Man with a drill and I were celebrating thirty-seven years of marriage. The day started out with sickness. It's cold and flu season! Given the state of how we both felt, we decided to bag any attempt to celebrate. Dinner was out of the question since I would not be able to hold it down. The overwhelming desire to stay in bed led us to the next decision--- if we were going to be sick in bed all day, we might as well be sick in the most comfortable place on earth. We loaded all of our over the counter drugs in the car and headed for the cabin.
Logan canyon is 34 miles long. When you cross over the cattle guard you are at mile 17. That's the half way point in Logan Canyon. I suppose I was taking note of the mileage because I couldn't wait to get there. That's when we spotted her, just after the cattle guard.
Little did I know I was going to spend the next hour chasing a moose. I'm an animal lover. I should have known my heart would immediately be sucked in. Upon seeing her we quickly deducted she was only a calf. There ya go ---who can resist a baby moose? Not me!
I drifted to the edge of the road in my Envoy as I scrambled to find my camera. With my lens now pointed out the window at her, my next thought was... "Where in the heck is your mother?" Man with a drill had the sense to take the wheel. So there we were, me with my foot on the gas and my camera hanging out the window and Man with a drill seated comfortably in the passenger seat trying to steer us straight. Not your most conventional driving standards, but we were making it work.
We've had five feet of snow in the canyon the last few days. I know because I've driven up and down in it a bajillion times! It soon became apparent that this little moose had made up her mind to avoid the deep snow. She was not going to attempt to go anywhere past the pavement. I'm sure somewhere in her head she had concluded cars were easier maneuver than hard frozen snow. She did not like me driving to the side of her clicking my camera. One ear came back in disgust. Her annoyance with me was obvious.
The next thing that happened broke my heart. As the traffic began to build so did her fear. The more afraid she got the more she ran. Now I had a Semi behind me and a long line of cars. Semi truck drivers are vigilant people. He must have been a man with a big heart because he immediately took up the road with me. Our flashers came on simultaneously. We were both now in "MOOSE MODE." I followed the moose, he drove down the center behind me refusing to let cars pass.
I quickly came up with a plan. Tony's grove has a partially plowed road, I told Man with a drill. "We've got to drive her up that road or she'll die running down this one!" Moose never do what you want them to. We followed her all the way to Tony's and tried to steer her into turning. She was having none of it. Now we were headed to Red Banks. I was lamenting something fierce to Man with a drill about how Red Banks is not plowed and there is no where for her to go. I just kept talking, "She is going to get hit if we don't get her off this road. We both concurred, we had to turn this moose around.
Just then we saw another semi coming toward us. She did not want to pass that big old truck. I slowed and pulled a little closer to her and she slowed and turned herself around wanting to avoid us all. The semi behind me now decided to give up the ghost and he and the long line of cars all drove slowly past.
I married a good man. I ask him if we too should leave her. "She's going to die on this road if we don't help her ya know." I gave him that pleading look. "OK," he said, "Turn around!"
I didn't hesitate. I pulled a fast U-ee, and pulled up next to the semi that was now driving down the canyon. The next thing I knew another big white ford had joined the scene. Our windows came down. We were screaming over the engines back and forth. I told them about the road up Tony's and I told them we had to get her to turn up that road.
I didn't hesitate. I pulled a fast U-ee, and pulled up next to the semi that was now driving down the canyon. The next thing I knew another big white ford had joined the scene. Our windows came down. We were screaming over the engines back and forth. I told them about the road up Tony's and I told them we had to get her to turn up that road.
The next thing ya know we looked like a convoy. We pulled all three vehicles abreast the highway. Me in the lane of the oncoming traffic. We slowed our speed so the poor moose could walk. Luckily the men in the white Ford were tried and true 'Red Necks'. The beards, the plaid flannel shirts and the size of the jack up on the truck gave it all away. I was so happy! I love red necks. Ya gotta be part red neck to chase a moose!
The oncoming traffic was a bit stumped. Thankfully a moose, a semi, a Ford and a GMC Envoy in the middle of the road is a good deterrent to stop. Seeing we were going to need some help at the other end, the men in the Ford decided to slowly pass the moose and head for Tony's to form a barricade. I told them she's not going to want to turn. I told them how we had tried this scenario already and it didn't work, she got around us. I gave those Ford men a stern mother's lecture. "I don't care what you do down there but don't let her get past ya!"
As the Ford left his spot in the line up, a young kid in a white Chevy pulled up to take his place. He was obviously a city boy. (Don't you like how I formulate conclusions!) The first dead give away was the time frame it took us to get him to roll his window down. He thought we were crazy and wanted to break formation and pass the moose. Man with a drill filled him in on his new found position in the line up. He also instructed him of his new job. "This moose is going to die if we don't get her off this road." The instructions were not received willingly. His face was aghast! "A Moose can attack your car," he clambered. You could clearly see he had never herded any animal and was filled with mortal fear. I had to laugh listening to Man with a drill explain that the moose was only a calf and had been running back and forth for seven miles on pavement and was in no condition to attack anything. After convincing him that is was ok to break all 'Moose Ethics' and that safety was really not an issue, he complied.
Man with a drill climbed back in the car and we followed her as far as my four wheel drive would let us. I was feeling all motherly and I didn't want to leave her. We decided to drive her in as deep as we could and make sure she was well off the road before the demise of dark hit. I want to kick myself for not taking one last picture of her standing there exhausted safe and sound. With the lack of light though and the sheer joy of seeing her off that busy road, I didn't even think about my camera. Perhaps I couldn't bring myself to torture her one inch further. I don't know why I didn't think of it, I just didn't ---but I can still see her in my heart... standing there, her head hanging low, breathing heavy, steam pouring from her small frame, her weakened stance full of relief, grateful to be far from the commotion in the still of the forest. I might not have taken one last shot with my camera, but trust me, she will be forever framed, alive and well inside my head.
Man with a drill and I turned ourselves back onto the highway. We talked about the whole event. I am an optimist. So I'd like to think her mother found her in the dark. I named her "Toni." I had to, we have a personal relationship now. I am a bit annoyed that I am now forever changed. I want to cuss her. Every time I drive that canyon now I'll be looking for her. I'll forever wonder with every moose I see, "Is that you Toni?" She's gotten under my skin. She has taken up permanent residency in my head and in my heart. Dang her hide! Well, a girl can dream. I hope she finds Bruce in the spring. And like Man with a drill and I, maybe they'll join hooves and have eight little Mooselets and celebrate 37 wonderful years, with more ahead of them. I guess this is where I say Happy Moosey Anniversary to me! What a day to write about!
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