Return to Painters Flat

August 7, 2010 Afternoon
While driving to the Flat we reminisced about what we had seen on our last trip, wondered why the horse and sheep we found the remains of had died and also why both were so close to the road, wondered if the Shepherd was still camped at the spring and if he had found has animals.

Well one question was answered as we approached Big Spring, we could see the Shepherd had moved his camp. As we passed by his abandoned camp we spotted one of his dogs curled up where his tent had been. We hoped we to find him on up the road so we could tell him about his dog, and we did. He was sooo happy we saw his dog, he had been very worried and told us the dog had been missing for 8 days now. It was very difficult communicating with him but we understood what we needed to from each other, so we left him to go to his pup.

Almost there...

on a very soft, powdery, dusty road, looking out the back window of the pickup, cough... choke...

Painters Flat out in front of us!

Some of the road work from the prior weekend (as described here)

And the cows laying around the water hole again.

The pile of manure furthest to the top and left is the closest any horse piles were to the water. The rest of the poop all over is from the cows.

A large herd way out there.

Didn't look like any were moving, just grazing, so we had our picnic lunch here and watched them. When we were just about done we could see a small band coming from the left of the large group so we hurried to get ready to photograph.

Just in time because here they come!

Lead by a huge, one eared, Bay Stallion.

They are gorgeous!!!

The foal is a carbon copy of his sire.
The stallion bears the special BLM brand showing he had been previously captured then released.

She is so beautiful, so is her son...

they match almost exactly!

What a perfect family!

Look how huge his neck is.

Time to move on.

One last look back at us.

The culvert that was reinstalled last weekend (as described here).
The road repairs were being done because this area is going to be a major trap site.

Another thrilling encounter! What next...

.