Dirty Jobs on, back to back to back to back--making oak barrels, cutting down oaks and hauling them with mules, horses on some island hauling recyclables, then banding geese in the Yukon Delta.
There is a dirty job hereabouts, hauling out the night soil from the latrines in the high country...Vernal and Little Yosemite valley too. They put it in metal barrels and load it on mules. Everything is hauled back and forth to the High Camps by mules. Probably the best dirty job!
In Little Yosemite Valley once, the mule train passed me...I was carrying full pack on way down from Vogelsang hike...and a mule lost a shoe. I picked it up, and not certain, or knowing of such things, wondered if it was important...and started to walk faster to catch up and tell the mule skinner? (the stable hand on the horse) about the shoe...a walk wasn't fast enough, so I went into a trot, then a run...this with the full pack...and I'm laughing at myself...and then finally I shouted out and got his attention. He turned in the saddle, took in me holding the shoe up, and dipped his hat. I stopped, tuckered out. I still have the shoe...a souvenir for luck.
It may be what I'm about, chasing mules.
Yes, a wild goose chase...
Pic is a hare(?) seen at beginning of yesterday's hike to Mt. Dana.
DavidDavid
Tree in the Door
August 29, 2007
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