I'M BACK AGAIN..............!!

I guess some people missed my ramblings, since they let me know I hadn't updated in a timely manner...LOL  

For years and years John and I never got to go on trips together, because we had no one to take care of the "fur" kids.  Now that we have Suzanne, Lynn and Linda here, we can pack our bags and hit the road........!!

We spent 10 days up in the Phoenix/Apache Junction area.  The 3/8s mile dirt track at Apache Junction had 6 nights of racing with about 140 cars from all over the country including Canada over a 2 week-end time frame.

We missed the 1st night, the banquet for our race track in Tucson was that night.  I had to go get my 5th place trophy.  LOL  Got it and found out how much fun it is to babysit a trophy on a 10 day road trip trying to keep it from getting broke..........LOL  They are shiny and gaudy BUT it's all plastic I think you are suppose to take them straight home and enthrone them in a place of honor or a closet whichever you prefer.

We had a lot of fun, watching the races.......

During off time we went to the annual Barrett Jackson auction and car show in Scottsdale. 

 John got to drive a road course simulator.  He was the only one that didn't crash while we were there, he finished the course.  Maybe he should be racing instead of me......!!

 Just a few of the "goodies" available to look at.  This was one of 7 tents we saw, in the area we were in.  There is no way you could see everything there is to see, thousands of cars every direction you look.....!!  People too.

There was enough '57 chevys there to make a child of the 50s happy

There is a place called Cameron Trading Post up north on one of the reservations that is known far and wide for their Indian Fry Bread, of which I am particularly fond.  So my choice of a trip was to find that place.  

 

 

Really a nice stop and shop for people that are into that sort of thing.  They had enough stuff to look at and buy to keep anyone happy for hours.  I was just there for the fry bread. 

We had been told to come hungry and to share one.  Good advice, we asked to split it and it came out on 2 plates full.  I'm sure there are people that could eat the whole thing, but I couldn't even finish my half........LOL 
It was really good, but I make a pretty good fry bread also, although mine are a lot smaller. 

Spent the night in Flagstaff.  Didn't have to drive in snow, but did see the remnants of their last storm.

One day we drove up to Saguaro Lake, which was really a nice area.  Saw a couple of the Salt River wild horses resting in the shade.  I guess they are use to people, they didn't care we and some other people were gawking at them. 

We drove over to Wickenburg thru the Lake Pleasant area one day.  We've been thru there a couple of times before, and tried to find some of the burros that live there.  This time it was late afternoon and a good time for burro watching. 

This is one of 6 we both saw.  I saw 2 or 3 more, but by the time John got turned around, they had disappeared. 

We had a great time bumming around, wish it had been a little warmer.  The people from Canada and places like SD were running around like it was summer.  John and I couldn't hardly move we had so many layers on.  

Came home and everything was great, even had a new shelter put up. 

Cochise watching his shelter going up.  Good thing they got it done, they had quite a bit of rain while we were gone.  It seems like every time we leave for a few days, it rains, this summer Suzanne had to contend with our roof leaking. 

Paco being welcomed by Leddy and Muzzy.  Paco is a racing burro that lost his buddy recently and rather than have him lonely and by himself he will stay here until Lynn and Linda head back to Colorado.   In fact all 3 of these boys will go to Colorado this summer along with quite a few others.  I'm not sure what the final count will be.

WE BROKE A RECORD TODAY.........!!!

A few years ago we had a Mystery Tour come to see the donkeys.  They came out in a big black beautiful bus that was big enough to hold 53 tourists, a tour guide and the bus driver.........!! They had a great time, said it was the highlight of their trip.  They were headed to a winery from here, so that might have changed their minds.......!!! LOL  

Today we had a total of 58 visitors from one of the local RV parks.  They drove their own cars in a tag along tour, so there were a lot of vehicles.  We divided them up in 3 groups, Suzanne, Linda and I took off in different directions with our group and John followed along with extra timothy pellets in case they ran out.  Of course Cisco, Penny and Cheyenne can't eat pellets they have to have animal crackers or they might choke, so John was carrying them too.  

This was some of the crowd, we were waiting for the rest of the people to get parked

Buddy Brat and BlackJack behind him, working the crowd

Sugar, Lobo and Legend were in the Burro Barracks along with Jacque and Bunny

Everyone seemed to have a good time, asked lots of good questions and of course the donkeys worked really hard to get the people to give them pellets or crackers or whatever was being offered. 

Tour over.......... everyone gathered for last minute questions and away they went. 

Cochise has been going out for short runs and is doing really good.  In fact this week-end he will go out for a hike for the first time: 

THIS SATURDAY AT 10 AM

BRAY Takes Over Tucson (Hike)

N Secret Springs Dr, Marana, AZ

Once the word went out, all of the donkeys that usually go to these happenings were spoken for, and people were  disappointed if they didn't get a donkey.  So Cochise the new guy on the block and Boaz are going to be put to work.  It's only a 5 mile hike, split into 2 segments,  Boaz has never gone out before either, but I think they both will do just fine.

 Cochise spent a lot of time in this training session trying to get off the trail.  I guess he hadn't planned to run that day and was ready to go home.  He's got a real nice little trot and won't break into a lope like some of the donkeys do.  He just keeps trotting faster and faster.  He should be a good little racing burro, once he gets some experience.  That is, if he quits trying to NOT follow his running buddy...........!!

I'M BACK...................!!

Between now and New Year's John and I headed for Vado Speedway in New Mexico to watch some really good racing from the big boys in dirt late models.  They come out to this area to race in the winter, because they can't race in other parts of the country.  There were racers from 21 states and Canada.  Had 3 nights of racing, no really bad wrecks and a lot of good side by side racing.  Wish it had been warmer, but we bundled up and and a great time.

New Year's day was a lot of fun.  All the fun started the day before when the campers started showing up.  We had a potluck that night, with a bonfire.  Next morning the race started at 10am.  A lot of the people had never ran with donkeys before, but it really went pretty well.  A few loose donkeys, but they got caught and the race continued.

The start...........!!

They ran out our dirt road, to the main road, crossed it into the desert, ran in a big wash, circled around and headed home.  A few of the donkeys hadn't planned to run that day and some of their runners turned back rather than try to finish the race.  But they said they had fun, so it was a good day.   

John and helpers weighing hay for the next feeding

Plenty of dogs to join in the fun.......!!

A couple of hard working chore helpers.....!!

Nellie and Carlos resting up for the race.....!!

Running in the wash

Everyone was talking about next year, so this New Year's day run will probably become an annual event.  

Levi has gone into a foster home that will probably become a forever home.  

Levi with his new friends, Jenny and Angus

We had not planned on Levi being adopted until he had lost some more weight.  But Angus and Jenny's dad said he'd like to add Levi to his family.  

With an area like this to exercise in on a daily basis, how could we refuse..........!!  For now it's a foster, but the donkeys are getting along just fine with each other and we are anxious to see if the rough country will melt some of the weight off Levi. 

Levi and Angus checking out possible "toys"

Thanks Linda and Robert for the pictures and videos

ALMOST THE NEW YEAR............

Since I last updated Jacque and Sugar have come out to participate in a New Year's Day run, the Burro Buddies, aka, Suzanne, Linda and Lynn have planned.  Some of the runners are coming out the day before for a sleep over  and potluck.  I hope the weather gets better, it's been cold, windy and rainy the last few days.  I'm sure everyone will have a good time, BUT, they could have just as good a time with it a little bit warmer........!! LOL

 Jacque and Sugar's family aren't into running, but Jacque and Sugar really like to run, so they spent last summer in Colorado, being pack burro racers and did really well.  So they are out here for the New Year's run, it seems like there is always more people wanting to run, than there are donkeys.  Some of the people coming are bringing their own donkeys also.

Last week-end the Burro Buddies took 15 donkeys to Tombstone for the day.  They would bring 3 donkeys at a time to the Good Enough Mine for the visitors to pet.   When the donkeys weren't on display they were all running around on 12 acres of "donkey heaven", really rough terrain, lots of rocks and steep hills.  This is Sugar and Jacque on high ground surveying the available area, trying to decide what to do next.  When Georgette saw the picture, she thought they had "escaped", but they were just having fun being wild burros..........!!

Some of their adoring public..!!

Loki working the crowd....!!

 

The minis waiting for the next group.......!!

Link with a new friend......!!

Lynn's new friend's hat matches Lynn''s halter.....!!

Escorting guests down to the Good Enough Mine tour......!!

AND SO IS CASPER.........!!!

Doesn't he look angelic?  I had a tour this afternoon and the donkeys were out on the 10 acres.  One of the women couldn't walk all over looking for donkeys, although in reality, most of them came up to us to see what we were doing.  I took her around in the golf cart.  

We had seen most of the donkeys, but Link the mammoth was missing and I figured he would be down below the house.  

Before we found Link, I noticed a small white equine just outside the perimeter fence..............guess who..........!!!   

I pointed Casper out to the tour, and then yelled at Casper to get back inside the fence.  He just looked at me, walked along side the fence to where a small wash goes under the fence.  He knelt down, wiggled a little bit and popped up inside the fence.  He just stood there and looked at me like, "Quit yelling at me, I do what I want"......!!  The people on the tour thought it was funny.  Well, I did too, but didn't want Casper to know.  Between him and Big Gus it is never dull around here, that's for sure......LOL

Last night we did a Christmas parade at the Butterfield RV Resort in Benson with 13 donkeys and handlers from the park.  Most of them have either been out to see the donkeys on a tour, or have come out to groom or do some maintenance although there were a few new faces.  

I think everyone had a great time, we've done enough parades, Linda's figured out how to organize getting ready, so it isn't as chaotic as it could be.    

John resurrected his Dept of Sanitation outfit from the 4th of July parade up on Mt. Lemmon.  It's suppose to be cute, BUT, he stayed pretty busy with what the donkeys left on the street, so it's a good thing he really had tools..........!!!  

BlackJack doing his thing, there wasn't any grass or weeds along the route so he behaved himself. 

This place was really decorated, quite a few of the RVs or Park models were all lit up with decorations.  Most of the donkeys had probably never seen anything like that before, but it didn't seem to faze them at all. 

My dream has always been to have the donkeys organized.  Last night we had 13 donkeys, so we could have had BlackJack and his blanket with the name of the rescue on it out in front.  Then we could have had 4 rows of 3 behind him.  As you can see it's rather a loose operation, donkeys do what donkeys want to do and it doesn't have much to do with the handlers and what they would like to do.........!!! If you accept this, your parade will be less stressful........!!!  LOL

I think I'm getting shorter, either than or the rest of the gang are getting taller......!!! LOL

COCHISE IS OUT AND ABOUT.................!!!

Yesterday Lynn and Linda spent quite a bit of time with the new guy.  As you will see in the videos he's a lover.  Emily said he liked to be scratched, that seems to be an understatement......!!! LOL  I know every time I walk past his pen, he comes over and lines up next to the corral panel, so I can start at his withers and scratch all the way down his back. He is very personable and really enjoys attention.  

This morning after he finished breakfast we let him out for about an hour by himself, so he could learn the property, without nosy noses in his business.  

Headed out for a day of adventure.  He just wandered out when the gate was opened, and even after we let the others out, he was really mellow, even if some of them weren't...........!!  

Early in his outing when the others went out, some of the guys took turns chasing him.  But it was in play and he seemed to take it all in stride.  At least with the guys.  

Tula who is the head jenny, let him know in no uncertain terms that if he had any ideas about being in charge to get rid of them.  It didn't seem to upset him and after running at him a couple of times she just ignored him.  

Bunny is still behaving like a good girl gone bad..........!!!  Today she, Lobo and Legend stayed in the Burro Barracks, tonight they will get out and Cochise will stay in his pen.  If all goes well, tomorrow they will all be out together.  Cochise was only gelded a couple of weeks ago.  He shouldn't still be able to be a daddy if he fell to her charms, but stranger things have happened.  The way it was explained to to me it wouldn't be impossible, but highly unlikely.  She's been chasing him ever since he got here, and he's very interested in her, so who knows what will happen when they get on the same side of the fence.............LOL

This week-end we will be taking most of the donkeys to one of the local RV parks for a night time parade thru the park.  A few years ago we were invited to do the parade with BlackJack as the Grand Marshall.  It was just BJ, John and I, this time there's going to be about a dozen donkeys with their walkers.  Should be a lot of fun, most of the walkers live in the park.   

That's the last parade on our schedule, but New Year's Day there will be a 5 kilometer race out here.  Some of the runners will camp out the night before, so it's probably going to end up like a big sleep over..........!!

STAYING BUSY

The movie people and the horses are gone.  They were here about a week, and it was interesting to see the process.  It takes a lot of people, and time before a movie or video is ready for public consumption.    This week they are shooting over at another movie site over in Mescal, just a few miles from here, but with different buildings and vegetation.  The name of the movie, if they don't change it will be, The Righteous Twelve and if I was guessing, I'd guess it will not be in theaters, but will be a video for purchase.  

On the final day they were shooting they finally asked John to come up with BlackJack for their part.  This is John and BJ walking up the road from our place to the movie site. 

John and Blackjack walked from one side of the street to the other with this mountain man and an Indian, while the 12 Righteous Twelve people rode towards them on the horses.  John said at one time the director stared the horses early and John and BJ ended up in the middle of the street surrounded by a dozen horses with riders.   

The same day they finished shooting here, we took 15 donkeys to the Tombstone Light Parade.  We had volunteers to walk 10 of the donkeys.  It really went well, most of the volunteers had never done  anything like that before, and 3 of the donkeys had never been in a parade.

Headed up the hill to the parade

Some pictures taken before the parade, everyone had a smile on their face.........

 Waiting for it to get dark enough for the parade to start....

Yesterday Suzanne, John and I picked up a donkey south of Sierra Vista.  His owner had called me a few weeks ago, but he was an intact jack and we don't take jacks.  She said she would call me when she had him gelded, which was a couple of weeks ago.  

He's really a nice boy, although Bunny one of the jennies is trying to make his life miserable.  Last night at bedtime when the donkeys all get to go out except for the new guy, she sauntered by him and gave him "the look" I guess.  Next thing he's up and over the cattle panel.  Most of the pens are corral panels, this one just happened to be a flimsy cattle panel.  Linda said it was no problem getting him into another pen, they just led Bunny and he was more than happy to follow.  We were thrilled this morning to find him still in the pen.......!! LOL

He should be shooting blanks by now, but we'll keep him in a few days to give him time to acclimate, he's not been around other donkeys, just horses.

 This is the welcoming committee whenever the stock trailer comes in and there is someone in it. 

 He's a good boy, has manners and seems easy to work with.

 His name was Brutus which none of us really cared for.  We tried a few other names and the winner is Cochise.  Suzanne said his mane looks like a war bonnet.  He's been rolling in mud, so his mane might not be quite as yellow after a bath or the passage of time.  But it is gray like his body up by his ears and down by his withers, so it is a rather festive mane and Cochise seems to suit him.