Moon Between Branches

Hurrah Pass: 5:30am

Couple weeks ago Jax and I hiked Hurrah Pass at 5:30 and it was a little bit daylight, Now, losing a minute of morning daylight every day it's dark with just a glimpse of light in the distance.

As we hike up Hurrah the sun comes up over the Kane Creek Anti-Cline on the other side of Hurrah and begins lighting up the plateaus, cliffs, and buttes on the other side of the valley.

Always with me is Jax. Michelle and I didn't work out many years ago but the gift of having Jax as a friend is way more than worth it. I thank you for that Michelle. I haven't talked to you or heard from you in years but Jax is fine and much enjoying life. Call me if you would I have something to pass on.

Years ago, twenty now, when I moved here I use to pick up all the trash I saw everywhere. Going to town I picked it all up. Required stopping the truck or Jeep ten or so times each way. Then after years of that I saw a glove on the side of the switchbacks one morning taking Linny to school. I left it. I wanted to know if other people were picking up all the trash or was it just me. I decided to see how long the glove stayed there. It was around seven months. I decided to just pick up the trash starting on my side of Kane Creek, up and down Hurrah and all the way out to Chicken Corner. A couple times Linny and I spent Christmas Eve at the Wind Caves just picked up trash. People would take refrigerators and TVs out there, shoot them with weapons and leave them. I talked to the BLM about it and they said if I wanted to use their dumpsters it was ok with them and they appreciated it.

Then a few years ago I found an arrowhead and piece of pottery out Lockhart Basin. Usually I would take big finds to the museum and rock shop in town and learn about them, then put them back. I put my finding on this blog. Somebody reported me of course and i got a call from the BLM, New guy, chewing my ass, could fine me, give me a ticket, turn it in at the BLM. I told them I'd take it back once I learned about it as I always have. Wasn't good enough. Two guys drove up from Monticello the next day and took them both. Two hour drive to get here, two people. Then they wanted to know where I found it so they followed me out to Lockhart Basin, another hour, we hiked back and I showed them my footprints and where I found it. One guy didn't believe me. I could have lied and said I found it on my property and nothing they could have done about it. I told the truth though. Then a few weeks or so later they called and wanted to know where I dumped my trash and I told them sometimes in the BLM dumpster. I got the stern warning again, the as chewing and the threats of discipline. After 15 years or so of having a good relationship and leading the man hunt on my side of the river when Ranger Brody got shot it seemed like somebody was out to impress somebody. I didn't bother to tell them I had permission to put trash in their dumpster from previous management, I was just done with them. I rarely pick up trash anymore and hiking up and down Hurrah I saw the same trash that was there two weeks ago with some new stuff. I do still pick up vehicle parts that have fallen off so no one gets flats and I have a pretty good collection of lug nuts from side by sides.

Coming Up

We will once again become the First Aid station for the Moab 240 mile running race. We are at the 33.8 mile mark. Still have some rooms open if you'd like to be here when they come through on Friday Oct 9th. I almost didn't have to rescue anybody last year but would up having to go get three after they came through down on Lockhart Basin.

The disc golf tournament, we only do one will be 2nd weekend of March, the 13th and 14th, with most getting here a day or two early and staying a day or so after.

Shadow of the Saddle on the Anti-Cline as the sun sets.

Sign is still down if you have any ideas.

Life and Death

Jax and I usually hike in the mornings, then try and get one outdoor work project done before the sun heats things up.

This morning our work project was cutting down hanging branches in the creek bed leading to the beach so guests can walk down from the lodge. There's been so little water in the river for so long, shubbery is growing up on the beach. As we walk up the creek bed cutting branches the flies become numerous, never a good sign. I saw seven turkey vultures circling when we got to the beach. I was going to call across the river to let them know they had something dead but hiking up the creek it was me that had something dead. A young deer had been there a few days. I had just seen it on the north side of the property a few days earlier. No cat tracks and it's head isn't bent back like it had been dragged. So, don't know.

Unknown Cause

I'm feeding Kobae on the front porch with my fly swatter at hand. Kobae draws the flies when he comes to the porch. It's dangerous hand feeding him while trying to whack flies. However on this day, no flies show up. That's unheard of. When I'm done I go to water the plants and when I walk down to the west end of the porch all the flies are at the skunk hole. Too many. Something has died. It happened once before a few years ago and we found a dead medium size skunk in here after pulling up the porch boards. This time it was one of mother's babies. There are two sets of kids on the front porch each evening and her four are bigger than the others so I know it's one of hers.

Ze, Tiago and I pull him out. The process to go to the wildlife vs wildlife cemetary is plastic bag it, plastic bag it again, did the hole, three to four feet, lower it in the hole, half way fill it up with dirt, put pepper in it, fill it the rest of the way up, more pepper towards the top, and then a heavy roc or rocks on top of it. All you can to keep something from digging it up. Still after the first night you can see where something tried to dig it up but reached the pepper and the rock fell in on the hole and the burial has survived.

It Continues

Open up a grill or two, open up a room not used since the storm and they are all more work to do.

Moab

Jax and I are picking up Ze and Tiago (family) in Moab. We get errands done and have a little time so went over to a couple of local hikes but it was brutally hot so didn't stay long. Glad to have somebody at the lodge. I picked up a wood sliver in my foot a few days ago and haven't been able to get it out. I can't see where it's located so I'm just taking clippers and clipping away trying to get it but mostly skin and blood. Next morning Ze pushes it out from one of the pot holes I left with the clippers and it's feeling much better.