I'm glad the pics have some depth to you guys. As I look through them I feel that they didn't even come close to capturing the depth and beauty of this region. All I've been able to think about since I've gotten home is going back!
I suppose the "oh my gosh" factor kinda leveled out after the first day on the ranch. We'd stayed saddled up on the 4 wheelers about four hours and started the treck back to the quaint little ranch house. I'd seen a lot of country or so I thought. Once I returned to the camp house I looked at the map. I was quite shocked to find I'd only covered about 1/4 of this awesome place.
Dinner was a simple affair. We had home made salame and cheese with a side order of corn chips. I was tired and my fore arms a tad weak from gripping my mechanical horses reigns so tightly. I was ready for some rest but not before I had another dip in the cool rivers rapids. Aaaahhhh, that feels sooo good!
I good nights rest is always a measure of satisfaction when on a new place. I slept with the best of dreams and emegred the next morning with an ear to ear grin as I watched seven deer including a 120 class whitetail meander through camp like they had never seen humans. I never thought about my camera.
I carried my bow around a little this morning and managed to shoot a big eared Jack rabbit with a lucky shot. The Rancher had never seen anyone shoot a longbow and he looked much akin to a Chimpanzee in the Zoo when I got one. He was hopping around making noises. It was funny to me to see such excitment from watching an arrow work but I suppose his reaction was what I feel inside every time I find success myself. I was happy to share in the excitment. We crawl back on our 4 wheel friends this morning and see more country. There seemed to be caves in the cliffs is any place with verticle cliffs. I really wanted to stop and see them all but we had only limited time.
In a few short hours we discuss business and I'd have to head back into the civilized world. I wasn't looking forward to the trip. I knew I would feel as if I were leaving a new friend behing when I pulled away from this ranch. There was lots to see along the way. Hog sign around every water hole, goat and sheep sign everywhere, rabbits, lion tracks, fish, eagles, etc..... It was a sensory overload for this south Texas boy! As always happens, we'd have to finalize this trip if we were to make it home before midnight. We gathered back at camp to finalize negotiation. It was an easy decision for me and the Rancher had seen first hand effectivness of my weapons. He was open armed at the thought of seeing more bowhunters like myself. We'll see more of this place for sure. I only saw 1/2 of the ranch on this trip so there is certainly more pics to come in the future.
And so our journey begins back toward the daily stresses and work loads. Maybe this is a sign of things to come. Maybe the next trip will be just a bit more comfortable with no reasons to return to daily time clocks and deadlines. I could always dream and hope!!! Until the next trip, I'm happy you were along for the ride. Hopefully the next time we seen each other it will be along the Pecos River where we'll have our toes dangling in the cool water as we talk about the awesome hunt that had just taken place! Till then, be well and keep those arrows riding the wind! CK
Topic: My Incredible Journey West(pics) (Read 4956 times)
