Sunday, April 7, 2013

Cheese Head Cowboys

Even I occasionally question Dangerous' habit of striking up conversations with about everyone he meets on the trail.  His friend Bill always shakes his head in disbelief as Dangerous reins up his horse and starts a conversation with perfect strangers he has never met before, but before too long, Dangerous is exchanging email addresses and phone numbers, and extending dinner invitations if they are ever in Grover.  If Bill or Utah Jack questions his behavior, he tells them that everyone has a story, and for the most part, he finds the stories to be pretty damn interesting.

Gen and Dangerous on the Red Cliffs Reserve
 
I have to admit that I didn't get this most recent story first hand.  About two weeks ago, Dangerous took all three girls -- Rose, Dottie, and Gen -- to St. George to ride with Bill and Dennis.  Unfortunately for me, I had to stay home while Dangerous got to enjoy the sunshine while I suffered in the cold.  While Gen doesn't particularly care for me, she did fill me in across the fence when they got back.  From what she told me, I missed meeting two of the more interesting characters Dangerous has met on the trail in sometime.
The Cheese Head Cowboys
 
To be fair, the rider on the left was an attractive woman who the two Cheese Head Cowboys conned into showing them the Red Cliff's Desert Reserve.  Dennis is convinced that she found him attractive even though he was wearing a riding helmet that no self respecting horseman trying to impress a real cowgirl would be seen wearing.  In his usual gentle way, Dangerous tried to explain to him that her only interest was selling him the horse she was leading.  But, Dennis, ever the aging romantic, remained unconvinced.
You probably wonder where the "Cheese Head" label comes from.  Bill hung it on Sam and Robin when he found out they were from Wisconsin.  You might also wonder what two guys from Wisconsin riding their own horses were doing in Southwest Utah in March.  Well, it didn't take them long to explain that they were looking for sunshine just like Dangerous, but had driven almost three days one way to find it rather than the short four hours it takes Dangerous to find warm riding weather.  They explained that they thought hauling two horses cross country to ride made more sense than flying to Phoenix to play golf.  Dangerous instantly liked these two guys.  Their logic made perfect sense to him.

Wisconsin Spring Ride
 
Robin was kind enough to share a picture that explains clearly why he and Sam spent two weeks riding in Utah.  I'm not sure, but I think that this group of Cheese Head Cowboys should be on skis or snowshoes rather than horses.  When the snow reaches the horse's belly, Dangerous parks the horse trailer, hangs up his saddle, and waits for spring, but not these hearty Midwesterners.  Robin who works for the County trains horses in his spare time.  Robin explained that Wisconsin winters are long and cold, but the horse training goes on no matter how deep the snow gets.  Sam who owns a truck dealership is Robin's cold weather riding buddy who has the time to follow the sun all the way to St. George and prefers horse riding in the desert to playing golf. 
 
Pine Valley Mountains from Red Mountain Trail
 
Well, Dangerous tells me he doesn't mind sharing trails with guys like Sam and Robin.  Anyone who makes the effort to see the country from horseback like these two deserves clear views and blue skies.  I believe Dangerous really meant it when he invited them both back to ride the High Plateau and have dinner in Grover.
Love to hear from you!
 

Sunday, March 3, 2013

You Don't Believe I Can Talk?

About everywhere Dangerous goes these days he is usually asked "can Rosie really talk?"  Most people are quite incredulous when he tells them yes that I dictate every word that appears in my blog.  He usually tells them "do you think I'm bright enough to come up with all the stuff in Rosie's blog?"  They usually answer "probably not, but really, a talking dog whose vocabulary includes words like incredulous!"  He goes on to explain that he did graduate from Utah State but at the time it was the A.C. (Agricultural College), and BYU where credulousness is a graduation requirement.  Well, with all these doubts, I thought I would share with you my story about how I acquired the gift of speech.

 Terry, Rosie, & Dangerous

Hang around Dangerous and his buddies long enough and you are bound to pick up a limited vocabulary of sorts.  With this bunch, bull s**t is a high art form punctuated with a rich variety of four letter words that you will rarely hear me use.  Their language sometimes is even enough to make me blush noticeably.  Most of their stories start with "do you remember when..." and end with "hold my beer and watch this!"  As a result, I have a large repertoire of colorful language drawn from years of hanging out with Dangerous and his friends.  While the humor is caustic and language sometimes coarse, occasionally, you get a glimpse of the college educations that most of them have.  For example, Dangerous' old USU roommate may look and play the part of a Millard County bumpkin, but he graduated the top of his class and uses words that Dangerous frequently has to look up in the dictionary before explaining them to me.  Unfortunately, this exposure has left me with a varied vocabulary that makes me sound like a college educated teamster.

Audio Books and Podcast
 
Since I don't read, Dangerous has been trying to improve my vocabulary and enunciation by having me listen to audio books and podcasts.  I really enjoy Craig Johnson mysteries because one of the stars is a dog named Dog, but those Edward O. Wilson books especially The Social Conquest of Earth are a bit hard to endure.  Again, Dangerous' chosen educational methods leave me a bit schizophrenic about language and the world.  I bounce between Sheriff Walt Longmire solving crime in Wyoming to tracing the evolutionary history of the human condition along with the associated language and vocabulary.  No wonder I'm confused most of the time.  However, I do believe my language skills are improving.
 
Reading is Next
 
Ole Dangerous has never been one to back away from a challenge.  With my improving language skills, he has decided to teach me to read.  He has started by exposing me to another form of fiction -- newspapers.  By starting me on something simple and with little substance, The Provo Daily Herald, he hopes to have me reading the Salt Lake Tribune in a year or two.  Once I'm able to grasp the political humor and satire of Pat Bagley's political cartoons, he believes I will be ready to tackle the really news of the weird and bizarre -- the Utah State Legislature.  I hope they don't find out I'm learning to read because they might reduce public education funding further thinking that Dangerous' home schooling model for dogs is transferable to all Utah school children.
In the End, Just a Dog
 
Well, all good stories have an end, and I guess I do to for now.  Just because I'm an erudite sheep dog with language skills, doesn't mean I'm still not a dog.  Like all other dogs, I will continue to follow my nose first, but plan on talking with you again soon.
Love to hear from you!!!
 
 
  

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Chew the Air Before You Breathe It!!!!

Being old has some advantages.  Ole Dangerous and most of his friends grew up in Utah during the 50's and 60's.  They remember Pleasant Grove as a sleepy little town where everyone pretty much knew everyone else, and the air was relatively fit to breathe.  Even with Geneva Steel booming, hay fever caused most runny noses and itchy eyes from fresh cut hay and fruit orchards in bloom.  Geneva Steel is where Dangerous' father worked for 34 years and is long gone and all the orchards have been cut and replaced with houses -- true signs of 21st Century progress.  Step outside today and try taking a deep breath.  You will experience the real impact of crowding over 300,000 people into a bowl shaped valley -- Inversion Cough.

Well, what can a person or more importantly sheep dog do to get a breath of fresh air?  Fortunately, for Dangerous and me, we can drive to Grover or St. George to shake our Inversion Coughs for a while.  Short of making the long drive south we take day trips up American Fork Canyon to see blue skies and breathe fresh air.

Dennis (AKA Iowa) and Rosie on the Alpine Loop Road
I suppose I shouldn't share our secrets spots with you, but I suspect either you already know about American Fork Canyon or are probably too far away to actually visit.  Dangerous and his family have been associated with the Canyon for generations.  His paternal grandfather and father worked at the mines driving a team of horses pulling a Fresno Scraper.  His maternal grandfather also worked at the mines and along with his sons herded sheep in the Canyon during the 1920's, 1930's, and 1940's.  Dangerous has carried on the tradition working at Timpanogos Cave National Monument during the 60's to help pay his way through Utah State and BYU.  Over thirty years ago he and Utah Jack hunted deer in Major Evan's Gulch every October, and camped regularly on Graveyard Flat with their children.  These days the Canyon is our winter retreat to escape the pollution that shrouds Utah Valley during the winter.  In the fall and summer, we take day rides when we can't get to Grover.

Rosie and Dangerous
Even in winter, American Fork Canyon can be busy.  With all the crowding along the Wasatch Front, everyone is looking for a retreat from the crowds and traffic.  We are fortunate because neither Dangerous nor I have a job, so we can visit during the week when there are fewer people around.  Our standard rule for hiking or riding in the Canyon is Monday through Thursday, but never weekends or holidays.  If we follow our simple rule, we pretty much have the place to ourselves.
Dennis Discovers Winter Mountain Bikes
Recreation is the principal activity in the Canyon these days -- mining and stock grazing are long gone.  With winter snow there is lots of cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling on the Alpine Loop Road.  In the past, we have only seen mountain bikes during the summer and fall, but with more technological innovations the bikers are now pedaling in the snow.  Dennis found these two heavily built mountain bikes equipped with incredibly large tires chained to a highway sign during our last visit.  We never saw the riders, but I sure wish I could have seen them pedaling though the deep snows.

Headed Home
As spring gets closer, you can frequently find Dangerous at his computer checking with friends.  The warm weather schedule is already taking shape.  In May, we will take a week long hike in the Grand-Stair-Case National Monument.  After that, the riding season starts in earnest in Grover.  In July, Dennis, an experienced river runner, has extended Dangerous an invitation to run the River of No Return in Idaho.  I suspect I will be sitting out that trip.  August usually means a horse packing trip in Wyoming.  Dangerous is already pouring over maps and hopes to spend a week riding in the Wind Rivers.  But, we always have time to visit with friends, so drop me a note, and if you are ever in Wayne County, you will usually find us sitting on the porch discussing the day's ride.  Remember dinner is usually at 6:00 PM, and there is always room at the table.
Love to hear from you
 





Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Utah's National Parks:  Zion

I'm not a really big fan of National Parks.  While I have visited many, all I usually get to see is the view from the window of the truck.  Why do they have ridiculous rules restricting canine access?  An intelligent Aussie like me knows to stay on the trail and not to chase the squirrels.  I must give the Zion "Parkies" credit for having one short trail where I can wander a bit.  You would think that Utah's oldest National Park, established in 1919 and consisting of thousands of acres, could do better than a two mile trail where dogs can get out and enjoy the scenery.  While I'm still not satisfied with the Park Service's efforts, I agreed to help Ole Dangerous write this blog about riding horses in Zion.  Can you believe it?  They allow horses, but not dogs.
If you haven't visited Zion National Park, you are missing a great opportunity to see the natural world at its best.  For my international friends, Zion is located approximately 40 miles east of St. George, Utah in the southwest corner of the state.  For those Planning a visit, I have included a trail map.  Most visitors never leave Zion Canyon where cars are prohibited April through October.  You can ride the shuttle bus or your bicycle along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and stop at the scenic overlooks and trail heads located along the oiled road.  For the more adventurous, you can obtain a wilderness permit and wander into the more remote areas of the park on foot or horse.  However, there is only one overnight camping spot for equestrians in the park which requires a reservation.  Other than this one spot horse riding is limited to day use.  Always check the trail map and talk with the rangers before setting out on an unguided adventure.  The trails in red are open to stock, but are frequently closed during wet conditions to prevent trail damage.  If you don't have your own horses, trail rides are available from a concessionaire across from Zion Lodge.

Bill and Thunder
 
Zion is Utah's most visited park with almost three million visitors annually from all over the world.  While Zion Canyon can be crowded at the height of tourist season, there are places less frequently visited because they are off the beaten track and require physical effort to get there.  Depending on the location, Ole Dangerous and Walking Horse Bill usually ride the back country from late fall to early spring.  According to Dangerous, they rarely see other horses, but sometimes they meet hikers who brave the cold weather.  Remember, the Park's elevation ranges between 3,600 and 8,600 feet.  It can snow, and the trails can be slick and icy at the higher elevations.  The Coal Pit Wash Trail is the lowest in the Park, and can be ridden year round.  However, I suspect it gets hot starting in May.  Check the map for the location.
East Rim Trail
 
I've listened to Dangerous describe the East Rim Trail to his friends.  There are few places that he loves more than Boulder Mountain, but given a choice of where to ride the East Rim of Zion Park is at the top of his list.  Accessing the trail head from the west side requires a winding drive up the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway.  It's also a bit expensive to get there.  The old tunnels along the highway are too narrow for today's RVs.  The Park has designated them as one-way, so you have to stop and wait your turn while traffic from the other direction drives through.  Also, large motor homes, house trailers, and horse trailers have to pay an extra $15 fee.  But, the time and expense is well worth it.

Rose and Dangerous
 
The trail to the top is a bit steep, but like all National Park Service trails well maintained, and easily followed.  Even though cross country travel is limited, Dangerous still has a smile on his face as he and Rose ride past a recently cut log.  The effort expended to reach the top is instantly rewarded by magnificent views of the Park below.
 
East Rim View
 
On the west side of the Park is another of Dangerous' favorite places.  The Kolob Terrace Road which starts in the small town of Virgin is one of the most scenic drives in the lower 48 states.  The road parallels the Park's western boundary and provides access to numerous trails and scenic vistas.  The Hop Valley Trail is the only horse trail where overnight camping is allowed.  The campground has a number of sites for hikers and one dedicated to horse camping, but restricted to one night's use.  The campground is frequented mostly by through hikers.  The Hop Valley trail eventually connects with Kolob Canyons which is the northwest extension of the Park.  Kolob Canyons has a visitor center which is accessed off Exit 40 south of Cedar City.

Hop Valley View
 
The Hop Valley trail is relatively flat until it reaches the junction with La Verkin Creek.  The trail follows a wide wash that can be a bit tricky when wet.  Riders have to watch for wet, soft sand where their horses can sink and possibly get stuck.  On the trip last March, Iowa Holm (aka Dennis) was not pleased with the soft footing where Misty sank to her hocks a few times crossing the wash.  Misty pulled free, but not without a few well stated expletives from Iowa.  I don't think the Hop Valley Trail is one of Iowa's favorite rides.
Iowa and Bill on the Hop Valley Trail
 
In March, Dangerous, Bill, and Iowa rode in and out from the Kolob Terrace road.  They stopped at the steep drop off into La Verkin Creek for lunch.  From what I understand, Dangerous wasn't interested in riding down the slick rock to the creek, and besides that the truck and horse trailer were parked at the Hop Valley Trail Head.  If you have the time, a through ride with an overnight stop is possible.
Junction with Kolob Canyons
 
From what Dangerous tells me, I'm not sure that he will get Iowa back on the Hop Valley Trail again.  Maybe he can show him the other side which Bill and Dangerous rode a while back.  Before giving this trail a try, check to make sure the scenic drive to Lee's Pass is open.  The elevation is quite high and snow occasionally closes the road.  Also, if the trails are wet, horses are not allowed until the trails dry out.  It's a bit of a drive from St. George or Cedar City, and you don't want to get turned away, so call ahead.

Rose, Bill, and Balthazar Kolob Scenic Drive
 
Horse trailer parking is a bit of a problem at the trail head.  Kolob Canyons are popular with hikers and windshield tourists as they try to find a place to visit as the weather warms up.  As you can see, Dangerous and Bill had to park along the road, and lead Rose and Balthazar to the trail head.  However, it is worth the effort because of the spectacular red rock scenery.

Kolob Canyons Trail
 
Like all of Zion's back country trails, this one is well traveled and maintained.  At the start, it looks like a well traveled dirt road, but becomes more primitive the further you get from the oil.  A nice day ride is to the junction with La Verkin Creek and back.  Be prepared to see a lot of hikers, but most are very friendly and always interested in taking pictures of your horses.  Dangerous tells me that on this trip he felt a bit like Butch Cassidy because all the foreign tourists wanted his picture riding Rose.  He and Bill even had to cross the creek twice so some foreign visitors could capture them splashing through the water like the Hole in the Rock gang hurrying back to their hideout after a big robbery.

If you want to help preserve Zion National Park, check out the Virgin River Land Trust link referenced on my blog.  The VRLT buys land and conservation easements around the Park to try and preserve the scenic vistas and retain the rural character of the surrounding small towns.  I have agreed to help Dangerous write another blog about the Greater Zion Fund that he is volunteering to help VRLT start.  The voluntary contributions will be used to help preserve the beauty and character of the Park

Love to hear from you!



 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Emergency Repairs:  Sixty Miles without a Shoe

I don't know about you, but winter at the Parasite Ranch is the time for reflection and talk.  Anyone who engages Ole Dangerous in conversation usually draws a blank look if they ask him about his golf game or church job.  Eventually, the conversation turns to something that really interests him -- riding and hiking.  Most people are stunned to find out a man his age is still backpacking and riding horses.  When they discover how much time he spends outdoors, they almost always want to hear about an adventure or two.  They are usually most interested in what happens when he has an emergency 30 or 40 miles from an oiled road.  He usually tells them that a serious medical emergency that far from help will likely end badly, so he usually doesn't worry about it.  He does worry if his horse gets sick or throws a shoe which means a long walk back to his truck.

Dottie and Dangerous in the Bridger-Teton Wilderness
 
To the inexperienced eye, this picture looks like most others I have posted -- Dangerous and one of his horses.  However, if you study it closely, you will find some small things that can go wrong on a horse packing trip.  Take a close look at Dottie and not Dangerous.  You can find plenty wrong with him without even trying especially if you know his medical history.
An obvious problem is the hanging breast collar.  In steep, rough country a breast collar is essential to keep the saddle in place.  Walking Horses are naturally narrower than most other breeds which means the saddle will slide back without a breast collar.  A slipping saddle not properly positioned over the withers results in a tired and sometimes sore horse.  As usual, Dangerous forgot to look at his before setting out on a 60 to 70 mile, five day ride.  Overtime, sweat causes the leather to harden and crack.  Fortunately, Dangerous always carries some leather strings to make small repairs.

Steep, Rocky Trails Cause Problems
 
Take a closer looks at Dottie and see if you can identify the more serious problem.  Enlarge the picture and look at her left front hoof.  You will notice she is wearing a boot rather than a shoe.  Ten miles from the trail head, Dottie threw a shoe, and as you may have guessed, Ole Dangerous left the extra shoes, nails, and tools in the horse trailer -- too much extra weight.  Well, thanks to modern technology Dottie made the entire 60 mile loop on three shoes and an Easy Boot.  Without this wonder, Dangerous would have had to lead Dottie back to the truck, and try and put a new shoe on her.  I'm sure Dottie would have been OK, but Dangerous walking 10 miles in cowboy boots is another matter entirely.  You've seen the condition of his feet in a previous post.

Easy Boot
 
You probably wonder how a horse can lose a shoe and there are too many causes to mention here.  But, usually on the trail there are two main ones.  Believe it or not a shoe is easily sucked off in deep, sticky mud.  Even though there are eight nails holding it on, the vacuum caused when the horse pulls its hoof from the mud can easily suck the shoe off.  The other way is for horses to catch the edge of their shoes on something which will pull the nails lose, and eventually the shoe falls off.

How do you think a mere dog knows so much about horses?  Well, I have spent all my time since I was a pup trailing one horse or another.  Spending that much time means I have picked up a thing or two about horse husbandry.  So, if you have some questions, you are welcome to ask, and I will try to provide an answer.  Right off, I can tell you that horses eat a lot, and aren't easily house-trained like sheep dogs.  Also, they aren't warm and cuddly like me either.  Love to hear from you!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Cold Weather and Frozen Troughs

A frequently asked question this time of year is how do horses stay warm in this bitterly cold weather?  Someone always wants to know if the horses stay in a heated barn, or at the very least do they wear an insulated blanket to keep them warm?  Well, the answer to both questions is no.  The Parasite Ranch horses spend all their time outside without blankets no matter the season or temperature.
Rose and Gen Ready for Dinner
Before you turn Dangerous in to the Humane Society, you need to hear me out.  Take a look at Rose, and you can see she is wearing her winter coat.  Starting around October, horses begin to grow their long, winter coats that insulates them during the cold winter months.  At the risk of offending the devoutly religious, you should understand that horses evolved on the open plains.  They didn't have warm stalls or quilted blankets to keep them warm during raging blizzards or below zero temperatures.  In fact, watch a herd of horses in an open pasture during bad weather, and the most you will usually see is the horses bunching together and turning their butts to the wind to stay warm.  Even Gen and Rose who have a three sided barn rarely use it except for shade in the summer or as a winter wind break.  On the coldest days, you will see them both lying and rolling in the snows.

Frozen Trough

What horses need most in winter is water.  Some lazy horse owners believe that their horses can survive on snow alone, but anyone who believes that is courting a bad case of colic.  We do have a trough heater at the pasture in back of the house, but at our other pasture, Dangerous and Utah Jack have to break a hole in the ice morning and night for Dottie and Scottie to drink.  Breaking the ice is a lot tougher on these old men than the two horses drinking from the trough.  Without clear, fresh water, horses can't process the roughage they eat which will result in an impacted bowel -- colic.  A horse with a serious stomach ache isn't something you want to treat this time of year or any other because it is almost always fatal.

Too Plump
 
To stay warm, horses need forage in their large stomachs.  Since most horses these days don't range free, we feed them hay morning and night.  During cold weather, the problem can be over feeding.  Gen especially acts like she is constantly starving, but as you can see from this picture she is plump. In fact, Dangerous has cut back their feed because both Gen and Rose are getting too plump from lack of regular exercise.  With Dangerous' foot healing nicely; I think we will soon be on the trail again in southwest Utah where the summer sun spends the winter.

Me Helping Out
 
Ole Dangerous always chuckles when talking with some dreamy eyed person who wants to talk about the romance of horse ownership.  Usually, these people have seen too many western movies or board their horses in a barn where someone else takes care of them.  Neither group usually has a clue about what it's really like to take care of horses on their own in open pastures where horses actually belong.  Spend a spring hauling 90 lb bales of hay to feed during winter, or trudging out in below freezing temperatures and the romance quickly ends.  Around here, you really have to love horses because they are a lot of responsibility and hard work.  Got any more questions?  Love to hear from you!