Monday, December 17, 2012

Tumble Weed Release Program

Tumble Weeds




These shy creatures can usually be found rolling along country roads or blowing across Western landscapes. 

Here in Wyoming the annual winter migration has begun.  Hundreds of these wild creatures catch rides on the Wyoming wind and roll across the great state.  Nowhere else can one find such amazing and sustained gusts of wind. 

Unfortunately many have become trapped on man-made structures and can not continue their great migration. 


 
 
That is were the tumble weed release program steps in. 
 
 
 
As dawn begins to color the world with light, the tumble weed experts begin the slow and ardorous task of releasing these noble creatures back into the wild.
 
 

 First they must capture one of these dangerous weeds.  The tumble weed has a protective outer skin that can puncture the hands of a human rescuer so it must be approached with great caution. 

The rescuer transports the tumble weed away from the building and then releases it back into the Wyoming wind.  Good bye and happy journey to you!


This weed has just been released.  Lets watch and see what happens.






 
 
 It looks like the wind has caught it!

Oh no!  It is blowing back towards the structures!
 

Sadly...at the time of this writing, it has blown behind another structure.  The job of the tumble weed release workers is never done.