As far as riding went this week, we were both a bit under the weather, but did manage a couple of road rides and a quick loop around Tunnel and Otero. I was thinking this morning about what I was doing five years ago today...

In the days following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, I found myself about as far removed from civilization as possible. You see, earlier that year, I had drawn a coveted archery elk tag for a remote portion of New Mexico's Gila, and I wasn't missing this hunt for anything, despite the fact that I had to go solo. It was strangely eerie in the Gila that year and amazingly quiet as not even a random airplane could be heard. I huddled in my sleeping bag each night listening to the BBC on my tiny shortwave radio, hoping and praying that we'd get the terrorist bastards. I'd have to say, that this was one of the lonliest experiences of my life being isolated and helpless. I was getting so lonely in fact, that on the morning of September 19th, I was going to bag the rest of the hunt and head home so I thought I'd just spend a few waking hours near my camp seeing what might happen. I set up in a prime spot and tried my best with a variety of calls to sound like a harem of cows and calves, when all of a sudden an incredible elk bugle rang out below me not more than 200 yards away. I had just enough time to nock an arrow, and when I saw that big bull coming my way, my heart about pounded out of my chest. I got a good arrow into him and he just layed down about 50 yards away from me and breathed his last. It was a beautiful 6x5 Gila bull; my first. I took some time to give thanks to the Lord for this great harvest which provided meat for an entire year. It took me nearly 9 more hours to get the meat de-boned, put into game bags, and packed out to my truck. Driving back to the Burque was bittersweet. That 6x5 rack is my constant reminder of the day the world changed. What were you doing five years ago?