My Time on the Drift - Day 2

Thursday, June 23

Today my Mom and I switched riding while she rode and the kids and I helped move trailers, do some chores and take photos for the blog. Starting this weekend and hopefully most of next week I will have a babysitter and we both can ride. I'm also pleased to announce that the photo quality will be better as I ordered a camera harness. Sometimes iPhone photos just don't do the scenery justice, so I hope you enjoy the photos more.

France rode Wells Draw, where the old desert cow camp used to be, towards the west while another group rode the long ridge that separates the north from the south. They had a big group of our cattle so it didn't take long to sort our neighbors out. Like I said yesterday, sorting is an art form. Not many like to do it, but if you have a good group riding with you that understands cattle and a horse who can pick up and move it makes it more enjoyable.

Miller yearlings trailing to water near the Pete Olson Bridge. Wind River range in the background.

Our day riders, Stub and Lisa Tatro, have helped us for four years and their help is so appreciated. Finding good help who can doctor, sort, and understand the country is worth every penny and we always make a point to treat our help really well. Now they feel like family and we are so thankful for their help every year. Lisa wasn't feeling well towards the end of the drive, so we switched mounts and I was able to ride their grey gelding to sort. I'm sure she found out all sorts of things from Avery while they waited in the truck!

The cattle that we sorted today will then be moved around the end of Ross Butte up the New Fork towards the Cathole, a watering hole on the river, to be sorted the next day. France, the kids, and I ended up coming back later in the evening and pushed our cattle towards the end of the butte as our neighbors would be coming through the next morning. The Wardell's share an allotment with us and trail ahead down the East Green River Road until our paths meet at the Hennick Draw. Overall it was a long day, but I'm hopeful that tomorrow's sort will be easier for everyone.

Check back in and we'll see you down the trail!