March

March 1, 2002: No Guests

Friday, March 1, 2002
Again the week flew by! I finally got up to the upper ranch to check all the young horses and see the Dodge Frank wrecked. He did a great job. That truck won't go down the road again. He came down on Monday to start cleaning the irrigation ditch with the backhoe along with the new kid Bart. Bart seems to be a willing worker. I always start 'em on some lousy job and his was tearing all the old carpet out of the old bunkhouse and tarring the roof. He did a fast efficient job. They have about 2 miles of ditch to clean so that's kept them busy all week. Lyndsey is up top on her own, taking care of the phone and starting to halter break the weanlings. I spent five days riding the tractor. Dragging and putting down a first dose of fertilizer. I'm getting to know the fields a bit, pretty damn nice farm. Tractor driving is soooo boring though. I wish I could write and drive. But i must confess I love the smell of a hardworking John Deere. I rode a few days as well. A couple by myself around Roberts Park and Carcass Basin. I'm two months behind on my mortgage so I'm hunting calves big enough to wean and sell. I figure I should have at least 50 out there somewhere. One day I found seven, then yesterday John and I rode and we found 8 more. We also had a bunch of Rocking Arrow calves so we spent the afternoon branding them. What a miserable bunch of mean assed cattle they have. You can't relax around them or they will get ya. I rode Doc all week. He is such a punk! But such a great hand in the corrals I put up with his dinking around all the time. But he's always right there making the right move when you really need him. John bought 30 heifers at the sale last week so he's back in the cattle business again. It's a good thing for him, he needs to own cattle to be happy. I've only seen Alan. He lives just a mile up the road and we see each other every day as he drives in or out but just to wave. I think he's been riding in the Devils Park area.The second wolf meeting was set three days before it took place. As usual they pulled a dirty trick and set the meeting for midmorning on a Wednesday in a town 4.5 hours away. Of course most of us couldn't get there. That way they could say, "look hardly anyone is here, they don't really mind the wolf program". What a bunch of ASS____! The weather has been warm and dry, two days last week we were at 80! Cooled of a bit now back to the normal 60Õs. Nights just at freezing. The winds started blowing today. March and April are predictably windy. Today it was gusting well over 40 mph. Just not a good day to be out!

March 3 - 9, 2002: Winter Ranch Week

Sunday, March 3, 2002
I went to Albq. over the weekend and picked up our first guest of the new season. Starting with just one like we did last year. It's Kathy from Ma. This is her second trip to the ranch. First time was at the upper ranch, came back to check out the lower country. Weather turned cold over the weekend. Lyndsey said the high up top was 18 on Saturday. It was cold here last night, down into the middle teens.

Monday, March 4, 2002
This morning was kinda hard getting going. The sun takes forever to hit the saddling corral.
Kathy saddled up Creek, I grabbed Doc and we headed up to Roberts Park looking for big pairs. We first rode over to the Carcass Basin gates and checked for cattle that had been in there before John closed the gates last week. Sure enough we found seven head waiting at the gate hoping someone would come let them back to water. I almost didn't go up there but something just told me I should. Then we headed back to the corrals and tank where there were over a hundred head to pick through. The day warmed up, there was no wind and everything just went well. We would pen twenty or so in the big corral, pick through them and put pairs we wanted into the middle corral, then put them into the small corral. There I would cut the mommas off as Kathy and Creek managed the gate. We worked about four hours and sorted through everything there was coming up with 13 calves we loaded and hauled home. Of course as soon as we were loaded a tire went flat. That was a real pain in my ass and hip. Yea, I did a little cussing. Kathy knows how I am.
We got home a bit after 4pm. I spent the rest of the afternoon's light putting in two new screen doors on the porch and cleaning the chimney. Lyndsey pulled in just as I was getting done with chores. She hauled down a bunch of tack and horse stuff, also a couple wall tents we will use for the trip into the Blue. I'll spend the day on the road tomorrow hauling the calves to the sale. Lyndsey and Kathy are planning to pack salt way out to Corner and Fox tanks.

Tuesday, March 5, 2002
Another great day, sunny high about 65 very little wind. Lyndsey and Kathy packed two hundred pounds of salt up to the Vigil tank area. They packed it on Rocky, he did really well for just his second time out. He sure was worn out when they got home. It was a long way up there for an out of shape guy. They saw a lot of cattle out near the state line. Found two dead. Not the news I needed.
Kathy rode Ben the Mule and had a great time with him. Lyndsey rode Dakota, it was just the second time she'd ridden him. The last being way back in the summer. She had some pretty kind things to say about him. Tomorrow we're going to head down to the Farm and grab some other horses to get into shape. I hauled a load of calves to the sale today, about a six hour round trip. Nothing exciting along the way but two flat tires. They were a real pain in the ass.

Wednesday, March 6, 2002
The weather couldn't be better unless your looking for rain. Hi of 70 low 0f 28, no wind.
Lyndsey and Kathy went of a ride back up into the mtns. behind the H.Q. to an old cabin site. Lyndsey had tried to find it several times last year with no luck but finally did today. They loved the place. It sits down in a hidden little box canyon with a creek and cliffs and fruit trees. They were out till about 5pm. Kathy rode Creek again today. Lyndsey rode Joys horse Hoco. A big handsome black with white rump Appy. He's 5 yrs old, spoiled rotten guy who has just met his match with Lyndsey. She's going to put his nose to the grindstone and let him know it's time to grow up and get a job.
I hauled a couple heifers to the farm and met john there. We were just going to quick catch a couple horses and be on our way. To get into the fields you drive a bridge over the irrigation ditch. John looked out and said there was water flowing. I looked out my side and there wasn't. But moments later there was. We had gotten there just as the flow came by. It was exciting to see the water but it was a day early. Some ones calendar up stream was off. So we spent the day busting weed jams in the ditch that threatened to backup and over flow the ditch banks. Since we are the last on the ditch we get all the debris in the entire ditch passing by. It was some kinda hard work all day long bending over into these deep ditches lifting wet heavy loads of leaves, weeds, trash, and branches. We used pitchforks and let me tell ya my winter soft hands blistered up. When we left about 7pm all the ditches around all the fields had been flushed and everything was running along well. We started to flood a field that was planted last fall, we'll see if everything was set right and it takes a good soak or if we had to much and it washed away.

Thursday, March 7, 2002
Another fine weather day, got a bit of wind in the afternoon. Hi was 65 after a low of 37.
John's truck was in the shop so I hauled him and Kathy out to the turnoff for Hicks tank. They started riding there gathering everything they could find and taking them to The Ghost Ranch. Lyndsey had a Dr's appt. and I had to check the fields and pick up some hay. The plan was that we all would meet at the ghost ranch mid afternoon. The plan worked.
When Lyndsey and I got there they had just finished branding a couple calves and had over 30 head penned. Kathy had a day of adventures with Ben the Mule. Getting in a bunch of cattle on her own busting through the brush in the bottom of Vigil canyon. I trucked a couple loads of cattle to the Hicks pasture and a couple up to Roberts Park while the others rode and found a few more head. I think we could have found cattle all night but finally called it quits about 6 pm. I had taken Doc over..he got pisssed off. All he did was stand around a corral the whole time I was hauling cattle, while the others went out riding.
Maggie went to Albq. to pickup her mom and Cassady. Sure was good to see my kid when they got home about 7pm. We don't have a regular cook in yet so Kathy has been helping a lot. Tonight she cooked up a great meal after riding and working all day. She's all right.

Friday, March 8, 2002
RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cassady woke me up about 4 am crawling in bed, as he did I heard something. The wind was howling and I heard rain hitting the windows. I was so excited I could no longer sleep. I got up and walked out on the porch to smell it. It was delicious. We got less than 1/4 inch but at least we know that it can rain. That little bit will get the Filiree greening up, which is a great spring feed for cattle. It won't help the tank water problem but getting some feed going is something.
Lyndsey and Kathy took off midmorning to do some sight seeing. There are advantages to being the only guest. I'm not sure where Lyndsey was headed but I'm sure that The Blue Front Tavern will be last on the list.
We hung around here all day. The wind and gray skies and cool temperatures keep us in till about 4 pm when we went out to the barn. Cassady wanted to ride and Maggie was ready to get out of the studio she had been in since 4:30 am. She's swamped with work. She was Sundance Catalog's biggest seller over the winter. I'm pretty proud of my wife. Wish my business was as good as hers.
Anyway Cassady did a great job, Creek worked really well. They didn't go out of the corrals, just played follow the leader around the cones behind Maggie and Kitten. It will be fun having him here for the next two weeks.

Saturday, March 9, 2002
Weather was perfect. the morning was white with frost from the little rain we had the day before. Hadn't seen frost for a long time though the temps had been low enough. There was no wind, hi was 65.
Kathy left this morning. A better first guest could not have been found. Heck she did most of the cookin' and always had a smile.
Cassady and I spent an hour or so in the hay loft this morning building a fort while Maggie rode Kitten in the arena. Then Cassday caught Creek and we got him saddled up. They went to the arena too and spent the next hour riding. He is just a natural. It warms me from head to toe to see it.
Tonight after chores we went down to the round bale feeder and climbed in with all the clean fresh grass hay. lounging around we watched the sunset chatting horses eating hay from around us and Doc throwing it on us.

March 10 - 16, 2002: No Guests

We spent the week doing more work around the places. Frank and Bart are up top repairing things around the upper ranch. Also riding some young horses. John and I have been working around the farm. Still cleaning irrigation ditches. We also built a small corral to pen the heifers in. I met a fella on the road from Ky. with a truck load of portable panels he was trying to sell. His business was not doing too well either. I caught him at the right time, he wanted to get home so I bought the whole load. I couldn't afford to but it was too good a deal to pass on. So now I am in the panel selling business. I will use a lot around this H.Q. to replace some rotten corral fencing.

Lyndsey and John did ride one day out past Day Tank to the Az. line looking for cattle of ours a fella saw there. The only thing they found were cattle belonging to that fella. I figure he told John he saw them knowing we would go riding. He had casually mentioned to John to just pen any of his we found. So they left 32 in the corral for him. Saved him a bunch of riding and work.

Cassady has been a pleasure as usual. He has been riding a lot in the arena working on his turns and teaching him legs cues. He has Creek working around with just leg pressure now. Creek was often ignoring his rein cues but now never his legs. He is also old enough to be getting more useful. Running errands around the H.Q. delivering messages or getting tools and things. Still have to pester him to feed his dang rabbits tho. He often heads that way but gets side tracked.
Maggie's mom Natalie has been helping all around as usual. She's a window cleaning woman that's for sure. This old house has a bunch of glass and she has worked it all over as well as repairing screens, washing porches, watching the boy, you name it. I think I got a pretty good ma in law.

An era came to an end here in the Frisco River Valley this week. The era of the REAL COWBOY.
Johns name sake and uncle died. His name was John McKeen. The last of the old time cowboys and ranchers in this country. To be old time to me you have to have ridden with the first cowboys. Mr. McKeen was born in the early twenties right here along Mineral Creek. So when he was growing up he was riding with, sharing campfires, hearing the tales of the men who first came cowboying in this country. This was some of the last of the west to get settled. Long after Wyoming or Montana. The Apache were thick, the country hard and the weather harsh. Not until the 1890's were cattle here in great numbers.
Oh! To have heard those tales first hand. I had gotten to know Mr. McKeen in the last few years. We had talked as we met driving the ranch roads. We would turn off our diesel trucks, he'd hand me a beer and we would talk for an hour or two. Every time I started up the truck and drove away I had greater respect for the man. To be honest I was in awe of him.
His memorial service was held at the Glenwood Park. It was attended by over a hundred folks. In this country to round up a hundred people you have to holler a long distance. It was an old type cowboy service. Singing, guitar playing, folks standing and telling stories of John McKeen. It lasted an hour or so and there was mist in everyone's eyes as it finished and we walked along looking at the many pictures they had of him in his Glory days. From a boy of three on his first horse. The son of the biggest rancher in the area. {This family was running 30,000 mother cows. Can you imagine that? 30,000! In an area the size of the state of Connecticut.
Photos of him in the early 40's, long, lean handsome devil of a cowboy and by the look in his eye he damn well knew it too. In the early 60's, standing in front of a new home, several nice trucks in the drive, pasture of blooded horses in the background. He was in his prime.
And recent pictures showing the sun and wind, cold nights and hot days, a lifetime of tending land and beast. A face proud, filled with honor. A face I hope to someday see when I look in the mirror.
It was a privilege to have known him.

March 17 - 23, 2002: Winter Ranch Week

Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Lyndsey and the crew set out early and got done late making long tracks all the way out to Fox tank looking for big pairs. They came up with nine, a real good day in this big country. They saw a hundred along the way which made me feel good. John and I went to the farm, we were supposed to met a guy who has some cattle on us there and help him get them gathered and loaded. He never showed up, I guess there was some miscommunication. So he rode the backhoe and I rode the tractor till late afternoon when I headed out to the Ghost Ranch. I had Doc with me and we headed out to find the crew. I met up with them a bit less than an hour out from the corrals. Left the cattle they had gathered in the pens for the night. We have a lot to do tomorrow, gather the cattle off the farm, brand a few calves, haul a few over here. It will be busy. Hi was about 60 with a low of 20 or so.

Wednesday, March 20, 2002
I have gotten refreshed on why I take guests. It's just plain dang fun! This crew keeps me grinnin'.
Today went really well, everything on the list got done. I had a meeting with the Forest Service...went alright just the usual crap. While I was sitting through that the crew went down to the farm. They got there and helped John pen some cattle for the fella who did show up today. I got there as he pulled out with a load. We then worked on penning our heifers. Not as easy as it sounds. John hates moving heifers, they are just goofy and stupid. Never do what you want them to do without a lot of patience or cussin'.
The guys had fun getting them in. It was a good thing we had the help, everyone had a job and did it well. Lou spent hours sitting his horse Creek holding a bunch in the corner by himself. Once we got them penned we loaded our two trailers and Lyndsey and I hauled them up to Rocky tank. While we were gone John and the guys penned more cattle and then hung out and waited for us to get back. After the long day they had yesterday they really enjoyed the slower pace today. Alan's pace did get a bit quicker when he was mounting Ben the Mule and some kind of wreck happened leaving Alan on the ground with his pride bruised, fortunately nothing more. Ben says it was Alan's fault and Alan says it was Bens fault, not real sure who to believe.
Once we got back we loaded a few more loads for the other fella, then pulled out about 3pm and headed to the Ghost Ranch. When we got there we didn't even unload the horses. We already had cattle penned from the day before so we just set to sorting off a couple big calves that needed branding and got right to it. Each of the guys took a hand at some part of the job and it was a fast deal of getting it done. We loaded a bunch of calves to take to the house for weaning and then off to the sale next week. The weather was great, for awhile today it was really warm, mid 70's. Overnight was a bit cool with a low of 20. Our plan is still to head into the Blue in the morning. Should be interesting.

Thursday, March 21, 2002
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH HELL TO GET TO HEAVEN. WE SURE DID.
The day started out pretty well, pulling out of Charlie Moore spring right on time about 1pm. The trail was an old jeep trail for the first couple miles. It was a good way to start and get the pack animals and their loads settled. They all took to it really well. I think Navajo Joe and Ajax both have been packed before.
A few hours later we were easing along angling across a mountain side when the trail disappeared into a mess of oak brush and rocks. We took a break and Dakota and I went ahead to scout the trail. It really was bad, as bad I've ever packed. I went back and told the guys the situation. Giving them the choice of heading back the way we had come and spending the night back at Charlie Moore cabin OR HEADING ON INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF BEING CAUGHT IN THE DARK on some ridge top or mountain side. Spending the night sitting on rocks holding a restless, thirsty horse. They all voted to continue on. Thus we did.
It was really thick and rough, rocks, rocks rocks. Bending under branches while the horses were working hard to step over watermelon size, shin busting rocks. Cactus grabbing at your legs, branches tearing at your shirt, and hands. But the views! Out ahead ranged rugged tiers of mountain ridges lined against cobalt blue skies. The scent of pine and cedar on the warm breeze lifted from the canyon floor.
Finally the trail got better, a lot better as we started a fairly fast descent into the canyon of the Blue River. The light was low and shadows long as we got closer to the bottom. The canyon took on different hues of purples and blues. It seemed the air itself was colored as the sun sank out of sight just as we made the bottom. Luck rode with us all the way. We all had scrapes and bruises but nothing more serious, for that we were fortunate. Luck stayed as we found an old corral we could put most of the horses in. It saved trying to find pickets in the dark and lining them all out. We unsaddled in the thickening darkness and walked our horses to the Blue River for a long needed drink. Now it's called the Blue River but for most folks river is over stating things a bit. It is only 8 to 15 feet wide and 6 inches to a foot deep. Hardly a river but out here we exaggerate when it comes to water. You should see our lakes.
Horses settled in, a fire soon broke the night stating to the wilds that we were there. We had packed in a bare dinner of hot dogs and beans which we quickly burned up and ate declaring it was all delicious. Not too long after, we each staked out a patch of sand and bedded down with a couple loose horses wandering around camp making for some rude awakenings. The morning dawned cool but quickly warmed up as Lyndsey made some oatmeal with lots of help. Frank found an Indian ruin which was explored as we let the horses rest as long as we could before saddling and loading up.
We headed out a bit after noon leaving behind temperatures that were rising fast through the 80's. The trail out climbed 1,300 feet over two miles. I felt so bad for all the horses but they willingly ground their way up and out of the canyon. Lyndsey and Frank were handling Ajax and Joe who were lightly loaded and moving slow. I was handling Rocky and he was second in line behind Dakota. He was really loaded but just cruised along. After awhile I tied up his lead and he did great staying right behind us all the way. Not stopping or getting distracted. Alan on Ben were right behind him and the others strung out behind them. As always it seemed a shorter trip on the way out and we made Charlie Moore a bit over five hours later. It was a heck of a trip, couldn't have had a better bunch of guys to make it with. Never a word or groan of complaint, even when I hollered at them.
I am really glad we made the trip. I know I'll not be going in that way next week. I'll have to come up with a different plan.

March 24 - 30, 2002: Blue Range Ride

Tuesday March 26 through Thursday, March 28, 2002
What a great couple of days it's been. Line camp living at it's best. We got in here to Charlie Moore at about noon on Tuesday. Lyndsey headed out with the crew to hunt big pairs while Frank went and got hay and I settled in camp.
I got things settled in an hour or so and saddled up Dakota and went looking for everyone else. The camp sits in a deep canyon and it's a pretty good half mile climb out of here. About a mile from the top I started seeing a lot of our cattle scattered along the slopes through the pines and cedars. They all look just OK. There is a huge difference from last year. We had cattle that were ready for the state fair judging coming off the range at this time a year ago. Soon I came across a dozen WS cattle. That's our neighbor to the North, John McKeen's place now being managed by his granddaughter's husband. I gathered them up and eased them around and through all of mine. Coming out on the other side only having picked up one extra pair. Dakota was on the muscle but worked ok getting them down the hill and into the corrals at the camp. Just on the west end of the corrals the WS range starts so I pushed them on through and out the other gate. Lyndsey came in just a few min. behind me. They had three big pairs they had pushed all the way from Sunflower mesa. Pretty good find for just a half day. We penned and separated the calves. The weather is great. Hi about 70, kinda cool over night about 28.
Wednesday we of course were up early as usual when out camping. I got fires going while Frank and Lyndsey fed the horses. The old cabin is pretty nice having, makes camping easier. It's about 14x20 has an old wood cook stove, a table and counter and a bunk bed and a single..It's old. But the stove works well, the spring is fifty steps away and is just a really neat spot.
Crazy Fred got the word that we had put out that we needed a trail cleared so he showed up at 7:30am. I gave him directions and off he went. Lyndsey asked me if one of us should go with him and show him where it started...naw I told her. Fred can follow the horse tracks we laid in there last week.
Lyndsey took Ray, Dale, And Betty out relic hunting at a couple places she knows.. then they strayed off the beaten path and found themselves in Glenwood where Dale sprang for lunch at the Bluefront.
Frank and Fred rode the state line checking for WS cattle, seeing to salt and generally just looking the area and cattle over. Carol came with me and we headed off into an area I'd never been but had been eyeing for years. You can look across Beaver canyon from Sunflower mesa and see a small mesa and a fence that dives off it down into the canyon. I had always wondered where it crossed and how you could get there. We found out. We got on the mesa from south of the spring and rode about three miles due east, then as it got rough and rimmed up I spotted a dim cow trail down. We did have to get off and walk the last part but we were soon down in the bottom of a very sweet canyon. Full of hard wood trees such as Ash, Walnut, Elm and Sycamore. Sandy bottoms and cow trails all over the place. We came on a few head that looked good. There was one two month old calf there and we were the first horses or humans it had ever seen, dashed off into the brush with it's tail shaped like a question mark. There had to be water down there but I couldn't find it. I wanted to continue out the other side and decided to come back and locate the water another day after I found a way in and out.
We soon picked up a beaten cow trail headed up the other side and followed it. It was a good choice. The trail was made for cows though and limbs were only 4 feet off the ground. I was carrying a new mini saw I bought. Has a 10 inch blade and is a cutting machine. In less than an hour I had the trail clear of brush all the way up and out onto the rim. We headed back to camp getting in about 5pm. A good day was had by all.
About 7 pm Fred came out saying he'd been working the trail all day and still had not gotten to the part where it gets better. He was telling me about a few spots he'd had a tough time and none of it sounded right. I got out my map and showed him where I had wanted the trail cleared. He then pointed out where he'd cleared a new trail. Neither were anywhere close to the other. I guess I will work on it next week in between fertilizing the farm, hunting big pairs, and starting to brand.
Thursday we decided on exploring new country in the Blue. We trailered out about 9:30 and drove about 30 min. to the North near White Rocks Mtn. We unloaded there and picked up a trail I'd seen marked on the map. It was a great ride in. The trail was excellent and the views in every direction took your breath away. It was beyond description. We made good time for almost three hours when we checked the map and saw that we were still an hour or so away. We turned back and I was glad of it, when I got back to the trailers I was tired. I don't think I was the only one. It was just the right amount of riding. We know if we ever head to bear valley to plan on an over night trip.

Friday, March 29, 2002
Last night I had thrown out the idea that we should ride from the cabin all the way to the river. Get a feel what it would have been like for the old time line camp riders to go to town. We were up early after a warm night. The skies were cloudy and a wind was blowing. As we saddled, thunder boomed in the distance. I smiled. Lightning flashed and I laughed. I headed out with all the guest crew but Dale who opted to stay behind and help Frank and Lyndsey pack up and haul our gear home. We had a stiff wind at our backs and rain spitting at us. There was heavier rain around the valley but none ever got to us. But just knowing the sky could still rain sure put me in a good mood. All we need is a half inch and this country will really start to favor a cow. It was a great 4 hr ride to the river. Lots of trotting and a bit of loping. The plan worked well, we rode to John's. Unsaddled and Maggie was there to met us. The end of a really fun week.
I plan on using Charlie Moore cabin a lot more in the future. Especially next winter and spring. So if any of you want a taste of old time line camp cowboyin' this is the place to come.