The Amazing Sheep Crossing

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The Verde River again. Near the Sheep Crossing spot.				The Sheep Crossing happens during this week of May every year. The sheep ranchers have had a right of way across this part of the Verde River for over 100 years.	They normally truck their sheep from pasture to pasture but the Government would take away their right of way if they did not use it at least once per year. Knowing how hard it is to get something back from the Government they have chosen to run several herds of sheep traditionally during this week.
The sheep start arriving around 10:00 in the morning and they rest until about 2:00 before they cross the river.	It was great to see them just roaming in the open being guarded only by the ever dilegent sheep dogs.	Of course all us "campers" started coming down as this was the Big Event for the week and everyone had been talking about it for days. Thats our friend and artist Paulette Perlman. Paulette is also on a cross country trek selling her art and we were lucky to meet up in Sedona.		Paulette in front of the sheep.	One of the sheep dogs guarding the water to make sure none of them got a head start.
There were 1,872 sheep in this herd. We watched the sheep herders arrange the flock and count each one to make sure they had them all.	This is the calm part of the river they plan to cross in.	The burros carried all the gear for the sheepherders. There was one baby burro that was just adorable.		They are contemplating their own crossing - with much trepidation I'm sure.	The sheepherders are brought from Guatemala with their dogs for the season of moving the sheep. They still run sheep traditionally in their home country and were quite unimpressed with us "campers" watching the unfolding events with awe.
This guy thought he'd get the shot no one else had by crossing the river before the sheep.	The coaxing of the burros took a little while.	It was as if we had been transported back in time 100 years. We were at the river edge and you could not see the motorhomes, electric wires or anything other than this ancient tradition. Notice the bucket strapped to the burro.....	...it had a new addition to the sheepdogs family, born in camp a few weeks before.