Wednesday, May 31
This is the first full day for RVSue and her canine crew at the Pagari Bridge boondock located along Little Wood River about 45 miles northeast of Twin Falls, Idaho.
The crew and I begin the day with a short walk to the bridge and back.
After breakfast, I set up the outdoor room, including the quilt for the crew to play on. Reggie and Roger waste no time starting another marathon play session.
I push back in the lounger with my second cup of coffee.
An RVer drives over the bridge, goes past our campsite towing a fifth wheel, and sets up camp further away.
Well, that’s okay. They aren’t crowding us. (The separation is greater than the photo suggests.)
Little do I realize what the arrival of this RV portends!
Thursday, June 1
I set my coffee cup on the side tray of the lounger and close my eyes. Reggie and Roger play nearby. I listen to the music of the river and birds. I amuse myself trying to identify the birds by their song.
That’s a meadowlark and that’s a killdeer, yes, definitely a killdeer . . . Hmm, what’s that?
I open my eyes.
Directly in front of us, across the river bend . . . .
What is that?!!
Sheep!
Wow! Not a few sheep, a MULTITUDE of sheep!
Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen so many sheep! As far as I can see, sheep!
They race across the desert, driven by thirst. Fortunately, Reg and Rog are busy playing and fake-growling at each other and they don’t notice. Quickly I scoop them up and toss them inside the Best Little Trailer.
Grabbing my camera, I race outside to record the event.
Shoulder to shoulder the first ones at the river take long drinks of the cold water. When satiated they move away and another batch work their way to the water to refresh themselves.
And so it goes until all have their fill.
A herder on horseback watches over the flock. Two border collies bring up the rear. After the collies have a drink, too, they join the herder to wait for further instructions.
While the sheep drink, a man in a pick-up drives up to our campsite.
He stops and we talk. His name is Alcides (Hercules). He laughs at my excitement over the sheep.
“Haven’t you ever seen sheep before?” he asks, grinning.
“Well, sure, but not this many all together. How many are there?”
“About 7,000.”
“WHAT! Seven thousand sheep?!!”
“Yeah, about 5,000 mamas and at least 1,900 lambs. It’ll take us a few days to move them all through here. We move them in groups, taking them up to the mountains for the summer.”
Seven thousand sheep beneath my bedroom window . . . .
I ask where the sheep spend the winter.
“Do you know where Rupert is? Near Burley (southern Idaho, east of Twin Falls, northeast of Rogerson). They’re kept in the fields, the agriculture fields.”
“Oh, yeah. I saw that being done in Blythe, California. The sheep are rotated among the fields.”
It’s time for the sheep to cross Pagari Bridge.
Alcides hops in his pick-up to lead the way. This cues the Great Pyrenees to do their part. The sheep follow.
Here they come . . . . Oh, what fun!
The sheep will be herded across Route 93.
On the other side they will graze, spend the night, and be held for the subsequent flocks to catch up.
In order to avoid influencing the sheep, I’ve positioned myself between the Best Little Trailer and the Perfect Tow Vehicle. The sheep are only about six feet away as the pass.
Reggie and Roger hear the bleating.
They throw a major fit, of course. As soon as the flock passes, I sprint across the road to capture Roger in full-throated howl.
Gee, this camera could use a slobber setting.
From somewhere behind the curtain . . .
Reggie adds his high-pitched bark.
I bet those two would love to create sheep mayhem.
I’m fascinated by the ease at which the herder on horseback and the two border collies funnel the sheep across the narrow bridge. (Note the distant, snow-covered mountain barely visible.)
Well, there they go. And Alcides says another flock goes through here in the morning around six o’clock. I don’t want to miss that.
I love boondocking surprises like this!
rvsue
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