Something just scared the hell out of Nick on the ground below the lookout tower.

[DemoTex]

It is good and solid dark now. I forgot that Nick was outside (I normally keep closer tabs on him than I do my bank account). I was engrossed in reading posts on DU.

All of a sudden I heard alarm barking, yelping, and Nick running up the 60 steps of the lookout. He came in, unhurt, shaking like a leaf. He cozied up to me and wouldn't move for several minutes. When he did move, I went out and cranked the 2KW generator and plugged in the halogen floods on the SE and SW corners of the lookout. Nothing.

Ironically, the USFS biologists visited today and we talked about mountain lions (I saw one a few weeks ago on the wet side - which happens to be the west side - of the Deschutes National Forest). Maybe Nick overheard the conversation and is as jumpy as I am.

On another subject: Have you ever felt that you were the only person in the world doing a particular thing at a particular time? I mean enough to claim it? I'll wager you that I am the only person in the world tonight in a fire lookout tower in the wilderness listening to an Edith Piaf CD. Fair enough?

Watch for a big picture post tomorrow. I've got something special to cool down you east coasters. And I might have some awesome sunset pics from tonight, but I need to process the RAW files tomorrow morning.

Otherwise, all is well. There was no lightning today. Fire danger is HIGH. ERC is 59, for those who know what that is, and the RH (relative humidity) is 15% - not good if (nay, WHEN) the lightning comes.

More tomorrow with pics, I promise!

[KansasVoter]

1. I bet you are the only one maybe ever!

[DemoTex]

8. I have a bud who runs, IMO, the best restaurant in Greenville, SC (where I live off-fire season)

Buddy loves Edith Piaf, and often her "Greatest Hits" CD is on in the background at the Augusta Grill. A couple of weeks ago, I had the Piaf CD on as I cooked supper. I decided to dial up the Augusta Grill and get Buddy on the line.

I did, and I put the phone up to the boom box speaker, and asked Buddy the same question: "Can I claim to be the only fire lookout in the world listening to Edith Piaf in a fire lookout tower tonight?"

He LOVED it! I get reports that he is still telling other customers about that call.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Take care and hope no lightning

today several of us were wondering where were you.

Good to know you are ok... and Nick most likely saw or heard something.

[ClassWarrior]

3. Thanx Tex.

:hi:

NGU.

[d_b]

4. grab an axe

[DemoTex]

11. I prefer a Pulaski

Wildland firefighter's weapon of choice.

[Missy Vixen]

5. Crank "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" for me

I'd never heard Edith Piaf before seeing "Bull Durham". I like the thought of the beautiful voice lifting into the air over the forest.

:woohoo:

[Lifelong Protester]

7. I vote for that one too.

I love the "little sparrow".

[DemoTex]

12. I love coming back from the outhouse (100 meters away) ..

And hearing opera, or Bach, or Piaf cranked up to the max. It resonates with the environment.

I kick myself for selling my Loree oboe. This would be the perfect setting for hours and hours of practice.

But I want to learn the cello (I play the bass violin). Maybe next season I'll bring a cello and find a teacher in Bend.

[roguevalley]

18. I remember seeing her on the Ed Sullivan show. She was so

small and so talented.

[DemoTex]

21. She died of cancer in 1963.

Age 47.

[Ignis]

28. +1, play it LOUD so the mountain lions can hear.

:thumbsup:

[blogslut]

6. Give Nick a cuddle for me

Hymne A L'amour is gorgeous. I hope it's on your CD.

[jobycom]

9. Probably unrelated, but isn't "Predators" due out soon?

Just sayin'.

Good luck up there. :)

[elehhhhna]

10. chu - pa -- chu - pacabra, king of the wild frontier... eveybody sing!

[onehandle]

13. Vive la France! Vive Édith!

I always look forward to your posts when you are on the job.

[DemoTex]

14. Merci, beaucoup!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. My dear DemoTex!

How scary for Nick...I hope he's OK now...

I'm looking forward to your pictures tomorrow!

And your sunset pics are second to none...

Stay safe, sweetie...

:hug:

[DemoTex]

16. Hi Peg!

I hope all is well to my south in Cali.

:hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. Ah, we're fine, thanks!

A little shaking yesterday from a not too near earthquake...no problem!

:hi:

[havocmom]

17. Big Foot? Hope not a bear. Bears and dogs are not a good mix usually.

Poor Nick. Glad he didn't get hurt out there with whatever it was. Put a Benji movie in for the good fella.

[DemoTex]

19. I don't really worry about bears.

After the snow pack melts there is no water in this side (the high desert side) of the Newberry Caldera. What few bears might have been over here cross back over the rim to water.

However, the big cats (cougar) stay. Don't ask me where they get their water.

[havocmom]

34. Keep in mind that sows run off males offspring at a point

And bears will cross a lot of desert to get to the next watering hole. Tucson has a bear problem when the young males leave the Mt. Lemmon 'sky island' and have to cross the desert to get to the next clump of mountains.

If the bears go north, they bother few. If they go south and head for the Santa Rita Mountains 'sky island' they cross Tucson. You'd be surprised where you might encounter a bear ;) Running across an urban street, or even confused and on an airstrip at Davis Monthan, bears happen.

Your little wooded hill might look to be worth a try for an inexperienced male striking out on his own for the first time.

But, yeah, lions, even bobcats might be a likely scare for Nick.

Still, wouldn't rule out a snake either. Keep an eye on him.

[xxqqqzme]

22. Oh, goody - pictures

tomorrow. I'll be looking for your post. Your pictures are always a treat.

[MilesColtrane]

23. Chupacabra?

Bigfoot?

[Beam Me Up]

24. I really enjoy reading your reports. Thanks! n/t

[fishbulb703]

25. Always trust a dog! Their (arguably) first domesticated use was guard duty.

besides being garbage disposal units =P

[Suich]

26. Was wondering how you were!!!

How about something to cool down us "west coasters," too?

:hi:

[mike_c]

27. a lion or a bear are likely the only things that would scare a dog that much....

I'd look for bear tracks, frankly. If it was a lion, Nick probably wouldn't have come back up the stairs, unless the lion wasn't hunting.

I'm just a few hours south of you, but on the coast. So far it's looking like a mellow fire season here, although you can never tell when things will blow up unexpectedly, of course.

I love your fire lookout posts. I spend as much time in the woods as I can, and the dry side of Oregon is one of my favorites. I'm looking forward to your latest pics!

[XemaSab]

45. The time I saw a lion there was a dog there

and the dog's body language was all "Oh hell no."

Dogs aren't dumb. :P

[redqueen]

29. Nice... the Piaf, I mean.

Sounds like a nice job, too. Hope you find it enjoyable.

[myrna minx]

30. I absolutely love your posts.

:hi:

[Lex]

31. Love your posts, DemoTex.

Looking forward to new pix. :thumbsup:

[frylock]

32. maybe it was a sasquatch?

:scared:

[kgnu_fan]

33. Keep Nick close! And thank you for your post. Uniquely beautiful.

Sometime, I feel the same way. Sometime I feel that I am here to witness the world on behalf of God since S/he/it needs to cover all the infinite perspectives in the vast space and time. And I feel fortunate that my view is usually beautiful and fun. I always think of soldiers who are witnessing the hell right now and forever. Bring troop home.

[dmr]

35. Your post scared me! Give Nick a good rub down for me.

I always look forward to your posts, especially the ones with pictures.

Hope you include at least one of Nick. He's a gorgeous dog.

Stay safe.
:hi:

[Jamastiene]

36. I wish you would write a book about your adventures.

I would love reading all your updates back to back, in order.

K&R, of course. :thumbsup:

[depakid]

37. Imagine in a dog's mind what the smell of a REALLY BIG cat must conjure up!

[sabrina 1]

38. Poor puppy, I'm glad he got home safely. And I think you are

right, you probably are the only person doing what you are doing right now, and it sounds wonderful.

[boston bean]

39. Glad to see you post! I love your stories and pics!

[phasma ex machina]

40. Re: "Have you ever felt that you were the only person in the world doing a particular thing

at a particular time?"

All of the time. The mold gets broken with everybody because everybody's unique. Even twins marching in military formation focus their attention on different things.

Time for cat tales.

Friends of mine who live on a mountain about a mile away reckon that several mountain lions prowl around killing pets, deer, and antelope. One guy has a wooden stairway/sidewalk going down the side of the mountain from his perch. Sometimes his dogs bark and bay at the top of the stairs, but will not go down into the bush.

One day a handy man working below heard the soft pads of a cat coming up from behind him on the wooden sidewalk. He was a mountain man, probably a lot like you, so in one fluid movement he instinctively turned around, squatted, and threw both arms out to the side. It was enough to startle the cat. That time.

Anyhow, after I write this I'll head on up the paved mountain road on my bike. It's sort of thrilling to peddle in the twilight, braced for a sudden attack. Like a surfer going through sharks for the sake of an over-the-top adrenalin rush.

Black tip sharks infest the waters of New Smyrna Beach, Florida: some surfers
love the thrill of surfing with sharks (photo courtesy www.swimatyourownrisk.com)

:rofl:

[Synicus Maximus]

rack up your 12 guage

[stevedeshazer]

41. Late to the party, DemoTex, my guess is coyotes

Longshot guess, maybe a cougar. A badger or skunk?

All those critters live there.

Good to read your missives from East Butte. Fire Season just really starts now; hope you don't get dry lightning strikes.

We've had such a wet spring that undergrowth of combustible material could mean a whole bunch of fire trouble throughout the summer in central Oregon and the whole Northwest. Add lightning strikes and holy shit DemoTex is gonna be very busy.

A bunch of us live vicariously through your fire lookout posts, but I especially enjoy the Nick stuff, since I just lost my little buddy of seventeen years. Charlie would have very much enjoyed such an adventure. We visited every county in Oregon, and I take relief that a friends dog would enjoy it as much as mine did.

See ya later, man.

[lunatica]

42. Tell Nick he's as smart as a whip

Knows exactly what to do. Good dog!

I'm happy to hear from you. I've been one of those wondering and hoping all is going well for you. I love Edit Piaf and can only imagine the sound of her singing echoing in the mountains! Thanks for the wonderful thought.

[DemoTex]

43. Here is another piece to the puzzle of what traumatized Nick (he is a basket case, still)

Nick will not go down the lookout steps without me. He comes back up as soon as I do (prior to Thursday evening, he would spend hours on the ground). He is traumatized.

Grab this clue and run with it: I have seen NO deer on the butte since about Wednesday. I usually see deer several times a day at the salt lick below the lookout. Not one deer in three days. I think there is a cougar up here and I'm reacting accordingly.

:scared:


Nick on the ground that he now fears

[Born_A_Truman]

44. Be careful ...

I know we had one here a few years ago; my horse was going crazy and it wasn't coyotes (they go in and out of the corrals all day long and never bother the horses). I hope you have protection there Mac!

And, don't forget to look up.

[DemoTex]

47. It's like my air combat missions on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

I'm alone, unarmed, and scared shitless.

[SoCalDem]

46. Yikes.. I'd keep Nick on a leash ..poor baby

I'd bet on a cougar too.. a Mama cougar has probably scoped him out as an easy prey:scared: she probably has cubs close by, and a largish dog who stays pretty much in one place every day, is easier than chasing down a deer..

are you allowed to have a pellet gun to chase a big cat or bear away?

[Tsiyu]

48. OMG

Nick looks just like my pup.

He's half lab/half Giant Schnauzer. Looks like Nick might also be one?

Our baby is a rescue dog, abused but rescued and very, very sweet. Sweetest dog I ever had, really. He's under my desk at my feet.

My son and I laughed as Nick's picture slowly loaded (and in fact only just now finished loading as I type...love that dialup lol) and he looks like our baby!

He doesn't have all the white paw hair, but other than that, they could be bros.

You and Nick steer clear of those cougars!!!

If all else fails, make a flaming torch!

[ConsAreLiars]

49. Smart dog. A bit off topic, but when you have a few days off drive a couple hours to

to Scott Lake Campground. The three hike-in sites at the second lake are paradise, but the easy-moderate hike to the several Tenas Lakes is wonderful. The trail is ID'd as the Benson Lake Trail, but those are the highlights. Went there one year in June and couldn't get within 20-30 miles (4800 feet at the campground level), so you are approaching prime season.

Looked around the web for info and pics that show something like my experiences and found nothing worth linking to. I have a some pics of the Tenas Lakes I could upload to photobucket, but only some that show why I so loved camping at Scott Lake have been put there, at http://s379.photobucket.com/albums/oo235/ConsAreLiars/