Mike has a job that allows him to take off a certain amount of time. When I talked to him in GN he did not want to take the Pacific coast route
because he was already behind schedule (and we al know what happened) . I will let him tell you later what his real job is but at a certain point in
time he will have to report back for work. No big layoffs.
Quote:
Originally posted by tripledigitken
Quote:
Originally posted by astrobaja
..........He sure looks pretty skinney, could Mike be convinced to give him a month or 2 off and then continue his trek? Be nice if a vet gave him a
once over too!
He could take a break and resume the journey at a later date like Graham did on one of his treks/books. Don-Kay may just be sending a signal he needs
a break.
His "time" situation was the main topic of the video I posted earlier. I shot the video at Asuncion on Dec 27. His original itinerary was to cut
back across the peninsula to Loreto, but had decided in the sake of the burro - and time - that he was staying on the Pacific side for the remainder
of the trip all the way to Cabo.
Here's the video again:
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
when Mike was here in La Bocana, he was unsure whether he would hightail it back to the States to work to pay mortgage or do something else ... he is
retired ... but still works for extra cash, as I understood it.
Shari ! So wonderful that you went out to meet him again - and sorry to hear that Don Kay isn't looking so sprite - she was fat and happy when she
left here. Dr Romero had her on a special diet and he is an expert in everything animal. He adores them. I am sure that if he weren't an MD, he'd've
been a vet.
Juanita has promised some pictures .....of when he stayed in San Ignacio.
Originally posted by BajaBlanca
when Mike was here in La Bocana, he was unsure whether he would hightail it back to the States to work to pay mortgage or do something else ... he is
retired ... but still works for extra cash, as I understood it.
Shari ! So wonderful that you went out to meet him again - and sorry to hear that Don Kay isn't looking so sprite - she was fat and happy when she
left here. Dr Romero had her on a special diet and he is an expert in everything animal. He adores them. I am sure that if he weren't an MD, he'd've
been a vet.
Juanita has promised some pictures .....of when he stayed in San Ignacio.
I really don't want to bump those photos of Don-Kay 'feeling happy' to show you it is NOT a SHE, so trust me okay?
Mike, Don-Kay and Solo covered another 10 miles today (3 days in a row!)!!
They have set up camp in Arroyo San Juan (on the AAA map) or Arroyo El Valle as named on the Baja Almanac.
They are now just 25 miles from San Juanico... two or three days if all remains well!
Time for a new map... I have also added in the new paved highway running south from San Juanico and according to satellite images taken less than a
year ago, the pavement now runs all the way to Arroyo La Purisima... but not additional roadbed or bridge construction was seen.
A dirt road goes from the new pavement over to near the Pacific then goes south to Las Barrancas where a paved road leads out.
Mike has mentioned going into La Purisima then back to the Pacific... but perhaps he can shave 2 days off by just taking the new road to Las
Barrancas?
I went back and looked at early pictures of Don Kay... he doesn't look much different. He's always been kinda skinny. Remember, he is working out
every day so he must be in pretty good shape. I don't think Mike would keep loading him up if he was not feeling right. I mean, if he was too thin
and weak wouldn't he be tripping and staggering around when loaded up?
Don Kay was in perfect health when he left here and I think Mike is so attuned to his animals at this point, that if anything seemed "off" he wd
certainly deal with it !! DonKay is a beast that is used to his burden for sure .... they say animals are happiest when they have a job and HE has a
good job with the greatest boss in the world
Mike, Don-Kay, and Solo walked about 9 miles to 'Ballena del Raymundo' (AAA map)/ 'La Ballena' (Baja Almanac)... overlooking a water filled gorge in a
ranchers back yard.
They are now 15 miles from San Juanico! 1-2 days walk...
Ok its great that Mike has such positive followers BUT sheer enthusiasm will not address underlying problems with Don Kay.
Mike will NOT be an expert on everything donkey after this trip he went into this with zero prior experience, he was not part of an equine police
detachement!
1.) has Don Kay ever been wormed before??
If NOT, then he may have a substantial parasite load. Parasite are always in the system of equines its not a matter of getting rid of them totally its
a matter of "managing" them with a rotating regimen of wormers. We have some tubes of Ivermectin and if someone is heading south we would donate a
tube. But if he has never had a wormer he could colic if he has a large amount of parasites he needs to be watched carefully the day of the worming
and the feces need to be checked to see if lots are coming out.
Our experience has been that animals do not lose condition (ie muscle mass) rapidly its kind of a gradual process. Its more likely that he is like an
athlete in a state of overtraining and he is not repairing muscle faster than it is being lost by too much excercise. He probably needs at least a
couple weeks rest!!
Mike would feel pretty crappy if it turns out that he was pushing Don Kay too hard and the animal died!!
\"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.There is another theory which states that this has already happened\"
Originally posted by astrobaja
Ok its great that Mike has such positive followers BUT sheer enthusiasm will not address underlying problems with Don Kay.
Mike will NOT be an expert on everything donkey after this trip he went into this with zero prior experience, he was not part of an equine police
detachement!
1.) has Don Kay ever been wormed before??
If NOT, then he may have a substantial parasite load. Parasite are always in the system of equines its not a matter of getting rid of them totally its
a matter of "managing" them with a rotating regimen of wormers. We have some tubes of Ivermectin and if someone is heading south we would donate a
tube. But if he has never had a wormer he could colic if he has a large amount of parasites he needs to be watched carefully the day of the worming
and the feces need to be checked to see if lots are coming out.
Our experience has been that animals do not lose condition (ie muscle mass) rapidly its kind of a gradual process. Its more likely that he is like an
athlete in a state of overtraining and he is not repairing muscle faster than it is being lost by too much excercise. He probably needs at least a
couple weeks rest!!
Mike would feel pretty crappy if it turns out that he was pushing Don Kay too hard and the animal died!!
astro:
maybe don-kay can retire to your ranch. do you want a donkey? perhaps he comes with solo the dog too.
Do we want a donkey? Nope we had 35-40 horses plus cows and goats for 17 years that was enough 2 horses, 3 cats and a dog is plenty for us now.
Besides I think if Don Kay survives he will have no problem getting a nice ranchero to adopt him in Baja Sur!
\"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.There is another theory which states that this has already happened\"
Originally posted by astrobaja
Do we want a donkey? Nope we had 35-40 horses plus cows and goats for 17 years that was enough 2 horses, 3 cats and a dog is plenty for us now.
Besides I think if Don Kay survives he will have no problem getting a nice ranchero to adopt him in Baja Sur!
If Don Kay can get to Missouri we would consider taking him to live with our other long eared buddies! We would need to know in advance if that is an
option Mike can work out.
Ken
SoMoMule.com
Southern Missouri Mule
Outfitter & Equine Supply
We didn't expect to see the trio today but just took a ride in the dune buggy out towards Cadeje and there they were coming down the North road almost
to town. We had told our friend Pedro about Mike and he had ridden out on his horse to meet them. They still have a couple miles to go before they get
here and BigWooo has gone back out to take Mike his only request- a couple of cold beers! More to follow...
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
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2 horses, 3 cats and a dog is plenty for us now.