We went to Camelot Equestrian Park. Sunday Morning. 600 and some acres.
Saturday afternoon, as Jenny and i were working on the kidding pens, sirens began. Ears prick. This hill is along a major road. Sirens are not uncommon. Vehicle events….it's long and curved and carved into granite with no shoulder. Californians drive fast. But they kept coming., the sirens. 3:00 went into 4:00 and we searched the phones for info, getting uneasy and then the sounds of the Fire Trucks. Soon after, helicopters and planes. Ok. We finally see that there is a FIRe. And we read that it is nearby. OK. We begin readying. Doing things that should have been done 2 months ago, like raking out the Goat Boat from last year. We try to reach Alyssia but it goes to mail box. We finally reach Jenny's man. He will set out. and then Alyssia, ok. By then it's going on evening and Alyssia DOeS arrive ….by driving up the Canal road after the police baracade would not let her through on Old Olive. The Evacuation is underway. Mandatory. So it's Jenny and Alyssia, pulling the horse trailer and the Goat boat into place, by hand. no easy feat, hooking them to the Old Cowboy's truck and to the old Toyota. Time. it takes Time. Then…load the Goats. It goes what we might say was relatively smooth, the Doe Goats, they cajole and herd them, i stand at the opening of the Goat Boat with the big blockade thing we have built and let them in and also keep the ones in, from getting back out and keep track of Emrie, who wants to be in the middle of it all, " I help" she says and we let her learn. Doe Goats, all except Karma, who WILL NOT load, Doe Goats are in. Ready. I drive the old Toyota, pulling the Goat Boat down ahead while they bring the Old Cowboy's truck with horse trailer into place to load the bucks.
i'm down at the end of the driveway road for what seems like forever. Waiting. Then they come. We leave and drive to Lakeside parking lot. It's the hub of Cal Fire and all Rescue, Butte County Sheriff rescue. FULL of them. Full of people buying what they need. FULL. Over the Brim We pull to the far end of the area because no one knows how to back up a trailer. Talk.
We are a person short. Jenny's man couldn't get through. I will need to drive. I haven't driven a pulled object in over 20 years. It's dark now. my night vision isn't great. We decide i will stay at the Casino parking lot about 1/4 mile down the road for the night. In the morning, decide what to do. Alyssia, the kids, Puppy in the cat carrier, Talkie in her little transport pen go home. Jenny goes home to Chico for a couple hours and comes back We sleep in the bright lights of the casino parking lot on Saturday night.
Calls are made. Who is open to receive livestock? This is the first time for Camelot. It's 15 miles away. OK. Sunday morning we go. Evacuations are still in place. Fire still burns, 20% containment.
home becomes the old Toyota Pickup. Me and Tay. We sleep.
there are more things that need to be said. But for now, this is enough. Mid Day Monday we come Home.
I am still driving. When it's time, i drive up the Hill, pulling the Goat Boat. UP and UP and hard hard UP at the end, wheels spin and skid, rocks and dirt flies in a burst, but we get here. Here. Done.
an Initiation.
we let them all OUT. Home. And they begin immediately exactly where they had left off.
they begin immediately exactly where they had left off.
this is IMPORTANT. Very important.



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