Feels Like a Thrashing

I have to admit, this month (and longer) has been an absolute grind. The lead up to our annual Haunted Trail of Fears event was a pressure cooker as the weather was not cooperating AT ALL. My brother Ron was down just about every weekend to help get everything prepared (broken props fixed, new props finished, props/scenes built and the mind numbing process of putting batteries in everything. We started setting up on Friday, one week before the event kickoff. For practically that entire week it rained various amounts to a point the pathways down into the valley were worthy of a Woodstock Festival. Thanks to incredibly gracious help, the trail was completed (big thanks again to Ron, Brad and Jan and the others in the Scream Squad). Unbelievably lucky, the rain relinquished for the two nights of the event for one of our best haunts ever, only to give way to the burden of pulling it out back of the valley before the rains start again late this evening. Add in the final stages of training for the ultra in two weeks and you have yourself a recipe for a well tenderized body. With the double session 20 miler yesterday for my last endurance training cycle, I can finally start the final two week taper to race day. More importantly, time to get some of the weight loss back (as a toll indicator, managed to lose ~14 pounds), get some of the swelling out of the ankle and basically REST….but before I do that, there is one more task to check before the end of the month.

Sage Thrasher found at Tucumcari Wildife Management Area, Tucumcari, NM in March 2025

Yep, it is the end of the month and we are one post down from our self-imposed quota – Intrigued’s quality control department has been leaving nasty messages on my phone threatening me with disciplinary action, public shaming and removal from the company bowling team if I miss the performance targets. NOBODY wants that to happen, so hit the jump for today’s Featured Feathered Friend.

Continue reading Feels Like a Thrashing

An Undercompensating Thrasher

Howdy everyone! February is a short month and I am trying my best to make sure we hit our Intrigued monthly quota goal for posts. March is going to get a bit hectic as Linda and I head back out to Arizona for our spring migration. Fortunately, Brad and Jan are heading back from their latest adventure out east and I’m sure there are plenty of stories on their way from this trip as well as their jaunts across the pond. For now, you are stuck with me! Before we get to today’s featured feathered friend, wanted to mention I have finally made it through all the Average Year and my Life List updates. Although, thanks to a late find from Colorado my Life List and 2024 results are now one off – it is inevitable that update efforts get eclipsed, but still feels good to be only a smidgen off of current. As you can tell from the left nav-bar I am officially at 443+1 for the life list and per the Average Year journal, at 244+2 provisionals for this year (link here). Kind of shocking to be over 55% of my life list and 82% of my annual goal and not even to the end of the 2nd month. As they say, life is good. Since I brought up the Life List, thought I would go with a member that was added just last year.

Sage Thrasher found at Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR in Las Vegas, NV while visiting there in January 2024

Hit the jump to read more about this rather understated Thrasher.

Continue reading An Undercompensating Thrasher