Short version:
Cannibal threw us to the wolves and high tailed it.
I will leave the long version to others.
Short version:
Cannibal threw us to the wolves and high tailed it.
I will leave the long version to others.
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.
- Mark Twain
Did anybody else show up?
I had to leave Saturday afternoon. I made a serious error in judgement when planning this hang and did not realize it was the same weekend that Genuine Draft and I had a condo in Keystone to celebrate both her birthday and her holiday break from school. I thought it best to preserve my ability to go out whenever I wanted and split the difference with her by only staying one night.
I'd really like to plan a full-on Hang at the sanctuary in the future. Maybe spring or summer. Those of you that were there know how cool it is to hear the wolves howling in the wee hours. Since I wasn't there Sunday, I assume you also know what it's like to have a wolf put their paws on your shoulders, look down at you with a head bigger than yours, and lick you like there is no tomorrow.
Trust nobody!
Just Jeff, his wife and warbonnetguy showed up. It was a small, but fun group. Thank you for setting up a unique experience. That is an interesting and remote part of Colorado. Mark gave a a great presentation and the wolves are amazing.
Just Jeff's wife had a camera in her hand all the time so there should be some good pictures.
You know that that will hear the wolves howl, but I was surprised by the emotional impact.
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.
- Mark Twain
Great to hear ya'll had fun - I really wish I could have been there, but with the way things have been at work, I don't think I'm gonna get a weekend off until summer time. I really thought I could sneak away for a weekend, but it wasn't in the cards.
Looking forward to the pictures - sounds like a great spot to camp.
Yep...she's crazy about pictures. The light was pretty harsh with a lot of sharp shadows but we still got some good ones. I'll post later when I'm not on my phone.
It was definitely a great time. I plan on volunteering a bit, and maybe getting the guys at work to have a "team building" day there. Should be awesome!
Can't wait for a full-on group hang!
“Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story
- My site: http://www.tothewoods.net/
- Designer, Jeff's Gear Hammock / Pack Cover by JRB
IMPOSSIBLE JUST TAKES LONGER
Sounds like a great and special time, I would have loved to be able to make it and meet some more of the Colorado crew. Too many orders to get out by Christmas. Turning tanned cow wrappers into nice gifts takes a lot of time!
Looking forward to pictures.
Love your enemies, but keep your gun oiled!
I am a CONCENTRATED vegetarian. I let the cows eat all the grass, and then I eat the cows!
It was an awesome hang, of that there can be no doubt! I got there early so got tossed to the lick-a-torium twice. Thanks to the generosity of cannibal and the tolerance of everyone else I got to test two different hammocks at one night each. I can not over state how comfortable the Blackbird was, and how cool (literally) it was to put book knowledge to the test. Seeing the effect of an inversion on temps, feeling cold air rolling down hill, different ways and philosophies of hanging, and my fav fire! Got there about three in the afternoon and got introduced to mark and cannibal. Then after exploring the site and moving a few thing I got introduced to the puppies in there cage, which is also known as the lick-a-torium. That was an experience all on it's own and hard to describe a wolf hoping up on two legs to lick you like a large breed puppy. Definitely an amazing thing. After that I was treated to dinner at the Bull Moose, which served good food and good prices. Got back to camp and had a huge fire and my first night in a Hennesy deep jungle which was cool. Much preferred the blackbird I got to borrow the next night. That foot box is a neat and comfy idea! Canibal had to bail the next day due to "schedule conflict" but Just Jeff, food, and warbonnetguy showed up. Wasn't long before they were all set up and helping to move the slash to the burn pile. I must admit I was rather disappointed to not be able to burn the pile, but insurance issues obviously wouldn't allow it. Cest la vie right... The night was filled with conversations, good food (tamales and Philly cheese steak sandwiches) , great company and lots of learning on my part. On Sunday we had breakfast at the bull moose and the start of the official tour where we learned how this sanctuary got it's start. And it's first celebrity resident. It was a very well thought out presentation and very informative. And getting interact with the wolfs and wolfdogs was amazing and therapeutic as well. All in all a great trip!!
Rules to live by:The Wizards Rules
Anything can be solved by the proper application of High Explosives. Or a shot of whiskey...
Meaning of the EOD Badge
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) is a science of vague assumptions based on debatable figures derived from inconclusive experiments, performed by persons of doubtful mental capability with instruments of problematic accuracy.
I'm so jealous I couldn't make it. Hopefully I'll be around and available for the next event.
The 2011 Colorado Winter Hang (one of them, anyway...hopefully we'll have another in Jan or Feb) was 16-18 Dec 2011 at Mark's wolf preserve near Guffey, CO. He runs the site entirely on donations and volunteer work, and judging by all the face-licking, the wolves are clearly happy and he's doing a great job. Here's the website: http://www.visionswest-art.com/
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So Cannibal almost got grounded for his scheduling conflict, and we didn't get to hang with him Saturday night. When Jennifer and I showed up on Saturday, he was already gone, but Brandon (Warbonnet), Ian (Isheian) and **** (food) were helping Mark (preserve owner) gather slash to burn. It was about an hour before sunset so we went to set up our hammocks before it got dark. We all set up in the Aspen grove in the middle of this pic.
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Jennifer and I hung side-by-side in the hammocks below. She was in my DownHammock with the PeaPod around it and a GoLite Ultra 20 inside. I was in a DIY with a MWUQ4 and a Wiggys 0F bag with the new HammockSock around it. We hung on the same foot tree and different head trees...that gave us some room, but we were still snuggled up all night. I think another 8" or so between the trees would have been more comfortable.
We didn't use a tarp and the night was very clear, so the stars looked amazing. Woke up once to an elk bugling in the hills.
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This is Cannibal's setup that Isheian stayed in Saturday night. It's a WBBB with a 3-Season Yeti and a MWUQ3 on it, and JRB quilt on the inside. A Warbonnet tarp is set up to block the wind.
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And this is food's setup with his bright orange quilt. He went to bed early, but he woke up while Brandon, Ian and I talked late into the night...he was close enough to the fire to talk with us from his hammock. Bet that was more comfortable than the bucket I was sitting on!
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And a pic of the fire we sat around with the cider heating. Food had his famous tamales, both red and green, that he shared with everybody. They were AWESOME!! I had four...and didn't think it was safe to eat more (fire safety in the hammock, with Jennifer so close and all...). I brought two gallons of Apple Cider to heat on the fire, and the pseudo-Philly Cheese Steaks that I learned from Cannibal at last winter's Colorado Hang. Good stuff!
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Sunday morning, we met at the Bull Moose restaurant in Guffey for breakfast and to hear Mark's presentation on the wolves...mostly Cheyenne the healing wolf. Great chow and a very interesting story. Then we went back to the preserve to hang out with the wolves, get licked in the face, etc...more pics on that later.
After the Lickatorium, we hiked to the top of a hill to get an awesome view. Pikes Peak and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This is taken from about 9500'.
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And this is just a picture I thought was cool.
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And the best part of these trips is always the people. From L to R: Jennifer, me, Ian, food, Brandon
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“Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story
- My site: http://www.tothewoods.net/
- Designer, Jeff's Gear Hammock / Pack Cover by JRB
IMPOSSIBLE JUST TAKES LONGER
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