time to get them all in. Seems they sure always know it’s Monday. The crew all headed out into the south trap to gather some stays that had drifted in. Got out 11 head and pushed them out Ewe canyon all the way to T Bar tank. Frank and Tim split off from the rest and did a loop out in Negrito pasture coming up with a dozen head, three unbranded calves and one maverick. All the riders were home by 5pm, all happy with the horses we set them up with. I spent the day on the tractor digging post holes for a couple more corrals. Got 22 holes dug and posts set. I am using 8 inch round by 9 foot long pressure treated posts and boy let me tell ya they are heavy. After getting that done I loaded 180, 4 inch by 8 foot rails and hauled them up. Then unhooked the post hole digger and hooked up the new brush mower we got this weekend and started cutting the horse pastures. The weeds are taking over so I am trying to get them cut before the seeds on ‘em mature. They are just about there so it’s a race against mother nature. I hope to get in a few hours mowing every morning and evening. Still rain every afternoon but it’s just been light showers. Hoping the monsoons are starting to wind down for the season.

Tuesday, August 7, 2001
A short riding day. We gathered a dozen head or so we had held in the North trap and brought them in and put them in with a couple trailer loads of cattle John and Alan had gathered out of Deep Creek on Monday. We were in the corrals and ready to brand by 11am. We had a half dozen calves that we roped and did the old fashion way. As usual just as we got going the rain started and lightning snapped close by. It always seems to happen when we are in the metal corrals. The crew jumped right in and learned how we do things in our pens. Every ranch does things a bit different. After we got done with them we had four 2 y.o. mavericks. Three bulls Alan had found and fought out of Deep Creek and one heifer Frank had found out in Negrito. We ran these through the squeeze chute. They were a bit too big to throw when the chute is right there. The rain harassed us till we were done at about 2pm. Frank and I along with Tim’s help nailed up rails on the new horse corrals we are working on. We got about half of it done. I then spent a few hours on the tractor knocking down more weeds. High was about 73 down to 45.

Wednesday, August 8, 2001
Rained out! Woke to grey skies, rain started coming down while we ate breakfast and just got harder and harder. It wasn’t much of a decision for everyone not to ride. Dan and Steve got into a 5 hour card game with John, Alan, and Frank. All the rest of the crew went to town with Lyndsey and took in some of the local color and suds at Uncle Bill’s Bar. I spent the morning paying bills. About mid afternoon the rain stopped and the guys still here worked on the new corral getting it done just about dinnertime. I spent a few hours with Chama, a big gorgeous dapple grey gelding. He’s about 16 hands, weighs over 1350 pounds. I’ve had him a bit over a year but due to chronic abscess he hasn’t been ridden in about 10 months and only a few times in all. He’s sound and solid now. He’s a bit of a spook and very suspicious. I took him for a walk after I got him saddled and spent some quality time with him. After an hour he seemed to settle down well and to Maggie’s displeasure I swung up on him. He humped up a bit and was ready to buck but I pushed him through it and he did real well. Just rode him in the corral working some figure 8’s, walk, trot and stop. I got a good feeling from him so will take him out for a real day tomorrow. After I was done with that I climbed back on the tractor and got back to mowing. Crew from town got in about 6pm, feeling pretty good after a few beers.

High 62 low 50.

Thursday, August 9, 2001
A beautiful morning, out pretty early. Lyndsey rode with Dan, Doc, Judy and Steve from here, moving cattle off the west side of 7HL out to T Bar tank. Then was to leave them there and meet us at Fence tank and help brand. All the rest of us trailered to Cow camp and started gathering the northeast side and pushing to Fence tank. The plan worked great...other than the rain. It started building up early and we watched the Wilderness area disappear in heavy showers. There were a lot of cattle out there. By the time we got to T Bar valley we had well over 150 head. Just as we got them to Fence tank the weather caught up with us. It dumped! Probably about 3/4 inch in ten minutes. It happened just as the cattle were going through the gate into Pitchfork pasture. They scattered with the wind driven rain in their asses. Frank and I tried to get around them and hold them. Our horses didn’t want to work but finally went along with us as we picked our way as rapidly as we could through one of the rockiest area of the ranch in the horizontal torrent. We finally got around them after about a half mile. The whole time I was with out a slicker due to the fact I wasn’t sure Chama would let me ride him with one. Boy, I was soaked to the bone. We held them for a few minutes till the rain stopped then drove them back to the corrals at Fence tank. It sprinkled awhile longer so we took a lunch break while we waited for Lyndsey and her crew as well as to see what the weather would do. Ya can’t brand a wet calf. Finally the weather showed a blue hole and we saw a couple riders coming up the valley. As well as all the broodmares and foals. It was a sight as they raced up the miles long valley frolicking and kicking and bucking as they came to see all the excitement. The foals sure look good! But alas it was not five riders as it should have been but just Steve and Lyndsey. They had been in the rain worse and longer than we had. When they got their cattle to the let-em-drift point Doc, Dan and Judy, wet and cold, headed to Cow camp to get out of the rain and have some coffee.

We spent the rest of the afternoon sorting, penning and branding about 20 calves. It was a lot more than I thought we would get done considering how the weather was going. We finished up and got home just before 7pm., riding up 7HL canyon with one of the broadest rainbows I have ever seen overhead.

Chama did real well for his first time out. He is great in the rocks, very, very cowy. He is a bit spooky but I chalk that up to lack of confidence and new goings on. He was definitely abused as a young colt. He’s 6 now I believe. Every move I make has to be slow and easy or he fears a beating. He won’t stand tied, always sets back on the lead. I’ll get him riding well then work on that.

It was cold while it rained. We all were shivering as the rest of the country broiled. High 68, low 49.

Friday, August 10, 2001
A lotta work got done today! We trailered out to Cow Camp and headed four different directions through 7HL pasture. Lyndsey stayed to the timber country with Doc and Judy. I went down 7HL canyon with Dan. Marty and Steve went with Frank over the meadows. Tim and Erin went with John and Alan up onto T Bar ridge. We all found cattle and met at Fence tank about 1pm. The weather was all around us. Again the Wilderness area disappeared in a black veil of rain. But it stayed away as we got things sorted and ready to brand. We sorted through over 150 head but only came up with 11 that needed branding. The rest we let drift into Pitchfork pasture. Our third day of branding and the crew was awesome. As soon as a calf got roped there was Doc, Steve, Tim and Dan jumping in. The calves went down easy and stayed tied. The fire was well tended and irons always hot. We got home about 5pm.

The rain stayed away from where we were but dumped again here at the H.Q. We’ve had over 2 inches in the last two days.

I rode Chama again. He is becoming a great ride. Made some nice cuts in the corrals, which made me grin. He’s getting a bit better about his spookiness and relaxing a bit more. I worked on his spin, which he is starting to understand and do pretty well.

August 12 - 18, 2001: Summer Ranch Week

Monday, August 13, 2001
A wet weekend, 3/4 inch on Saturday. Then over 2 inches in 40 minutes on Sunday afternoon. This country can’t take any more water. It’s everywhere! Bogs in every bottom and streams running that I’ve never seen run. Negrito Creek which is normally 2 feet wide has been running over 30 feet for a week now.

A big crew of 10 this week. We have a dad and several adult son combos, Dad Dave, Mat, Josh, Young Dave, and adopted son Brad from Indiana. Then there’s Jack and Roddy, another father and son team from Mo. Jill from Tenn. And Darrell and Patricia from Ark.

Monday was a long shake down day. Lyndsey took one group into Negrito pasture, Frank took the rest into Bearwallow. The mission was to find strays. Lyndsey’s group came home about 4pm after an afternoon of wild cow chasing getting home 3 pairs. Frank’s group got way up on the mountain, at about 9500 ft lightning was hitting everywhere. One strike was within a hundred yards and they got a bit western as a few horses bolted. But all ended fine and everyone had some great dinner table tales. 73 and 49

Tuesday, August 14, 2001
The whole crew rode east out of the H.Q. with Frank and Alan into 7HL pasture. Gathering the west side and pushing them east to Fence tank. John and I trailered out to Cowcamp. Leaving the trucks there, we started working 7HL canyon. After a mile or so we split up on either side of the canyon. I was riding Chama, it was our first day working alone. I heard a bull way on the rim and headed up there. Chama didn’t think he could make the climb and balked half way up. I coaxed him and convinced him he could make the top. He did. He was proud of himself when we got there. The bull was in a thicket fighting a tree and we got him out and fought him down the slope. Half way down I saw another bull across a draw. I left the first and went after the second. Chama handled the rough steep slope like a pro. We got the second bull down and right away the two bulls went on the fight. There not much you can do with bulls when they get to fighting but stay on one side and holler a lot, try not to get run over. They drifted as they fought the right direction for a half mile and then another bull showed up. It got pretty aggravating. John showed up about 15 min. later with a dozen cows. I cut the fightenist bull off from the rest and drove him by himself up on and over the rim onto the top of the mesa as John kept everything going down canyon. The bulls behave better separated.

I found a dozen cows on top I put the bull with and he was really happy. John and I pushed parallel with each other but out of sight for about 3 miles till the mesa ran back out into the valley. Just like it was a perfect plan we met all the other riders there with about 70 head of cattle. We pushed them on to Fence tank with thunderheads building all around as usual. Once there we got everything penned and sorted in good time and soon a fire was going and the ropes were flying. The crew caught on fast and was really motivated. We got 15 calves done and the rain held off all afternoon till just as we were pulling out headed home a light rain started. The highlight of the day was getting in a big brindle Brahma cow of mine that had a horn turned down and growing into her head. It was getting pretty bad and there was no waiting till we were near a squeeze chute. She ran about 1000 pounds but seemed pretty gentle so we did it the old fashion way. John on his big black horse Sug roped her heels and stretched her out while everyone jumped in and tailed her down. Fortunately she didn’t fight much and I cut the horn in record time. It’s not every crew that gets to take down a 1000 pound cow. Of course at dinner she was 2000 pounds and I’m sure by the time the week’s done she will have been a 3 ton cow. 74 and 46.

Wednesday, August 15, 2001
It was back out into 7HL pasture again, gathering cattle and moving them to Fence tank. Frank and Lyndsey took some riders from here, Alan, John and I took three trailers to Cowcamp and started from there in three groups. I had Darrell and Patricia with me and we headed up Deadman Canyon finding 2 pairs and a heifer just as we rimmed out on top. They were trotty and we just let them go. They were headed the right direction and kept them in sight till they hit the Pitchfork pasture fence. We then pushed them down the fence to Fence tank and penned them slick as a whistle. We could see cattle about three miles away scattered all along T Bar Ridge so we headed that way. As we started the climb I saw that Alan and John had the same idea coming in from different directions. John from the east and Alan the west. From where we were they we just little moving specks on the ridge. We headed between them and soon came on about 20 pairs and a few dry cows. Below us we could see Frank and Lyndsey and their crew with a herd coming up T bar valley. So we headed our cattle into a long draw that went all the way down and I sent Darrell and Patricia along behind them to the bottom. I went on up and met up with Alan who had a big bunch and we got them going down and John and Dad Dave joined us with about 30 more. As we came into the corrals I was really pleased to see all the others spread out and form a horse ally to the corral gates. These folks are getting good. The branding went slick as everyone knew what to do and how to do it. Out of the 130 head we gathered only about 17 needed branding but it went fast.

The country couldn’t be prettier than it is now… I always tell people we live here for the month of August. And this is the best ever. Today the weather threatened all around the branding pens, a few sprinkles but never had to slicker up. As we got back to the H.Q. we saw and heard that once again it had dumped.

I rode Chama again and am really liking that horse. Getting better every mile. 73 and 50.

Thursday, August 16, 2001
It’s been a tough week in the branding pens on some of these 20 year old guys. So Mat, Josh and son Dave took the day off from the saddle as did Pat. The boys took on of the trucks and headed to town for a few beers at the bar. John and Lyndsey rode with Darrell, Joy our new hand, and Jill over on Don’s place getting a few head out from that range that had slipped through. A lot of our bulls keep going over there, hummm I wonder why? Old cows here....young heifers over there.....hummmm. While over there, Lyndsey and Jill got into a bog, horses sinking to the belly. They got out ok other than a bit shook up.

Frank and Alan took Roddy, Jack, Dad Dave and Brad over on the south side of Bearwallow. Up thru the alpine country. We hadn’t been in there for months. They came on cattle about 6 miles from the H.Q. and had a real western time getting them out of the rough timber country. The cattle didn’t want to leave their summer long hang out so it was a lot of running and cussing. Young Brad riding Jesus kept up with Alan on Max, which is a feat. They finally got them home and lots of stories of log jumping and brush busting for the campfire.

I worked in the office in the morning, then rode the tractor in the afternoon repairing the roads again. It never ends, the rain washes the roads out, I go to the ditches it settles in and carry it back to where it started. Gets a bit old after awhile. I’ve named my tractor Leroy. After an old hired hand my granddad had. The tractor works well for an hour then vapor locks and you have to let it set 10 minutes and it will start again. The longer you run it the more often it happens. Then finally it just won’t start again till the next day. Just like Leroy was. He worked hard till about 10:30am. Then he needed a break, which included a nip from one of the many bottles he had hidden away all over the farm. As the day went on Leroy took more and more breaks till he was finally just broke about 2pm. But a good hand with the horses and mules he was so he was around for years. 68 and 47.

Friday, August 17, 2001
More groups out riding for strays, getting a few in from Negrito pasture before a heavy rain and hail blow came in and sent everyone towards home. About 2pm everyone was home and we did a bit of branding here at the H.Q. Doug our horseshoer was here today and treated everyone to his fine pickin and singing. Most of us headed off to the bunks about 9pm but the younger crew and Frank were up till the wee hours of the morning in a hot card game. 70 and 44.

August 19 - 25, 2001: Summer Ranch Week

Sunday, August 19, 2001
What a crew this week! 9 folks, 7 have been here before, most at least 4 or 5 times. We have John from Ma. Walter from Md. Jesse from Md. Carol from Ca. Peg from Ma. Sharon and J.C. from Ca. Jim from Il. Bruce from Ma.

Monday, August 20, 2001
A shake down day looking for strays out in Bearwallow and Negrito pastures. The crew spent about 5 hours out, finding no cattle but seeing tracks. No rain and it got warm, high about 78, low 52 with an over night rain.

Tuesday, August 21, 2001
Frank and Lyndsey split the crew and rode out from the H.Q. in two directions through 7HL. John and Alan and I trailered three rigs out to Cowcamp. Everyone found cows and we moved to Fence tank. We had about 45 head when we got there. As we came into the corrals it looked like it was going to be the usual deal of rain right when we got there. Huge thunderheads piling up with lots of lightning. But luck was with us and it did it’s thing just a few miles east. We penned and sorted leaving just a couple calves to be worked. Everyone headed back out in five groups going five directions. A few hours out we had another half dozen to work when everyone got in. The branding went slick and quick with so many of the crew having been there and done it before. It was a long day, not getting in till 7:30pm. It got pretty warm for awhile, 78 after a 48 low.

Wednesday, August 22, 2001
A beautiful day...no rain! Feeling a bit like fall already.

Frank took Peg, Jessie, and Gabby over to ride through the heifers next door looking for some of our bulls. Rode five hours with no luck. John took Jim, Bruce, Carol, and John on a huge loop from here out to Loco mtn, down to Snow Lake and back, looking for cattle, seeing none. Like I say most of cowboyin’ is finding where they aren’t. Alan took Walter, Sharon and J.C. over to Rainy Mesa looking for two pairs he had seen the week before, after 7 hours they finally found them. Lyndsey went to town on a feed and mail run. I stayed around here, our 2 yo colts came home today, all six are riding around really well. We are turning the four youngest out for a few months on grass to rest and grow a bit after 30 days in Boot Camp. King and Cowboy the two oldest we will keep around here and work one or two short days a week. I have given King to Frank as his project and I will work with Cowboy. I spent most of the afternoon in the shop with Cassady finishing the rabbit hutch we started the other day. It came out pretty well. This evening Peg found a Horny toad for him so he has lots of critters to tend to. He is now also in charge of the calves, feeding them grain, water, hay and giving milk bottles. He takes it very seriously. It is such a pleasure having him around. Hi 76 low 46.

Thursday, August 23, 2001
Lyndsey took one group and went to help Don next door with his heifers. They gathered about 60 head and moved them five miles or so to Collins Park. Then trailered back to Gwen tank and gathered 25 more and moved them to 7HL tank. They had a great time and a lot of excitement with those young heifers. Everyone really enjoys watching Don’s cattle dogs working, sometimes we don’t really need to be there.

Frank and another bunch went out to get in all the mares and turn out horses. They spent most of the day riding 7HL looking for them, then came across them near Cowcamp. The mares and foals took off at a run and the chase was on. Everyone was in awe and wishing they had a video or time for a picture. But no time, they made what is usually a long hour ride in about 20 minutes, flying after the loose horses which numbered about 20. Seeing the mares and foals stretching out for miles over these green hills can put a new meaning to life. They got them in and I went down to look everyone over. They just look great! Slick, fat, and shiny. It's gonna be hard to sell them all this fall. The main purpose besides checking them all out was to get Cassady's pony Shovel {yes, he named her} in. Lyndsey will ride her a bit this weekend, she bucks a bit. The horse herders were surprised when after cutting out Shovel and another mare that I told Frank to turn them back out. But even though we set them free after 10 minutes they all agreed it had been worth the ride. Several told me it was the ride of a lifetime. I like seeing my foals and should be checking them more often so we might make it a weekly deal.

Jessie went out with John to Fence tank to pick up a cow with a calf that's been doing poorly for a few weeks. They got there and found her and had them penned within a couple hours. The rest of the day was a cowboy day. They spent hours trying to load her in the trailer, on foot, on horseback, with her calf tied in the front...she's an ignorant Brahma/Saler cross and just wouldn't go. The calf was doing so poor due to lack of milk production by the mom that John finally decided the calf would do no worse without mom and just brought the calf home. That decided, they then went to load the horses and for some reason the horse Jessie was riding, Jesus, wouldn't load with the calf in the front. So calf off and horses on then calf on the back and they were finally headed home. Kinda a frustrating day. The calf is here and doing fine. Staying a few days in the scale pen with another doggy calf we call Nat who is showing the new one how to demand milk, drink from a bottle and eat grain. I think it will make it ok. Hi 78 no rain few clouds. Low 40.

Friday, August 24, 2001
Lyndsey and I went with one crew to Don's again and worked Heifers. Took most of a beautiful day. I hadn't ridden but one day this week and it was good to get out. I was on Dakota a 3 yo and he is really a nice horse. I left the group to go back and get the trailer so he and I had a nice 3 mile ride alone. He learned a lot along the way. He's in one of those periods where he just picks up every thing well and is eager. But down inside he still has a spunky spot. If you work the same thing too long like side passing you can feel it rising to the top. So ya just stop at a point he feels good about what he's done and move along. After we got the heifers to Ekleberger Tank where we left them we went on an exploring ride back to the trailer. It took us a few miles out of our way but it was worth it. We saw some great country and found how a drainage I had always wondered about ran.

John, Alan, Frank and the rest of the crew went out into 7 HL again stray hunting, coming up with a couple big pairs and branding them in short order out at Fence tank. It was pretty hot. Hi about 75 with no clouds so the sun factor was about 90. The monsoons are over....we have been used to cloudy afternoons so this heat seems more than it really is. We got down to 39 last night. There's been some good poker games in the evenings, Peg and Jim coming out the winners. We have all really enjoyed this bunch of veterans back again. You can do things you might not do with first timers. Like chase wild horses and give 'em a hard time. It was more like a family reunion.

August 26 - September 1, 2001: Summer Ranch Week

Saturday, September 1, 2001
This week we had a group of first timers from England. Jackie, Ashley, Anne and Catherine. Some returnees included Chris and Jeff from Md. and Michelle from Il.

I really can’t say all that went on this week. I left on Tuesday and flew back to Boston with Cassady. From there we drove up to the Belfast area of Maine and visited some old friends from my high school days I hadn’t seen in years. It was great seeing them all and getting back to New England. I love the country there, the old farmhouses with attached barns, stone walls, hay fields, and hard wood trees. But good God! The people! Traffic, rudeness, rushing about. Arriving in Boston in my cowboy hat and you’d of thought I was an alien. Lots of smart ass comments and stares but to hell with em.

I got back here on Sunday and heard it had been a great week. A few days helping Don. One day out in Canyon Creek getting in some drifting cattle and the day turned ugly with some thunderstorms and lots of hail. The ground was covered suddenly, looking like Christmas. Several folks had not taken our advice about never leaving home without rain gear. After a week of sunny skies they thought there was no chance of weather. They thought wrong and paid the price by getting soaked to the bone with temps dropping into the 40’s. Not real happy cowboys.

It is yellow season here, the wildflowers seem to come and go in different colors. Right now there are so many yellow flowers that there is almost no green anywhere. The flowers are above the stirrups on a tall horse with a short rider. It is amazing. The other day Lyndsey was riding Cassady’s pony Shovel and they just disappeared in the mass of flowers.