Buffalove

Royalty at 30: The Princess Ruled on Her Birthday Sunday

Night of the 100th Moon Run

The herd celebrated the 100th full moon run Wednesday by running the 5-mile Buffalo Trace trail, which was brilliantly lit by the moon and accompanying swarms of lightning bugs. Really a pleasant experience.

Twilight on the Trace

A peaceful scene that I shot from the trail at Buffalo Trace trail at Mahomet. Many years ago the area was a feasting site for wild buffalo, who munched on tallgrass praire plants and sipped water from the nearby Sangamon River. I paused to take these photos while running on the trail a couple of days ago. A nice sunset when wildflowers abound is a favorite time to run the trail, as is winter with sparkling snow illuminated by a full moon.A field of wildflowers that borders the trail. A while later . . .

. . . a group of eight deer were browsing on the vegetation in the same field. The photo is fuzzy and I got only two of the deer in the shot. The group slowly moved away at my approach. Fantastic sight.

The trail is interrupted in a few places by small streams, which can be quite muddy after rains like we've had. The makeshift plank bridge on the left was nice, but sometimes it was easier just to run right through the muck to cross the stream.

The Moon Master, my buffalo buddy Chris Migotsky, resorts to a little walking near the end of an all-day 56-mile run on the Buffalo Trace trail. He's not mentally right. Chris organized this week's "seven-day run as many miles as you can" race. So far, I've been out there every day, logging five miles a day.

The Face of a Mass Murderer

"Buffalo Bill" Cody got his nickname by killing 4,280 buffalo in eighteen months (1867-68). He did this as part of a contract to supply meat to railroad workers building the western railroads. That face reminds me of a certain modern-day colonel who was responsible for the deaths of millions of chickens condemned to a deep fryer.

MIA from the Herd

I've missed many a trail run with the herd lately, but starting Sunday that will end as I begin daily trail runs of at least five miles per day for the next week, rain or shine. Head 'em up, move 'em out. I'll try to take some photos on the Buffalo Trace Trail as I run.

Cousin to a Star

Cody II and me at the Indian Pow Wow.

How do you like that photo above of me and my new lawn mower? Yup, bought myself a buffalo. The price of gas being what it is, I can sell my mower and my car and turn the buffalo loose on my lawn as well as ride him to work.

Not practical, you say? Yeah, you're right. It's not really my buffalo. It belongs to a gentleman from Minnesota, Ron Fogel, who also owned the famous buffalo Cody, star of screen and television. Cody was in the movie Dances with Wolves, and the video above tells the story of the Oreo-eating, beer guzzling Hollywood bison. Cody's obituary is HERE. What a story. Wolf Woman and I met Cody II (above, with me), cousin of the deceased Cody, at a pow wow of the Kickapoo Indians near Moraine View State Park near Bloomington this past weekend. This is the closest I will ever be to a buffalo. I was able to pat him on his steel-wool-like head.

Good Times - Memorial Day Weekend

Red Chief and his Princess Mother. That look on his face tells me the Princess probably said something that irked the Chief.

Little Bull with Bull Daddy (son Tim) and Mama Lanata.

Wolf Woman's birthday was on Memorial Day weekend, and she came over to my mom's house to meet my sister and her family. We surprised her with a birthday cake.

While in the batter's box during a 1932 World Series game, Babe Ruth pointed to seats in the outfield, reputedly predicting he would hit a home run to that spot. And he promptly did just that. Red Chief (above) calls a shot to the outfield at Westview School during a ferocious pitch and hit session with me on Memorial Day. The Chief then hit a slow grounder to third. Some day he will clear the fence with a mighty shot.

Bring it on!

Busy these days with a flooded basement yesterday and watching Red Chief all day today and tomorrow. Quick post and a political cartoon for now. Obama . . . by a knockout.