8/30/11

Hello everyone. 

Today started off with a brand new experience. Bucking bails of hay for 4 hours. The crew and I bucked 400 bails of hay from the alfalfa fields over to headquarters. It was hard work, but really fun. Michael would drive through the middle of two rows of freshly bailed alfalfa, and we would chuck them onto the flatbed trailer while allen stacked them nice and neatly. Were doing this, because in the minter we keep the sheep and some of the horses in the corral, so they need a hefty supply of hay here to eat. So now, there is a massive stack of 400 bails of hay right outside my front door, all ready to go for when it gets balls cold here. We all got into a really good rhythm and started to have a ton of fun with it. Tripping each other while walking with bails, pushing and shoving each other, and throwing insults back and forth about how weak the other guy was. It ended up being a blast and a great, but tiring start to the day. Apparently this buckin hay is a past time of many of the guys here on the ranch, something they did as kids and teenagers for summer jobs and such. 

After we got all the hay stacked and covered, guess what I did... You got it, trenched. For the rest of the day. It was ok today tho, there was a nice breeze, and some good cloud cover to keep me cool. I did however have to trench right next to a steer which was shot just a month ago, and it smelled absolutely terrible. The trencher only moves at 1/10th of a mile an hour, so the smell of death lingered for about a half hour. Nasssty. 

The day ended by blasting some Old Crow Medicine Show (my new favorite bluegrass band)

Pretty good huh? 

In the metal shop while watching Duke jr and Cooper weld the back hoe’s forklift attachment back together. It was really neat to watch them, and I earned a lot. Duke told me that ill have a chance to learn to weld, and a chance to weld a bunch of things if I ever want to. I most definitely will take him up on that. 

I passed up on the rodeo tonight for a couple reasons. One being that tomorrow morning, Ill be waking up at 3:45 for a 5 o’clock riding start, the other being that all the guys are going Thursday anyway, and it’s a ranch rodeo, which is something I have never seen before. Im really looking forward to seeing it, apparently its crazy, just a bunch of local cowboys doing all sorts of ranch style roping an wrangling. 

Im very much looking forward to tomorrows ride. It will be a long one, about 11 hours, and almost everyone will be there, including a bunch of people I haven’t ridden with before but have really wanted to. People like Duke sr, Duke jr, Cooper, Julie, Dawn, and the applying apprentice ryan. Along with them will be Rafa, Michael, Aden, a guest from germany, and Allen. A big happy group. Were trotting out 6 miles to the pasture, and wrangling first time bearers which are heifers who recently birthed their first calf. Apparently they can be a huge handful. Its going to be a great ride. 

I can easily say that riding and wrangling is my favorite thing I do here. I love it. Its so peaceful, riding out into the sunrise, cool wind in your face, a fresh horse, and the whole day ahead of you with one task in mind. No distractions, no cellphones, no emails, no other people other than the team of good friends who you’re working with, a big bottle of water and an apple to eat, and just pure focus on the task at hand. Nothing else. Wrangling typically takes up most of the day, so you’re not thinking about you’re other chores, just what you’re doing, riding your horse, working with your team, and accomplishing a mission.  

It’s 9 pm, and Julie and her friend Nora Just stopped by to say hello. They were coming to tell me they were riding tomorrow, and to get ready, cause it’s gonna be a fun one. I feel a whole new sense of excitement now. This is going to be spectacular. 

I need sleep, lord knows bucking bails will slap it right out of you. 

Some of Kerstein’s pictures from her time here... What a great 3 months she had. I can for-see my time here as being just as fantastic. I should note too, Some of the pictures I posted in pervious entries were of Kersteins taking as well, When I have a chance I’ll go and cite them, as she deserves credit for all of her fantastic photography. Looking through her pictures makes me miss her. She was such a great roommate, and became my good friend in just two weeks. 


Thank you for all of your wonderful insight Kerstein, thank you for your friendship, and thank you for these wonderful photographs. 

Cute pup who lives here at headquarters. Not even sure of his name. Poor guy has a big ol cut on his nose

A nice picture of Barge-H, a makeshift bunkhouse for work far away on the property. 

A really cool thunderhead rolling in, very nice anvil shape on the bottom. Nature is so amazing.

Something what tomorrow is going to look like. I cant wait. 

What I'll see in 9 hours. Yes.

Thanks again for the photos Kerstein, Miss you!

Goodnight everyone.