Eagle Hunters

Our pace slowed this morning which allowed us to sleep in, although camping made that a little more difficult.  The temperature dropped into the low 40’s and proper preparation at bedtime meant the difference between sleeping and lying awake cold.  Fortunately my Boy Scout husband had some tricks up his sleeve so we wore long underwear and socks to bed while also putting our clothes for the next morning in the sleeping bag with us.  We slept on cots with thin air mattresses on top finished by our warm sleeping bags.  While not the most restful night of sleep I’ve ever had, I did get sufficient rest to carry on.

Our Three Camel Lodge chef that accompanied us on the trip kept us well fed on this leg of the adventure.  Much needed coffee greeted us as we gathered in the dining tent.  A light buffet breakfast rejuvenated us and we also had the option of fresh cooked eggs.  After breakfast we returned to our tents to pack up for our next destination.

The drive this morning took us through more mountain lined fields inhabited mostly by livestock.  We entered a lush valley with a river running through it that was full of sheep, horses, goats and yak.  Whoever lived here must be considered rich with all the resources available to them.  We took frequent stops on our drive to stretch our legs which allowed us more picture opportunities. 

Our camp for the next two nights was near a small town with gers spotted along the river running through the valley.  Off in the distance we could see the four Eagle Hunters that would be spending the next day and a half with us riding into our camp.  Part of our crew had arrived ahead of us to set up the dining area in another rented ger and had lunch waiting for our arrival.  Our drivers setup our tents, port-a-potties and tent showers while we ate. 

We were on our own to wonder or nap during the hot afternoon.  Later, we were split into groups to photograph the Eagle Hunters.  One of them has won the Eagle championship the last two years, so he’s very well know.  We setup a makeshift portrait studio with lighting in the ger, two areas outside where we got to experiment with reflectors and a fourth area where one of the hunters road his horse in passes by us, both with and without his eagle.  This was an opportunity of a lifetime being with these hunters who had traveled by horse for 6 hours to spend time with us and share their eagles.

Tomorrow: More time with the Eagle Hunters