Roots

Spent the weekend going back to family roots. On our mother's side, my sister and I are fourth generation descendents of the North Park, CO Latham family. Stopped by the Walden cemetery to pay respects.

Most of the relatives are in the southeast corner.

Onward to Maybell, CO. Again, fourth, maybe fifth generation as some of the forebearers might have been legally challenged. Maybell was the scene this past Sunday of the Sombrero Horse Drive. Good excuse for us to get together.

http://www.sombrero.com/adventures/horse-drive/

My lodging (the small one)

My sister stayed at the Old Victory Hotel.

https://www.facebook.com/maybellhotel

When they are full, they don't allow pets. My sister's
schnauzer slept with me. OK guest, doesn't bark or snore  but wants his half in the middle.

Thirteen miles West of Maybell off Highway 40 is the old family homestead. Cousins have kept it in the family and a section is now a private cemetery. This year a cousin's cremains were interred. He had a disabling stroke some fifteen years ago. His family cared for him all that time.

His sister.

My father's grave. He hunted all his life and often said when he died, he wanted us to put him in a gully and cave enough bank over him the coyotes would have to dig hard. Close, there is a badger den in his grave.

He would be pleased to know there is deer scat all over the area. In the tree behind some branches have been rubbed by deer shedding the velvet from their horns. They were probably standing on the grave. That would really please him. My  sister had some venison sausage. She left a piece beside his headstone.

Some miscellaneous shots from the graves area.

There is one in every family. Man on the right is a 90+ year old heavily decorated WWII Pacific Fleet Sailor. For many, a favorite uncle.

He is also a rapist and a pedophile with many victims. He is alive only because his three sons are fine people. My sister had him arrested and convicted.

The problem with grubbing sagebrush is it grows back. On the road down to where the cabins once stood.

What was left of the cabins has been carefully dismantled and preserved. Loose plans to build some type of shelter using the old beams are discussed. We shall see. On the hill in the distance are two year around springs and corrals with a snubbing post for breaking wild horses, a one time family business.

One intact structure is the 100 year old privy. This was commandeered by the ladies. Men and photographs were prohibited. Takes a braver man than me to argue with that bunch.

Back on the Front Range and parking the trailer at a friend's farm took this picture of Longs Peak simply because it pleased me to do so. 

This is my adventure rig. Hoping to make a least one expedition a month this summer.

My desktop is in the shop having a year's worth of malware and viruses cleaned. I use utilities but the crud creeps in. Being a Latter Day Luddite I prefer to have the experts do it. Gives me a taste of how customers may have felt when buying a car from me.

Escaped the Digital Frontier

Back early. Employer has issues. Main computer is in the shop until Tuesday. This laptop is hard to use. AAR with pictures to come.

Beyond The Digital Frontier

Off tomorrow for Moffat County, Northwest Colorado, where there is one only cell phone provider and my carrier isn’t in their net. No cell or internet until mid morning Monday.

Family gathering to bury cremains of a cousin in the family cemetery on the old homestead 13 miles West of Maybell, CO on US 40.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kY3sNqg9vg&t=454s

http://moffatcountytourism.com/calendar/sombrero-ranches-great-american-horse-drive

This weekend is the Sombrero Horse Drive so it is a good excuse for a gathering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNGqZ5VKzp0

Good chance there will be more than last year, which was around 30. 26 showed up for supper. We are, as a group, known for riding the grub line.

• Grub Line Rider A kind of cowboy pan handler who hangs around a cow camp for free food until he is kicked out then proceeds to find another camp and starts over.

That remark will generate some static from the few in the family who read my blog.

COWBOY: An appetite riding a horse.

Please read the bloggers on the sidebar.  Will be back to bore you soon.

The header picture is my great grandparents, grandfather, and great uncle.

Springtime In Wyoming Is Optional

This morning, 0430, I-25 Northbound from Cheyenne and snowing hard. Almost had to slow down.

Rocky Mountain Springtime

Why am I clearing snow off my truck? Took the studded snow tires off too soon. Tire chains are behind the seat where they stay all year. 

Military Officer Career Planning

A question for those who have served as military officers. Question follows the scenario.

You laid out a career path as a diversity/social justice/etc specialist with the idea of building credentials to allow a smooth transition to the civilian world built on diligent networking with like minded people. You were very successful in the eight years of the Lightbringer administration and looked forward to eight more successful years with the Shillary administration.

Suddenly, the real warriors are in charge. Are you fucked?

Doubling Down On Stupid

A Colorado politics rant. Long and windy. You are warned.

Why am I still a registered Democrat?  Part of it is knowing your enemy. Mailings and emails keep me up to date on the various ass clowns inhabiting the (P)regressive wing. As an example, this email from a Shillary clone running for governor. I can’t find a single verifiable fact in it.

Subject: PETITION: Protect Colorado's public lands from President Trump

Frank, Today I join you in celebrating Earth Day. For almost 50 years, April 22 has been dedicated to honoring our environment and advocating to protect it. And here in Colorado, our belief in protecting our public lands and our open spaces makes Colorado the place we all love. But in Washington, Donald Trump has a different view. I’m asking you to join me and stand up for Colorado. Tell Donald Trump we will never sell our public lands. Sign The Petition ➜ Donald Trump sees public lands as a resource to be sold off to the highest bidder, putting our lifestyle and recreation economy at risk. Can you imagine The Great Sand Dunes, Rocky Mountain National Park or Browns Canyon National Monument being sold to the highest bidder? Add your name to help me protect the Colorado we love. Coloradans see things differently than Trump. We know our public lands and beautiful open spaces define who we are. It’s what makes Colorado special, and is a vital part of our strong economy. My family, like many of yours, loves and uses our beautiful public lands. Access to these places helps make Colorado the place we love. And we will not go backwards. Colorado’s treasured lands, our outdoor recreation economy all deserve better than Trump’s misguided approach. Take a stand: sign my petition and protect Colorado’s public lands. - Cary Kennedy Note she never uses the word President. Oversight or deliberate?  Congressmen, not President Trump, have advocating selling some public land, and transferring more to the States. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/317514-gop-rep-pulls-bill-to-sell-federal-land You start wondering if (P)regressives  would recognize a fact if it bit them in the ass. All feelings, all the time, seems to be their style. Should you question their ‘feelings’, you are a despicable racist, misogynist, privileged oppressor. (Missed some labels here, I’m sure) Her formal announcement she is running for Governor drew national scorn. Or is any publicity good publicity?  https://coloradopeakpolitics.com/2017/04/10/car-wreck-cary-kennedys-distracted-driving-gubernatorial-announcement-crashes-into-ditch/ I would pay good money to watch her take her act to Northwest Colorado and ask for the votes from my coal mining relatives (of both sexes). No, she will stay in those areas known for turning Colorado purple. Splendid opportunity May 6 in Maybell as the Sombrero Horse Drive takes place. Vendor spots are only $20. She is up against some serious Democrat heavyweights. She might be a good fit for them as a candidate for Lt. Governor. Nasty primary fight brewing? https://coloradopeakpolitics.com/2017/04/24/dude-do-it-polis-contemplates-a-run-for-governor/ Colorado went for Shillary. What I find interesting is the usual reliable Democrat counties, like Pueblo, went for Trump. I’m reconciled to the prospect of another Democrat governor. The Blue Dog Democrats are nearly extinct and the GOP is a Jeb! club. Thank God for TABOR (and Douglas Bruce). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxpayer_Bill_of_Rights I don’t vote for any candidate by party alone. I vote for politicians who have a philosophy, and record, of giving people a hand up, not a hand out. That said, any politicians that is in any way anti 2nd Amendment won’t get my vote. Why the hell do they waste their time? Oh yeah, makes for great stump speeches. Gives the impression they ‘are doing something’. In 2015 Colorado had 172 homicides. About 114 involved a firearm. In 2015 there were 547 traffic deaths. Per the people on the front line, distracted driving was the main culprit. About 125 were donorcycle deaths. Seems to me to be a much bigger problem, one that should be a lawmaker priority. Please let me turn over a large rock: Pensions, government and teacher pension funds in particular. Mathematics is exact, and the math says these funds are not sustainable. You rarely hear calls to investigate the crooks who run them. Think Cary Kennedy will touch this topic? Only to put the burden on the general taxpayer is my guess. My favorite Colorado Governor was John Love. A Republican, he served from 1963-1973. Often you would see, parked in the his reserved parking spot at the Capitol, a dented GMC pickup, bits of loose hay in the bed, and a personalized license plate reading GUV LUV. The current crop of (P)regressives couldn’t carry his hay fork IMO.