Today, Siobhan and I were on a routine drive, all within a mile of home. when we got very stuck. We were checking the horses and the cats. We followed the tractor’s tracks. Alas, we have had approximately two feet of new snow in the last couple of days, and it was actually warm. It was, by any measure, a bluebird day. This meant that the frozen trail, packed by the tractor, was mushy. Sure enough, we sunk into what I thought was a soft drift, and, ahem, spun out and became inexorably stuck.
Siobhan recalled that when gathering cattle from this meadow in sunnier days, her phone had service. I pointed out that we were close to home and could walk there in probably 15 minutes. She convinced me to walk a few hundred yards, find cell phone service, and call home for a tractor rescue. Soon Wilber, bless him, came with the tractor to pull us out. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it might be, as we got stuck four, count em’, four more times. Finally, with a lot of plowing and pulling, we were on our way to check on Eamon and Megan’s cats, who were very glad to see us.
Bear in mind that it was 44 degrees, and we were within an easy walk of home. It was not comparable to the time that Siobhan and Pat were stuck overnight on the Red Desert, with only gritty M&Ms to sustain them. Siobhan and I did spend three hours of quality time together, and the cats were really happy when we showed up!
Siobhan finding cell phone service
the horses
Wilber to the rescue
plowing out the path
Squaw Mountain from the Lemmon’s Meadow
Ladder Ranch
Christine Connell
February 9, 2020 at 6:12 AM
I am certain we all learn something from every one of your stories. Thank you.
Christine Connell
February 10, 2020 at 5:19 PM
My new friend is Don Riske (74). He was just trying to find the High Savery Dam on the Wyoming territorial map…..he was on a water commission that created the financing for it. I was showing him the area where you all have the ranch. He also talked about an area called “Zirkles”….where many used to camp. A big blow down occurred at one point and he said the Feds didn’t authorize people coming in to get firewood from the downed timber. Anyway, I am probably not getting a lot if this straight…but wanted to ask. He knew George. …..me, too!!
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
Ladder Ranch
February 16, 2020 at 8:04 PM
He’s got his facts right. The Zirkles are a mountain range to the southeast of us and northeast of Steamboat. There is a wilderness area there. The blowdown (1992, I think) is on one of our grazing allotments. The downed timber served as the perfect breeding ground for the pine beetles.