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Summer time, and the living is . . . .
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Shawn
I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!




Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 2592
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ

PostPosted: 7/9/2010, 6:49 pm    Post subject: Summer time, and the living is . . . . Reply to topic Reply with quote

. . . not exactly easy but very rewarding.

I'm doing a stint as guest host at TNC's Hart Prairie Preserve. Started Monday afternoon and haven't let up yet. Plenty to do, and a beautiful place to do it.

Heard there was a huge bull elk in the meadow yesterday so got up early to check for him today. Didn't see him but did see about 45 others out on the prairie south of the aspen grove. At first glance I noticed 6 or 8, then put the binoculars on them which brought up the herd. Pretty amazing, just wish they'd been closer. One project underway is some trimming of the Bebb Willows (removal of dead branches to prevent a grass fire from "crowning" into the willows), so we are out there almost every day. These willows are the elk bedding ground, as evidenced by lots of grazed areas and droppings.

Monsoons started in earnest today, the sky opened up around 1:30 and it rained hard for an hour. Now the air is clean and the sun is streaming in under a cloud layer to light up the aspen grove and the lower half of the mountain.

Life is good.
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Deborah





Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 297
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: 7/9/2010, 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

sounds great ! How's the shultz fire?
I want to camp in Lockett's meadow sometime.
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Shawn
I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!




Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 2592
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ

PostPosted: 7/9/2010, 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Shultz fire is out, don't know about Lockett Meadow but I'm sure the forest service has availability posted somewhere.
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gpsjoe





Joined: 01 Feb 2004
Posts: 535
Location: Mesa AZ

PostPosted: 7/9/2010, 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

The Coconino website last update was July 7. Looks like fire is contained but roads and trails off route 89 remain closed but there is a phone number to call for more info which I would do if I was serious about going in there.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/conditions/
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paintninaz





Joined: 06 Jan 2003
Posts: 3515

PostPosted: 7/9/2010, 8:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Summer time, and the living is . . . . Reply to topic Reply with quote

Shawn wrote:
. . . not exactly easy but very rewarding.

I'm doing a stint as guest host at TNC's Hart Prairie Preserve. Started Monday afternoon and haven't let up yet. Plenty to do, and a beautiful place to do it.

Heard there was a huge bull elk in the medow yesterday so got up early to check for him today. Didn't see him but did see about 45 others out on the prairie south of the aspen grove. At first glance I noticed 6 or 8, then put the binoculars on them which brought up the herd. Pretty amazing, just wish they'd been closer. One project underway is some trimming of the Bebb Willows (removal of dead branches to prevent a grass fire from "crowning" into the willows). So we are out there almost every day. These willows are the elk bedding ground, as evidenced by lots of grazed areas and droppings.

Monsoons started in earnest today, the sky opened up around 1:30 and rained hard for an hour. Now the air is clean and the sun is streaming in under a cloud layer to light up the aspen grove and the lower half of the mountain.

Life is good.


AWESOME stint for you Shawn!! Agree
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/10/2010, 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Sounds fun! All these volunteer jobs sound so interesting and fun! Mikehikes is doing a stint at Lees Ferry as a volunteer rafting check-in ranger. I had thought about volunteering for the FS this summer but am having too much fun doing whatever I want to do... Mr. Green
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sirena





Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 93

PostPosted: 7/14/2010, 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Shawn, you are definitely making the most of your retirement!
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Sirena

Sirena's Wanderings
http://www.desertsirena.wordpress.com

Arizona Trail for Fibromyalgia
http://www.aztrail4fms.org
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oliverr99





Joined: 04 Jul 2006
Posts: 632
Location: Glendale

PostPosted: 7/15/2010, 10:51 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I am jealous! I love Hart Prairie. Have a great time!! And thanks for all your hard work.
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"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" -- Dr. Seuss
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tibber





Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 247
Location: Phoenix

PostPosted: 7/26/2010, 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

What a great way to spend some of your retirement. So incredible... your hard work will be appreciated by many for years to come. Thank you.
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Shawn
I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!




Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 2592
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ

PostPosted: 7/27/2010, 9:06 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

For a couple hours tonight we watched a thunderstorm beat up Mt Humphreys. Lightening bolts, flashes, thunder crackling overhead, rain in the distance, the aspens shaking in the breeze, four elk running across the prairie all alarmed about something, coyotes howling . . . Words fail me to describe how incredible it was. Now (9 PM) its just a gentle rain.

Check out Neil's photos on facebook.
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Hikngrl
Canyoneering is my 'Happy Place'




Joined: 27 May 2003
Posts: 5578
Location: Peoria, AZ

PostPosted: 7/29/2010, 6:01 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Neil has some beautiful shots up!
I am told we are on the calendar for some time in Oct this year. Is this so? I am gonna have to know pretty soon so I can make sure I am not on call for that time.
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desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 3350
Location: Chandler, AZ

PostPosted: 7/29/2010, 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

What dates for October -- Can we make a sign up ?
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Shawn
I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!




Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 2592
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ

PostPosted: 7/31/2010, 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Rain, rain, and more rain. Hard to get a full day's work in but it's still beautiful up here. The clouds against the mountains are spectacular.

I see something on the calendar that looks like us for Oct 22-24.
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paintninaz





Joined: 06 Jan 2003
Posts: 3515

PostPosted: 7/31/2010, 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Shawn wrote:
I see something on the calendar that looks like us for Oct 22-24.


I will mark it on my calendar! Agree
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desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 3350
Location: Chandler, AZ

PostPosted: 8/2/2010, 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Penciled in... Its a full moon night on Saturday 23rd!
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