Janet Boyhan and RM Minstrel on the Nooksack River Bank Summer 1998

About a year ago, I decided to get serious and began going out for small treks regularly around the farm where I train. Slowly, I worked up to 8-10 mile adventures which were on the sides of local roads. Last summer Janet Boyhan of Northwind Farms began joining me with her Jester son, "Rocky Mountain Minstrel." She had started him the previous October in a cart. Janet goes out packing every summer for a month with her husband Tom and 2-3 llamas. She wanted to cross train her packer boys and keep them in shape for the packing season. This was the beginning of 2 studs, 2 carts and 2 crazy women's adventures around Whatcom County!

Janet and I immediately began heading out regularly (at least once a week), leaving early in the a.m and not returning until 4 or 5 p.m.. As we went further and further with our boys we soon realized how much they enjoyed the outings, especially the new and varied scenery. Janet and I quickly dubbed ourselves the "Llatte Llama Lladies" and have set a goal of hitting every latte' stand in the Whatcom County Area. This fetish for coffee has gotten us into some hilarious situations.

The day we decided to run our carts across a bridge into the town of Everson for latte's was one of our most interesting treks. We had a plan worked out that we would put Eagle in the lead and tie Minstrel to the back. The reasoning was that Eagle was always willing to run and Minstrel will follow him. One thing I should add here is that this bridge is a two lane state highway for trucks and skiing enthusiasts headed toward Mt. Baker. While it was now summer and no skiing, it made no difference it was still an extremely busy road!

We began heading for the bridge and just as we were about to get on and were beginning to block traffic, Eagle decides to not run! Janet quickly jumped out and grabbed him and began running before I could even think. So here is this woman running on the bridge dragging a llama with a girl in a cart dragging another llama who is pulling an empty cart. It was all pretty comical and what was even more comical was the look on motorists faces when they saw what had held up traffic. One woman even yelled (to Janet's embarrassment), "Hello Janet!" Needless to say we got our latte's!

Janet and I have found many delightful trails in the Whatcom County area. We are blessed with many miles of country roads and trails that are great for carting a llama. One of our favorite trails (fondly nicknamed our 4x4 trail) goes past an old Native American Cemetery to a trail that is only accessible by bike or non-motorized vehicles. One day we headed out and made it to the barricade of that trail. At this particular spot we unhitch the llamas and hoisted the carts over to the other side. We did this and continued down the trail. It was around 85 degrees and getting hotter at this time. The four of us were enjoying the beautiful trees and foliage along the trail. Janet's Golden Retriever "Jake" and the Anderson Creek Golden "Duke" were running along happily in the brush while the llamas walked quietly. At the end of the trail there is a large raspberry field that is part of tribal lands that lead to the Nooksack River. Janet and I decided to hit the rough part headed down to the river and then we would have lunch. As we were going down the trails the brush and growth pulled and grabbed at the llamas and our clothing. Janet and I laughed in delight and trudged on. Down steep hills, balancing between deep tire ruts in the dirt and avoiding large branches, we were pretty sure this was the ultimate. The llamas were enjoying themselves and the new scenery so they kept a good pace. At the end of the trail it spilled out into a partly dry and rocky river bed. Further into the river bed, the summer flow of the Nooksack could be seen. Janet and I tied up the llamas and sat down to have lunch.

After we were finished, I jumped in the cart and went out into the river. It was so exciting watching all the water creeping up through the slats in the cart floor. Better yet, I saw this huge sand hill and asked Eagle to climb it pulling me behind him. To my delight he did it and looked much like a draft horse in the process. Janet began taking Minstrel in the water and he too climbed the huge hill with ease. Both of us quickly decided we had to have a picture. Janet took several of Eagle and I and then I tried taking one of her and Minstrel. I say tried because the first 2-3 times I could not get the camera to shoot. Finally I got the shot and Janet and I got out and excitedly gave each other a "High Five." Janet had tied Minstrel up and Eagle was standing behind Janet while we talked. I reached into the pack on the back of the cart and right then Janet took a step forward. Realizing he wasn't tied Eagle shot off down the river bed. Minstrel (also not tied) decided he was not going to be left behind. Janet yelled, "I will get them, make sure you pick up all the things." In the process of Eagle taking off the pack on the back was left open and there were things flying everywhere.

As I walked the two miles in 90 degree weather collecting our things, I could not help but think did I do myself a disservice getting this llama in such good shape? The boys had covered the two miles that took us a half an hour as a group, in a matter of about 10 minutes. Eagle had finally been stopped by the barricade at the end of the trail. He had tried to go around the cement barricade through a 2 foot wide walkway and in the process snugly wedged his cart on the barricade. So well placed that the two spokes that hooked him in were over the top of the barricade with him attached. Seeing that he could not get loose he had contented himself with spitting at Minstrel and growling until I could come free him. Minstrel had followed but not gotten stuck so he made do with the situation by grazing. When Janet and I arrived Eagle knowing he had been really naughty, put his head down and waited to be unharnessed to get out.

Minstrel had, in the process of following Eagle, bent one of the wheels on his cart and this was our only damage. By all accounts I still don't know how one of them did not tip over on the rough trail. Both llamas were fine and would you believe that Eagle still was not tired? Janet and I rode back together in Eagle's cart with Minstrel behind us pulling his cart with the severely bent wheel.

Since then we have had many more adventures (see article More Llama Carting Adventures)

Printed in Winter 1998 Llama Life 2 Magazine
Web Site:JNK Llamas
Email Niki: jnkllamas@nas.com
Copyright © 1998 Niki Anderson Kuklenski .