Creek Place

Sunday Derek, his girls and I went for a ride on his “Creek Place”, another parcel of land a few miles away from the Battle River spot we rode over yesterday on the STARS trailride. We had a little work to do here as he had a cow that needed doctoring and his calves needed their booster vaccinations. This piece of land is sure pretty and not at all like the main ranch down on the river. Castor Creek runs through the middle of it and although it is out on the flat prairie once you drop over the edge of the canyon you are into another world.

 

Below is a shot of the James Gang crossing Castor Creek on their place.

And here is another of them along the trail

Now after scouring the whole place and crossing back and forth over the creek a few times, looking through some of the treed areas it appears that the lost herd was in a little horseshoe canyon that we had overlooked on our first pass through the country.

  

Here they are heading across the creek and up the hill towards the corrals. We didn’t get them all on the first pass and Shawna, Derek’s wife and Kacee. walked back down and routed the rest out of the thick bush and got them up the hill to join their buddies. Good job girls.

  

Now their is a familiar cowpoke waving her hands and politely asking the cows to do what they are told, Surprisingly it actually worked. I’ll have to try it next time.

Now there is Derek politely pointing the way for his calves to their vaccinations. Notice the clean white hat it will make another appearance later on.

 

Derek had to work his way through the calves three separate times as each vaccine has to be given separately and with a different method, some just under the skin and others as intra muscular injections.

Now if you are going to go around sticking needles in calves it might be wise to keep your hat on your head as the little critters are vindictive and that ain’t dirty water on that hat now. Brings to mind my grandpa’s old adage “Never hire a man who rolls his own cigarettes or wears a straw hat, he’s either rolling a cigarette or chasing his hat all day.”

  

After we got done doing the calves we loaded a cow that had to make a trip to the vet in the trailer and my saddle horse, Blue, behind her and headed back for their house for a BBQ steak to remind us all what this business is all about. The steak was great and the company was even better. Thanks for your hospitality Derek and Shawna, and kids, and we will be back to enjoy your beautiful spot, SOON!

Monday morning dawned bright and early and we had to make tracks as we were going to a retirement party for an old friend and colleague in Calgary that evening. We left James’ place about 7:00AM and made the two hundred mile drive home arriving before noon. That gave me time to get the grass under control around the yard before I had to head off into the city.

Today has been spent rigging up my truck to be towed behind the motorhome and then washing it and the rig so that they are all spic and span when we hit the 2 miles of dirt road that it takes us to get to the highway.

We are off, tomorrow morning, to the Redstreak Campground in Kootenay National Park near Radium Hot Springs in BC for a five night stay.