Close Calls

So branding took up a good morning… starting at 6:30, we were eating delicious breakfast burritos, watermelon, and cookies by 10:00 or so. The neighbors left to go finish out a full day of work and so did we.
The next day, it was time to take those cows and calves and head up the mountain to cooler and greener pasture.

Here they come. Reagan and I were in the side by side… and I hate missing this ride through here… so many of my calendar photos come in this area of red cliffs and junipers… There wasn’t much time to be sentimental, I had unlocked the gate through the neighbors and thrown it open. Yes, I saw those four cows and three calves that belonged to the neighbors, but they were half a mile away. I wanted some photos! Back over the hill we went, just to see what we could see. A second sense told me I should go check on those cows and, sure enough, they were happily marching through the gate, where they weren’t supposed to go! Stupid, stupid cows. I told Reagan to hang on and we cowboyed those numbskulls back into their appropriate pasture after about four or five tries! My dear side by side is not as limber nor quick as a horse! We followed the cows up the little two track and put them back, again about half a mile away. We held them there. Here came our cows just breaking over the hill and through the gate… and I noticed some dust down the road.
Are you kidding me? About six of those backcountry motorcycle guys were headed straight for our cows. I yelled and waved, trying to slow them down, but I was just far enough off the road, they didn’t see me. Fortunately, Daniel was there and got them shut down in time. Thankfully, they were nice enough to turn off their machines and wait for us to get through the gate. It would have been quite the mess if the timing had just been off by a bit!

I watched as Daniel started to talk to them and I glanced over my shoulder at the neighbor’s cows who had been standing there in detention up the road. They were piling off into the junipers and breaks where I couldn’t drive. Many a time I’ve been grateful for learning to whistle loudly and this was one of them. I whistled. Then again. Daniel, having been trained to that whistle as a child, looked up and I waved at the cows now ducking through the junipers. They were determined to join up with us but Daniel took off like a shot, headed to intercept them.

Reagan and I drove up to make sure our cows made the turn through the gate. Soon, the majority of cowboys appeared.

Right through this gate is the steepest climb we have and it’s usually a great spot for calves to want to run back looking for their mothers. Unknown to me, Daniel and Megan were in pursuit of a calf who had done just that. The motorcycle guys had started up and were headed over the little hill when the first rider shut it down quickly and stopped and Daniel and Megan got the calf back without incident. Another close call!

Up the steep hill everyone went…