llama news

“OK, all you Llama Hike Participants...
Good news (I think).
I just bought another one.
If the new one works out, and likes his job, after I train him, we will have five to take on the Mt. Whitney/Cottonwood Llama Rama, and probably eight (three belong to Grace) for the Llama Rama in September.
What this news translates into is:
We will be able to carry approximately 15 pounds for each hiker on the August trip, and everything for the hikers on the September trip.”

“How very cool, convenient, timely, sensitive, thoughtful, ... MY list goes on and on, mummy...”

“Awesome. Is the new llama one of the "boys?"”

“Are you asking if he's an "it"?
For sure he's a boy.
We're just not sure yet if he'll like his job.
We're also not sure who's going to win when Larry tries to kick his ass.
And Larry WILL try to kick his ass!”

“Cool, is he (IT) cute like "Slate"?”

“Is llama fighting illegal?”

“Didj...

Actually, he's a pretty nice looking guy.
He's just three, has never had a hair cut (so he looks like a tank under all that fur), and is a pale chocolate with some white on his face.
He has four white "socks", and his feet are black. It looks like he's wearing slippers.
He has a pretty face, like Slate, but has better breath than Larry.

RG....

Fighting is only illegal in MY corral.
Those guys can tear each other up.
And since Larry is the "boss" llama, he is obligated to prove he is the boss to all the new guys.
So, he chases them all around and tries to chew off their private parts (if they have any left to begin with).”

“What...the new guy has no name yet????????”

“Oh, yes....
His name is Joppa.
I think he's named after one of those holy cities in the middle east.
Either that, or his name is Jappa, and he's oriental.”

“glad to hear about Jappa. Maybe its Jappa the Hutt. So now you do need a bigger coral.”

“How lovely for your family.

Of course I am selfishly pleased because it means I can bring more books on the trip and maybe my battery powered curling irons.”

“Cool! But I'd really like it if you carried 20 pounds for me.
No, really, I mean it.”

“I hate to admit my ignorance but... how big is a llama?”

“As big as he/she wants to be...”

“Congrats on the new additional, mel! Now if a few people would just drop out of the trip, the llama's could carry even more for those of us who are left... ;-p

By the way, the ancient city in Israel you are thinking of is "Jaffa." It's near Tel Aviv. Not to be confused with the modern city in the north of Israel, named "Haifa."

Do you have to stick with the name given by the breeders? Can't you give 'em any name you like? Do the llamas really know their names anyway? And, by the way, how old are the llamas when you buy them and how long do they usually live?”

“Lammas are BIG! They are big like a cow kinda.
Ther is a lamma in the cow yard by the rode by clos to my hous.”

“Llamas are like people; They come in lots of different sizes.
Mine weigh between 200 to maybe 275 pounds. There are llamas out there that weigh 400.
I don't have to stick with the name the breeder gives them.
Larry's proper name is:
Aspen Springs Mountain Thunder.
Barf.
I call him Larry.
Roy is: Aspen Springs Arroyo.
Oreo is: Aspen Springs Oreo Cookie.
Slate is:
Doofus.
My llamas are short (like me).
I'm 5'2" and the top of Larrys' head is even with mine. Oreo's head is six inches higher than mine.
Oreo is thin and lanky, Roy is built like a half-back.
Ah..Jaffa....
I couldn't remember exactly what the name of the city was, and I don't have an Atlas here at the house. I also didn't think to look it up on the internet!
Duhhhhh.”

“Doofus yes, but sooooo cute. If Jaffa works out does this mean llama burgers for the TT gang this summer?”

“didjfan, you got it wrong. If Jaffa DOESN'T work out you will be getting burgers, Jaffa burgers, lol.”

“L.H;
You must not have heard Mel cuss Slate, or seen her work that stun gun on him/it.”

“Congrats Llama Mama! I hope he works out for you.

Couple of llama questions, how long does it take to train one of these guys and why do you have only guy llamas?”

“Girl llamas are ALWAYS in season. They DO NOT MIX with the horny boy llamas on the trail.
They are flirts and sluts (kind of like some of us. ~;>). They would always be making whoopie and not paying attention to their work.
Llamas are VERY easy to train (that's why I got them).
They are intelligent (about on par with a dog), and inquisitive.
You get as far as getting them to stand still to put a pack and panniers on them, and after that, you tie the new one inbetween two trained ones.
Take him out on the trail this way for a couple of days, and he almost trains himself.
I'd say it takes about six weeks to train one to the point of taking him out on a pack trip.
And this isn't with doing daily training.
It's mainly to get him to accept being handled.
Llamas HATE to have people mess with them.
They prefer only the company of other llamas.
So, you push them around, and you become the "boss llama", and they work for you, but still don't like you.”

“didjfan, are you sure you mean stun gun, lol. The poor llamas would fall to the floor. You must mean a cattle prod? Ouch!”

“It just looks more like a stun gun than a prod. I just know it hurts soooo good. Had to test myself, didn't look to scary, OUCH!!
Horney llamas on the trail! Mel how much did you say those llamas cost agiain??”

“you mean llamas dont like their ears scratched and their necks hugged and their snout kissed?”

“Mel- LOL! Guess that's why I'm not a pack animal! Thanks for the info. As sasabelle might say, now I has sum ejimicachon about stinky butt llamas.”

“Ever eat llama?”

“Yes, the handy dandy cattle prod (about the size of a cell phone) can REALLY be useful!
I had several occasions to find out, last summer.
Llamas hate to be touched on their heads, and legs.
Actually, about the only place a llama will let you touch him and not get all antsy, is on his neck. A lot of this has to do with the fact that llamas fight each other for dominance of the herd. They are particulaly vicious (to each other). You try to put your hand up to a llamas face, and he will move away from you.
A hand in the face is a threatening gesture.
They can be SO weird.
The new llama is only $250, and I haven't paid for him yet.
I've bought all of mine from the same guy. He lives a few miles down the road from me, so he trusts me for the cash. Roy was FREE!
T...
From someone I met, who knows, llama does not taste as good as alpaca.”

“I was joking, Mel.”

“mel, what if the the tt hikers don't move fast enough, do they get the prod too, lol?”

“Ooooohhh... can I be in front?”

“The gal who ate llama wasn't joking!
Grace, that firend of mine with the other llamas, has one she may have to put down.
She says that should she have to do that, she's going to have him cut up into steaks (waste not, want not) for the freezer, then tan his big assed hide for a rug.
REALLY!
There have been a couple of times I've wanted to use the prod on John, but that's usually only at home.
Obi....
Do you REALLY want to be in the front?
~;>”

“The only words that llamas understand are four letter words. I assume that's true since that's all Mel says to them . Actually, Mel handles the llamas very well.

Mel - Didn't you use the prod a time or two on the llama trip last year?”

“I tell Larry I love him....
That's a four letter word.
You know, I don't remember if I used the prod on that trip.
I DID use it on that Bighorn Sheep expedition in October.
I HAD to use it, or leave Slate for the mountain lions.
Hmmmmm...
Not such a bad idea after all.”

“Hmmmm... on second thought....”

“Obi Wan, think twice, that thing packs
a whallup!!
Could also work on late sleepers in the group.
Mel, I'm glad to hear llama don't taste like chicken.”

“hmm..the prod for late sleepers? on vacation?
hey mel ..how early is considered late sleeping?

by the way....i just purchased my ticket to fly to sacramento !! it is now written in stone...er plastic. i think i got a fair deal!....$221 rt on united.....anyone coming from the east...check it out if you havent already done so....”

“Well, welcome to California!
You're lucky enough you won't have to come in through LA!
Sacramento is still pretty bad, but not as bad as having to negotiate the LA freeway system.
Sacramento is also only about 50 miles west of the Sierras.
A MUCH better place to meet the state!”