My Journey
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Arjan.....I'm real pleased that you're enjoying the posts.....thanks for being a part of this.....
BigDawwg.....that's interesting. I think that their numbers are a bit higher (from what I was told) but I can say that on the lands I walked I never once thought that it was overgrazed.....
Ace.....I agree.....I too enjoy the cowboy life.....
tgil.....it's not what the cattle puts into the water that worries me so much.....it's what man puts into the water that worries me.....
APRIL 22, 2020.....EARTH DAY 2020.....
Today Tanner & I are out doing what we often do.....picking up trash. And since today is EARTH DAY 2020, I thought it especially appropriate to get out and get to work.....God knows.....the people that don't respect our earth are out everyday doing their best to ruin it for all of us.....
There is no life without clean water.....doesn't seem like a choice to me.....
BigDawwg.....that's interesting. I think that their numbers are a bit higher (from what I was told) but I can say that on the lands I walked I never once thought that it was overgrazed.....
Ace.....I agree.....I too enjoy the cowboy life.....
tgil.....it's not what the cattle puts into the water that worries me so much.....it's what man puts into the water that worries me.....
APRIL 22, 2020.....EARTH DAY 2020.....
Today Tanner & I are out doing what we often do.....picking up trash. And since today is EARTH DAY 2020, I thought it especially appropriate to get out and get to work.....God knows.....the people that don't respect our earth are out everyday doing their best to ruin it for all of us.....
There is no life without clean water.....doesn't seem like a choice to me.....
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
I really like that stock tank and water picture.
Brings so many things and memories to mind.
Brings so many things and memories to mind.
Love the ranch story and pictures. What I would give to be on my cousins ranches in Montana right now instead of just looking at my camper on the driveway. Another cousin is holed up at his cabin on the Boulder River. I would settle for cold and snow in Big Timber, MT , keep the stories coming. Be safe. JD
Jerry, these are circa 1920-1930, My grandmother was born in Melville, MT outside Big Timber, MT. My great grandfather was one of the first Norwegian immigrants to settle in Montana. Picture on the left is my father and his horse Dewey in the Crazy Mountains. Picture on the right, my grandmother seated on the running board (dark hat and Poka Dotted dress). My father is on the far right. Note his folded up jeans. My Dad would spend summers on the ranches, traveling from San Francisco. One of my cousins has a huge cattle ranch and another a huge sheep ranch. Another cousin is the retired funeral home director, fire chief, and mayor of Big Timber. What I would give to be camping somewhere in Montana right now, snow or no snow.
BigDawwg
-[Gettin-it Done]-
Ok, here is my story on Folded-up or Cuffs on my Jeans,,,,, Grandma said it was so I could Grow into them, Grandpa said Roll-em Down just before you climb in the Saddle,,,,, ie... Standard Wrangler Jean's or "Levis" length fit at street level, ended up being to short in length once your in the Saddle, it ends up being about 2-3", thats why you'll see a Guy in Cowboy Country with a pretty Long fit, when walking at street level, just another day on the Ranch, I do miss it so.......
Love it???Ok, here is my story on Folded-up or Cuffs on my Jeans,,,,, Grandma said it was so I could Grow into them, Grandpa said Roll-em Down just before you climb in the Saddle,,,,, ie... Standard Wrangler Jean's or "Levis" length fit at street level, ended up being to short in length once your in the Saddle, it ends up being about 2-3", thats why you'll see a Guy in Cowboy Country with a pretty Long fit, when walking at street level, just another day on the Ranch, I do miss it so.......
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Ace.....that is not the work of the homeless.....that is the work of self centered lazy families that had a picnic along the Gila River and decided to leave that along the riverbank cause it broke. Underneath I found their trash. I find that this is no longer the exception to the rule.....it's common behavior. It was found at the boat launch, the 2 chairs were found at a picnic area on the riverbank, the beer bottle was found 15 feet from a trash can.....Tanner & I cleaned up about 3 miles of roadway and maybe a quarter mile of riverbank.....
ITTOG.....I've started to call it "Paying the rent".....
PNWY.....nice memories no doubt.....I liked that picture as well.....
JD.....great pictures.....thanks.....I'm on my way there now.....
BigDawwg.....great stuff.....thanks.....
Things change dramatically once you pass by the ranch house. You pass through a small section of the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area.....
The road quickly descends toward the Gila River.....
.....where you come across the boat launch. This is the put in location for boaters that float the 21 mile trip downstream.....
Of course we walked down to the rivers edge.....
We continued walking north which took us across the Jose M. Subia Memorial Bridge.....
Once you cross the bridge the road climbs once again and soon we stopped to check out the Owl Creek Campground which sits high above Gila River banks. I thought we might spend a few nights here (it was free now) but there were 5 or 6 rigs camped there.....much too crowded for our likings.....
We continued walking north and now I noticed that traffic had increased significantly but we continued to walk the length of the byway just cause I wanted to walk the whole thing at least once.....
Most days that we spent on the southside of the river we were seeing 2 to 3 vehicles per day.....now on the north side it was many.....and they mostly flew by leaving us in a cloud of dust. The terrain was not pretty and the dust pretty much sucked.....I couldn't wait to get this done....
ITTOG.....I've started to call it "Paying the rent".....
PNWY.....nice memories no doubt.....I liked that picture as well.....
JD.....great pictures.....thanks.....I'm on my way there now.....
BigDawwg.....great stuff.....thanks.....
Things change dramatically once you pass by the ranch house. You pass through a small section of the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area.....
The road quickly descends toward the Gila River.....
.....where you come across the boat launch. This is the put in location for boaters that float the 21 mile trip downstream.....
Of course we walked down to the rivers edge.....
We continued walking north which took us across the Jose M. Subia Memorial Bridge.....
Once you cross the bridge the road climbs once again and soon we stopped to check out the Owl Creek Campground which sits high above Gila River banks. I thought we might spend a few nights here (it was free now) but there were 5 or 6 rigs camped there.....much too crowded for our likings.....
We continued walking north and now I noticed that traffic had increased significantly but we continued to walk the length of the byway just cause I wanted to walk the whole thing at least once.....
Most days that we spent on the southside of the river we were seeing 2 to 3 vehicles per day.....now on the north side it was many.....and they mostly flew by leaving us in a cloud of dust. The terrain was not pretty and the dust pretty much sucked.....I couldn't wait to get this done....
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calicamper
Expedition Leader
We had a black lab on the ranch that would lay in the bottom of the water troughs only thing above water was the end of his nose. The horses often wouldn’t even notice him while drinking. But we had grandma an old Mare if she caught him in her trough it was total hilarity. She would plunge her head in and shove him around the bottom he would just go limp it was like a horse was doing dog laundry in a watering trough. Eventually he’d get the message and bail out. That was the goofiest dog.....Tanner falling in......
Yes, any excuse will do for them to get into water..
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
If the trashed or abandoned tent was near civilization I’d say it was homeless folks. But you’re right it wouldn’t be out where you found it. My hunch it was some first time campers who had tent trouble so they just left it.
I was out for a ride today on some quiet backroads near my home on my road bike. I noticed far more trash than normal. Lots more! My guess it’s all the people out of work bored silly, so their out drinking and driving. Scary thought.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I was out for a ride today on some quiet backroads near my home on my road bike. I noticed far more trash than normal. Lots more! My guess it’s all the people out of work bored silly, so their out drinking and driving. Scary thought.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
calicamper.....sounds like a great dog (as most are).....
JD.....soon enough.....
Ace.....there is no doubt in my mind that Tanner and I were the only homeless for miles on end.....
The last miles of the hike of the Black Hills National Back Country Byway was truly challenging.....and with the afternoon temperatures on the rise I was anxious to get back to the higher elevations where few other people crossed our paths.....
But before we could do that we had to drive into town to mail a letter.....the IRS had sent me hate mail saying that my 2018 taxes had been audited and that I had one week to send them a check.....and odd it was to me that the check I sent almost equaled my stimulus check (which I didn't want, didn't need, didn't deserve, and never got). And so it was that we drove into Clifton, Arizona. Now somewhere on the internet I'd read that the historic section of the mining town of Clifton was a must see and since the post office was within walking distance.....we walked & here is what I saw.....
It seemed to me that most buildings were boarded up and bolt locks were on most of the doors.....I saw nothing here that I'd say is a must see.....
Maybe my attitude was bad.....maybe I simply yearned to get back to that peace & solitude that I found in the high desert mountains south of the Gila River.....we lasted maybe ten minutes.....
As we were leaving town this train from the mine blocked our exit.....and I clearly recall sitting there thinking I just can't get out of here soon enough.....
Tanner & I.....we just love the simple things in life. This pandemic has really slowed us down to a snails pace and its allowed me to appreciate the simple things in a new way.....
That evening it felt good to return to Goat Camp Road.....our camp along the Black Hills National Back Country Byway.....
JD.....soon enough.....
Ace.....there is no doubt in my mind that Tanner and I were the only homeless for miles on end.....
The last miles of the hike of the Black Hills National Back Country Byway was truly challenging.....and with the afternoon temperatures on the rise I was anxious to get back to the higher elevations where few other people crossed our paths.....
But before we could do that we had to drive into town to mail a letter.....the IRS had sent me hate mail saying that my 2018 taxes had been audited and that I had one week to send them a check.....and odd it was to me that the check I sent almost equaled my stimulus check (which I didn't want, didn't need, didn't deserve, and never got). And so it was that we drove into Clifton, Arizona. Now somewhere on the internet I'd read that the historic section of the mining town of Clifton was a must see and since the post office was within walking distance.....we walked & here is what I saw.....
It seemed to me that most buildings were boarded up and bolt locks were on most of the doors.....I saw nothing here that I'd say is a must see.....
Maybe my attitude was bad.....maybe I simply yearned to get back to that peace & solitude that I found in the high desert mountains south of the Gila River.....we lasted maybe ten minutes.....
As we were leaving town this train from the mine blocked our exit.....and I clearly recall sitting there thinking I just can't get out of here soon enough.....
Tanner & I.....we just love the simple things in life. This pandemic has really slowed us down to a snails pace and its allowed me to appreciate the simple things in a new way.....
That evening it felt good to return to Goat Camp Road.....our camp along the Black Hills National Back Country Byway.....
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