Liz's Gypsy Journey

Summer is always a busy time. Between work, life, local fairs and fire season. I was hauling trailers out of the Boise area and trying to spend time with my family and friends up there. And June isn’t just any other month to me but it is also my birthday month. Which the older I get the more I question if I actually want to turn another year older. But luckily for me I don’t have to make that decision.

June 2017 I was turning 27.  I have never been one that was concerned about being another year older or had given it any thought. Well this year was different. I had a total emotional melt down. I was questioning everything! I was questioning what I was supposed to be doing with my life, where I was supposed to be, and even questioning if I was the best me I could be. Well luckily for me as I was having my mild Britney Spears moment I had one of my best friends to turn to. I wanted to make a change. I wanted to change-up my hair. I wanted to do something no one would expect and something that felt like me. So into Shear Harmony I went (yes still in a total panic about almost being 27) got to Emily’s station and said ok do it. Shave part of my head. Now this had been a suggestion made a few month prior but I was uneasy about it. I figured what better time to do it then the week before my bday. So Em double checked it was what I wanted and did what any good hair dresser and best friend would do. She got the clippers and we said good-bye to part of my hair. Now the panic really set in but I was digging it and knew I could trust her. After the end of the appointment I went from walking in a brunette with shoulder length hair back to my natural color which is blonde part of my head shaved and absolutely in love with my new cut. Now that was just the start to summer. Nothing says change like a dramatic hair cut right?

For the past 3 years I have had the honor to clerk the livestock department at the Shasta District Fair. With that comes getting to work with some of the best. Traci Anderson is the best to work with. She can always make your day better, we laughed consistently and her smile could turn anyone’s day around. Walking into the office I always knew that Traci had my back. This years fair was a tough one. It was hot. But our office made the best of it.  And little did we know in a few short months we would be losing the light of our office. Traci will always be in my memory and heart. Fair will never be the same without her.

July brought a road trip that was much-needed to the Central Coast of California. When you are offered a trip to the Central Coast the week of July 4th you have to take it. On of my favorite road trip buddies was able to go. Maggi actually had the time off so off we went to pick up a horse and spend the 4th in Pismo Beach. We stayed with some friends at their awesome place. Toured Hearst Castle, went to the beach and did the touristy things. One of the perks was definitely being able to be on the beach watching the fireworks in Pismo. It was a perfect night and the show was awesome. It is a must see if you are able to. We also got to watch some of the best Polo players practice and seeing polo in person is amazing.  July also brought the Tehama District Fair where I also clerk the sheep show. It was my nieces second year and it was overall a great fair. Lots of friends and family and memories.

July /august was also the start of fire season. Fire season is always bitter-sweet. So much destruction happens but it always the season that keeps me going. I get to haul trailers to and from some of the big fires and you never know where or when you are going. The two guys I haul for are awesome. I truly enjoy getting to see the different places. And you never know when the season will start and end. This year I went to Merced, Ukiah, Grass Valley and Napa. Most of those places I made multiple rounds to. That is always an adventure you never know where you are dropping the trailer.

Summer time is always busy but it has so many perks. A lot of memories and travels to see.

May what a month it was! It started out going to the Boise area for work to grab a trailer on the weekends getting to spend time with a friend of mine that lives up there as well as one of my favorite people who I am lucky enough to call family. Growing up I always thought that Boise was sooooo far away. But come to find out it is actually only 8.5/9 hours away which for someone like me that loves to drive is nothing.

On one of my trips home one of my good friends Jen who is one of the owners of Girls With Guns Clothing called me to see what I was doing. As the conversation went on she goes so I know one of your dream hunts is a black bear hunt well do you want to go with me next week up in Idaho? Without any hesitation I of course said YES! This had been a one of my dream hunts. I have always wanted to bear hunt and find them to be incredible animals. I have also always heard about how good the meat is. One things about bears is that as amazing as they are they are definitely predators. They will kill anything to eat.

The trip to Idaho for the hunt was a go. Jen and I were Garden Valley bound to hunt with Table Mountain Outfitters. Not only was I finally getting to go on my dream hunt I was also getting to spend time with an amazing, hard working friend. The road trip was definitely fun. Anytime Jen and I are together you can guarantee that we are laughing. We made it to the house in Garden Valley met the awesome crew and I was so excited about the hunt in the morning. I was hunting with Tyler and Keedin. Jen was with Scott and Angie. Driving up the mountain Tyler asked me what color bear I would like. I told him just a straight up black bear. He then informed me that they had only seen one but that he would see what he could do.

We were hunting with hounds and that was also another first for me. I quickly learned just how amazing those dogs are. As we drove up the road farther all of a sudden the dogs started barking. But Tyler thought they were smelling an old trail. So we continued on. On our way back down they struck again at the same spot but it still wasn’t what Tyler was hoping for. He has raised most of these dogs and they are like his kids. He knows everything about them. We went down the mountain a little farther and Tyler decided to go back to the spot and see what the dogs could find. Sure enough they struck again and he released them. They got on a bear and the race was on! They all have tracking collars on so we could see exactly where the dog was, who was in the lead and which way they were headed. Now I didn’t know that bears will run the same the path over and over again. The dogs ran the bear around the mountain and we were watching were they were most likely going to cross the road at. We got to the spot and barely missed them but we looked up and saw the bear running up the mountain. I was so excited because he was a straight black bear. Tyler couldn’t believe that the first bear we got on was the exact color of the one I wanted to harvest.

The dogs and the bear ran awhile until the GPS popped up with dogs treed. Pretty sure all the dogs were stopped. Tyler went to check to see what was going on and sure enough the bear was treed. He was a mature bear. So I got the go ahead to hike up the mountain to him. We got the crew together and started the hike up to him. Angie, Jen and I started up the hill with the camera man Kelly. Tyler was with the dogs and the bear up towards the top. The climb up the mountain was definitely work but so worth it. We finally made it to the top and there he was up in a pine tree about 70-80 feet. I was shocked at how well they climb and just how amazing of an animal that they are. We took some time to admire him and catch our breathes. We got set up for the perfect shot. Everyone was clear and I pulled the trigger. It was a perfect heart shot and he didn’t suffer at all. I was so honored to take such an amazing animal. Every time I hunt I never take it lightly. It is something I do to feed my family and every animal I harvest I am thankful for.

When I was able to go up to this incredible animal it was a humbling experience. I was so grateful to be able to go on this hunt. We did what we needed to do to prep the bear to be packed out and back down the mountain we went. The dogs did such an amazing job and it was incredible to see them work.

Back to the house we went and it was Jens turn. She hunted the evening and full next day and still hadn’t gotten a bear. The third morning I was with Tyler and the dogs we had with us got two treed. Scott and Angies crew got a bear treed and Jen was able to harvest hers. The hunt was incredible! I got to learn so much about bear hunting and how the dogs work. The dogs are definitely family to them.

With Jen and mines tags full we were headed home a few days early and luckily for me I was able to book a trailer back to California. It was an incredible 5 days with Jen on one of the best hunts I have ever been on. It will be a hunt I will forever be thankful for.

 

A few thousand miles and I was home. Home once again to my friends and family as well as the crazy busy schedule I normally keep. April is always a month I look forward to. April 2017 was definitely a busy month but such amazing memories were made.

First up for April was a local trap shooting contest up in Manton CA. A small club puts this shoot together and it was such a fun time. I ended up in a shoot off to win the competition. It was a great warm up for the next shoot that I would be attending a week later with the Girls With Guns team.

The Girls With Guns crew is the best. We have all become such great friends. The type of friends that have each others back even tho we all live a distance away from each other. The shoot we were attending benefits the Ronald McDonald House. They are always great shoots and such fun times.

Before I knew it was time for Alecia, Whitney, Erica and I were Madera bound. We went down on the Friday so we could attend the Ronald McDonald dinner. It was a great dinner where we were able to meet some of the head members of the Ronald McDonald House. The food was amazing and the wine was delicious. The next morning we were up and ready for the shoot. It was an hour drive to the location but when you are with fun people the time flies by. The shoot went good. A few stations into the shoot it started to POUR! Everyone was trying to stay dry but there really wasn’t a way to do it. So some soaked clothes and laughs later the shoot was done. It is always an honor to shoot with that group of girls. We all laugh and have fun.

Week 3 of April brought the Red Bluff Round Up to town. A 3 day rodeo in my hometown that is pretty much like a holiday. People from all over come to the rodeo. It is a great time. Memories are always made, alcohol is consumed and laughter always happens. If you are ever in Red Bluff the third weekend of April be sure to get a ticket.

The rest of April was filled with working in the wood shop, coaching softball and enjoying time with my family and friends. Oh and the start of me hauling trailers out of the Boise Idaho area which as you will find out in my next few blogs to come that the Boise area definitely grabbed a big piece of my heart.