The Llamas Are Legal.....

“You heard it here first.

The Inyo National Forest Managment Direction Document -

Now encourages the use of "alternative packstock" (llamas and goats) for commercial outfitters.

Looks like now I have to go write a proposal for a licence and keep the forest nazi's out of my face.

Robert....

I guess this means you can't threaten baby ranger-cops with bouncing their heads off the patrol car.

Damn! It was so much fun seeing the Llama Rama 10 day group getting interrogated by the cops, in the rain, in the parking lot.

Does this mean I don't get my face and serial number on America's 10 Most Wanted T-shirt list?”

“Congrats Mel, it's been a long time comin'”

“Yeah, but now I have to get out from under the table and quit doing privates.”

“Llamas are legal... as long as you don't try to smoke one.”

“er...whatever you say, Mel!

Great news! Good luck with your licensing!”

“If you've smelled one before, I'm not too worried about you smoking one of mine.

However, Slate might be good on an appetizer plate.....”

“Whoa!

I'm going to have to post threads like this more often.

Other than my standing in front of the main lodge with my knickers down, this is the most anyone's spoken to me in WEEKS!”

“Congratulations Mel!

I wish people would use llamas more often. Nothing worse than walking through piles of horse $h!t on the trail. Llama $h!t's not so nasty.”

“I take it Slate has a chip on his(?)... shoulder?

I know whatcha mean, Mel. I'm usually just a bump on a log 'round her m'self. I try hold it to a dull roar.”

“mel is my bad mamma jamma queen.”

“Hey, those jack booted Fed thugs had guns. I never try to bounce thugs' heads off patrol cars when they have all the guns.

Still, I'd like to think I "played" a part in the great struggle for llama civil rights in the Inyo National Forest.

Guess that means next year I get my own personal Larry?”

“Aw, Solo Mio...

But the cop was SO pissy!

And YOU were SO fired up!

It was as good as my FOOK tirade.”

“mel, anytime's a good time for a FOOKIN'...give 'em hell!”

“I liked the part where Old Timer kept giving Solitary Hiker beers to calm him down! I haven't laughed so much in a long time.”

“I hope you know that this thread is becoming a great advertisement for the next Llama adventure. Sounds like we missed some government in action business.”

“You're a hoot, MEL.. just got around to reading this thread.

:)”

“So Mel, what does or what will it do to your summer itenerary?”

“It was like pouring gasoline on a fire.”

“Pass OT another beer.

I loved that business with the cop separating everyone and trying to get them to implicate me in a CRIME!!!

And OOOOOWWWEEE!

Was THAT a mistake.

Baby cop even called back to South Carolina to see if Sol had any PRIORS!!!!!

Dunk..

Llama Rama stays the same.
The rest of the itinerary is not planned as yet. I don't usually start getting requests until February.

In the meantime, we update the website to see if we can make it a tease enough to get people to send me money!”

“Damn! And I just sent all that garage sale money to the Red Cross. Wish you would have said something earlier. I would have loved to put a sign up that said "All proceeds go to Mel".”

“Yeah Old Timer...now that I think about it, it was all your fault.
I guess you'll know not to hand me Budweisers from now on.

The funny part was riding back to Sacremento with pepperdog and her telling me
"If we get stopped by the police, you just don't say anything! I don't want any trouble."

Gosh what made her think I would ever do something like that? I'm a really nice guy when the Federales leave me alone.”

“SH - you are always a really nice guy - you just have a little issue with athority.

As I recall, it was something even wimpier than Bud - no wonder it got your hackles up!”

“PepperDog when are you going to get that new pack out of the closet? I bought one too and it's loaded and ready to go in the morning. Will let you know how it works.
Obi should be getting a commission from Butch.
Sol you old rebel don't be blaming me, I only tried to help.
Looking forward to next year.”

“OT - you make me feel like such a slouch!! So far I have just fondled it. I was tempted by the Trinity Alps trip, and the Desolation Wilderness one, too. But I don't like being cold and wet. Maybe in the spring. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a pnw or nor cal trip to grab.

Give Turk a kiss for me (that should make him blush!!).”

“It was Budweiser Pepper! I don't drink wimpy beer. I'm a manly man.

Pepper send me your e-mail address again. AOL deleted my e-mail for me and they lost it. radams5451@aol.com”

“I think that it's nice for you and you should have places to go with the llamas and it's great that they're not destructive to the environment, however the last thing I want to run into on the trail in the backcountry is a proffessional outfitter. I go into the wilds to get away from commercialism and people.”

“Running into a well run outfitter (and I suspect Mel is) can be no different then running into a group of friends having fun in the mountains, although I do admit to having a problem with some horse packers...guides and outfitters usually don't have signs and posters all over their gear....although I don't work with Llamas, I work as a guide and I can't tell you how many folks, I and my clients have befriended, helped and even rescued while we were out in the woods...some times while other campers just watched from a distance. Also because of the type of guiding I do, I'm almost always off trail, far away from anyone else.
I take pride in just being "one with the mountains"...folks can hang around us for days and never realize that the people next to them were guided, extremely well taken care of perhaps, but not guided......if you do it right, that's how it works.
”

“There are some things that are impossible, and one of them is to stereotype Mel.

BTW. I highly recommend her book on dehydrating. It is very well written and user friendly for both the novice and experienced chef. Just go to her page on the photo page and follow the links.”

“mel:please re-read your second posting. Whatever it takes to win those rangers over but I don't think they hold military rankings.hahahaaaaaaa.It just hit me funny.”

“GS....

If you think I'm a professional outfitter, think again.

I'm a hobbiest who can't carry an 80 pound pack anymore.

Fifty two years old, and it's time for me to have a hairy, cheap, animal slave carry my stuff, and that of my friends.

If I try to cover my expenses, that's my prerogitive.
Would we see YOU out here carrying things for people for free?

The first Llama Rama in '98 was a duty-free trip for the TT group.
So was the second.

I needed to see if it was possible.
The only way I learned to pack with llamas was to include my friends.
And the only reason I charged for the "service" was to guarantee that members of the group didn't lightly join up for a trip and bail out mid-way.

Had that happen on one TT trip and disappoint a little kid.
I'm not doing that again.

The fee was the kids' idea.
And the kid, was right.

All I want to do is to continue with my hobby and pay for my time in the woods.

I don't make money at this.
It's me, and five llamas.
If you knew the work involved, and the facts behind the faces, you wouldn't be so critical.

As for the rest of you...

JVZ?

You liked my doing privates under the table?

Me too!”

“I will, for the rest of my life, regret having missed out on the TT outing that was busted by the cops!”

“Buddar?

What you smokin' boy?

Mtnstv....

You, and I, and lots of others are working in the same reality frame.

Good to be keeping company with you....

Auntie M”

“You KNOW that from now on I'm going to guaran-damn-TEE that one of the HIGHlights of a llama rama is to be busted by the COPS!

Where else could you go for this?!

And!

Where else could you go to have one of Phils' home cooked super gourmet dutch oven dinners and desserts?

Not anywhere except on my front lawn, around my fire pit, and camped like a World War 1 Bivy in my front yard.

Where else could you get the dubious priviledge of waiting in line to use MY singularly exceptional BATHROOM?

Not at just ANY professional outfitters outhouse!

AND!

Would THEY let you pee behind their apple tree?!

For FREE?”

“Auntie M

Our philosophy on what we do, and life I suspect, seems the same....my clients tell me I'm not charging enough and my accountant says I do way too many freebies (my clients become friends...it's hard to charge your friends) , but like you I don't do it to make money, my "real" job with WRC does that (10 day wilderness trips with kids)....my "business" is how I keep in shape for the 10 days (I'm 53) and a way to pay for my climbing, caving, backpacking and skiing addiction.

I kinda like our reality..........

Your welcome around my campfire anytime............

################################

Oh, man we are alike...just read your last post before I posted this...I've had clients stay with us at home...didn't seem right to make them get a "room".

You know what....my wifes right...we don't get paid enough.....


Oh yea...I gotta try and make one of your trips someday, been a few years since I've been busted....kinda miss messing with the system.”

“Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I missunderstood the nature of mel's hobby.

I have had some bad experiences with outfitters (mainly horse, some on foot, and no llama ones) who have virtually taken over camping areas where I have been peacefully enjoying myself. They have acted loud, rude, and like they owned everything in the backcountry...and when they packed up, they left heaps of garbage, horse sh!t, and fire rings behind. The people who were paying didn't deserve to be out in the same areas because they didn't earn the right like the rest of us who exhausted ourselves getting there and worked hard in camp and on the trail to leave no trace.

mel, whatever get's you up those hills and keeps you getting out.”

“mel, does this mean we can put the llamas out to pature and have them run thru a horse camp at midnite?”

“Mel, I just discovered this thread... haven't been on much, since my dad's been here from AZ, and been spending time with him.

I think there's good things comin', regarding Llama's bein' legal now, and though you gotta get legal, too, we still love ya, and you got a ready-made crew when you need 'em.

OT & Pepperdog, glad to know your new packs are working out for ya... no commission necessary, just like to think EVERYONE's comfy on the trail!

Sure do miss you guys, look forward to doing it again and again...

Mel, we're still thinking about coming by for a visit, but only route open is 50 to Tahoe, then East to 395, then south. 88/89 is closed in sections that make some detours necessary, making the trip a bit longer. We'll see... probably leave here early Sat.

Anyway, we'll stay updated... thanks for the good news!

Oh yeah, SH, you renegade, you... Glad to know you're appreciating Ottmar! Keep listening... he'll calm you down! LOL

OWC !”