Getting ready

It’s less than a week before our Mustang Walkabout™ begins. I have a new camera this year (Canon 5D Mark IV), and a new lens. I will bring my old Canon 7D with the new lens (24-105mm). My camera bag/knapsack weighs more than my suitcase, so I have a luggage cart (and a ton of bungee). It is compliant with carry on size, and I simply remove my iPad and I’m good for the flight. My wardrobe consists of lightweight shorts, polo shirts, work boots, Crocs for relaxation at the campsite, and the usual undergarments. Karen has all my toiletries packed in Arizona, and I bring my medications, and any personal items.

We both carry snake gaiters into the horse range, and use them if we have to tread where we cannot see our feet. The Prairie Rattlesnake is the only venomous snake found in Sand Wash Basin. They are small, reclusive, and prefer to escape, rather than fight.

My car service picks me up early Wednesday and my flight leaves at 6am. I’m on the train to New York City for a busy and fun day at my medical office. I always find it amazing that I will be in the Basin tomorrow, but seeing patients today in NYC. Stay tuned for daily blog posts from the 2023 Mustang Walkabout.

Karen is a already on her way to the Basin… with her faithful pug companion, Koko.

Our last full day Basin went well. We saw a ton of horses, and moved the trailer to the entrance to facilitate departing early tomorrow. We drive to Denver which takes about 7-8 hours because of the trailer. My flight leaves Saturday from Denver International Airport.

The weather has been spectacular, ranging from 70s-80s 6°F (21-26.6°C ) and dropping to the low 50s°F (10°C) at night. There were some thunder storms, which make the Basin extremely treacherous when the rainfall turns the roads to soup.

People ask what we out on the range, so we’ll start with breakfast. We generally stick to foods that can be made with water: oatmeal, cream of wheat, and coffee. Sometime cold cereal is eaten out of a container if we’re hungry later in the morning. We have ice most of the time (we go to town 1.25 hours away from our campsite every 2-3 three days), so our beverages are kept cool along with cheese and deli meat which constitutes lunch. We discovered ‘Snarky Tea’ this trip which is made in the sun (sun tea). They have caffeinated, and decaf options and for those of you in a more civilized environment, you can make it in the fridge.

The afternoon was spent visiting waterholes all over the Basin. Horses drink between 15-35 liters daily, more if they are lactating/pregnant, injured, or the temperature is high. We check the waterholes and the surrounding areas for horses. It can take time to find horses since Sand Wash Basin is so large (157,730 square acres/63,831,0663.square meters). After a winter of heavy snowfall, the Basin has water. The downside is many horses perished, although precise counts are not possible while the horses are scattered across the Basin because the terrain is difficult to traverse.