Hey there. I have a day off, well I kinda stole a day off. I decided to use vacation time for today. I've been sick for two weeks and I'm so tired of it. Coughing like crazy and congested, at least I got my voice back, so I can work my flights. We had plans to go skiing/snowboarding today, instead we went ice skating.
We had a busy holiday season, but everything went great. Jackson Hole was crappy weather, but still lots of fun. I think I like Island Park better, so we'll probably stick with that from now on. Hootie usually holds strong to the theory of not messing with a good thing. Hence, the many trips to Cancun, and him always wanting to go back, verses trying a new place. (Hello, Hawaii). I may have said before I think I have the record of working for the airlines the longest without going to the Islands. (Even for a weekend trip, or just to get fresh pineapple (which I don't really care for), and ice cream.) (I think I need some SUNSHINE!!!)
So I thought I'd share an interesting story from our recent trip to California. It's been a few weeks, so maybe Hoot won't care about me posting it. They are running a bunch of cattle in Ventura, this winter. With hay being extremely high, it was pretty much just as cost effective to truck some cows to California and have them graze the winter away out there. Plus, since lots of them are calving, it's better to have cows drop calves in 60-80 degree weather, verses sub-zero temps.
So we started our drive down (the cows were already there), we had a truck and trailer, 2 sheepherders, 4 dogs, packed to the brim with provisions, groceries and equipment, and a truck full of livestock, horse, cows and calves.
We were in Murray when the trailer so conveniently blew a tire, so we pulled into a parking lot on 5300 south. Hootie's jack wouldn't raise the trailer enough to get good leverage to change the tire, somehow, wandering through the parking lot, I managed to find 3 2x4's to raise the trailer enough for things to work. When the tire blew it did some damage to the side step on the trailer, broke metal, so it must have been pretty violent whipping around. While Hoot's changing the back left tire I was doing a good job observing... the thought crossed my mind to check the latch on the trailer door. Of course this seemed like total nonsense, and I dismissed it, how would the latch come open, it's double secured.
Fast forward, on the freeway nearing Provo, right before the University Ave. exit to be exact, someone starts flashing their lights at us, they pull up and a lady is yelling at a us like a mad woman "Your trailer door is open"... oh-shit. Pretty much thinking at this point we've strung cattle and horses along the freeway, not a good thing. We were on an icy overpass and couldn't quite stop fast, we slowed, and then had to pull to the shoulder. When we moved to the shoulder is when we lost a calf out the back, amazing that's all we lost.
Friday night at 8:30, freeway in Provo, and we stop traffic. It was a crazy sight to see. The calf was totally spooked and running away, back and forth across the freeway, nearing the sides of the overpass, sheepherders and people who got out of their cars to help kept him from jumping. All the while, Hoot is trying to get his rope form under probably 2,000 pounds of crap in the neck of the trailer. We only had one impatient jerk who tried to pass the calf, and hit it. (The calf was okay, but the guy was so dishonest about stuff).
The calf took off down a ravine between the freeway and an on-ramp, some guys pulled their trucks up and blocked all traffic on the freeway and helped us out. We caught the calf with no injury or incident. 4 highway patrolmen showed up, they were geared to go and ready to start shooting, they figured they would have cattle all over the road, from the call they received.
It was quite a sight to see with traffic blocked and Hootie doing an awesome job roping a calf along the freeway.
He asked after if I had taken a picture or recorded it while it was going on (not exactly what I was thinking during a few surreal moments), but it would have been cool to watch afterward. Maybe he's a YouTube star.
But a couple things I got form this (Sorry for the long-winded story) was I was grateful for good-Samaritans. - Guys blocking traffic with the truck, helping Hoot pull the calf up the ravine and into the trailer. Also, listening to that intuition, those thoughts that run through your head, that are so easily brushed aside. I've been taught this part before, but I guess I'm a slow learner. When we blew the tire it must have hit the door latch, and helped it
slowly work/shake it's way loose.
After our Provo adventure we made it to California, safe and sound. It was an amazing location that we went to. I saw a whole other side of SoCal, the agricultural part. Rolling hills of crops, field workers, and innumerable acres of Orange, lemon, lime, and avocado orchards. It was pretty cool.
So there's my short novel, it was quite a sight to see, or maybe it was one of those "You had to be there" moments.
So you are a champ or totally bored if you just read that story, but I'll include a couple ocean view pics that the cows are 3 minutes from. At least, someone is in 80 degree weather.
