July 11-17, 2004: Summer Ranch Week

Sunday, July 11, 2004

A big crew this week again. We have eleven folks, only one has been here before, that would be Julian from here in New Mexico. This time he brought along his daughter from Fla. Julie and his Granddaughter Stephanie. Then we have Ulrika and her mom Gundron from Germany. Paul AKA Z from Rhode Island. Neil and Danielle from Las Vegas. Rob from N.H. and his buddy Hunt from WA. Also from WA. is Lynn here by herself for a first visit.

Monday, July 12, 2004

We got out in pretty quick time today for a Monday. Lyndsey was sick and I gave the N- 101 horse clinic, I probably forgot half of what I should have told them but hey it’s been four years since I did it. Never the less everyone survived the day.

We all headed out of here and went to Burnt Cabin, there we quick gathered up about 25 head and started south to move them all to the other side of the pasture. We were also checking out the route over there, it’s a long rough way; usually we have trucked the cattle to Gilita ridge on the south side. Now with the price of fuel and the good help we are going to push all the cattle over there. We are running out of grass on the north side and the south is knee high.

We got the cattle going with no problem; some got going a bit too much and took off at a trot. Now this country is all thick timber and cut with big canyons, thick pines and rocks. I tried to keep the trotters in sight as the crew pushed the other cattle along but it wasn’t far before I lost them at the head of a deadfall filled canyon. Soon enough the herd caught up with me so I took Hunt and Rob looking for the runaways while the others along with John and Nina keep the calm bunch going. It was just a short search before we found the trotters and pushed them back to the others. We met up with them as they crossed Quaking Aspen Canyon and soon everything was going well. Another mile or so farther we left the cattle in a small meadow where the grass was great and water was close by. From there a few folks were ready to call it a day and headed back to the H.Q. with Nina. The others followed along with John and I as we went to scout the rest of the route to Gilita Ridge.

Well as usual we got sucked into the Negrito Triangle again and as usual we had a bit of rough walking to do. Finally an hour later we popped out on the Snow Lake road, nowhere near where I thought we would. All we found out on that little venture was where not to take the cattle. On the way home we found where we had messed up and rode back an easy route to move the cattle over the next couple days.

I think what we will do is spend a couple days getting cattle to Burnt Cabin then a couple more moving them onto Gilita Ridge.

A nice morning but early afternoon it sure seemed we were going to get dumped on. Grey skies and thunder all around, we did put the slickers on but only for what ended up being a light shower. The late afternoon was perfect. Hi about 79, lo was 46

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

I was up early and out the door to meet the U.S.D.A. Trappers to go hunt Coyotes. They brought a single engine plane up and we set out to see how it would work up here. In a bit over an hour we had a count of 15 down. This in the same area we had worked in April. It sure was something to see that pilot run that little plane around. I was glad I wasn’t with him. I like to keep my feet on the ground thanks.

The riders were just heading out when I got home. They were off to hunt strays in 7HL for the day. A good days work was done. John was home first with Julie, Stephanie, Julian, Lynn, Ulrika and Gundron. They had moved 14 head out of the Feathery Valley Area and put them into Negrito. Lyndsey and Nina went deeper into the pasture with the rest of the crew riding most of the day without seeing anything till late when they found about 25 head, which they got to the silver gate, and into Negrito. It was about 6pm by the time they got home. They stuck to it and made it a productive day.

I spent most of the day putting out salt with Cassady. We salted from here to Loco pasture dropping off half a ton here and there as we went.

Big card games going on at night around here so I guess we aren’t working them hard enough.

Hi 79 sunfactor 85 low 48

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Julian, Julie, Stephanie and Ulrika All took the day off from riding. They had their own car here so they spent the day sight seeing around the country.

The rest of us went out into Negrito gathering everything we could find on the north side and pushing it to the south side. We split into several groups and all had luck finding cattle. A couple hours later we met at Dog Spring bunching up about a hundred head. From there we started south, across Dog Spring Meadow then up and over the saddle on Negrito Mountain. Things went really well till this point then it became the excruciating cattle drive from hell. They got over that mountain and hit that tall green grass and everything pretty much came to a stand still. Ten or eleven people hollering and moving and we crept along at a hungry cow pace. It was exhausting.

Four and a half hours to go less than five miles. The absolute slowest push in N Bar history. Finally we got to Burnt Cabin where we left them for the night and rode back down Negrito canyon to the H.Q. getting in about 6pm just plain weary. It was a hard days work.

Hi 78 sunfactor 85. Thunderheads all around, a few times I thought we would get something but once again nothing came of it. Our day is sure to come, it has rained everywhere else.

Thursday, July 15, 2004

Headed out with a big plan. John and Nina along with Julian, Julie, Gundron, Ulrika, and Lynn went below Little Fence Spring into the one area we didn’t work yesterday with the plan being to do a repeat of yesterday and bring what ever they found to Burnt Cabin. I expected them to find about 15 or 20.

Lyndsey, Cassady and I went to Burnt Cabin with the rest of the crew, Rob, Hunt, Stephanie, Danielle, Neil, and Z. Our plan was to gather all the cattle we had left there yesterday and move them out to Gilita Ridge.

When we got to Burnt Cabin There were only about 30 head there. We figured the rest were either in front of us and we would pick them up along the way or they were behind us and Johns group would bring them along. We started south and had a few problems along the way. I still haven’t found the best route so we got hung up in a canyon full of downed timber but eventually made it out and traveled along only a bit faster than yesterday. We got to the Hidden Meadows about 2pm and left the cattle there. I was watching the thunderheads build up south of us and decided we should head back. The rest of the crew thought the same.

A couple hours later we were back at Burnt Cabin and got in touch with John who was about a mile away. He had collected up about 50 head. Most were ones we had left at Burnt Cabin yesterday and had been drifting back. Why they would leave knee high grass to go back to stubble I have no idea.

We waited for John at the tank and then we all headed home as a group, heck we looked like a small army. Down Negrito Canyon we went with a storm hot on our heels. For minuets at a time the rumble of thunder was constant. It wasn’t long before I felt that cold air hit my face and the lightning flash. We swung down and prepared for the worst. The rain and lighting got thicker, some strikes were very close, we just hunched over and turned our backs to it. There was nothing we could do different. We stood like that about fifteen or twenty minuets. The storm so loud you couldn’t talk, the rain lashing through the pines with a bit of hail mixed in. It got chilly. I wondered what everyone was thinking as they were hunched there, rain running off the hats and down the necks, lighting so close it stood your hair up, thunder so loud it shook your soul.

Finally we got a break and mounted up as another storm galloped up behind us. Fortunately we out rode that one and got home safe and sound. I bet from now on every thunderstorm this crew hears no matter where they are they will think about this one today.

It didn’t rain as hard as it could have or should have, just less than half an inch in half an hour. My messy leg didn’t really appreciate the soaking. The bandage became soggy and kinda set back the healing a bit but it’s coming along pretty well I guess.

Hi was 77, sunfactor of 85. overnight one of our warmest nights yet this year, 52

Friday, July 16, 2004

We headed out in two groups in two areas. John and Nina went out into 7HL to check for strays there. Pretty much everyone went with them except Rob, Hunt, and Z. They rode out to Burnt Cabin with Cassady, Lyndsey and me. Our job was to gather the cattle we had left there and move them south, a repeat of yesterday.

We got to Burnt Cabin and found only six head, ones we had not pushed there. It was a little bunch which included Agnus a couple years ago bottle baby. I hadn’t seen them in over a month. We decided to leave them there and look around for the others. After the rain it was an easy job to track them back north to the slope of Negrito Mtn. There we found them all scattered well through the knee-high grass. They looked so dang happy I decided to just leave them where they were. We crossed over the mountain and heard John and Nina on the radio saying they had found about fifty head as they rode in two groups out there. We took a break near Little Fence Spring and there I spotted four or five trucks parked on the slope of T Bar Ridge. At least one was the unmistakable light green of the Forest Service. Where they were is not an easy place to get to so it got my curiosity up.

We headed over to the Silver gate getting there just as Nina’s group was bringing through their bunch of cattle. From there I headed home with a couple other riders while the rest went with Lyndsey to help John and his crew drive a bunch of cattle with a pain in the ass bull along.

When I got home I called the Forest Service and of course was told they didn’t know of anything going on out on our range. Tomorrow Cassady and I will go out and read the tracks and sign and see if I can figure out what they were doing.

Everyone was in by about 4pm. just as a few sprinkles started coming down.

We got a lot of cattle shuffled around this week. I feel good they are all on fresh grass. It was a good crew; everyone pulled the long days when it was needed and weathered the storm without a complaint.

After ten days of doctoring the foal with the abscess we turned him and his mom back out with the rest of the mares and it was a sight to see him run off to his pasture pals and then watch as they were jumping, running and bucking all over the pasture.