Don't Mess With Me!

This morning Daphne joined me on a dawn hunt for Elk in rut.  We drove all over kingdom-come to find a herd of elk that I could photograph, and we finally came across several bulls in competition for a small group of cows only a couple miles from our house.  The dominant bull was on the right side of the road, bugling his challenge to two younger bulls on the opposite side of the road.  We pulled over on the shoulder and I jumped out to get some shots - hoping I could catch them fighting.  Well, the main bull was closer than I realized, and as I stepped around the truck he saw the movement and came up the embankment towards me with a determined look in his eyes.  I jumped behind the truck and took the picture above - and he then swung his head back and forth and knocked branches off the trees and dug at the ground with his antlers.  I don't speak elk, but I didn't need a translator to catch his meaning: "Don't mess with me!"   We sat there for the better part of 30 minutes watching the mexican standoff between the three bulls - but the two challengers never engaged with the dominant bull.  This being my first time to see the elk in rut, I wonder how often the bulls actually fight.  So far it hasn't happened when we've been present, but sooner or later the dominant bull has to lose the fight to a

younger bull.  I know now to keep a healthy distance from these huge animals, especially when their hormones are raging.  We were amazed by how loud the bugling is when you're close up.  We could also hear a strange sound like someone knocking two pieces of wood together, and then we realized the noise was coming from the main bull's panting breath.  Good thing the mating season only lasts a couple of weeks, because I doubt he ever takes the time to eat or rest while he's watching his ladies.  Just goes to show why polygamy is a bad idea!

Journey Racing Team

One of the things I love about our church is that we like to have fun, and we'll try just about anything to bring people together.  Not far from Conifer is the Bandemere Raceway - a quarter mile drag racing track that runs along the base of the foothills.  The fastest cars (and especially the motorcycles) can run the quarter mile in 9 seconds . . our car can do it in 14 (which translates to around 100 miles an hour). Our church's car is a 1967 Dodge Coronet that's been stripped down to the bare minimum.  The original engine has been replaced by an RV engine, so it has a huge amount of power.  The goal of having our own car is not just to win races, but to include kids and adults from church who can help in rebuilding the car, or learn how to drive in a drag race.  It's also a way to build a sense of community ( and bring along our friends who may never darken the door of a church). Anyone who has a valid drivers' license can drive on Wednesdays,  and you'll see just about every make and model of vehicle at the track.  Wednesdays are "Test-N-Tune" nights, which for most people means an opportunity to push their car to its limits prior to race day, and fix the inevitable problems. Although I didn't drive last time (I'm planning to drive this Wednesday) I had a great time watching the whole atmosphere.   I've invited my friend Bob to join me, and he is really excited at the idea of driving a car at the Bandemere track.  It's not WHAT you know, it's WHO you know, right?  There's just something primal deep inside most men that yearns to drive at high speeds in a controlled environment -- in other words, we all want to RACE!  Ohhh yeah baby! 

Tomorrow is Daphne's birthday, and to celebrate the day she and I are driving back up to Estes Park to go on a six mile hike with our dear friend Sharon.  The weather is looking like it will be perfect, so it should be a great day.