Wednesday

We're getting busy already. We're booked this weekend at both places. We've been doing work around the property together when it takes two of us. This is almost impossible for me to believe but there are places on the property itself where guests have driven off the road and left tracks which just encourages the next person to follow them and eventually it turns into a road. There's no shortage or railroad ties at the gravel pit so that's what we've been using to block the attempted new roads. 

Unfortunately I'm spending a lot of time behind the desk checking to see all the booking sites sync with each other and with my internal one to make sure I don't get any double bookings. In the old days it wouldn't matter because I always had something open but that's no longer the case so I can't make a mistake. Linny is always out cleaning something when things go vacant next door and helping Aleatha with the remodel here. Today Linny was next door cleaning Jax and I took a break from computer work and got a hike in.

I remember finding this beer can on top of a balanced rock when I first moved here and now have re-found it almost 15 years later. Don't think you can get there without ropes.

Jax found the remains of the 1300 pound cow that broke it's ankle out here several years ago. The cowboys couldn't right it, shot it, and dragged in into a wash. Jax is fascinated by things that have died and there's no shortage of that.

I've been very fortunate with the quality of guests that come out here. I think mostly they are people that understand there won't be a mint on their pillow, you need to come prepared, and it's more glorified camping or you can go explore the wild and retreat at the end of light into some semi comforts. Occasionally when I feel a real close bond to people when they're checking out they'll say something like "We'll be back for sure." I tell them "That's fine. Just make sure you use a different name so I won't know it's you and I'll approve the reservation." Usually they hesitate for a second and then realize I'm joking and smile. But one time I could tell the people were deeply hurt and no matter how much I apologized and told them I could only say that because I feel so close to you and knew you'd know it was a joke they didn't believe it. I stopped for a second thinking they were playing me, which I deserved, but I don't think they were and when I emailed them after they had been gone a few days to see that they got home safe they never responded. I rarely do that anymore. 

I'm starting to feel a sort of similar about the family that launched the paraglider a few weeks or so ago. The woman called the next day and left a heartfelt message that she was so sorry and it pained me to listen to the emotion in her voice. At the post office a couple days ago I got a card from a name I didn't recognize. When I opened it, was a follow up apology. "....from your property without your consent. I regret doing that and being so disrespectful.....and hope you would allows us to visit again....." Jeez I feel bad. She sent me money also. Holy cow.

Film commission called and want to bring some people out to look at the place for a potential TV series. I've had no contact with them since they didn't back the Yamaha people when the Moab Punk Ass Weenies turned on them. The film commission helped Yamaha get their permit before the Punk Ass Weenies went Facebook and tried to shut them down. The Film Commission folded like a cheap tent in a dust devil. I'm not comfortable I'm good with them yet, or ever.

Which reminds me I've been watching motorcycle stadium cross racing and the Yamaha commercial filmed here is on every time between the heat races and the mains. They also have a second commercial which talks about all of their different kinds of vehicles to include snowmobiles and there are three or four flashes of red rock filmed here on the property and ends with a side by side on the cliffs and The Saddle in the background.

Which further reminds me I've had three recent reservation requests where potential guests have mentioned that they read the blog or a good chunk of it. My profile on some of the booking sites doesn't look so good. Normally when somebody makes a request to your property the host says yes or no but almost always yes because they want the money. I respond telling them to bring their own food and explaining the road to them and that they'll need sufficient ground clearance. Most booking sites give you 24 hours to say yes or no. But to me if they don't respond within that 24 hours telling me they have transportation that will get them here I let the request expire or turn them down. I don't want to go looking for them in the middle of the night because they drove an inadequate vehicle to get here. While most hosts have a 97 or 98% yes rate sometimes mine doesn't break 50%. Potential guests think that means I'm real discriminating about who comes out here and I am but in different ways that are likely unnoticeable. So they'll send me resumes, people I can call to check on their good heart and morals and sometimes even pictures of their families. It's not unusual. This was one of the best and I'll just quote a small portion. They explain they'd been out west once many years ago when they were younger and now wherever they live they've been in lock down forever and it's time to break the bonds. ".......it's time to explore, relax, and remember what it was like being 2 young knuckleheads again without reservations. That's knuckleheads, not Punk Ass Weenies." I took them. Even if they don't have the right vehicle they have heart and they're dreamers. If their vehicle doesn't make it they'll hike here.