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+--- Thread: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread (/showthread.php?tid=2100)
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Charlie Horse - 05-28-2017
I stopped for 45 minutes in the shade to read and relax. These two fought hard the whole time.
I went off to the side to a shady area under an overhang so I could take a picture without the sun glaring on the lens. I'm very glad this wasn't a rattle snake-- I hadn't even been thinking about snakes and walked right next to it. This guy is a bull snake and harmless. He sure could act tough though and puffed up and hissed and made that blowing noise and even struck a few times. I thought it'd be a good chance to see how the goats would react to a rattle snake if we came across one someday. I figured they'd have a fear of snakes built in. Vincent VanGoat didn't even notice it. Nor did Woodstock, despite it doing its best to growl at us. Bacchus noticed it. He stared at it for a while and then wandered off. So much for a natural fear of snakes.
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Nanno - 05-28-2017
Ha! Love the picture of Victoria! She's little spitfire isn't she! I'm glad that wasn't a rattlesnake.
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Charlie Horse - 07-12-2017
As you know I live in an old, rather remote town in Utah. A big majority of my neighbors are Mormons and a while back I made friends with the local missionaries. They know I'm a hopeless cause, but once in a while they stop by to hang out and just BS about stuff. Sometimes car restoration, 3d modelling, politics, economics, and sometimes we'd chatted about the pack goats. One of them was completing his 2 years shortly and so before he left I suggested they go on one of my short hikes with the goats on an off-day. They thought it'd be fun.
It turned out to be a rather hot day. Even though we left early.... sheesh.
So I said as we entered the rock-walled wash, "Gotta watch for rattle snakes in here. They hang out under the ledges." Within about 60 seconds, while I was showing a particularly interesting overhang, we hear what could be a cicada buzzing. "Is that a snake... nah... I dont see one." I said. Little Dude was on top of the overhang and Amelia went under it for shade. Not a good thing in case it broke off... But then one of the guys said "Oh there IS a snake over there." And sure enough a small rattle snake was balled-up in an overhang on the other side. Its little tail sounded too high pitch but when you looked at it it sure didn't seem like a cicada anymore. Fortunately it was not under the same overhang Amelia was at.
I was a little paranoid about every flat rock in the riverbed that I stepped over until we got out of the wash. You dont see many snakes in the open, so that wash (the coolest part of the usual hike) is something I may avoid for the next couple months. Snakes in the shade are probably worse than snakes sunning themselves. Sheesh I don't even know. I wish I had a snake-wise dog to scout the area ahead.
We visted the rock garden. This is a new area I hadn't noticed before. Bacchus' horns are looking somehow more impressive than in real life in this picture.
We stopped by my late friend's final resting place (Where his ashes were spread) and I sang his theme song. We made up the song while joking around riding horses 15 years ago. "....rootin'est, tootin'est, shootin'est..... tootin'est gun-slinger in the Weeeeeessssttttt." I stop by every few weeks and say "Hi!".
The hike went well but we were pretty over-heated by the end. I figure one of the guys is probably in intensive care with life-threatening sunburns or something right now LOL.
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Nanno - 07-12-2017
Love that cool holey rock!
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Colorado Shawn - 07-14-2017
Charlie, looks like fun. I hope someday to have friend that will sing me a theme song. Looks like a wonderful place to go hiking with goats.
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - DownUnder Gal - 07-14-2017
Glad you and your goats were safe from the snakes Charlie Horse ... I've never met a rattle snake and don't intend to
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Nanno - 07-14-2017
Yeah, I hope you carry a snake bite kit with you! I would if we hiked in the desert during summer.
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Dave-Trinity-Farms - 07-15-2017
We have a lot of rattle snakes here too but thankfully have never came across em. Great pics!
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Charlie Horse - 08-13-2017
The usual Sunday 2 hour hike. Encountered some young turkeys on the road. I've started taking the high road up to the top of one of the cliff structures to avoid the canyons due to rattle snake worries.
Introducing Berry Goatalo. He is loud and thinks he can sing.
All 7 goats.
The San Rafael Swell in the background.
RE: Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread - Nanno - 08-14-2017
Bacchus has gotten so pretty! I'm glad "Berry" finally has a real name besides just "Dude".