The Bear Creek Area

Hello, it's me Miley again.  We had a very busy summer/early fall.  Mommy is taking a break from report writing and is helping with the bloggy.  The keyboard does not cooperate with my paws. I always hit at least 2-3 keys each time!   We spent some time in August in the southern Absaroka Mountains north-northeast of Dubois, WY.  On a limited budget, we happily stayed in a Camping Kabin at the KOA Campground.   We woke up one crisp August morning to 32 degrees with frost on the truck's windshield.  Dubois is at about 6,940 feet so it cools down at night.  

We got to explore a new area (nice road in pic below).  We tried out the 4 Wheel Drive Low setting on the Durango on some rocky, steep grades.

  We had lots of rocky roads.

Walked on trails through the willows.



 Read an informative but not comforting sign.  Happily no close encounters with grizzly bears!

Crossed the East Fork of the Wind River in a shallow rocky area. This probably would have been impossible in June when the water was much higher.   

 

Recorded a cow camp with one cabin dating to the 1920s (with very modern front door).

Nice area for a cow camp.

 
I'll try to get Mommy on here again soon.  Hugs, Miley
Hugs, Miley

Bittersweet Summer

Hello, Miley here.  The past  3 months have went by fast with some good times and sad times as well.  Too many of our doggy friends crossed the rainbow bridge this summer.

My little friend Bisquit departed our world on August 9 after a year of on heart meds (Enalapril, Lasix, and Digoxin twice a day).  Mommy and Daddy got her back in late 1996 - a long time before I was born in 2006.   At the time, she was a 8 week old Boston Terrier/Australian Cattle dog (Heeler) cross puppy advertised as a Boston Terrier cross pup.   She later showed various mannerisms and the tendency to try to herd range cows strongly suggestive of her Heeler Mom (who had a litter of 11, a bit  large for the typical Boston Terrier).    At the age of nearly 14, she had a cardiac episode  leaving her with a severe heart murmur.  On the morning of August 7, 2010,  Mommy woke up and found her breathing very heavily like she had been running around, but had been laying down for hours.  It was Saturday and our vet's office was closed, but Mommy got ahold of Dr. Lyle who met them down there.  Bisquit did really well until this past Spring when it became apparent the meds were gradually loosing effectiveness.

Below is an older pic of Bisquit helping Mommy back in May of 2007.  She is standing by the orange stake along an old stage road.

On a lighter note, Mommy and I got to spend a lot of time in the mountains this summer.  We got to work along the Green Creek Valley at about 35 miles east of Yellowstone National Park and saw some pretty scenery. 

Hugs, Miley.

Back to the Mountains

I've finally gotten Mommy to help me with the bloggy again and take me back in the field with her.  As she told me, it is too hot here but cooler up in the mountains.  We should have been hiking around there last month, but the heavy snowpack and cold Spring delayed us.   We began with some work near the South Fork of the Shoshone River at about 35 miles southwest of Cody, WY. 

Of course, Mommy couldn't resist very briefly attaching me to a hitching post at the Boulder Basin Trailhead.   I am Not a horse!

We had a nice view from there.

After we started hiking away, a bunch of cowboys on horses returned to the trailhead.  They managed to load up into their trailers before the little rainstorm arrived.  

Silly Mommy tried to take a photo of Boulder Creek, but the raindrops smeared the camera lens.

  

Hugs, Miley

Spring finally here and Fieldwork Begins

Hello everyone.  Mommy and I finally got out in the field around April 8 after being delayed by snow and cold weather.  Last year we were working on February 28 - major difference in weather patterns.  The mountain snowpack is ranging from 180-230% of the annual average; guess we won't be hiking in the high country for a while yet.   We feel bad for the people in parts of Montana where it's flooding.

I'm helping Mommy loose the winter weight.  I love exploring around sandstone and shale outcrops, especially when bunnies pop out!  But my mean Mommy won't let me chase them.  Sometimes the bunnies startle her - I think it's funny!

Hugs, Miley

  

Eager for Spring

Hello all, Miley here.  Wow, it's been a long time since our last post!  Mom spent a lot of the winter writing up reports, I couldn't get her to type the bloggy for me.   We are all so tired of winter, it was a long cold one this year.  Hopefully, Mom and I will be back in the field in about another week.  Until then, I'm having great fun digging holes.  The ground is getting much softer and easier to dig in with the frost coming out of the ground.   We are looking forward to spending a lot of time in the mountains this summer - have to wait for the snow to melt off first.

Mommy and I went for a little walkie along a hillside near our home.  She was getting cabin fever and I was very happy to go with her.  We're both out of shape so it was good for us!  So ready for Spring!

Hugs, Miley

Rocky Roads

Just a little reminder!




Hello, Miley here.  Fall is underway in northwest WY and it's cool enough for me to accompany Mommy in the lower elevations (around 4,200-5,200 feet).  Summer is nice if Mommy is working in the mountains, but just too hot down here.  Fortunately, the higher temperatures only last for about 3-4 months.

We encountered some rough rocky roads.  Since we had to archaeologically survey the area anyway, we parked the truck and walked through.  As Mommy put it, the "Dakota is not a rock crawler".  If she takes the ATV, then I have to stay at home which is boring for me.

    Looking downslope. These show up a little better if you click and make them bigger.

Looking upslope and standing by the two-track road.  I'm heading towards Mommy.

Hugs, Miley

We're Back!

Hello, it's me Miley.  Mommy has spent most of the summer trudging about the bentonite mines.  It was too hot for me to go with her so I had to stay home - Very boring for me.  I did excavate some elaborate tunnels in my spare time. 

Happily, the weather has cooled down with fall's arrival.  Earlier this month, Mommy and I had one last brief project in the mountains just southeast of Bridger-Teton National Forest.  We made the 350 mile drive (no interstate, mostly 2 lane roads)  in only 7 hours including two bathroom stops, a fuel stop, and the Wendy's drive-thru.  I love hamburgers! Drove by the Farson Mercantile (below).

Our chilly study area was on the crest of Commissary Ridge at elevations of 9,300-9,450 feet.  Very little snow, but the ground was starting to feeze.  I saw a pretty rock (weighing around 7-10 pounds) only 40 feet or so from our truck.  I asked Mommy to pick it up for me - usually the larger nice ones are far from where we've parked.  Mommy tried to extract it, but the stone was frozen into the ground!  Guess it'll stay there until May or June. 

Upon checking in at the motel, we discovered that our room was on the second floor, not the first floor as planned.  For Mommy this simply meant more climbing but I didn't like the stairs (open with expanded metal steps)!  They were scarey!  If I had little paws like a Pomeranian or sheltie, my feet would have went through.  Mommy had to coax me up the stairs then down for the first few times.       

  Had a nice view from the project area (referring to pic below not scarey stairway above)

Have a Happy Halloween!

Hugs, Miley