Snow in July

On the way up

We came upon the trees on the way up to Lobo Towers.

Trees on the way up

Look at the blue sky here at 11,774 ft. & the trees show the harsh conditions

Trees at the top

Flowers

We have been treated to some very pretty wild flowers.

Wild Flowers

Blue Bells

Wild Rose

Party Time

We had a wedding here at the Ranch they rented the whole Ranch for the event.

Party Time

By the River

As you can see they put the tent close to the river. Look at the chains they used to keep the tent up.

By the River

Inside the Big Top

The theme for the wedding was Spanish, there was around forty people here for it.

Inside the Big Top

A Road Trip to Sally Overlook

We went on this road trip 7-4-09 Sat. it was a total of 22 miles, it took us about 2 1/2 hours. A nice trip.

Sally Overlook

Wilma

Wilma has Tank on the end of the line, but he did not want to be in the picture.

Wilma

Piedra River From Sallie Overlook

I do not know why it is called Sallie Overlook and not Sallie's Overlook, it does not matter it was worth the trip. Our GPS would not work because of the clouds, so I do not know the evelation, but it was way up there.

No Trail Here

Piedra River

This is a part of the Piedra River where we hiked the other day. It started to rain on us while we were here, will it just misted. The road getting here was very ruff, I was glad we were on the 4-wheeler.

Looking at the Piedra River

Tree

This is one old tree, it looks like a Bristlecone Pine, but I do not believe they do not grow at this elevation. I think they only grow around 10,000 ft. we are at 8500. The Bristlecone Pine can have part of the roots die & that part of the top will die also, which is why it lives such a long time. Part of the tree may die and it will still long a long time.

How Old do You Think This Tree is?

The Day is Here!!

Thursday (6-25-09) Karen received her first load of fish for the season. Catching big trout at this Ranch is not hard because they are stocked here. It is catch & release in the river. You can have one fish per angler per day in the two ponds on the ranch.

They are Here

A Run for the Water

Can you see the fish in his net? He would dip his net in the tank on the truck and then run for the water. He did not spill any, I was watching.

A Net of Fish

Great Time

It was a great time for all seeing the fish in their new home. They would stay in the area where they were put for a short time then take off. I know they want to make some fishman happy, and they will, some of them are 24+ inches long, not bad for trout, hey that is not bad for catfish.

They are looking at the fish

Water Gate Closed

This is not the Water Gate Karen & Glen open, the one they opened is about twice this size & was filled up with rock & sand half way up, it was also in the river, which is why I do not have a picture of it, I have no boots, AND DO NOT WANT ANY. (Click on the picture & it will get bigger, then click on the back button to go back to the blog).

Water Gate

No Water

This is a water measuring device, or parshall. As you can see there is no water going through it. This is how they measure the flow. Look at the white line on the side where it is marked off in inches. Not only is there no water going through the box, there has not been any water flowing for some time.

Wier

Hard work

Glen, (the Ranch Foreman) is changing to course of the river so as to cause more flow to go to the Ranches, (more than our ranch uses this water), ditch. After they were able to open the water gate, by moving sand & rock which had the gate blocked, Glen change the flow a little to cause more water to go into the water gate, (the water flow also helped clean it out). The water in the water box came up to almost the three inch mark.

Changing the course of the river

The water is starting to flow

Karen & Glen, (he is the Foreman for the ranch) are getting the water to flow again, it was very hard work, I watched from a-far, (as far away as I could get). Hey do not give me a hard time someone had to take pictures, & I do not have any rubber boots, also do not want any.

Karen & Glen

Dean Cox Family Home

Dean is Karen's husband. She runs the ranch. This home has been redone and is used as a guest house for one of the ranches in the area.

One of the first homes in the area

Before the Frig

Before the people had Ice Boxes or electric frigs, they used a cooler box here in CO. Now in East Texas they would put their food in wells or even streams, but here in CO they used Cooler Boxes which were placed in the shade close to a stream where it would stay cool. No it would not keep ice cream.

Early Cooler

Rain

We received our largest rain so far this year 6-20-09, it was one inch. I want you to know it rained all day. We did not go to church Sunday because of the roads, could we have made it? Yes we could have but it would have been a mess. Today, Monday, Wilma, Tank, & I road the 4-wheeler for about 4 hours. Had a good time saw some nice country, talk about large trees we saw them.

Looks like rain

Out our window

We have been having some birds eating our sunflower seeds (that is what they are for) but we were not sure which birds were getting them, found out this AM. The birds have been going for the sunflower seed much faster then the millet, I was looking for a much larger bird. Now our hummers empty their feeder in one day.

This AM out our window

Birds

Here is a close up of the birds on the feeder. Can you tell what they are? The bright one is the male, the dull one is the female.

Birds on Feeder

Two weeks or so after arrival

I have not posted in a while; sorry for that. I have added some pictures of two hikes Wilma and I took. The first one was to Piedra Falls which was only one mile total. It was a nice one, not too hard(it was listed as easy). There were a lot of little kids on it. The second one was the Piedra River hike which is 2 miles or better to the first bridge. We got near the first bridge but it looked like rain was coming so we started back. The actual distance of the entire hike is about 20 miles. We will never make it to the end. We made two hikes in seven days at 8,000 ft which was pretty good for us. We failed to bring something to eat on the long one so we were famished by the end of our hike.

I will post more of the cabins later although I did get the outside of the Ranch House on this one. The William's Lake area is 4 1/2 miles from the ranch. There are some nice national forest campgrounds in that area.

Friday afternoon Wilma & I tried to round up a cow and little bull who were in the wrong area. I got on the 4 wheeler and Wilma got in position to turn them. Well, it did not go too well. The cow and calf won. I found out I am not a cowboy; it takes more than a hat and 4 wheeler.

We went to church two of the 3 Sundays we have been here at the Ranch. We were able to find a nice A/G church in Pagosa Springs. We told Karen we liked to go to church when we could and she has made sure we were off to go some. We will not be able to go every Sunday but she tries to work it out so we can sometimes.

We had two deputy sheriffs up here riding 4 wheelers on Saturday.

Looking at the Piedra River Gorge

Piedra River

Wilma after the hike

What I look like after the hike

Base of Piedra Falls (closer to falls)

At the Base of Piedra Falls

Piedra Falls

Ranch House & some out buildings

Ranch House after rain

Storm Coming in Close to William's Reservoir in NF

Around Camp

Today we are highlighting the Willow, a one bedroom cabin at the Poma Ranch, the furtherest one from the office and closest to the stream(the Weminuche). It rents for $81 and $100 a night during hunting season.

Friday I went to the windmill pond and cleaned the grate and did some fishing. I have not done any catching as yet. Later I split some wood. Wilma & I then went to Durango to see the Chev dealer to get an estimate on our mirror (would you believe $818.21!). Yes, that is the amount. We do have insurance to cover most of it, which is good. I don't like the duck tape which is holding it together now.

Thursday Wilma worked all day with Randi (a part time reservationist just out of college). They have a good system, but it will take a little time to learn. Wilma will learn it but I doubt if I will ever figure it out.

The next time I will post one of the cabins and I hope to have some wildlife. Wilma & I have two bird feeders out and one hummingbird feeder. There are a large number of squirrels here.

Thanks For DUCK TAPE

Wilma on the porch of The Willow

View from The Willow

Bedroom in Willow

Kitchen & Bath in Willow

First days

We are getting to know what to do (everthing) from making beds, splitting wood, cooking (making dessert), cleaning grass off of a grate in the pond outlet, and anything that needs to be done. We are staying busy. This is a wonderful place. Will send pictures of cabins next time.

There are a lot of birds and small animals here, squirrels (which are about 1/2 the size of the ones in San Angelo) are everwhere.

We are the only staff here tonite & there are eight guests.

The fishing is very good (I have not caught supper as yet), but will, I am going to give the fish a fighting chance, (I have my fly rod).

The temperature here is 40 at nite & 60 in the daytime.

The other workcampers are not here as yet.

VA Poma Ranch

Where is the 4 Wheeler?

Snow in the High Country

The pictures I have posted are from an indian reservation in New Mexico just north of Santa Fe. We stayed there Wednesday nite the 5-27-09, paid $25.00, (they first wanted $35.00), really too much. It could really be a nice place with a little work.

Made Pagosa Springs CO thursday 5-28-09, and met Karen there then came to the Ranch and set up. I backed into a tree (tree OK) truck mirror NOT. Duck tape and it will do till I can get it fixed.

We worked Friday, got some cabins ready for vistors carried fire wood to a spot on the river for a campfire last nite, worked on sink, (which had a leak) cut some grass. We just do what needed to be done we also ate pie & brownies at the ranch house with Karen.

Today we are off, so are doing some computer work, they have Hughes Satellite service (we are both on line Wilma & I) we do have to go to the ranch house for internet service.

Will post pictures of the Ranch next time.

Campsite at Nambe Falls NM

Start of the Nambe Falls Trail

Wilma checking our GPS on trail

Falls "we made it"

Park in Tatum NM

City Park in Tatum NM

On The Road

Well we got started today, left San Angelo around 10:30 AM Tuesday 5-26-09. We are in Tatum NM they have a nice FREE city park with FHU (full hook-up).

We had a nice trip we went throu some FLAT country. Saw one drive that had the Texas flag higher than the US, flag. I am a Texan, but the US flag should be higher. The traffic was very lite, (my kind of driving). Many of you know we are going to VA Poma Ranch in Pagosa Springs CO. (where we will work for the summer), we will be a 8000 ft (nice and cool). I will try to udate FB also, but you will be able to find more info here.

Plugging in

I pluged in and turned on the frig. It worked well. Freezer will be cold enough to start loading Friday AM. Getting ready, Wilma & I looked at our supplies today we will start the loading Friday. We have already done some. We have a few things we need to do around here. Tuesday we should leave around 9:00 AM.

We will be posting more often now that we will be on the road, also we will have some pictures.

Leaving on my mind

We will leave on Tuesday 5-26-09. We should be at the Ranch by the first or second of June.

Closer

We should be leavinng in about a month for VA Poma Ranch in CO., we still have some last minute things to do; such as get the truck ready, pack the trailer, etc. The time is getting closer & I am ready to hit the road. I also need to call the ranch & get last minute info & see if any changes & check on the weather (of course that will change).
Our friends Ron & Paula have left, for AK (like us they like to travel slow).
I will be posting more often as the time in San Angelo come closer to an end for this year, we only have one DR. app. left (Wilma need to get her teeth cleaned).

Till next time remember I am old so spelling & wording do not count.
Also IF LIFE WAS A BOOK AND YOU DO NOT TRAVEL YOU ONLY READ ONE PAGE so get out there and read that book call life

WWT

Set For Summer Of 2009

We received a signed "Work Agreement Letter of Understanding" . We should be at V. A. Poma Ranch (it is 24 miles north of Pagosa Springs CO.) the ranch is at 8000 ft. Check out the website at www.poma-ranch.com. We should leave San Angelo in mid to late May as we need to be at the ranch around the first of June. More to follow as we get ready to leave, for V. A. Poma Ranch.