The road is washed out between here and the highway. Completely washed out. I drove down there to check. Creek roaring through a 40-foot gap, no warning signs up or roadblocks. When I got back I called the sheriff's office to see whether there was a private property owner who might be providing access to cross property to a highway, but they didn't know. They took my phone number so they could keep tabs on me.
Then I had to figure out a way to reach the llamas with food. For morale, if nothing else. I want them calm. They're very anxious, have been pacing all day, in the muck--very unusual. They keep staring up at their dry hillside beds under the junipers but they won't go up there. I'm wondering whether there might not be a predator taking refuge up there keeping them away. This whole flood thing, and the down fences, has them really upset.
I trudged over to the abandoned shack upstream. Hasn't been lived in for 20 years.
The bridge there is holding, so far. They were smart and built it up on stones at either end to raise it.
Then I found the only way to reach the llamas was to scale the steep muddy ridge side around the water at one point. I slid partway into the drink just before I reached them and my wading boots filled with water and I was drenched to the waist. Yuck.
Called them over and they stepped right up, wet and nervous.
The main pond (compare and compare and compare).
On the way back:
Middle pond.
Where the water usually enters--two small ponds--now one wide river to cross.
If we get a gap in the rain--predicted to continue through Wednesday--I'll drag a bale of hay over there for them. Might have to break it up and pack it over in sections there at the end.
Well, this is an interesting development.
5:27:49 PM 
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