9:30 a.m....We have time before church to walk down to check the bones...if they’re gone, bring the card back to camp to check it...if they’re still there, leave it there.
10:15 a.m.... We left it there because nothing had been taken. Kim thinks the vultures will be in there sometime
during the day. They might not be able
to fly into the area because of the foliage but they can certainly fly to the
edge of the ditch/game trail and walk in.
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On our way back an older man on a motorcycle
stopped to tell us that two javelinas crossed the road in front of him earlier
in his ride just up the road...then he pointed in the direction of the game
trail. He pointed to my camera and said
he thought that we might like to know they’re around...keep an eye out for them.
Two javelinas...Yes!! That confirms that they are in the area. Not sure
what we can put out that will entice a javelina to purposefully wander in front
of our camera but I’m sure Google can tell me.
Found this information on several websites: Javelinas like to
eat things that they can forage for in the desert. They are mainly herbivores,
meaning that they prefer to eat vegetation, although they have been known to
eat lizards and dead rodents. Their preferred diet includes things like roots,
nuts, beans, berries, grass, and cacti, especially agave.
Trivia: A group of peccaries (javelinas) that travel and live together is called a "squadron".
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Just
as predicted today was a warm one...75o by 10 a.m. After lunch it was ride time. But first we had to troubleshoot an issue
with Kim’s communicator. Yesterday it
wouldn’t connect with mine and when that happens it’s very easy to think it’s
operator error...it didn’t get turned on or the volume is too low. Repeatedly hearing Intercom failed, please try again and thinking it’s the other
person’s fault can cause the frustration to mount. However we eventually figured out that mine
was connecting with his. That is was not an operator issue but an equipment
issue.
Long story short: Doing a factory reset did
the trick. Now both communicators are
connecting and it’s time to ride.
--------------------
Came to a decision as to where to ride but
by the time we solved the communicator issue and made a couple of stops in
Coolidge we realized the sun would be an issue on our way home. So we changed our route on the fly to make it
easier on the eyes. How about we just enlarge the Tom Mix loop? Turn left up here...then turn right to take
us past the hill with the pyramid up top...then go into Florence which will
lead to the Tom Mix Highway. Good
thing the radios were working.
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I’ve been keeping tabs on several big
prickly pear cacti up by the tent area.
Buds are all over the edge of the paddles plus new paddles have
popped. I’ve been taking pictures of the
buds and paddles to track their growth.
The paddles grow very quickly and I’ve been hoping that the flowers
bloom before we leave.
And I
don’t think that was iced tea in his glass either. Just sayin’....
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Trail Cam Update
at 6 p.m....I walked to the bait area to put a banana out trying to attract
the javelinas. Of course feeding them is
discouraged because they can become a nuisance but the game trail isn't by any houses. And from what I read it’s doubtful that an adult javelina will eat
bananas anyway but I thought I’d try to draw them in with the smell. They’re under no
obligation to eat them.
When I was about 30 yards away I saw a crow
fly up out of the trail cam area. It sat
on a telephone pole picking at something.
It flew off when I stopped to take a picture and sure enough it had a
bone in its mouth. Ding Dang! Those darn birds! However, when I went down into the trail
all the other bones were still there. It
appears that raven was the only one to find our stash of bones. After watching yesterday’s video I know that if
the vultures had found it they’d be all gone.
I don’t know if the birds are active at night so maybe there’s a chance
we’ll have 4-legged visitors tonight.
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It’s 7:45 p.m....there’s an almost full moon on the rise, the air is still warm (74o) with no breeze and I’m sitting outside near a campfire thinking about the day. I’m kinda diggin’ this.
Headed inside about 9 p.m.
when my legs started feeling cool and the bugs started liking my computer
screen.
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Bike miles today: 108
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