Spring 1975<\/p>\n
Trip to Ranch near Chama NM. Spring development check<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As a part of my job for the USDA \u2013 SCS (Colorado) I was to check<\/strong> on the work of the Field Technicians work. I was in the Area office<\/strong> as young engineer and each Area would oversee the operations of multiple field<\/strong> offices. The Government at that time<\/strong> had a good system, that 10% of all the work we did had to be checked by someone else(usually of greater authority. It was all a random spot check<\/strong> system where someone from the Area Office, or someone designated, would visit one<\/strong> of the Field offices and get the number of jobs of every type done by that office. Then we would select a representative 10% of those jobs done or approved by them to be spot checked. This spot check<\/strong> was to ensure that all the criteria, policies and procedures were followed. A very good system of quality control in my opinion. <\/p>\n One<\/strong> of the more memorable trips I had to do, was a spot check<\/strong> for a \u201cSpring development\u201d for the field<\/strong> office<\/strong> in LaJara, Colorado. I do not remember the exact reason or even the list of other jobs that I had to check<\/strong> but this one<\/strong> I remember very well. Once I had gathered the necessary office<\/strong> records and reviewed them the duty was to do the field<\/strong> \u201cspot check\u201d At the time<\/strong> that the jobs were pulled to be checked I had no idea this one<\/strong> was going<\/strong> to be a day<\/strong> long trip<\/strong> to the High country and actually be in New Mexico and not Colorado. <\/p>\n The technician for that office<\/strong> had designed several spring developments for water in remote pastures. The one<\/strong> that was \u201crandomly\u201d selected brought a little surprise to him and myself. He said that we could check<\/strong> some of the other items on my list that day<\/strong> but the spring development would have to wait a couple of days due to the remote location. He would have to get cooperation from the rancher so we could make a visit. He said he would call me when he had it set up. That was not a problem as I was stationed in Alamosa, only a few miles up the road and could make the field<\/strong> visit most any day<\/strong>. As we went over the pre-work on this and the other items I had to review in this trip<\/strong> I did the map reviews, the paperwork pulling, and all the necessary to get the preliminary stuff out of the way. He told me it was really a remote location and it would take most of the day<\/strong> to drive down and get in and get out. OK that sound like a great experience to me. It was also not unusual for us to pack a lunch for a lot of our field<\/strong> trips so he said when I came to come prepared for some \u201coutback hiking\u201d and bring a lunch. We were able to review several other project that day<\/strong> \u2013 an irrigation divide box, some field<\/strong> leveling, and a few other things I forget most of them as they were routine things. <\/p>\n The next afternoon he called me at the office<\/strong> and said the visit was on for Thursday of that week \u2013 two days later. I need to be at his office<\/strong> by 7 if we were to get it all done in one<\/strong> day<\/strong>. That was unusual, but ok by me. <\/p>\n On Thursday of that week, I was at his office<\/strong> on time<\/strong> and we loaded into his vehicle and started the journey south from LaJara. We had to travel into New Mexico by Hwy 17 \u2013 almost to Chama, NM. We pulled off on a county road and about a half mile in we pulled into a ranch gate and up to a set of corrals with some horses there. The Rancher was already there and had 3 horses saddled and ready for out trip<\/strong> into the back country. I got a little excited to see that it was going<\/strong> to be a day<\/strong> on Horseback in some of the most beautiful country imaginable. <\/p>\n I was still young \u2013 in my 20\u2019s and the rancher was probably in his 50\u2019s so as would be the case he had to ask if I was familiar with a horse and I told him, yes I had ridden some, we had a horse on the farm and I hated that old mare but had some experience. He smiled and proceeded to tell me about the horse I was to ride \u2013 a big black horse with white face markings and 3 white stocking. It was a big wide horse, but he said it would be fine for me as he was pretty gentle and didn\u2019t scare easy. I was still intent on the fun it was going<\/strong> to be and not listening with full intent. I should have picked up the \u201cdidn\u2019t scare easy\u201d part. That only came to me later. I asked a few questions about the horse and the ranch and how far we would be going<\/strong> in, etc. He explained the ranch and it had been in his family for some time<\/strong> (generations I think) but I was not fully listening as I was taking in the absolute beauty of the day<\/strong> and the area. I am sure I took pictures as I had to for the development but i have no idea today where they are, or even if I got to keep any. As I remember I was using disposable cameras back then so they could be anywhere. <\/p>\n After we had packed our lunches and I put in some of my needed paperwork, etc. we headed off to the South west on a trail through the open meadow. I could see that we would be back in the timber soon but the flat open meadow was green and beautiful. As we travelled that damn black horse tripped and stumbled on every stick rock, pebble, or anything small on the trail. As we walked on the Rancher explained more of the ranch and how the horse I rode, he used to pull heavy stuff in and out when needed \u2013 damn no wonder he was so wide. I had not been on a horse in some years and this one<\/strong> was wide enough that I felt like I was going<\/strong> to split trying to straddle him. It did make for a nice seat as there was very little side to side movement. <\/p>\n Soon we were entering the timber and that damn horse continued to stumble in everything in the trail. I didn\u2019t mind as it was flat or relatively flat terrain and a beautiful day<\/strong> so we continued on. This trail ride continued for about 2 hours at a slow pace, we entered and went through several small open meadows, crossed several small streams as well. It became evident at one<\/strong> point<\/strong> we were nearing a large canyon. At this point<\/strong> I could not tell how large, just that I started to notice the opposing sides wall and that it was some distance over to that wall. <\/p>\n As we rounded a corner I could see that the trail ahead headed for the canyon. Then we were there and it was Holey Shit \u2013 the trail runs right on the damn edge of that canyon and Holy Shit it is a HELL of a long way down to the bottom of that. The walls of that canyon were really vertical. It was a huge gash in the earth, solid rock and very steep to the bottom. At that point<\/strong> I was getting nervous as that damn horse had tripped and stumbled on every pebble in the trail to this point<\/strong> and here even a really small stumble or missed step would been over the edge we go! The old rancher looked back and could see my face was \u201clit up\u201d \u2013 he smiled and said , \u201cnot to worry we have made this trail a hundred times and hadn\u2019t lost anyone yet\u201d. \u201cWe got pretty close a couple of times but it always worked out alright and oh by the way it wasn\u2019t anymore than maybe 500 feet to the bottom, and if you fall in the river will wash you out out at Chama, NM\u201d. Damn that made me feel good to know they could pick my body up later. Now I have driven on the Colorado roads and been on a lot of jeep trails that were hanging on the edge of the cliff but this time<\/strong> I was on a damn horse that could even walk with out tripping and he had 4 legs! The trail ahead had several limbs laying across it and a lot of large rocks and boulders we would have to navigate. We moved onto that trail, along that path I could look almost straight down on my right side, I had my foot out of the right stirrup so if the horse tripped I was ready to jump uphill, sorry horse but I ain\u2019t going<\/strong> with you on that one<\/strong>. I was even leaning to the left away from the cliff with occasional glances to the bottom. You know that old horse never missed a step, walked over those logs, around the boulders and was as sure footed as any I had ever seen along that edge. That part of the trail was nearly a mile and it was enough to make me pucker up real tight but we made it with out a missed step. Once we got back into the open away from the cliff that damn horse went right back to dragging it\u2019s feet and tripping on every pebble? I guess horses like people sometimes save it all for the times they really need it? I could tell that the Rancher and the Technician were having a great time<\/strong> watching me cringe that whole mile. After we cleared the cliff, the Rancher turned back and said, \u201cthat horse is sure something, strong as hell and sure footed as a deer , but only when he needs to be\u201d. I thought \u201cgee thanks for warning me\u201d. <\/p>\n We made a couple m ore clearings and then up on a slope we moved to the development. The Rancher had done a great job of putting in a steel tank with cement bottom and the spring was well protected, but that caused me to start thinking. \u201cHow the HELL did they get that cement in here and that tank for that matter? I had expected to see something more primitive as this distance in and no other visible roads to get there. At that point<\/strong> the Rancher explained that it was just a mile or less to the highway from here \u2013 up the hill to the east. They had drug most of the supplies in by snow-mobile during the winter. He and the technician had thought it would be a lot more fun for them and me to come in by horse the old way, rather than hiking in on foot from the highway. I had to agree at that point<\/strong> it was a great trip<\/strong> and only half done as we still had to make the trip<\/strong> out. <\/p>\n