Our version of retirement: Living a childhood dream
- Thread starter Gary O'
- Start date
Roadwarrior
Member
Came through a little north of your area on Saturday the 14th, pushed towards Burns on our way to Utah. My daughter's van had problems & broke down near Riley. We spent the night out on the high desert, damn it was awe inspiring to view the sky, no clouds, the stars were mind boggling. Next morning hooked up our solar panel to her battery after figuring it was the alternator. Made it to Burns found a phone number for an after hours parts store. Changed the alternator in their parking lot. Pushed onto Mountain Home, ID. Spent the night parked behind a restaurant across from the Pilot truck stop. Arrived in Utah around 2 PM safe and sound.
We run onto roadside snow up Santiam Pass. Bend & Sisters were busy with tourists.
We run onto roadside snow up Santiam Pass. Bend & Sisters were busy with tourists.
Well, sir, in Riley you were approx.50 mi NE of us
Yeah, the stars, when a small moon comes around, are huge, significantly brighter, gleaming their uninhibited radiance
This side of the Cascade Range is like that most evenings.
Now, left of those hills, the coastal influence causes precip so often, the evening sky is seldom gazed upon.
Yes, the doug fir trees are huge
The forest floor full of lush undergrowth
But
The rain
Is incessant
I never minded it, but it drove my woman to the edge
and yes, the Santiam Pass will get you snow
Sisters is a tourist trap
nuthin' else now
Bend
is still doable,
but gotta say, the yuppies have all but ruined that town
Hope you had a nice visit
Strolled out to the meadow to take a pee early this morn, my custom.
4:15 AM
The clouds are gone.
Standing there, looking up, scratching my hind end, peeing.
A brilliant sky, chock full of heavenly bodies.
My have had my mouth open.
A wolf wailed.
Not a coyote
I know the difference
We don’t get many
But we get ‘em
Some tagged
Some hybrid
Some wild
Saw one
Last winter
Loping across the meadow
Right where I was standing this morn
The next wail sounded a bit closer
My stroll back to the cabin may have quickened a bit
I wasn’t carrying
4:15 AM
The clouds are gone.
Standing there, looking up, scratching my hind end, peeing.
A brilliant sky, chock full of heavenly bodies.
My have had my mouth open.
A wolf wailed.
Not a coyote
I know the difference
We don’t get many
But we get ‘em
Some tagged
Some hybrid
Some wild
Saw one
Last winter
Loping across the meadow
Right where I was standing this morn
The next wail sounded a bit closer
My stroll back to the cabin may have quickened a bit
I wasn’t carrying
Meanderer
Supreme Member
Gary, your "Meadow Run" reminded me of a story about Will Atkins, a legend in Oxbow Maine, and beyond. and how, in 1918, he shot 11 wolves in minutes with 7 shots. The History of Oxbow Lodge.
"He left Oxbow in June of 1918 and went to Edmonton, Alberta, with a supply of traps and equipment. Following the Athabaska and Slave River waters, he traveled to the MacKenzie River country where he worked during the winter. He enjoyed that season on the MacKenzie River, and got along well with the Indians who lived in the area.
That winter he not only accumulated a great number of fine pelts but also collected bounty on twenty two wolves from dumfounded authorities. He was even offered - and refused - an opportunity to work for the Canadian Government and to make wolves a specialty. Eleven of his twenty-two wolves were shot in a matter of minutes - perhaps seconds. He was moving from one camp to another at the time and thus had both his .35 Winchester rifle and .38 pistol with him. He heard a pack of wolves coming his way and hurried into a nearby opening in the woods, where tracks indicated that the wolves were following some caribou that had recently passed through.
He had just taken off his pack and pulled out his pistol when the wolves ran into the clearing. His shouts at the animals slowed their progress towards him only momentarily. He dropped to one knee so that he could put his bullets through more than one wolf at a time, and succeeded in hitting "double" several times. The last of the wolves was shot within a range of a few feet. Altogether, a total of only seven shots were fired. "They thought they were master of their job, but i knew damn well I was master of mine," Will later commented about the wolves. A lifelong experience as a woodsman was doubtless the source of his cool-self confidence".
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
Wolves are beautiful. I was privileged to see a wild Canadian grey wolf years ago while I worked at the Banff Springs Hotel. We stared at each other from across the ice. Spiritual moment.
Meanderer
Supreme Member
Gary, I haven't spotted any wolves in my travels, but I may have heard some in the distant woods. Coyotes are increasing by me, and the sight of one or more of those close by will hasten my step.
SB, I saw a critter run out from under our small side porch a good while back. It looked like a coyote...recently while painting the foundation, I found an old dried up, chewed up rib bone of sorts. I love this Don Edwards song.
Thanks for the stories and song, folks
The one I saw last winter was a fleeting glimpse
Thought maybe I was seeing things
Then traipsed out to the meadow atop 4 ft of snow/ice pack and examined the prints.
No doubt
Not sure if native, but wolf
not coyote
not coywolf
my tracks back to the cabin
(jus' kiddin'...I mean who'd be takin' the pic? Wolves don't have cell phones....probably)
Shared this with an old (real) 83 yr old cowboy
Said there was a wolf lady years ago about 50 mi outa K Falls
Raised ‘em
Then got in trouble
Let ‘em all go
Odd lady
He did some logging for her
She tried to jump on his skidder
Naked
Anyway
thanks for the stories
I so love a good story
Puts me to sleep most nights
Bukowski keeps me up
a rough read
but worth it
cheers
The one I saw last winter was a fleeting glimpse
Thought maybe I was seeing things
Then traipsed out to the meadow atop 4 ft of snow/ice pack and examined the prints.
No doubt
Not sure if native, but wolf
not coyote
not coywolf
my tracks back to the cabin
(jus' kiddin'...I mean who'd be takin' the pic? Wolves don't have cell phones....probably)
Shared this with an old (real) 83 yr old cowboy
Said there was a wolf lady years ago about 50 mi outa K Falls
Raised ‘em
Then got in trouble
Let ‘em all go
Odd lady
He did some logging for her
She tried to jump on his skidder
Naked
Anyway
thanks for the stories
I so love a good story
Puts me to sleep most nights
Bukowski keeps me up
a rough read
but worth it
cheers
We watched over my son’s wolf pup for a few weeks
Them pup teeth are sharp
Cute little mean rascal though
Gonna get one ‘fore it’s all over
Gotta be raised from early
Nursing early
Prolly last of a clear sky for some days
The forecast is snow
Snow
Light snow
More snow
kinda pretty....the first few months
our tinsel
the stillness is calming to one's soul
I didn’t pay much attention to the avian fauna when we first came out here
Maybe due to staying on task with the build schedule
Whenever I’d sit to rest and hear some strange noise in the trees I’d just go ‘whuzzat?’ then back to work
Now? Proud to say I’ve got a handle on some of my new friends
…and their seasons
Nutcrackers appear in winter
Have yet to see ‘em this fall
The nuthatches (now my favs) have come back
Their little minion like ‘beeps’ give me a smile
They are the only bird that commonly walks down a tree, or so says my avid friend up the path
Seems true
The chickadees are always with ‘em
Some pics
heh, my buddy up north thinks he's funny
...I owe him
Y’all keep a fire
The forecast is snow
Snow
Light snow
More snow
kinda pretty....the first few months
our tinsel
the stillness is calming to one's soul
I didn’t pay much attention to the avian fauna when we first came out here
Maybe due to staying on task with the build schedule
Whenever I’d sit to rest and hear some strange noise in the trees I’d just go ‘whuzzat?’ then back to work
Now? Proud to say I’ve got a handle on some of my new friends
…and their seasons
Nutcrackers appear in winter
Have yet to see ‘em this fall
The nuthatches (now my favs) have come back
Their little minion like ‘beeps’ give me a smile
They are the only bird that commonly walks down a tree, or so says my avid friend up the path
Seems true
The chickadees are always with ‘em
Some pics
heh, my buddy up north thinks he's funny
...I owe him
Y’all keep a fire
Thoreau inspired many
However, I think Heimo said it best 'spend to much time alone, you go nuts'
I do love the stillness of a heavy snow
First few days of that are spent shoeing thru deep paths, camera in hand
month later
shotgun in hand
needing some noise
any
However, I think Heimo said it best 'spend to much time alone, you go nuts'
I do love the stillness of a heavy snow
First few days of that are spent shoeing thru deep paths, camera in hand
month later
shotgun in hand
needing some noise
any
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
What beautiful photos, Gary, Thanks. I loved the magazine cover!
I don't know if I could get through a winter like that without going a bit stir crazy or claustrophobic though. I think one must be comfortable with one's self to a great degree, which is an admirable quality.
I don't know if I could get through a winter like that without going a bit stir crazy or claustrophobic though. I think one must be comfortable with one's self to a great degree, which is an admirable quality.
I tend to agree
Thanks RR and SB
Opportunities are fleeting
I've taken quite a few pics
So far, these two are my favs;
hey, pard, thought I'd dust the webs off this thread, to show you a simple trick to split firewood: "The Splitinator"! Note
saw that
thing is, I'm done splitting several rounds in the time it takes to fiddle with that chain
but, thank you
heh, a friend down the path asked if I wanted to borrow his fancy hydraulic splitter
....then he watched me go thru a half cord of wood
Gimmee a few minutes to add an update to this thread
thanks for the wake up
Rare wetness here
I’m takin’ it
However
Snow’s a comin’
the shield mountain (named Mt North Wind by the natives) is a strong precursor
Preparing to brace for the cold
I've battened down everthing I can think of for our third winter here
Cold itself ain’t so bad, but the wind
At 30-40 below a slight breeze’ll rip yer face off
No complaints about the summer
‘cept it’s duration
We bought more land
20 acres higher in the mountains
A getaway’s getaway
Possibly 5 yrs from now we’ll sell this and move up there
But, for now, just gonna build a little hunter’s cabin (I’ll be the hunter)
I’ve got wood butcher’s withdrawal
…and writer’s block
The little things, like a hanging peg for my over/under just ain’t cuttin' it
my Lady does appreciate not having to sweep around it, however
and it's handier from the bed
keep a fire
I’m takin’ it
However
Snow’s a comin’
the shield mountain (named Mt North Wind by the natives) is a strong precursor
Preparing to brace for the cold
I've battened down everthing I can think of for our third winter here
Cold itself ain’t so bad, but the wind
At 30-40 below a slight breeze’ll rip yer face off
No complaints about the summer
‘cept it’s duration
We bought more land
20 acres higher in the mountains
A getaway’s getaway
Possibly 5 yrs from now we’ll sell this and move up there
But, for now, just gonna build a little hunter’s cabin (I’ll be the hunter)
I’ve got wood butcher’s withdrawal
…and writer’s block
The little things, like a hanging peg for my over/under just ain’t cuttin' it
my Lady does appreciate not having to sweep around it, however
and it's handier from the bed
keep a fire
Got a nice dusting last night
....and a visitor a few paces from the cabin
mornings are always special
sipping coffee, observing it's evolution
the Jacob's ladder didn't hurt
The trip to town was entertaining
Upper Klamath Lake
With the cascading cumulus surfing the hills
keep a fire
....and a visitor a few paces from the cabin
mornings are always special
sipping coffee, observing it's evolution
the Jacob's ladder didn't hurt
The trip to town was entertaining
Upper Klamath Lake
With the cascading cumulus surfing the hills
keep a fire
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