July 4–10, 2004: Summer Ranch Week

Sunday, July 4, 2004

Happy Independence Day!

A big crew of folks spending the holiday with us this week. Ike and Marge from AZ. are here for their 5 th or 6 th time, everyone else are first timers. They are: Sue and Jim from IL. Steve and Carol from CA. Joe, Kathy and Denise from Delaware. Robin and Mandy from IL.

Monday, July 5, 2004

Today was a great Monday to start things off. We rode in three groups in two places. John and Nina took along Ike, Marge, Carol and Steve heading to the Burnt Cabin area where he’d seen cattle along the Bearwallow fence Saturday. They rode about four hours and never found a cow. Found out where they weren’t.

Lyndsey and I headed into 7HL with everyone else where we later split up. She went through Snake gate with Robin, Mandy, Jim and Sue planning on a quick look in Feathery Valley.

I went down Ewe Canyon with Denise, Joe and Kathy, we checked Nedra tank and found nothing but fresh track headed over the ridge towards Feathery Valley. About that time Lyndsey called and said she had cattle scattered all over the place there. We rode up the ridge and in 20 minuets we found another bunch. It took a couple hours to get everyone and all the cattle gathered. We held at Elladeane tank for a break for a few minutes and then were headed west with a stubborn bull in front scattering the cattle. I chased him off with an old cow and he stayed gone awhile. Things went pretty good after that. He joined up later and wasn’t too bad as we headed towards the Silver gate. It was about a three-mile push to the gate. Once there we had to get them through one gate and then back U turn through another gate into the south trap, most of the calves we had needed branding so rather than sort so late in the day we put them all through. I have seen a few wreaks happen doing this but today it went just picture perfect. From there we all headed home tired but a good days work done. Along the way we saw a column of smoke about two miles north of us on Don and Jeanie’s range. Just in the time it took to ride home it got much bigger. Probably a lightning strike from last week that was smoldering and now that it’s drier it flared up. After unsaddling we were enjoying a cold drink at the cookhouse when we saw a big Firefighter slurry bomber go over the fire. Glad to know they didn’t get the 4 th off work too.

It was pretty hot today, air temp of 79, and sunfactor in the upper 80’s with very few clouds. Overnight low was 39.

Tuesday, July 6, 2004

Another good day on el ranchero. We rode in four groups in three areas covered a lot of ground. Nina took the “SHORT” loop, Kathy, Ike and Marge just wanted a couple hour ride so the plan was to go down Rocker Canyon and around to N Bar Park and home again. Lyndsey and John trailered out to Cowcamp gate with Sue, Jim, Robin and Mandy. Yesterday I had glassed some cattle up on the side of T Bar Ridge so their mission was to find them an bring them in.

I rode from the H.Q. with Denise and Joe, our job was to ride the fence and find where the cattle were getting through from Negrito back into 7HL.

Lyndsey and John spilt up early with John riding Telegraph Mesa with Mandy and Robin while Lyndsey, Jim and Sue went out to fence tank and rode T Bar Valley back from there. John found a few head and moved them easily to Elladeane where he was to wait for Lyndsey. She left a few tiny pairs behind and otherwise saw no other cattle. Denise, Joe and I rode the fence out and found no obvious place cattle were getting through.

As I came over T Bar Ridge I got back in radio contact with Lyndsey and John. I rode along making a plan as to where we should look next when I spotted cattle below me near T Bar Tank. Lyndsey was in a canyon right below them so we headed to push them to her. But we first had to get across Leg Break Ridge. It’s a nasty, spine back, rocky ridge right above the tank, of course the cattle were right below it. We got off and walked our horse through it, I now kinda wish I stayed on. I was leading Gambler and as usual he was rushing through the boulders when he slipped and his hoof slid down my leg from knee to ankle and ending up standing on my foot. I didn’t cuss too loud but as I rode along I could feel blood running down my leg and my boot got sticky.

Other than that we got across the ridge and got the cattle down to the tank where Lindsey's crew had found about a dozen more. It was a bunch of cattle I had been looking for all spring. I sure was pleased to see them there. There were a hundred elk around the tank when we got near, it was a sight to see them all scatter with their babies up the slope in front of us.

It was an easy push up for us, the cattle traveled well and we soon were at Elladeane tank and joined up with John.

After a brief rest we continued on up Ewe canyon and several hours later we had the cattle through the T gate and into the South Trap. We were home by about 4:30pm.

As we came down the drive into the valley we were all surprised to see the Short ride folks just turning their horses loose. Seems the short ride became the long one as Nina got turned around and ended up going much farther and longer through some really rough country. A few close calls but everyone came home sound and had an adventure to tell about.

I finally took my boot off this evening, what a painful mess my leg is. Where Gamblers hoof slid down my leg is just a bad, bad case of road burn plus some. I finally got my stuck sock off and soaked it, then covered it in antibiotic cream and wrapped. It dang sure is tender.

The day was a fine one, hi was 78, sunfactor was 88 till some afternoon clouds and a nice breeze cooled things off.

Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Another branding day. We gathered the south trap this morning getting in all the cattle we had been storing in there the last couple days. It went just fine getting them in a bit after noon and then let them pair up while we took a break for lunch.

We got everyone lined out on how to do things and let them have at it. They all caught on pretty dang fast. Denise was the top roper of the day and Jim and Robin were top muggers. It was a long afternoon, calf after calf went down and got whittled and sizzled. Several of the crew dropped out as the day went along but the tough ones stuck with it till the end. At 7pm we finished the last one with a tally of 36 calves wearing fresh brands and earrings.Dirt covered, a few sore spots and some bruises everyone sure earned a hot shower that night.

A good day for it, hi about 78 sunfactor was 85 a bit of cloud shade late in the day. Overnight low was 44.

Thursday, July 8, 2004

We spent several hours in the morning gathering the south trap again but this time pushing out all the cattle we had worked yesterday putting them into Negrito Pasture.

Then we went into Negrito and split into several groups all looking for unbranded pairs. John and Nina went out towards Little Fence Spring with Ike, Marge, Carol, Joe and Kathy. Lyndsey and I went down into the Rock Mesa area with Denise, Jim, Sue, Robin and Mandy. After a short bit of riding we found five pairs and eased them back to the Silver gate where we put them into the south trap for future branding. While there John Radioed that they had found nothing so we met back up and then made a new plan. Lyndsey went up above Dog Spring while Nina headed back home with some folks. The long riders continued back out with John and I as we headed over towards Ewe canyon and the pine ridges there. We split again. Jim and Sue going with john while Denise rode along with me. Deep in the pines we were seeing a lot of fresh cattle sign, it wasn’t too much longer before we came across about twenty head with eight unbranded among them, some pretty big ones. We headed back towards the Silver gate and along the way Johns group joined up to give us a hand. It was about 4pm by the time we got them in the south trap so we called it a day as thunder rumbled and headed home.

Denise has been riding W.C. a few days this week and it’s great to have an experienced rider teaching our young horses, she is doing a great job with him. He had a problem with steep hills but with Denise he is getting his confidence from her and has had no problems since she took him over.

The day was as fine as they get, hi was 79 sunfactor 85 lo 41. A tease of thunderheads late in the day with a very light sprinkle overnight.

Friday, July 9, 2004

Maggie and Cassady got home late last night, sure was great to have them back!

The crew was ready and waiting to get some branding done so we went out and gathered the south trap getting our next victims in to work. Cassady was in the saddle on Creek, it made me smile to see his grinning face and hear his disgusting cattle calls again.

It was just a few hours later when we had a fire burning and loops were flying. Once again Denise was the top roper and Jim and Robin were unbeatable in the calf-throwing department. Everyone had a job. Ike has been the master fire tender, Sue the delicate ear whittler, Carol handled the paint bucket, and Joe got Video of it all. Kathy got a few roped and stepped up to try her hand with the hot irons.

The work went fast and the day was ending when Mandy decided as many of our under twenty crowd does that she should ride a calf. We chose a big one for her and threw it down so she could mount up. With a nod of her head and a yell she was off, one buck then two and she was done with her ride. It was a great laugh for us all and shes done something none of her friends at school have ever done.

Jim and Robin seem to have started another new ranch tradition, the last calf of the day the muggers take down alone with no help from ropes. My oh my what a show! They have it, no they don’t, they have it down, no the calf has them down. Once the dust cleared they had the big calf down and were all in a smiling pile.

We finished up getting 13 calves done about 2pm, Jim, Sue, Robin and Mandy needed a bit more riding so John and Nina took them all on a loop through Rocker Canyon while the rest of us headed home and unsaddled for the week. A better crew could not have been found! I sure want to see every one of these folks back.