The Cattle Drive forum is where the drivers get together to complain, uh rather, discuss their assignments and encourage each other. Thanks to the enthusiastic initiative of Johannes de Jong, you can keep track of your progress on the drive with the Assignment Log. If you're tough enough to get through the nitpicking, you'll start collecting moose heads at the Cattle Drive Hall of Fame.

Well darn, here it is Spring already and it's time to ride out and check on the condition of our intrepid Cattle Drivers. There's a lot of territory to cover out there, so bear with me while I hunt 'em down.

Fresh riders on the Drive...
Let's see, we had a few greenhorns saddle up this past month and I'd like to give them a hearty welcome. Everybody say hello to Andy Boyd, Celine McGowan, and David (They like me? They really like me?) McCartney. These fearless buckaroos are just starting out and they've got a lot of rough riding ahead, but don't worry none, there's plenty of help waiting along the trail.

Another moose on the wall for...
While Jeremy Thornton is still wandering around looking for the pass that leads from Oop to Servlet country (and I know he's going to find it soon), Kate Head has broken out onto the wide open Servlet plain. Congratulations on bagging another moose, Kate. Keep up the good work. Sharon Ross and Terry Broman are the only drivers I can spot out there ahead on that wide Servlet plain, but I know there's a whole posse of drivers who should be poking their heads up soon, and we'll check in with them when they do.

Richard Hawkes bagged himself another moose for passing Servlets, and has entered the JDBC home stretch. And our very own Pauline McNamara is fixin' to graduate JDBC any day now. Just think Pauline, a nice hot bath and a long cool drink await you at the end of the trail. Been a long dusty ride, but worth every saddle sore, right?

All in all it's been a quiet March, and although the number of active drivers is hovering around 10, I'm sure that warmer days and dryer trails wills allow more of our inactive members to come back from wherever they hunkered down for the wet season.

I know I'm looking foward to seeing all of you out there on the drive, so let's get saddled up and hit the trail!

Nitpicking is hard work too...
We know they're workin' reeeeeally hard, after all, we've seen what those assignments look like once the nitpickers have combed through 'em. Hats off to Marilyn deQueiroz, Pauline McNamara, and Jason Adam for their dedication and patience with the pesky vermin that always manage to make their way into those assignments.

Joinin' the Drive
You think ya got what it takes? You ready for some work and some good learnin'? Then pull up a stool and read up on Joinin' the Drive. Good luck!

Lookin' forward to seeing you out on the range! Keep your eyes on the trail, but don't forget to look up every now and again to enjoy the scenery!

Cattle Drive update by Carol Murphy