What Happen?

The three month off season is over and I didn't do much. Got caught up in the animal drama under the lodge for three weeks, looked at some more properties to purchase even though I don't want a job, and hung here the last couple weeks getting ready for the "no left hand turns" season. Johnny moved out this morning and Sarah this afternoon. I saw her vehicle stay up on Hurrah for twenty minutes or so before it disappeared down the other side. I know how she feels. I hate to leave this place too. Tomorrow Michelle arrives and there's still a lot to do before the season starts on Thursday.

This evening though, it's quiet. Nobody at the beach or on the river, nobody up at the hogans, and just me and I guess I have a dog (Jax) at Base Camp. I just walked outside to let Jax take a leak before bed and the usual gray fox was across the driveway eating sunflower seeds at the Tiffany's feeding area. The craziest of the ringtails ran across the porch beams upside down, shot down the pole, snatched a hot dog from me, shot back up the pole, where he/she sits and complains for 15 minutes every night. I hear one of the skunks coming from underneath the lodge to below the front porch for it's food and the stars, I don't think I've ever seen them so bright.

Good night from the canyon lands.

Change is Coming

It's been a long time since I've laughed as hard as I did on multiple occasions this winter. Mike, Johnny, Sarah, and myself were quite a combination. I was the only sane one of course with the possible exception of multiple releases of ringtails in the dining room and carrying skunks through the lodge, but, what could go wrong? In my book Johnny was the star. He can tell a story. They're hardly ever true or when true hardly ever accurate but they are funny. Mike would sing to us and make up new words for the song to fit the situation. Sarah always had the look of how did she get herself into this? The critters and the combined thought process between us on how to solve keeping the skunks and ringtails from getting under the lodge was mostly hysterical. Despite, or perhaps because, of all of us put together plans, we failed. Mike flew back to Vermont today. Sarah has been seeking other work in Moab and departs Monday for other housing. Johnny interviewed today for a job in Moab and goes back again tomorrow and after the weekend he'll be moving to Moab also. On Monday night, with the exception of Jax I'll be staying in the lodge by myself for the first time in about two months. Not an average winter. It doesn't last long however as Michelle is finishing up business in Salt Lake and moves in on a permanent basis on Tuesday. Did I mention I have a girlfriend, I guess, and a dog too, and it's about time to go get Kobae? From left to right. Mike, Johnny, Sarah, myself, and Jax.

Just for Grins

I ask Johnny to put the trap down a couple more times just to make sure we have all little people out before we close up the store room and we got the predictable results. There's still an entrance somewhere. Plus, I was reviewing the videos of all the skunk catches and we have one that is hanging very low to the ground. Oh boy, babies coming.

Surrender

While I was in Salt Lake going to the hockey games with Linny and Michelle, Mike and Johnny caught two more skunks and a ringtail. Returning Sunday evening I heard two more critters under the lodge. Despite ceiling up an unknown number of breaches under the lodge, holes in the walls, cinder blocks missing, and cementing tunnels, they are still getting in. Monday morning Mike and Johnny pulled up the front porch and found ten to twenty more tunnels going under the lodge. I ask them to put the porch back together and forget about it. I don't want to have one of them being a den and we seal it up so I/we will live with it. While there is a cinder block or cement wall all the way around the crawlspace there is not a cement floor so this is an unsolvable problem best we can tell. It's been a fun three week run and we met a lot of little people, some two or three times, but the season is almost here and it's time to start cleaning up.

R.V. Show

Linny and I spent Saturday at the RV Show. It was crazy. Hundreds of RVs in the building. Most impressive I want to know who drove all those vehicles in there and got them all one inch from each other.

Friday Night Thief

The Anti-Cline

At sunset each day there's a little more light on the Anti-Cline and most of the snow has melted. Hard to believe this winter is mostly gone. The season starts in a couple weeks and it's almost time to go get Kobae.