400

Last year about this time 88 cows showed up on the property and did some memorable damage until the fences were fixed and gates closed. Tom hasn't heard from the cowboys so assumed they aren't coming this winter. As Linny and Tom are driving to some Base Jump sites it turns out they are coming. 400 of them.

Not Sure

What About This?

The ATV's, the two that are left, are wearing out. Linny and Tom have been looking around for some things to replace them. Not sure about this one. Linny's not positive she can get in it to drive.

Meanwhile in San Diego

Turkey Shoot (Round Two)

Turkey Shoot (Round One)

Not quite the Turkey Shoot you may have been expecting. Draw a picture of a turkey, put a bulls eye in the middle, and then have 28 guys and gals jump off a cliff with parachutes and try and land in the turkey drawing, more specifically the bulls eye. I videoed 60 something of them and then tried to select the most entertaining.

Mama, Make Them Quit

Evening

Winter was Tomorrow

Rock Squirrel

On Friday Tom saw this Rock squirrel fattening up in a frenzy with One Ear's food like winter was tomorrow.

An Old Friend Visits

In January a Gray fox came to the porch pretty beat up. Tom had seen One Ear a few times before hobbling around the property and down by the river. On this day he left cat food out for him but as you can tell from the video he had trouble even finding the food and more trouble eating it. After that day Tom left out chicken, fish, hamburger, hot dogs......for One Ear in hopes he/she'd have a little better luck being able to chew. After a month or so of all meat Tom saw One Ear come to the porch again looking like this. Head up, alert, shiny coat, and a little bit of belly maybe. With the coming of Spring came guests and sometime their dogs. The critters of the wild became scarce. A month or so ago Tom saw a Gray fox eating on the porch but in the darkness couldn't tell for sure if it was One Ear as there are at least three other Gray foxes that frequent the property. Coming out of today's rain, almost a year after Tom first saw One Ear, there was no doubt.

Evening at Base Camp

New to the Intersection

At the turn to Hurrah Pass.

Sharp-shinned

Tom has finally gotten a good look at the Sharp-shinned haunting the lodge critters and it is not the same one that he had the encounter with in February so that agreement is holding.

Journey to False Kiva (Virtual Hike)

Inside False Kiva

The View From False Kiva

Courtesy Andrea

Down the Tombstones (Virtual Hike)

Climbing the Tombstones (Virtual Hike and occasional heart attack)

To the Base of the Tombstones (Virtual Hike)

Parking

By Andrea

In San Diego

Green River Overlook

Courtesy Andrea

The Saddle

By Andrea

Good Night from Base Camp

Courtesy Andrea

Canyonlands

The Notch (Virtual Hike)

Mama, They Crazy

Good Night From the Green River Overlook

Kane Creek Canyon

Trough Springs (Virtual Hike)

Dead Battery (Virtual Moment)

What Kobae Likes Most

Meanwhile in San Diego.....

Neat Stuff With No Name (Virtual Hike)

Crossing Thousand Eyes (Virtual Hike)

Emerging from Skinny People one day Linny and Tom found an area of rocks with a thousand eyelets cut in them. Linny said "Tom, the rocks are watching us. I think there's a thousand eyes." So it is.

Land of the Skinny People

Years ago Linny and Tom were out exploring and came across a sort of petrified mud maize from millions of years ago. As they entered into it Linny said "Tom, I think skinny people used to live here." So it is.

Journey to the Rock Garden (Virtual Hike)

Paris (Virtual Moment)

Kristin helps around the lodge. She brings her dog, Paris. Paris walks a little different as she still has a bullet in her but she loves to hike. On this day Tom has been exploring the finger canyons looking for the home of the Sharp-shinned that has returned despite their February agreement to go after the song birds. In the fourth finger canyon that required some climbing to get to, and where Tom previously had found the Sharp-shinned, he called for Paris to join him but she never came. Many times in canyons if you call too loudly a dog will go to the last echo. Once in the canyon Tom finds the Sharp-shinned has moved it's nest higher up the canyon wall. From below Tom can hear a young Sharp-shinned calling for food and understands why the agreement was violated. You have to do whatever you have to do for your family. Returning to the central finger canyon Tom can see Paris searching all over for Tom and realizes what she's going through. About this time last year Paris was with Josh and Kristin hiking and climbing when Josh fell. By the time Kristin and Paris reached him and got phone coverage to get a rescue team there Josh had passed.

Finger Canyons (Virtual Hike)

Down Catacomb Rock (Virtual Hike)

Climbing Catacomb Rock (Virtual Hike)

Monday Morning

They Arrived in the Dark

Kobae Never Liked Fences

Heather just sent me these from San Diego.