Charlie Horse's 2017 Picture Thread

[Charlie Horse]

Since I've moved to the deepest desert (Where only the largest sand worms are found) I'm able to do interesting hikes with the goats a lot more often. 

This thread will just be a continuing record of my adventures.  Even though I have a cheap camera, I do enjoy photography and this is where I'll be posting my winning shots. 

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26 March 2017:  2.5 hour round trip hike from home with the 4 boys and 2 girls.

   
Heading out.  Everyone is rowdy.


   
Shelby GT enjoying the view.


   
On one hill, all the sandstone, regardless of color, seems very old and is decomposing.


   
Bacchus' portrait.


   
Woodstock's portrait.


   
The other side of this hill has the same paper-thin slate cap-stones, but a 40 foot cliff below.  One of the hazards of the desert that freaks me out.


   
Nice view.  Lets look closer...


   
Telephoto zoooooom!


   
Victoria was very energetic on this hike and toward the end, she was leading the way.  She knew the way back better than me!


   
Woodstock stealing alfalfa from the neighbor.

[Taffy]

Wonderful photos and I love the terrain! I wonder if you'll find any petroglyphs like in the San Rafael Swell?

[Nanno]

Awesome location you have now! When you live in a beautiful area, every shot is a winning shot no matter how cheap your camera. I like cheap cameras the best. Obviously the fancier and more expensive the camera, the more likely you are to lose it or break it on your trip. Also, expensive cameras attract Massive Utah Sand Worms. You'll have amazing photographic evidence to submit to the cryptozoological society, but the monster will destroy it. So buy a cheap one. Cryptozoological specimens can ONLY be captured on cheap cameras in bad lighting when there's a lot of blurry movement. Finally, Nanno's rule of photography states that when the camera is cheap, you can blame your lousy photography on the equipment. But if your photography is good, it gives you the appearance of having the incredible talent to prevail in spite of your camera's shortcomings.

I think Woodstock's portrait has to be my favorite. He looks so noble and solemn!

[HunterImagery]

Nice!  I live in the "other" Castle Valley outside of Moab.  Luckily the Colorado River keeps the sandworms from traveling this far south! 
 I've explored a bit of the swell before I had goats and I'd definitely like to do some more exploring up your way with my goats.  One of these days when I have more time and an interstate worthy trailer...

[Colorado Shawn]

Great Pictures!
Thank You for sharing

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

Beautiful thank you for sharing!

[DownUnder Gal]

Fantastic photos. I like Bacchus' portrait the best.

[Charlie Horse]

Sunday, 2 April 2017

Supposedly there was a storm coming in, and judging by radar it would hit in about 4 hours.  I fed the horses and and headed right out with the goats for a short local hike.  The destination today would be the long ridge, upon which all the sandstone rocks seem to be very old and are eroding in interesting ways.


   
In a wash, 3 feet down in the eroded wall I spotted this old bone.  It surprised me because I didn't think that bone lasted long enough to be covered over and then re-exposed this way.  Is it hundreds of years old?  Is it a deer?  A cow?  The lost Dutchman and his gold?


   
Its Victoria's turn for a portrait.  She's been having problems for the last few months.  I've been thinking about it and I think she was poisoned by bind-weed or something back at the old place.  She seems to be getting better on her own.  Nothing the vets did seemed to make a huge difference, so lets hope she recovers over time.


   
Here's a long shot at the San Rafael in an area I've never explored.  Its close to town so I cant wait!   If my guess is correct, I may be looking at the Devil's Monument area.  The light, smooth sandstone is just a piece of a whole network of canyons.  Currently I only have a very worn down Lexus RX300 which could carry a couple goats, but is too unreliable to take into the desert.  Also, I have banned that car from towing anything due to its well aged transmission.  Once that goes, the junk yard is the next stop.   I'm hoping I can save up for a used work-van for goat hauling trips, though I don't know how soon that'll be.


   
I'm going to call this place the rock garden.  Down the side of the ridge I found a cluster of particularly interesting sandstone.


   


   


   
I should have let the goats eat before heading out.  The storm never showed up and the goats fought the whole time coming back.  I had to leash Victoria or she would have gone half a mile ahead and taken the rest with her.  Everyone was constantly churning and head butting and taking cheap shots once we got to the paved road.  Drove me crazy and kinda ruined the hike.  Lesson learned though.  I had thought they'd have plenty to eat with the pasture, but they sure wanted hay when they got home.  Ah well.

[Nanno]

So cool! I love Utah's hole-y rocks. I'm so glad Victoria seems to be healing.

[Charlie Horse]

Just a short hike today.  Got started late so it was a bit warm for the goats and all their winter undercoats.  I decided to make the reservoir our destination this time.

   
None of the goats would follow me down the giant boulders to get to the water.

   
They kept trying to follow along this deer trail that doesn't look too safe.

   
This reminds me of that PackGoatCentral banner.

   
They had a small drink.  None of them were too excited about the water.

   
Try getting a horse up these boulders.

   
Spring is here.  Some of the leaves on the trees have started appearing in the last few days.

Along the road a lady stopped to ask if I was missing a goat.  Apparently she'd recently seen a dwarf goat up on one of the castle plateaus not far from my house.  She said the rock formation was very narrow and the goat was out in the fin.  She got it to follow her for a quarter mile and then it took off on its own again.  I'm not sure if I'm up for looking for it or not, but if I do go out I will look around for it.