June

June 2 - June 8, 2002: Summer Ranch Week

Monday, June 3, 2002
Monday was a good long day riding the heifers, they didn't get home till after 5pm. Phillipa is on Jesus, Melissa on Rocky, Don on Zeno and Laverne on Creek. They all came home loving their horses. They weather is just perfect up here, hi was 75 with a bit of wind, overnight lows in the upper 30's. A far cry from last week down below. I am sooo glad to be back up top.

Tuesday, June 4, 2002
Phillipa and Melissa rode with Alan today and got in some miles. He kept it pretty easy as they found a couple mavericks right away and spent the rest of the day easing them home. They got in about 4 pm feeling really good about a job well done. Lyndsey took Don and Laverne on a short ride to the Indian ruin where Laverne found an arrow head and Don a big piece of pottery. Frank and I worked around here, building a couple new stalls in the barn and setting some gates. Later I went out driving around looking at waters and cattle. The water situation is getting pretty desperate. We should start our summer rains in about 3 weeks, they can't come soon enough. Dog Spring is about done. Little Fence Spring the same way. I found a dead cow there, I'll have to go pull it out in the morning. It's pretty rotten and won't be any fun but it has to get out of the water that's there. Hi was 75, lo 32.

Wednesday, June 5, 2002
Frank, Lyndsey, Alan, and the crew gathered all the cattle they could find around the June tank area, they came up with 75 cows and about 50 calves. They pushed these down into Rocker Canyon and then up to Rocker Tank. It was a pretty long day and they all learned how to move a big bunch of cattle through the trees. Not the easiest thing to do. I went out and dragged the carcass out of Little Fence Spring and spent the rest of the day cleaning the spring and trying to get more water flowing. It didn't really help much, the spring is making a gallon every 5 minutes. We are going to have to start hauling water soon. I heard that Gary has left Marinel and headed back to Montana. I felt sorry for her..until I went to Snow Lake and saw her horses. My sympathy went from her to them. They look worse than they did before. Months ago when I had told her not to bring them up here unless she fed them she told me that they will "Blossom". It's not really the word I would use. Her excuse is that they are Arabians...yeah well they should have some meat and muscle, they are just decrepit emaciated walking bags of bones. My disgust for her whole deal just "Blossomed" anew. Hi 75 lo 30.

Thursday, June 6, 2002
Another perfect day if you don't want rain, tho' it is looking more promising every day. We are getting big puffy clouds that are getting to have the look of thunderheads. There was a flash and a rumble about 5 am, then mid aftenoon the smoke started to rise off Loco Mt. Within minutes a slurry bomber was on it. They are taking no chances this year. I swear Loco Mt. has burned at least 5 times in the last three years. Different areas of it each time but by now the whole thing must be in a stage of regrowth. It was a heck of a day for the riders. They trailered down to Snow Lake to pick up a few head we had seen there the day before. By the time they were done they had almost 80 head which they pushed into Snow Canyon where the creek is still flowing. Then they headed home checking Negrito pasture on the way. Alan took a trail by himself and rode Ewe canyon home getting in about 3 pm. Frank, Lyns, Phillipa and Melissa took a route thru the middle of the famous Negrito Triangle. Frank later told me he felt confident he would be able to zip right on through. Frank was wrong. They had a hell of a trip getting into some rough stuff in the bottom of Quaking Aspen canyon. They did find a good spring and lots of cow tracks but a lot of the day was spent on foot leading the horses. At one point Franks horse Chico got nervous and fell over backwards on a steep slope. Frank thinks pretty highly of that horse and it worried him all the way home. Walking the last couple miles. Melissa had a video camera and we watched the footage after dinner. It was pretty funny, you could tell Lyndsey was worrying about the the horses and people all the way. At one point she went to check the trail and Phillipa and Melissa were caught on tape talking about how it was the ultimate horse ride and how cool it was. Made us all laugh. They finally came out and found a place they recognized. It was nowhere near where they thought they would be. They finally got in about 6:30 pm. Maggie and I drove a recon around the ranch, took about 5 hours driving, saw about 2/3 of the ranch. There were cattle everywhere they weren't supposed to be. Saw a lot of Marinel's cattle on our graze. Later we found out she had been pushing them there to get to the water we have. We put out some salt here and there, as well as some supplement tubs. There is plenty of grass left over from last year but it is not holding much nutrition. Hi was 73, lo 39.

Friday, June 7, 2002
We spent most of the morning branding the mavericks that Alan and the girls had brought in a few days before. They were pretty big so we worked them through the chute. We also wormed and doctored a few cows that looked poor, hoping to put some spark back in them. In the afternoon the girls rode out and checked the heifers in the South trap. I think they enjoyed having a job to do on their own. It is not everyone that we allow to ride off by themselves. But if we feel the riders are sensible and will take care of their horses we will let them. The biggest problem we find is that as soon as folks are out of sight of the ranch they start running the horses as hard and fast as they can. Most people are too unknowing to understand the dangers of fast horses on rocks. Laverne and Don left on Thursday, they had bought the trip at a charity auction in their home town. They were not properly informed as to what we were all about. They were not riders, nor had any real interest in riding. They wanted to take sight seeing tours to Silver City, then wanted to use one of our vehicles to tour the state. When we told them we couldn't do that they got irate and demanded we take them back to Albq. We couldn't= afford the time away from the work here, so oh stupid me allowed them to take a van to Albq. for an agreed upon price and leave it at the Wyndham. Well they got a tour of the state, using the van for three days, putting over a thousand miles on it. Of course they didn't leave any money as promised, just a note telling me what assholes we are and what a terrible business we have and that they will do all they can to let people know they shouldn't come here. Very, very pleasant folks. But we really enjoyed Phillipa and Melissa, they will be forever welcome in our corrals. Hi 78, lo 41

June 9- June 15,2002: Summer Ranch Week

Monday, June 10, 2002
A good shake down ride moving some cattle out of the June tank area. A lot of the cattle were ones we had moved all the way out to Rocker tank last week. Aimee is on Doolin and Paul is on T.J. The weather is looking more promising, thunderheads in the afternoons but it just hasn't thrown down any rain yet.

Tuesday, June 11, 2002
Babe one of our best mares had a foal last night, the first of 7 we are expecting this year. She had her first filly, the last four she has had were all colts. It's a cutie! A dark line back dun with gray legs. The legs are probably just baby hair but it sure would be great if they stayed gray. We have our foals late here due to the cold nights and open pastures they are born in.
A lot of riding today, it was great to get back in the saddle. I have only ridden a few times in the last month, but the ribs are feeling pretty good now. So long as nothing presses against them. So it was just about time for something else. I was changing a tire this morning and the jack kicked back and broke my thumb. I must have some dark cloud hanging over me.
Anyway we headed out to gather all the Dog spring area. John came up from below, he and Alan, Lyndsey, Frank, Aimee and Paul all rode out from here. I trailered my horse down to Snow lake so it would be there at the end of the day.
They spent a couple hours gathering cattle then headed east with a bunch of about 80.
When I got to the lake I found a half dozen head in the campground so I unloaded Dakota and we got them gathered up and headed to Snow canyon. I put them through the gate then headed back towards Dog spring to meet the crew and cattle. I went about 7 miles before I meet up with them, they were moving slow 'cause a bull was fighting them all the way trying to break up the herd. Finally John and Alan got him pushed off into a deep timbered canyon and out of our way. It was a long push all the way down Snow Ridge but we finally got to the bottom and pushed them up into Snow Canyon. We got there about 4 pm. Paul and Aimee were mighty glad to see the trailer there. We can only carry five horse at a time so Alan and Frank rode back home. It's really good to have Alan and John back riding with us. John has been spending most of his time at the farm and Alan has ridden almost none with us this spring. He didn't want to have to deal with Rockin' Arrow cattle and Marinel. Good choice. No better guys to ride with are there. The weather is holding a teasing pattern, clouds but no rain, hi about 75 low of 40.

Wednesday, June 12, 2002
Aimee and Paul were worn out for the day. They opted not to ride and spent most of the day bouncing around in the truck with Frank putting out some salt. Frank said if the truth be known they slept most of the day.
Lyndsey made the oh so true comment today when she said that we must be a real ranch if we still have to ride even with no guests. And ride we did. It was the best day riding I have ever had. Lyndsey headed out on Gambler and rode the heifers and checking water close to the H.Q. She was out 6 hours.
Cassady and I trailered to Snow canyon to check cattle there. When we got there we found over 150 head gathered up around Snow tank which is almost at the point it will start sucking cows in the mud. We mounted up, I was riding Dakota and he was on Creek. It was the most unbelievable feeling to watch my son handling his own horse confidently as he really worked cattle. The cattle didn't want to move and it was a lot of work. I hollered instructions and he did as he was told perfectly. He has a touch for it. The way he moves around the cows and the way he is already reading body language is sooo cool. At times I was hundreds of yards away from him and he just did a first rate job. At six years old he was as much help many a greenhorn I've ridden with. He yelled and hollered at them, he got mad at them, he became a cowboy. It took three hard hours to get the cattle farther up the canyon to better water. When we were finally done we stopped and tied the horses and had lunch under a huge ponderosa. Cassady loves picnics. Sitting there looking at him in his beat up cowboy hat and chaps, sweaty and dust streaked, after a day like we had, well it was a dream come true.

Thursday, June 13, 2002
Aimee and Paul left today. Aimee had been missing their 2 year old son they had left at home. She called him last night, was left heartbroken when the boy was too busy playing with a dog to pay attention to the phone call. Not many 2 year olds I know are that good on the phone anyway. Lyndsey offered to take them to Albq. She had some work on her truck that needed tending to so it wasn't a useless trip. They were gone by 10am.
Cassady and I went and rode the lake area for a couple hours. Everything was ok but Snow tank is getting really bad. We are going to have to watch it until it dries up completely.
Frank worked on a few things around the HQ. here. He's a great hand but sometimes gets side tracked. I saw him at the corrals with the welding truck and assumed he was putting together the new hitch rail I had asked him to make. All afternoon he worked. I went to see the results late in the day. I found him welding horseshoes to the old hitch rails to tie lead ropes to. Hummm waste of time as far as I'm concerned. But he'd been working hard lately and I didn't say a thing just went back to what I was doing.

Friday, June 14, 2002
Frank went to town for feed, go to the bank, get mail, spent most of the day doing it. Cassady and I went to the lake again. Rode a couple hours, got pretty hot so we figured a dip in the lake was in order. Of course we had no bathing suits in our saddle bags, so we went skinny dipping. There's rarely anyone at the lake or campground and today was no different. Refreshed we headed home and spent the afternoon working on some fence around the house lot. Cassady is not much help at fencing yet. But good company anyway.
Maggie has been a hermit in her studio, she's rushing to get orders done so she can get away for a long planned vacation with her sister Mary.
Hot day, hi 90 low 38 maybe this heat will get the summer rains started. It's said it has to be over 90 for five days before they will start.

June 16-June 22,2002:Summer Ranch Week

Monday, June 17, 2002
Monday was a great shakedown day. We gathered the south trap bringing in everything. The goal was to sort out everything that wasn't a heifer. It took a couple hours to get it all in to the shipping pens. Cassady rode with me and made me proud riding his horse all over the place working cows. By the time we got in the pens a few folks had enough and went to relax. Natalie and Don helped me sort the cattle, each working a gate. It went pretty well considering the variety of stuff we had. Bulls, dry cows, pairs, and steers all went into a pen to be trucked out to 7HL. The heifers and a couple young Beefmaster bulls went back out in the traps. It was a good bit of work done. While Cassady and I hauled a load of cattle Lyndsey and Don and Natalie went to investigate a bellering bull way off in the distance. They found one of the young bulls we had been missing out in Bearwallow pasture with no water. They brought him in. A good day.
Maggie got off on her trip..she'll be gone for 2 weeks. Hi 80 -low 47

Tuesday, June 18, 2002
What a day! Started out as good as they come. We had a new foal this morning, a cute sorrel colt with a nice blaze and long, long legs. His momma is one of the wild mares we call Pretty Face.
We all headed out to gather around Dog spring, cattle had been seen around that cow sucking waterhole over the weekend. Alan came up to help us, he and Frank along with Ron and Don rode one way hunting cattle, Lyndsey and the Brooms another, and Cassady and I went a third. Right away he and I found four pairs and headed to the spring. A few miles later we saw Lyndsey and her group with a few head and we joined up with them. We got to the tank just ahead of Frank and Alan. A perfect plan coming together. We got them headed towards Snow canyon about 5 miles away. Cassady and I left the group and headed back to the truck and trailer planning on taking our horses home then meeting the others at Snow lake and trucking them home after a long day.
When I got to the truck there was a note from a friend saying we had a cow stuck in the cattle guard at Snow Lake. So Cass and I hurried home dropped our horses and headed to the lake. The cow was really stuck right to the hips and not in a good mood. I saw I needed a hand a bit bigger than Cassady's so I drove to Snow tank to see if the riders were there. They weren't.... but two cows bogged in the mud were. One, on first look I put down as dead. She was deep in the mud with just a bit of her back showing and her eyes, horns and one nostril, then it moved an ear. I cleared the mud from her nose and started digging. It was nasty. Bottom of a pond mud that was stinky and as much shit as mud. She was sure buried deep. I dug and dug and dug using a small fold up shovel on my knees and then belly trying to get the suction clear from her legs. I dug under her neck so she could breathe easier. She knew I was there to help. She tried to help as well, moving her head from side to side and not fighting at all. With her big horns she could have been a problem but she was a wise old cow as cows go.
After a couple hours of digging alone with Cassady there for moral support, Frank showed up and helped. I was already so deep in the mud I told him to tend to the less stuck one as I continued with the one I was working. The cow he helped wasn't stuck as bad and was not as helpful. She was trying to butt and bite Frank as he dug her legs out. A cow trying to bite is a pretty funny sight. Seeing Frank use a rope to muzzle her was even funnier. He got her dug out pretty fast and with Cassady guiding him he pulled her out with the truck. Finally my cow was ready to try to pull so Frank drove as I kinda rode her along keeping her head up as he dragged her clear of the mud. She was exhausted and her legs numb from the immobility from being in the mud overnight. We left her alone and went back to the one stuck in the cattle guard. We were really lucky there.
As we looked the situation over I saw pins in the cattle guard. We removed those and were able to lift a section of the cattle guard out. The cow got up and staggered away. In the meantime Lyndsey along with Jerry and Don moved a hundred cattle away from that bog hole and pushed them up Snow Canyon. They were already exhausted when they got there but we had to get those cattle to fresh water. They stuck to it and pushed the not wanting to move cattle. Natalie stayed at the trailer we had unhitched. She was down with some mild heat exhaustion. Frank, Cassady and I drove the mile to the lake and went in with all our clothes. We were covered in mud. It helped but the stench stuck with us. Finally got everything settled and all riders collected and headed home. We got in about 6 pm, seemed to be a lot longer of a day.
We'll head back there in the morning to check the cow that was still down. I give her a 30% chance of surviving. I sure hope she makes it after all that work. Hi 83 low 43

Wednesday, June 19, 2002
Cassady and I headed down to Snow tank early, Lyndsey gave us and our horses a ride down there. The cow was dead. We dragged it away from the water then put portable panels we had brought with us around the mud hole. When we were done Lyndsey went back to drop the truck off for the others who were at the ranch helping Alan brand some cattle he brought in.
Cassady and I rode a couple miles around the lake area looking over the cattle. They were every where. I finally just decided to open all the gates and let them go where they want to so long as they all could get back to the spring in the trap.
Frank and the crew showed up a few hours later as we were eating under a tree near the spring. I sent them on a long recon into 7HL to check Elladeane tank and gather some cattle we had seen out there the other day. They accomplished that mission getting in some miles in the open country which they all loved. Saw some elk and found the cattle.
Cassady and I trailered back after sending them off and spent the afternoon messing with Babe's foal. Some mare had really bitten the heck out her taking all the hair off a 10 inch area. The filly is soooo cute. Cassady named it Dark Eyes 'cause of dark circles around its eyes. She's really outgoing and after an hour she was all doctored up, fly wiped and picking up all four feet. Not bad for a week old. Pretty Face still won't bring her foal in for feeding, keeping it out in the middle of the pasture and standing over it providing shade. The other mares can't wait much longer, all are bagged up and seem ready to pop. It was a hot day today, hi 87 low 40

Thursday, June 20, 2002
A lot of riding done by everyone today. Cassady and I loaded our horses in the trailer and headed out to Snow lake. We checked Snow tank....all ok there. Then went out past Big Loco tank and to Juniper tank. This is the area where Marinel's Rockin' Arrow cattle are. They are supposed to be in one pasture, Loco Mountain but now they are in Canyon Creek as well. I only saw a few head till we got to Juniper tank where we found about 60. We unloaded there to do a loop and check fence. For the next four hours Cassady and I were in the saddle and on the move. Went to Pine Canyon, Incognito, along the fence west to Loco Saddle and then back to Juniper tank. All along the way we saw no more of the 200 head that she is supposed to have in that pasture. But I did see a huge cut in the fence that had been done back during the fire. There were equipment tracks all through it. Also tracks of dozens of cattle heading into Pitchfork pasture. So this now means Rockin' Arrow is using three of my pastures while I use one! No where did I see salt or supplement for her cattle.
Now get this. Alan went into Bearwallow pasture with Frank and Ronnie and Dan both of whom just arrived here last night. While out he ran into a forest service range man. He told Alan we had to move our cattle out of Bearwallow pasture because our usage was too high in the Bill Lewis and Turkey Cieniga areas. Alan told him we had no cattle in there and it was all our nieghbor's cattle trespassing on us. The man told him it didn't matter whose cattle had done it ours had to leave. They argued a bit and it was all left that I would set up a meeting with them. The neighbors have been salting on us drawing their cattle into that good country because they overused theirs. I have been complaining for years about it, being told they will check into it. Now they see what I've been talking about and it'Õs suddenly a crises. Now I am supposed to move my cattle! And where? I have two pastures burned up I can't use, and a whacko and her lousy herd in three other pastures and they want me to leave the one and only pasture I can use. We have worked hard to keep our cattle up top in the highest parts of that pasture. You have to look hard to find them. I am not about to leave! They can threaten me with whatever but I am in the right and I will not be punished for doing right.
Alan's crew went maverick hunting and came up with a total of eight head. I think that's a record for one day. They finally got in about 8:30 pm tired and worn out. Alan was all hot, he'd been riding all day thinking of that forest service deal. I could tell he was mad just by the way he moved coming in.
Lyndsey along with Don, Natalie, Ron and Betty did a lot of odd jobs around here. Rode heifers, checked Dog Spring, had a good day doing stuff that needed doing. It was hot but windy as well so it was pretty comfortable. Hi was 88 low 41.

Friday, June 21, 2002
The day started late waiting for Alan who was going to help push cattle down into Rocker canyon. Finally he arrived and said he wasn't going to ride. So Frank and Lyndsey headed out with the crew to gather and move the cattle that had been hanging around close to the H.Q. While they were doing that Cassady and I hauled a load of cattle out to Pitchfork pasture then checked salt and water on the way back. We got back to the house after a couple hours, swapped trucks, loaded salt and headed down into Rocker. We passed the cattle drivers on our way to put salt out at their destination so the cattle would stay down there. After they got the cattle on new water they did a long loop home through N Bar Park, getting home about 4 pm. About the time they got in the clouds that had been building up all day started to rumble.

Just at chores it started to rain!!! It sounded sooo good and smelled even better. We got enough just to wet the dust but at least we know it still remembers how to do it. The lightning was pretty snappy and there wasn't enough rain to dampen a spark. I went to bed worrying, most of our cattle are in the timber right now.
It was a great crew this week, the kind we are used to. Don had such a good time he signed up for a week in October. And young Natalie doesn't know it yet but she is getting an N- horse for her birthday. She and Flash fell in love during the week. He is Chancey's son, 2 year old, sorrel with four white socks, a wide blaze and blue eyes. A handsome devil and sweet as can be. She and Lyndsey were just fooling around with him and saddled him up. He acted like it was the hundredth time. He will be a great one for her to learn how to start a young horse. Hi 81 low 46.

Saturday, June 22, 2002
I spent the morning cleaning cabins and such smelling smoke. Alan showed up about noon and we branded 8 head. One was a mean fightin' 3 y.o. bull. It all took awhile. When we were done Cassady and I drove around checking cattle ending up at Snow lake for a swim. On the way we spotted smoke in the Wilderness area about 10 miles south. At the lake Tory who manages the camp ground told us it was about 4 acres, in a tough spot but they had bombers on it already and a crew was hiking in. Hiking because their helicopter is in Arizona working that huge fire there.

June 23-June 29,2002:Summer Ranch Week

Monday, June 24, 2002
Frank and Lyndsey took the crew out in two groups. Lyndsey rode the heifers and Dog Spring. Cattle keep showing up there, we'll gather it again and take them somewhere, the tank is just about gone. Frank took his crew out over Holy Shit ridge, down to Elladeane where they picked up a couple pairs from that mud hole and pushed them back to the North Trap. It was a good day except no rain. The clouds keep building up but nothing comes of it.
Cassady and I took our horses and went to the lake. The horses stayed in the shade while we played on the sandy beach in the sun and got roasted. The water is low but the temperature is perfect.
John had a half dozen more cattle show up down below so he brought them up. Last week he spent cutting a couple more fields of hay, making a couple hundred square bales and a couple dozen round bales. Hi 81 low 48.

Tuesday, June 25, 2002
Frank and Alan took Chris, Dave and Richard out into Bearwallow to gather our cattle that are around Bill Lewis and Turkey Cienigas. The latest from the forest service now is that we can stay in the pasture so long as our cattle are away from that area. I think this may have something to do with the fact that they are the ones who dropped the ball. I was sure to remind them of that fact. I had been complaining about the neighbors trespassing for almost ten years. They never did anything. I don't think they ever even went to check it out. Now they see what I was complaining about.
The crew came up with just over a dozen of our cattle which they pushed way up to the top of the mountain. The cattle were cooperative and it went without too much cussing. Then they gathered up the neighbor's stuff that was handy. In less than an hour they had over 50 head. I had asked the forest service what to do with those cattle. I had gotten no good answer. They wanted them off the range but weren't sure what to do with 'em. Alan just pushed them back on the neighbors place, but in an area that was banned from cattle because they had over grazed it. Which is why they started pushing in on my range.
When they got on those cattle the fun began. They are wild because they don't get worked. The job got done but everyone was worn to a frazzle. They got in about 6pm.
Lyndsey, Cassady, Peggy, Ellen, Jennifer, Seth, Stuart and I all went and gathered around the H.Q. we came up with about 50 head in short order. Most were ones we had pushed out of here twice before to Rocker spring over the last two weeks. Today we were taking them to Rocker tank way up on the side of Corner Mtn. It was about a six mile push. Down into and up Rocker canyon then taking a trail west out of the canyon you find Rocker tank, a nice tank surrounded by Aspen and Blue Spruce. It took us about 5 hours to get them up there and let me tell ya none of us have much of a voice left. It was tough. For a long way Seth and Stuart were off their horses and climbing along the sides of the canyon the trail went through yelling and throwing rocks at the cattle to keep them from veering off or balling up. We couldn't have done it with out them. I was so proud of Cassady. It was a long hot tough trip and he and Creek were right there the whole way. At one point he asked if he could go back by himself. I told him to cowboy up and he did. At the end of the day dragging home he was the only one still smilin' and even singin' songs. We got home about 5pm.

Wednesday, June 26, 2002
Lyndsey rode with the Arkansas gals and Richard back up on to Corner Mt. looking for some springs I remembered seeing a few years ago. They found the springs but found them dry. Along the way back Butch who was being ridden by Peggy seemed to start choking. It got pretty serious so Lyndsey hustled back to the H.Q. and got some Banamine. A shot of that and he seemed to be ok when he got home. They made a short day of it getting in about 2pm.
Frank along with Chris, Stuart, and Seth rode the heifers then looped out into 7HL to the T gate where they found five pairs and four dry cows. They pushed them home and put them out in Bearwallow. They got in a bit after Lyndsey's group.
Dave and I rode a big loop out through 7Hl and Pitchfork. Dave was riding Frio, one of our young horses. He did really well with him. Frio is a bit of a nervous nut but I think he will come around. But during a dismount Frio stepped on Dave's foot and broke a toe. We had planned on just riding some fence and seeing what had burned in the fire a few months ago. But as usual plans changed when we got to 7HL tank and found 25 head balled up on a now dry tank. We pushed them up and over a few ridges to Fence tank and drifted them into Pitchfork pasture. From there we went out and checked a couple waters finding just a bit at each tank and no new feed. It did sprinkle on us tho..my shirt got almost damp.
There is a lot of smoke from the Arizona fires around here now. As the crow flies the fires are about 80 miles away. Cassady left this morning, very sad deal as it always is. hi 78 lo 48

Thursday, June 27, 2002
Most of us headed out around Dog Spring trying to find the cattle we have been hunting in that area. Frank, Alan, Richard and Chris went out into Bearwallow getting our cattle out of the Turkey Cieniga area. They rode a long day and found very few of ours but saw over 90 of the neighbor's.
In two groups we hunted the Dog spring area for a few hours and had no luck. Lyndsey headed back to the H.Q. with a Dave and Jennifer to get the truck and meet us at Snow lake.
Peggy, Stuart, Ellen, and Seth followed me around Ewe canyon, a way I had never been before. Even after 10 years riding around here there is still new stuff to see. We rode the rim rock along the canyon and it was awesome scenery. We got to the lake just as the truck riders got there. Messed around the water a bit. Lyndsey took Doc in the lake, he sure liked that. A just plain fun day. Few sprinkles around but nothing much. Hi was 81 low 43.

Friday, June 28, 2002
We rode in three groups today. Frank went out to Elladeane and around the west half of 7HL with Chris and Stuart. Lyndsey went into Bearwallow riding with the Arkansas gals and Richard looking for springs and just seeing where cattle were. I rode the Negrito Mt. area with Dave and Maggie looking for the missing cattle and just seeing what there is to see.
We all had plenty of miles in the saddle this week and had planned to get back early so we could do a bit of paintball playing. Everyone took part and we played a couple hours. It's loads of fun.
Thanks to the Arkansas Gals for being our milk maids this week and feeding the doggie calves.
Hi was 72 low 41 a bit of rain in the late afternoon. Just enough to wet the dust and throw a lot of lightning.