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| Walk / Tour | 2.00 Miles |
68 AEG |
| | Walk / Tour | 2.00 Miles | 53 Mns | | 2.31 mph |
| 68 ft AEG | 1 Min Break | | | |
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| no partners | | West to the cattle guard and dam 1.99 miles 8:04-8:57PM (3911 steps) 3200-3282 elevation, 82 degrees with 15% humidity
Yesterday, Jul 17 we took the 5 week old barn kitty into the vet at Fort Benton as it didn't seem to be feeling better. Good thing we did as it had a respiratory infection. We also checked out the two of the three museums, one about the fort and one about agriculture. It rained a tad in the morning so that was nice. Anyway, for a small town, just like Chester, the museums are pretty awesome and I highly advise you check them out if you're in the area. In fact, the one gal who checked us in at the fort museum resides here in AZ during the winter.
Jul 18, After a late Sloppy Joe's dinner with cousins Connie and Brian, I decided I could do a quick walk and opted to go to the west cattle guard. It was breezy and a clear non-smoky evening. I headed up the hill to the very full Romain Reservoir, a far cry from the lowest any of us remember in 2022. The first thing I noticed was the smattering of pink flowering plants in the water along some of the reservoir bank. I had noticed this same plant at the reservoirs on the southwest range where we were checking on cattle a few days ago. It is Water Smartweed, what a name... ahead of its time.
I also saw a duck family and filmed them but they were pretty far away. I like the view over the ripening barley toward the old Pettapiece place, one of the original remaining 97 Homesteads, the name of Brian's place. I pretty much made it to the cattle guard without any more distractions. When I turned to head back to the ranch, however, that would change. My views south were toward the reservoir and cousin Dallas's place and east was the grain elevator and legs top. There were lots of sunflowers and on one of the waterways, a couple ducks were floating; but what really caught my attention were the small islands of Water Smartweed. WOW! So I zoomed in for a closer look. I've never seen this before, I wonder if the quick comeback from the drought had anything to do with that?
I also had a clear view toward the Highwood Mountains. I walked thru the elevator and scared the bejesus out of me and a whole lot of pigeons. I remembered back to the days in the late 60s when cousin Texie and I tried to tame a couple pigeons over at a quonset on her dad's place. I proceeded over to the side of the reservoir where I scared up some more birds. I looked toward the earthen dam and saw the Charolais bull we had seen earlier, walking across it.
I continued my way around to the dam and walked across to the spillway gates taking some photos of the sunflowers. The bull had headed up toward the barley field. I could hear water running but couldn't see it. All of a sudden there were swarms of swallows and other birds flying all around me and on the barbed wire fence. I was sensing an Alfred Hitchcock moment  so decided to turn around. Plus the flies and gnats seemed to be biting more aggressively.
I went back across the dam and up by the barley field to see where the bull went. I eventually saw his back end behind some equipment. I announced myself, just in case he was going to behave like a startled bear. He didn't but he put his best mean face on and kept staring. I think I filmed as proof of my possible injury or death if he decided to chase me down.
Since it was getting chilly as the sun got lower, I headed back to the farmhouse via the upper corrals, hoping the barbed wire fence gate was open and it was. I walked by the shop where they're working on the combines. I stopped by the house to give Brian the bull update but he said not to worry. Apparently they can't keep him locked up as he just busts out so they just let him wander.
Here are the videos I put together that include driving around the ranch/farms and two cattle checks I did with cousin Brian as well as the other ranch walks I did. What amazed me this year, besides the Water Smartweed was all the variety of birds and so many.
Part 1 [ youtube video ] includes my first ranch walk, some of the cattle checks
Part 2 [ youtube video ] finishing off the cattle check and a ranch walk
Part 3 [ youtube video ] ranch walk to the old Grande place
Part 4 [ youtube video ] ranch walk finishing off the Grande place and including the last day around the reservoir with all the birds |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Sunflowers, globemallow |
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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