Glow Stick Trial Run

You know, the kind of things kids buy.  You bend them and something inside makes a crackling noise.  Suddenly, the little six inch yellow stick starts lighting up.  I stuck it under the leather ties holding Mike's cantel bag as we headed up the very dark Little Granite Trail yesterday morning.

A no-moon morning.  In the open, the star-light gave one a glimpse of the surroundings.  In the forest, it was pitch-black dark.  The little tube of magic light glowed ahead, bobbing like a buoy on the ocean.  This little glow light ahead was too bright in the pitch black forest.  I worried it was bothering my mule's vision. The thing must have been like the sun to him with his excellent night vision skills.  Gus, my mule, didn't trip or complain, but this experiment worked only to prove a glow stick is not the best solution for a "tail/trail light".

A roll of glow-in-the-dark tape has been ordered.  Perhaps a bit more subtle in the black cloak of the forest.

Our trip around the mountain, a true looped trip, proved very quiet.  Nary a squirrel was heard giving us away in the trees.  Silence.  Never a good sign.  We saw three buck deer, frozen wolf tracks on the trail, and some elk tracks.  Tracks don't put meat in the freezer.

The sun rose over the mountain bringing brilliance to the amazing scenery.  Void of the wildlife this place used to hold, it is still an amazing place to watch light up in the morning celebration. 

We tie up our trusty steeds on a grass-thick forest knob.  This place burned 10 maybe 15 years ago; we try to recall.  Sitting on the moist ground, leaning against a downed and burned tree, we ponder what lies over the next draw.  It's the places you can't see that drive you nuts when hunting.  Surely, if we go just one more ridge over, we'll find some elk!  But no.  This country is too quiet today. 

Pulling sandwiches out, we are graced with one of those experiences that is so easy to take for granted.  Lunch on a hill in the wilderness.  Cool, but not cold.  Not even the slightest of breeze.  The sun warms our left shoulders as we contemplate the disappearance of game in the country.  Together in this place.  We are so lucky this very fine morning - even without a kill.

Mike makes a couple of cow calls.  A bird sounds out a song that at first fools us into believing a bull elk is around.  The bird calls again.  We are no longer fooled. 

Hunting gives us a reason to go to the effort of getting up early, saddling up a couple of mules, riding into the dark, watching the wilderness light up, and celebrating all the things we get to enjoy as we make our armed trail ride loop around the Granite Loop.