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

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9/25/12 & 9/26/12,

9/25/12, S. Of Reno, NV - After an invite, the lads and I took the remainder of the day off after driving 5 miles southeast to the home of Bob and Marti Tote. While I had a chance to do some maintenance and resupply, the boys had an opportunity to kick back and enjoy themselves.

Nevada has far more mustangs than any state in the union.  Bob and Marti’s neighborhood plays host to a couple of different herds. When I went to bed last night, I failed to realize just how brazen and accustomed to people these wild horses are.  Sometime during the night, a herd crept up to the wagon and ate a box of apple I had in front of the wagon and half a bag of oats that was leaning against the trailer.

Later in the morning the wild cousins showed up again. After shooing them off, I installed a temporary electric fence around the trailer. The following two pictures provides a glimpse at the subsequent action.

“Hey, what’s this funny white rope hanging from that great smelling trailer?”, asked the mare.

“Holy Mackerel, that thing kicks worse than our stallion”, she exclaimed with surprise.

Having discovered that their ‘easy pickings’ weren’t so easy, the herd headed back to the sage brush covered hills.

9/26/12, N. Of Wahoe City, NV - (Coord. N. 39 deg, 19.821 min; W. 119.47.555 min.)

I took the morning off and went about taking care of another chore I had to do.  3 weeks ago, when I was crossing the alkali deserts of southern Oregon, the lads started picking up some neck sores.  I faithfully wiped out there collar pads, but neglected to wash their necks every morning. The alkali salt dust started some sores forming on the top of their necks. I’ve been treating the sores with gall salve and what little sheep skin I have, but just yesterday came into possession of a whole lambs skin.  (Thanks to Marti’s friend for the skin).

Sewing sheepskin into the top of their collar pads should accomplish two things - The wool with act to soothe and protect the sores, and the smaller inner diameter of the collar should cause and weight to rest higher on the neck. Hopefully, the combination of these two things will allow the sores to heal.

The collars, sporting their new sheepskin pads on top.

Shortly after noon, I finally had the lads hitched up and was on the road. My hosts were terrific and I can’t thank them enough for their generous hospitality.  Having had an opportunity to recon the route to Carson City by car, I found that my original route was unacceptable and I would have to use an alternative. Instead of traveling down the west side of Lake Washoe, I would have to trek down the east side.  To time everything right, I wanted to camp just north of Carson City, then travel across town in a single day.

Having lost my apple treats to the herd of brumbies, I no longer had them to give to the horse.  Not to worry - a couple of miles down the road, a lady pulled over  and  gave me a big box full of apples and pears (amazing how that works?)

I didn’t waste any time giving my hard working partners a little fruit.  Bill definitely prefers the pears, while the other two guys like the apples.

After driving to the top of a good sized hill, I head to negotiate a fairly difficult cattle guard. Since coming to the State of Nevada, I’ve noticed a lack of go-around gates by the cattle guards.  This means that as a minimum, I have to unwire the fence, let the team through and repair the fence. I believe the go-around gates are missing because of the fear they might be left open. With the large number of wild horses in the area, it’s important to keep them off the high speed highways.

Just beyond the cattle guard was a nice place to camp for the night. After building a couple of electric enclosure, I sat around with some good folks and had a couple of beers. One fellow was nice enough to bring a bale of hay, some water and some more apples.

Even out in the middle of the desert, Bill found a pretty girl to sit on his back (doesn’t Doc look jealous?)

A nice guy who stopped by bearing gifs, including the bale of hay he’s sitting on.

 It was a short day, but leaves me posed for a moderate day tomorrow, that will leave me right on the north edge of Carson City, which I’ll cross on Friday.

My evening camp.

I’m not setting any speed records crossing this corner of Nevada, but it’s full of obstacles and I’m having a good time.