The Wagonteamster Channel has it’s first video production - Journey To the Valley Of the Wild Horses

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9/8/12, Lakeview, OR (Coord. - N. 42 deg., 11.475 min; W. 120 deg., 21.502 min.)

After an 8 day absence from the road, the lads and I are back at it. I try to give the team a week off every six weeks, but haven’t done so since traveling through Teton Valley, ID, 2 1/2 months ago.  So when I had a chance, the lads and I went on an 8 day vacation (from our vacation).

I spent the time hiking, exploring the area and looking for wildlife.  The guys used their time to consume a ton of hay, a few hundred pounds of oats and to catch up on their nap time. Following are a few pictures of our time off.

If I had a pith helmet, I would really look the part of the daring bird watcher. With ten’s of thousands of migratory birds in the area, Lake Abert was a good place to spend an afternoon.

Unlike the lads, the birds weren’t so impressed with my presence.  I couldn’t make half the flock take to wing; only about a tenth.

My host had some mini-horses.  This little guy, Casper, was really taken with the big boys.  I often caught them engaging in some mutual grooming through the fence.  Casper would groom the guy’s fetlocks while they would reach over the fence and groom his back.  In this picture, I think I heard Casper say, “Bill, I worship the ground you walk on - oh leader of horses”!

Standing under a Russian Olive tree makes a nice place to take a nap.  2500 feet tall Abert Rim makes a nice scenic backdrop.

Last night, this doe antelope got confused and worked her way under the fence and into the Amigo’s one acre paddock. After tying the horses, I opened a gate and shooed her through.  This is the first time I’ve actually had to herd antelope.  If I learned how to ‘Two-Step’, would I qualify as an ‘Antelope Cowboy’?

This morning, the lads and I finally got back on the road. Our objective was Floyd Davidson’s place in Lakeview, 23 miles down the road.

I hitched Doc and Bill for the drive.  Right off the bat, I noticed that Bill had his bounce back. After plenty of rest, he was once again spending half of his energy pulling the wagon and the other half going up and down in a bouncy trot.

‘On the Road Again!’ Moving through the pines and range land north of Lakeview, OR.

It was a nice travel day and the boys pulled well. Just as I came into the City of Lakeview, I pulled into a gas station to pick up a few things. While I was there, the lads entertained several adults and kids.

Around 5:30 pm, I pulled into my host’s house. Tonight, the lads have some light grazing and plenty of hay and water. After putting them in their playpen, several friends, neighbors and relatives showed up to see the horses.

Bill, entertaining some of the neighborhood girls!

Tomorrow, I should cross the California Stateline on my way to Alturis, CA.  In about three weeks, the lads and I should be cruising through the streets of Reno, NV.