The Latest from Doug Baum of the Texas Camel Corp.

[GUEST]

Howdy folks and welcome to the latest Texas Camel Corps email update. September’s upon us and here’s what August looked like.

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On August 11th, Carolyn F. and her kids from Granbury, Texas came by to visit- wonderful children and Carolyn’s quite a motivated mom. It was a pleasure to welcome them here to the farm. The kids got to ride our 15-year old Bactrian camel (two humps) Gobi and helped brush some late-shedding hair from Arabian camels (one hump) Virgie and Ibrahim. Lately, I’ve been working on some new pad designs for saddles and Carolyn and the kids put in their two cents’ worth as I tried them on camels Cinco and Richard. It’s always fun when folks come visit. The time spent out at the barn is fun and really informal, but reminds me how unique the camels are. I guess I often take it for granted that I’ve got six of ‘em in my "back yard". Carolyn and her kids’ reactions helped to bring that point back home. Thanks for stopping by Carolyn.



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From the 16th through the 25th, I was in Elfrida, Arizona for my monthly ten-day trip to work for VisionQuest (www.vq.com). For those of you who are new to this newsletter, I’ve been working for this forward-thinking company for almost 9 years now. The technical term for their program is a "residential treatment facility for at-risk youth". The ranch I work on, in southeastern Arizona, has a dozen camels that I manage and are used, along with horses, mules and wagons, to teach kids responsibility. This is kind of a broad stroke, but you get the picture.

This month, I took a group of kids and taught them how to make simple Somali pack saddles. Each youth had to cut four mesquite limbs with a bow saw and I instructed them on how to put them together. I had been taught this a couple of years ago by my good friend Peter Grill who learned the skill while a missionary with the Mennonite Central Committee in Kenya. It’s ultra-simple and ultra-effective. The kids seemed to enjoy the construction and application of the "technology". Our planned day-hike took us to the Hotwell Dunes Recreation Area, just north of Bowie, Arizona.

When it came time to actually load up gear and head out into the desert with the camels, one youth really shined. Rogelio figured out quickly that you want to already have each saddlebag filled and ready before you get your camel to kneel down. The time it takes to secure each bag to the framework of poles is critical, because the camel can stand up in the process, forcing you to repack bags or even redo the entire saddle. Rogelio, a true manager-in-training, began organizing the kids and delegating duties to teams of two. I’d kneel the camel down and Rogelio would direct each pair of youth to bring the already-filled bags to either side of the camel and place them on the saddle. Once the camel was commanded to stand, Rogelio would assist in securing the bags by throwing a rope around the entire camel’s body from side to side and tying a slipknot to prevent things from shifting. What a great hand Rogelio was!

We headed out into the Dunes and, after a good hike, we came upon the largest dune in the area, maybe 150 feet high. I told the kids to go climb, run and play while another VQ staff, RJ, and I watched the camels. I didn’t hobble them, we just kind of herded them around for a few minutes while they nibbled on the various greenery that had bloomed as a result of recent monsoon rains. 6-year old Marianne spooked at something, got the other 3 camels running and over a gravel hill they all went. I knew the area, so I went around the hill they’d just gone up, intending to cut them off on the other side. Four stampeding camels and me standing in front of them! Smart move, Doug.

Nothing but camels’ backsides for the next 45 minutes. We’d see them, get near, and off they’d go again! Finally, I determined that the kids’ needs outweighed the need to recapture the camels and we moved back to the vehicles for lunch. We sent the kids back to the ranch with three other staff and I called my friend Eddie asking him to bring up two ATV’s. Visions of the Crocodile Hunter danced in my head: me racing up to the galloping camels and leaping to grab a lead rope...

Eddie couldn’t reach us, the nearby San Simon River was swollen by the recent rains. A visitor to the Dunes, though had his 4-wheeler out there and was nice enough to take me back out to look for the camels. Turns out this fella, John, was a tracker with the horse and hound team from the prison in nearby Safford, Arizona. His skills were put to use as we picked up the trail in the northwest corner of the Recreation Area. We followed the prints. The camels had 2000 acres to roam in and they had to find a hole in the fence that allowed them into an unfenced wilderness area 25 miles by 25 miles square!

Now this isn’t just sand dunes as far as the eye can see, there are also drainages and rocky outcroppings, which make it beautiful, but really hard to track when the camels go to cross these areas. John, though, was a masterful observer and I learned quite a bit just by watching him. We were not only able to tell which direction the camels had gone, I was also able to determine that something on a saddle had broken. A straight line was left in the sand along with the footprints. I figured this was a rope dangling from the saddle and hoped the awkwardness of a shifted pack might slow the camels down. After an hour’s search, John was low on fuel and had to get back. I got on top of a dune and called Eddie. He still couldn’t ford the San Simon. It was his hope that it might go down within an hour or two.

While I was out with John, the Law Enforcement Ranger for the Bureau of Land Management had come by our trailer, speaking with my pal RJ. Officer Martinez told RJ he’d drive north on the paved road to see if the camels had headed that way. Within an hour, we got the call from him that he’d seen them. RJ and I sped with the truck and trailer in hopes that we’d be able to corral them somehow.

We saw a thrown pack saddle that the Ranger had picked up and placed at the head of another path intersecting the road and followed the arrow he’d drawn in the dirt. When we got up to Officer Martinez, he was standing in the bed of his truck looking through binoculars trying to spot the camels among the mesquite brush. The camels were now out of the dunes and in a large, flat valley between two mountain ranges. I moved around on the ground and spotted the camels. All four camels’ noses were pointing straight toward us! I was so happy to see this view of the camels.

They began sauntering over toward the trailer from about 200 yards away and RJ and I threw some hay down thinking they’d be attracted to it. They’d had 6 hours to eat anything they wanted, yet they seemed interested in what we’d placed on the ground. As they came to the hay, I grabbed Chewy’s lead rope and began walking him to the trailer. The other three were still a bit suspicious and turned to walk away, but seeing Chewy, the alpha of the herd, heading south, they followed him. RJ slid in, taking Sam’s lead rope and we realized that Marianne’s lead rope had gotten tangled in Irenie’s saddle frame. That at least kept the two of them together.

The only real casualties of the day were Sam’s saddle and a couple of cheap blankets, which I’d fashioned into saddlebags. I’d picked up some other gear that had been thrown or had fallen out during their sojourn as I’d come upon it tracking them. I was actually quite proud that the saddles and gear had handled the galloping, brushing through barbed wire fences and thorny brush as well as it had. RJ suggested that we’d be having camel burgers for dinner and I might’ve agreed if they were my camels. We trailered up and headed home.

Throughout the ordeal, the most discouraging thought I had was not that we wouldn’t find the camels, but that someone else would. Camel rustling in the US Southwest isn’t much of a problem these days, but I couldn’t imagine what kind of treatment these four would encounter if happened upon by a local rancher or worse, illegals. Officer Martinez had already called some of the area landowners and I only half-jokingly asked him to please tell the folks not to shoot the camels if they found them.

I guess this was a rite of passage for me. All of my camel-heroes have lost and had to track their camels. Lawrence did. So did Robyn Davidson, author of "Tracks". Author/explorer Michael Asher ("Two Against the Sahara" and many more), too. After prolonged periods of grazing, my best bud Feisal, a Muzeina Bedu in Sinai, frequently goes village to village asking about his camel Shy-lan ("courier" in Arabic). After the frustration wore off, I actually enjoyed the tracking aspect of the chase. One footprint became immediately distinct: Marianne’s, because she’s the smallest. Noticing that a rope was dragging was a moment of enlightenment. The search almost became a game. The difference between me and the folks above, though, is that in most of their cases, their lives depended on regaining their camels. Nonetheless, it was an exhilarating feeling to pursue them and, ultimately, to be reunited- if only after 6 hours.

Next time, the kids don’t get to play in the dunes. I do. And they’ll baby sit the camels...



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On the 28th, former Big Bend trekkers Joan D. and Alison T. came to the farm. It’s been over three years since I’d seen these two intrepid travelers and it sure was good to visit with them. Joan has a love affair with Gobi, our Bactrian camel and didn’t mind that we were getting our first rain (light, though it was), spending the better part of the day brushing him. She and Alison brought a car’s backseat full of apples and carrots for the camels and made good friends with all the camels, the horse and one of our donkeys! Three years ago, after their trek, Joan, a university English professor, sent me a poem, which I put up on the web site for a while. I’d like to reprint it here:

Gobi

Creosote tastes good

to the hungry Bactrian

in The Texas Camel Corps.

He pulls the tough spines

from the gray branch,

guiding them through

the maze of rubbery papillae

that guard his tender throat.

 

Ruminating on exotic flavors

of the New World,

he reflects:

 

I am Gobi

on a rare journey

far from the desert

that bears my name;

far from the road

my ancestors travelled,

walking westward

laden with twisted skeins

of shimmering silk,

translucent porcelain

and spices more fragrant

than this rough creosote.

 

Strange I have come

further west than all my kind.

Walking here among

Chihuahuan scrub,

unburdened with such a load

of precious goods,

carrying only water

over the dry land

to fill the throats

of thirsty travellers

for whom the trek

itself is precious.

 

I am Gobi,

a twin-peaked giant

among Dromedaries

that take the lead

but only cast the shadow

of a single mountain

as they walk.

 

If I stretch my neck,

I can see above them

to the Rio Grande

and smell the lure of Mexico

where I dream of walking

on a night when cactus bloom.

Joan, Alison, great seeing y’all again. Summer’s always the death knell for trekking, but I’ve got two trips booked in October in the Big Bend area. I can’t wait to get the camels saddled up!



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You may remember from last month’s newsletter that my friend Adel, from Cairo, Egypt had been trying to obtain a US visitor’s visa, but was denied. I solicited advice from all of you and was heartened by the response. Mike S., a former Monahans trekker, brought great perspective. While a State Department Consular officer, Mike worked in Uganda conducting visa interviews. He said sometimes it boiled down to his gut feeling. Now this may sound scary, that one person’s fate could be held so tenuously in another’s "gut", but I figure the next time I’m in Egypt (this coming January), Adel and I will walk into the embassy together and try again. Maybe if I’m with him, we can get a little more action. Or perhaps we’ll both be thrown out into "zahma" (traffic).

I spoke with Adel recently on the phone. I told him that I’ve got a group of guests coming in January wanting a "local" Egyptian experience. No hotels, no luxury buses. A home-stay, more or less. Adel was incredulous, saying, "Douglas, why do you call and ask permission? You know you have a home here in Egypt!" I mentioned that I know I have a home, but I thought it’d be polite to ask before bringing others into the home.

"Douglas if you show up with fifty other people, they have a home!"

"Thank you, Adel."

"Douglas if you show up with all of America they, too, have a home!" Adel said.

"If I show up with George Bush, does he have a home?"

"If George Bush is with you, " Adel replied, "He has a home. If George Bush shows up by himself, I do not know him!"

I don’t make this stuff up, folks. Show up with me and you, too, can have a place to stay in Egypt. I’ve got trips going in January and March and would love to hear from others who are interested.



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My pal Jim Hale of the American Camel Company (www.americancamelcompany.com) is almost ready to ship ten camels to Jamaica. He’s got them sold to a resort that plans on using the camels in tourism on a 900-acre plantation on the island. Unfortunately, my September and October are really getting busy and I don’t know if I’ll be able to make the trip to the Caribbean to help train the animals!

The other international travel that I’ve been working on, between Spain and Colombia, for a similar tourism opportunity is yet delayed by August’s being the vacation month for the Spanish government. In the near future I hope to travel to Spain to assist Sr. Ernesto Arango in the selection of a dozen camels for his business in Cartagena, Colombia. Will update.



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Tomorrow, September 2nd, I’ll be in Bandera, Texas helping to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Cowboy Capital of Texas. This event really kicks off the fall living history season for the Texas Camel Corps. Presenting the camels in educational programs focusing on the US’s historic military use of camels is what first put me on the map and I still love doing it. Two or three camels and perhaps a donkey will look forward to meeting folks there.

It’s not all confirmed yet, but on Sunday the 10th, I hope to be a part of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries’ "Abraham Walk" in Austin, Texas. The event, held to highlight similarities among the three Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), is right up my alley and I’m honored to be asked to be a part of the endeavor. Later in the month, on the 30th, AAIM is holding an arts and crafts fair and may have me present cultural programs with the camels throughout the day. For more info on this wonderful organization, log onto www.aaimaustin.org. Check with me before heading out to either of these events if you want to make sure the camels will be there.

From the 13-22, I’ll be back in Arizona with VisionQuest and on the 29th I’ll be on the campus of Schreiner College, in Kerrville, Texas for their annual Texas Music Heritage Festival. I get to play soldier again at this unique event as we share tales of the US Army Camel Experiment. Hope to see you at one of the events listed above!



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As always, thanks so much for your interest in my camels. I really appreciate it.

Doug

PS Don’t want these emails? Simply reply with the words "ana mafish awiz emailak" in the subject line. This is Saudi-dialect/Sinai Bedouin-inflected Arabic transliterated into Romanized script for "I don’t want your email" as spoken by a male. If you’re female, please reply with "ana mafish awza emailak". Yes, my inbox is gender-sensitive.

Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

For those of you up in the D/FW area, take note he will be in your backyard soon.

Howdy folks, the month of May has come and gone; thus comes another Texas Camel Corps update.

On Friday, May 11th, my 7-year old son Pecos and I took camels Richard and Gobi to Acton Middle School, near Granbury, Texas for a day of education programs. Pecos got to play "hooky" for the day, which he loved. The event was a Texas History fair and other representations included Buffalo Soldiers, frontier chuck wagon cooks, pioneer women and a trick roper with his horse. The organizer for the day was Peg Hainey, owner of a company called Many Hats that places events like this on school campuses throughout the year.

In Texas, kids in 4th and 7th grades study our state’s history for the entire academic year, so Pecos and I got to visit with over 500 pre-teens. Most of the presenters were engaging and I heard lots of positive comments from the teachers and students alike. Gobi and Richard took it all in stride and we were back on the farm before sundown.

From May 14-23 I was in Arizona, working for VisionQuest (www.vq.com). I split my time between the boys’ and girls’ programs, but most of the camel work was with a handful of young men. There had been a number of new intakes to the program since I was last there in April, so I had quite a bit of "catching up" to do, getting a number of new youths confident and competent around the camels. All did quite well and we were able to get in a few day-rides with different groups.

In this herd of a dozen camels we’ve got a couple of young ‘uns: Jericho and Marianne. Marianne’s been riding for a while, but I’ve only recently started putting time into her half-brother. A young man in the program named Aaron has been helping me train Jericho who’s more or less only ridden around the barn, but we were able to take him out on a longer ride with a group of more experienced camels and he did great! It was so good for me, Jericho AND Aaron. Those are the days when I love what I do for VisionQuest. What a rewarding time that is, when a youth and a young camel see the light come on. Aaron’s been a big helper with Marianne and I told him, "Long after you’ve left this program, other youth will be able to ride these younger camels because of the time you’ve spent with them." I added, "It’s a bit like a legacy." I’m so proud of Aaron (and the camels).

May’s always the rainiest month in Central Texas, where our farm is, and this year, in stark contrast to 2006, we’re way over our average rainfall. The good news is there’s hay this year, which we’ve not had since last summer. The bad news is, when it rains it pours. The ground hasn’t dried yet and that makes it difficult for the farmers to cut, rake and bale the much-needed fodder for livestock. The continuing rains have actually resulted in just under a dozen drowning/flood-related deaths in the area along with another two from lightning strikes in the past month, so obviously these downpours have been mixed blessings.

Of much less concern is the muddy effects on my camels. Recently, a post was made on a Yahoo groups page for fiber enthusiasts about my annually shedding camels and my generosity (someone else’s words, not mine!) in giving the fiber away. Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full. Actually more like nine boxes. Two weeks ago I received a ton of requests for fiber and am happy to fill the orders. My policy is, I brush the camels, collect the hair, send it (if the interested party will reimburse me for shipping) and they clean the hair and do with it what they like. I’ve had folks in the past send me items made from my camels’ pile. Socks, rope and even a wall hanging with Gobi’s image, shadow and a Mongolian yurt!

I’ve always groomed the camels each spring/summer when they start shedding (you don’t have to shear them) and from time to time I get inquiries about their fiber. It’s truly my pleasure. Bactrians (the two-humped species), originally from a colder climate, tend to shed earlier, generally from April through June, while the Arabians don’t even start shedding until right about now. This means I’ve got six camels that look like they’re in various stages of mange for almost three months! Having lived among Bedouin in Egypt/Sinai off and on over the last six years, though, I value even more now the fiber output and the fact that someone can get some use out of it.

June’s shaping up to be a pretty busy month.

On the 9th, I head about 25 miles away for a program in Whitney, Texas and from the 11th-20th I'll be back in Arizona working for VisionQuest.

On the 23rd, Jim Hale of the American Camel Company and I will combine to be a part of the Camp Verde General Store’s 150th anniversary celebration, in the Hill Country of Texas. This combination post office/gift shop/restaurant stands where an establishment once served the soldiers at historic Camp Verde, home of the old US Army Camel Corps of the 1850’s and 1860’s. Some of you may recall that Jim and I had some of our camels on the Sesquicentennial Camel Drive last year. The Camp Verde General Store is where the Drive ended up, so it’s a homecoming of sorts. Jim and I are looking forward to seeing other Drive alums Gil T. Hernandez, Frank Gonzales and Ernest Geigenmiller. Hope to see you there!

On the 26th, I’ll be headed to Ft. Worth, Texas with a couple of camels for a morning of programs at McKinney church. These types of programs are always fun because I get to share the Biblical connections of camels. Did you know that the camel is mentioned fifty-seven times in the Old Testament and six times in the New? I’m such a geek. I also get to share stories of my own experiences in the Sinai, famous, of course, for Moses’ 40-year wanderings. If you’re in the DFW area, you’re welcome to come over, I’d love to see you.

Here’s something I’m really excited about (and it has nothing to do with camels)!

On June 30th a photographer named Steve McCurry will be speaking in nearby Waco, Texas at McLennan Community College at 1 p.m. If you don’t know his name, you know his work. McCurry took a famous shot of an Afghan refugee which, inarguably, came to be the most famous picture in the history of National Geographic magazine. The "Afghan Girl", as the subject of the picture has come to be known, first appeared on the cover of NG in June of 1985, during the Soviet invasion in the lands once known as Bactria.

For years neither NG nor the photographer knew the identity of the girl; she was simply one of a number of refugees whose image McCurry had shot back in ’84, while in Pakistan on assignment. With the fall of the Taliban, however, McCurry returned to the area in January, 2002 expressly to find her. McCurry and the NG-sponsored mission found Sharbat Gula (they’d now gotten the subject’s name), ethnically a Pashtun, in the mountains of Tora Bora, back home across the "border" in Afghanistan.

Scientists and ophthalmologists examined the iris patterns of the woman’s eyes and determined that this was, in fact, the girl from the picture, now grown up. 28, 29, 30? She didn’t know her age, but remembered the day McCurry took her picture. It was the last time her image had been captured, she told the photographer.

The image, along with a greater body of McCurry’s work, will be a part of an exhibit at Waco’s Art Center (www.artcenterwaco.org) from June 30-March 30, 2008. The lecture and book signing are from 1-2:30 p.m. in MCC’s nearby Conference Center and admission is $5. Admission to the Art Center is $2 for adults, $1 for children and the exhibit will be open that day from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

If any of you are interested in coming to this, you’re more than welcome to stop by the farm afterward to visit the camels (and my family). It’s about a 25-minute drive from MCC to our farm, so feel free to stop by.

Finally, don’t forget I’ve got trips in Egypt/Sinai planned for January, 2008. I’ve heard from a few folks who’d like to join up and I only need 4 to make a trip run. All guests must be confirmed by November 1 and, while it may seem a bit early to be planning, we’ll need to start working to coordinate dates that work for everyone. Trip cost is $1950 for this 10-day itinerary (air not included) and all tips, transfers, lodging and most meals are covered. These trips really do benefit the families among whom we stay while in Egypt/Sinai and past guests agree: the most incredible part of these trips is the time spent with locals. Oh yeah, you’ll get to see the Pyramids, too, but they can hardly compare!

Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these updates? Simply reply to this email with the words "You’ve got the rarest form of tuberculosis known to science AND you’re on a Federal watchlist? Welcome back to America, here's your passport!" in the subject line and your wish will be granted.

Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Howdy and welcome to another Texas Camel Corps update. I’d also like to welcome all new recipients of this newsletter; our numbers have increased to 279!

On June 4th we had visitors to the farm. Old friend Deanna Cloud from Indianapolis, Indiana came to visit. Deanna and I met years ago when I was working giving camel rides at the Nashville (Tennessee) Zoo. The camels were actually leased to the zoo by an exotic animal dealer named Tom Smith and Deanna worked with Tom from time to time.

Deanna and her friend, Kayle, spent the day with us and it was a reunion in more than one way. Deanna took care of my oldest camel Gobi, a Bactrian (the two-humped variety), when she was a zookeeper at his former home- the Indianapolis Zoo. Back then Gobi was named Josh and Deanna was, well she was still Deanna. "Josh", though, was a bit of a pill, according to Deanna. Spoiled and bratty are the words I recall her using. I don’t think he’s changed much!

It was great to see Deanna again. Some of you may actually have seen Deanna before. Each Christmas she works with the camels at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on their big Holiday show. If you’ve seen the camels there, you’ve seen Deanna.

By the way, Happy Anniversary to Gobi and our family. It was 4th of July, 1998 when I bought Gobi ("Josh") from the aforementioned Tom Smith. Nine mostly blissful years.

June 9th camels Gobi and Ibrahim and donkey Hamar headed just a bit north to the nearby town of Whitney for a morning of programs at Thousand Trails, a family campground. Arranged by Activities Director Carla Wilson, this is something we’ve done three or four times in the eight and half years we’ve lived in this area. The campground is one of a chain of sites across the US where primarily RV’ers can pull in and stay for extended periods of time and its clientele is quite diverse. Ranging from families with young children to retirees who are seeing the country, the day was spent sharing our stories and listening to theirs, as well.

A number of the older gentlemen had wonderful tales from World War II in North Africa that included camels and, of course, many of the younger generation were seeing camels for the first time. What a wonderful day. Looks like we’ll be back again in the fall and I think I’m looking forward to it more than they are!

From the 11th to the 20th I was back out in Arizona, working for VisionQuest, a residential treatment facility for at-risk youth (www.vq.com). I work there ten days each month with their herd of a dozen camels, teaching (hopefully!) their youth to work with camels. It’s always rewarding to see the teens overcome their fear of these huge, 2,000-pound creatures, but in the end we usually see success with each child.

This go 'round was with a group of girls from the Madalyn program. Girls approach camels SOOOOOOOO much differently than boys do. Boys feel it's a "muscle" thing- that they have to overpower the camels. Girls come from more of a nurturing viewpoint. Each tack has its own pros and cons for sure.

Kathryn M. really overcame some hurdles. Just standing next to our biggest, tallest camels made her nervous, so my hat's definitely off to her for getting up there and going on a ride. Sharon L. took on young Marianne, no longer much of a novice camel, really, (thanks to the past work of program youths Aaron, Jesus and Corsica) but at seven years old still somewhat young and I was really proud of Sharon. Other young ladies, Leah, Ashley, Maria and Liz all did well, too, but I think the kids who "come from behind" learn so much more and are challenged much more than the kids who don't face any real difficulties when working with the camels.

Male youth Deyoe Harris was a really big hand as I was experimenting with some new Moroccan saddles/equipment, so thanks to him as well.

On June 23rd the Texas Camel Corps and the American Camel Company (www.americancamelcompany.com) teamed up to provide camels for the Camp Verde General Store’s 150th Anniversary Celebration in the Hill Country of Texas. This combination post office/gift shop/restaurant stands where an establishment once served the soldiers at historic Camp Verde, home of the old US Army Camel Corps of the 1850’s and 1860’s. The Camp Verde General Store is where last year’s Sesquicentennial Camel Drive ended up.

My camels Gobi, Richard, Ibrahim and Cinco were there and Jim Hale of the American Camel Company brought Dee Dee and Charo. The day was spent talking with the visitors who came and went along the beautiful banks of Verde Creek, a narrow water course that, in its day, served the soldiers, camels and other livestock and settlers in this bucolic slice of Texas.

During the 8-hour event, we probably saw 3,000-plus people, many of whom are descendants of pioneer stock who were around when the US Army had the camels at the nearby fort. All of last year’s Drive participants were in attendance, too: Me, Jim, Ernest Geigenmiller, Frank Gonzales and Gil T. Hernandez. Gil’s our "artifact". His great, great, great, great grandfather James Tafolla was a civilian and soldier who worked with the original US Army camels in the 19th century and it’s always an honor to have him share his family’s heritage with the visitors. Added to the ranks was my 7-year old son, Pecos, decked out in his Middle Eastern best riding atop Gobi. I hope one day that Pecos will feel as strongly about his family’s roots as Gil does about his.

On the 26th, camels Richard and Ibrahim traveled to Ft. Worth, Texas to the McKinney Bible Church for pictures with this church’s day campers. Group after group after group lined up for their shot with the two Arabian camels (the one-hump variety), all dolled up in authentic Egyptian finery. All three of my kids, Vanessa, 14, Delany, 11 and Pecos came and helped direct the kids where to stand, helped clean up after the camels and answered lots of questions.

Like so many days in the past two months it was a rainy one and the church had us set up under a portico so the kids (and camels) wouldn’t get soaked. A stroke of genius on my contact Nita’s part (thanks Nita)!

July’s typically a slow month and the Baums are planning our family vacation. I’ll work my usual ten days for VisionQuest, but that’s about it for this month. We are looking forward to a visit from Gobi’s godmother, Joan D. of Long Island, N.Y. in the middle of the month. Joan is a university professor whose love for Gobi defies all lines of genus and species. Joan has shipped carrots and apples in the past from New York, though I intercepted the cous cous, Bulgar wheat and falafel. Gobi’s not getting that!

On a personal note- our family’s growing! No, Trish is not pregnant, nor are Cinco or Virgie (our two female camels, though I do plan to have Cinco bred this summer). We’ve decided to take an exchange student into our home. Wasen, a 16-year old girl from Kuwait, will be joining our family for ten months as part of a really forward-thinking and much needed exchange program first implemented by the US State Department just after September 11, 2001.

The YES program, funded by the State Department’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, provides high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations the opportunity to live in the United States for an academic year. The students are selected for their commitment to community service, public diplomacy and academic achievement.

Once we have Wasen’s arrival date, I’ll let you know. It’s my hope to have a warm welcome here at our farm for her. I also intend on connecting her with nearby Waco’s small, but active Muslim community through the Islamic Center of Waco. I’d also like to be able to provide the opportunity for any other program students living in the area to visit our farm. Will update.

Finally, the 2008 Egypt/Sinai trip is starting to really take shape, with two folks verbally confirmed, one of whom is a doctor and is trying to get some surplus first aid supplies that we can bring along for the Bedouin (thanks Scott and Morgan!).

It’s looking like early January for this once-in-a-lifetime experience that may possibly include a wedding in Cairo for my "family’s" oldest son Sayed. The wedding date is a bit up in the air, but we’re trying really hard to get the schedule coordinated. Let me tell you, a Cairene wedding is an all out assault on every one of your senses. Come early, stay late, bring earplugs. WOW! The first wedding I went to I learned that these are not spectator events. You will dance, you will toast the couple and you might even end up on a camel or dancing horse.

I’ve said it each year I’ve been blessed to get groups together, but this is a trip you do not want to miss. Price for the 10-day itinerary I’ve got put together is $1950 per person (air not included) and the itinerary is as follows:

Sinai Camel Trek Sample Itinerary (subject to changes and/or substitutions)*

Day one: group dinner in Cairo and home stay with local family

Day two: transfer to Nuweiba, on east coast of Sinai. En route, visit Jezirat Faroun (Crusader-era castle on island just off Sinai coast in Gulf of Aqaba); overnight at quaint Habiba Beach Resort

Day three: jeep to Colored Canyon for hike. Afternoon free (shopping, diving?); Habiba again tonight

Day four: jeep to village of Wadi Samghi to meet Bedouin and camels; camel trek begins today; overnight at tent of friends Salem and Emira

Day five: camel trek; overnight at oasis of Ain Hudra

Day six: camel trek; overnight in open desert

Day seven: camel trek and afternoon transfer to town of St. Catherine’s at base of Mt. Sinai; Overnight in Monastery Guest House within walls of St. Catherine’s Monastery

Day eight: early morning hike up Mt. Sinai in time for sunrise, then back down to visit monastery; mid-day transfer back to Cairo; home stay with local family

Day nine: sightseeing in Cairo (Pyramids of Giza by camel and Egyptian Museum); home stay

Day ten: sightseeing in Cairo (Camel market of Birqash and Khan el Khalili market/Al Azhar mosque/university); home stay and transfer back to airport for early morning departure (or stay the night and continue on your own itinerary/extension)

*All transfers, accommodations, most tips and most meals included. Airfare can be arranged. Entry visas not included.

Late October’s when I need to have final payments in, so I can get all money wired across to Egypt/Sinai. For those of you still on the fence, remember I only need 4 folks to make a trip run and I only take 8 per trip. As folks confirm, we’ll start working on dates that best suit everyone.

Remember, these trips truly and directly benefit the families among whom we stay. There are no middlemen (who, in Egypt, take notoriously HUGE cuts from the Bedouin), so you know that when we leave, these families will really reap the financial reward.

Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails? Simply reply with the words "                                                  " in the subject line. I’ll get out my cyber-lemon juice and hair dryer and, like a Cold War-era secret communication, your wish will be decoded and your email address will magically disappear.

Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Howdy folks and welcome to another Texas Camel Corps update.

Summer’s always a bit slow as far as the camel business is concerned, but that doesn'’t mean we’re sitting around in the shade of a palm tree, eating dates. Most Sunday evenings the family takes a ride out on our gravel county roads- me on our sixteen-year old Bactrian camel Gobi, my 7-year old son Pecos on his donkey Hamar, daughters Vanessa and Delany, 14 and 11, on bikes and my wife Trish walking. Trish and I frequently switch off riding/walking and our little parade must look like something! It’s fun and I enjoy the time with the family.

We’ve gotten nearly all of the orders for camel hair filled (seven-year old Arabian camel Virgie is still hanging on to some of her winter growth) and sharing the hair with so many interesting fiber hobbyists has been rewarding. I should say thanks to Tilly M. of Houston, Texas (who recently celebrated her 100th birthday) for the two wonderful items she created out of camel hair mixed with Merino wool. Thanks also to Debbie G. of Beavercreek, Oregon for the cutest handmade glass camel (a Bactrian at that!), her way of saying thanks for a recent shipment of camel hair. Connecting with such unique, talented folks has made all the brushing very worthwhile!

The family is putting the finishing touches on the room we'’ve built for our Kuwaiti exchange student, a sixteen-year old girl named Wassan, who’ll be here this Friday. Because we intend on taking Wassan to mosque, our entire family visited Waco’s small, but warm and welcoming Islamic Center on July 13th to get to know the folks there.

Al Siddiq, president of the Islamic Center of Waco, invited our family to the Friday service and made a most thoughtful gesture at the conclusion by introducing us and explaining why we were there. Following much handshaking and introductions, all those in attendance, including the five Baums, sat on the floor for a wonderful meal, prepared by Al’s mother. It all could've easily been mistaken for a normal, Southern after-church meal with fellowship. My kids particularly loved the fact that you get to sit on the floor and take your shoes off!

Since Al explained that the if-tar meals (breaking each day’s fast during Ramadan) are NOT to be missed, it looks like they’ll be seeing quite a bit of us this September and October!

July 17-26 took me to Arizona for my usual 10-day stint working with the youth and camels of VisionQuest (www.vq.com), a residential treatment facility. I had a group of boys whose number, oddly enough, shrunk from eight to five after three of them became inexplicably scared to death of the camels! One gave up before even riding; simply standing next to one, grooming it with a brush, was more than he could stand. Despite my assertions that my son, Pecos, does this all the time, the youth, in rather florid language, effected his egress.

Still, those who remained, among them T.J. and Dale, did outstandingly. Dale perhaps has the strongest case of Attention Deficit Disorder I’'ve ever seen ("Dale! Dale! Come back to Earth, Dale, you’re on a camel!") and T. J. was a delight to have around simply because he was the polar (but not bi-polar) opposite of Dale. T.J. had his camel groomed and saddled before anyone else each day. What a great hand he was!

While out in Arizona, I began working with a Moroccan-derivative of a South Arabian camel saddle I’d been constructing. Using this on a younger camel, 7-year old Jericho, early indications are that I got most of it right, but there’s still some engineering left to master. More and more, saddlery is taking up my interests. Just the thought that so many disparate cultures/peoples all had to come up with equipment to harness the working potential of the camel (and so few had contact with other camel cultures during the early periods of domestication) keeps me motivated. One day I’ll put together THE book of camel saddles insha’allah ("God willing" in Arabic).

On the 18th, we had visitors. Actually I should say my dear wife had visitors to the farm (I was already in Arizona). Joan D. and Alison T., or as my camels like to call them, "the deliverers of all things good", showed up with boxes and boxes and bags and bags of apples and carrots.

Joan and Alison were on a trek with me sometime back in the Big Bend and have become much more than former guests. Joan in particular has an affinity for camels and, in fact, has a life-size, steel camel cut-out in her yard. I bet it takes less feed and you don’t have to clean up after it.

Thanks as always to these gals for their sweet nature and love of our camels.

This month’s newsletter ushers in a new feature I like to call "Member Spotlight". Each month I intend on introducing those of you receiving this email (who now number 285!) to someone from our list. This month’s Member is Andree’ Richmond (www.andreerichmond.com).

Andree’ is a ceramics artist from the U.K. whom I came to know while she was living in Arizona and wanted some up-close and personal time with camels for some of the art she creates. I connected her with my VisionQuest camels and it would be an understatement to say she fell in love. Ultimately she bought a baby out of the VQ herd, which she raised and trained. Andree’s camel skills are second perhaps only to her skill with clay and a kiln.

Check out her website (above). You’ll find a Bactrian camel on the "Wheeled Animals" page and two others (one Bactrian, the other a dromedary) by clicking on "Raku". One of Andree’s earliest Raku camel pieces is on my mantle and I consider it one of my favorites in my collection.

My annual trip to Egypt/Sinai’s looking very good. I’'ve gotten a handful of verbal commitments (and I only need four folks to make a trip run). Trip dates are going to be January 1-10. All money needs to be in by the 1st of November. Trip price is $1950 per person (air not included) and is a combination of home-stays, hotels and camping in the openness of the Sinai desert.

The hospitality that you’ll experience is chief among what I hope folks "take home" with them after these trips. Though we visit the Pyramids and many other ancient wonders, I always tell folks, "I’ll give you your money back if your favorite thing on the trip wasn’t a person." The people. Man, the people. The family of Saleh bin Suleiman in the Sinai; the children in my friend Adel’s house in Cairo. These are the memories that’ll stick with you long after your Nefertiti magnet has fallen off the refrigerator. I can take up to eight guests per trip and there’s still room, so I look forward to hearing from some more of you.

"Lawrence of Arabia", one of my favorite movies, will be showing in Austin, Texas at the Paramount Theatre on August 30 and 31. David Lean was an incredible filmmaker and really captured the limitless nature of the desert (some of the film was shot in Jordan, some in Morocco, other parts in Spain) in this less than historically accurate, but stunningly beautiful film which one seven Academy Awards including Best Picture in 1962. To see it on the big screen has been a wish of mine for some time.

Peter O’'Toole’s performance is perhaps as quirky as Lawrence was himself and at almost four hours, the movie can be a chore to get through. For those of you who’ve never seen it and might be interested in the Paramount’s screening of Lawrence, I suggest renting it and watching it beforehand so that you’re not so "distracted" by following the plot and you can truly enjoy the filmmaking. I hope to see some of you there.

Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails anymore? Simply reply with the words, "Aqaba is over there. It’s only a matter of going" in the subject line. This, one of my favorite lines from Lawrence of Arabia, will expedite the removal of your email address from this list, much as the Arab Revolt, led by Lawrence, succeeded in removing the Turks from the Red Sea port town of Aqaba, Jordan. You see, the 16-inch guns the Turks had were pointed toward the Gulf of Aqaba, in anticipation of a seaborne attack, and couldn’t be turned; they figured no one would dare make an attack on the town from the land. Silly Turks.
Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

I haven't figured out what the adult content is? 

Howdy folks and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps. *** Mild Adult Content Alert in fifth entry below***

Fall is officially upon us, and the camels and I have been fairly busy.
On the 3rd, Labor Day, camels Richard and Ibrahim and I (with family in tow) headed to the southern tip of Texas, South Padre Island. This is a natural barrier island that is most famous for spring break debauchery. We would have no part in such matters, however. The Texas-based grocery store chain H.E.B. had hired us to walk up and down the beach advertising their new soft drink and chip product lines. While the folks from H.E.B. handed out free sodas and chips, my 14-year old daughter Vanessa and I led the two Arabian (one hump) camels up and down the beach reminding folks to visit the H.E.B. tent for the gratis goodies.

Vanessa and I, decked out in product-related T-shirts, took the opportunity to do a little beach clean up, study the local flora/fauna and pose for pictures with the camels and beach-goers on what turned out to be a positively beautiful afternoon. The camels in the surf must have made for many memorable photos for passersby.

This was, though, not Richard’s first time to dip his eight collective toes in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2002, he was down that way for a film shoot, titled "Si L’Araby". Vanessa had a tougher time convincing Ibrahim to get belly deep in the water, like Richard, but we did manage to get him somewhat wet. Big thanks go to Horses on the Beach for the camel accommodations and the South Padre Island Film Commission and Convention and Visitors Bureau for logistical assistance.
Just a day later, I found myself at the opposite end of Texas. Gainesville, just below the Oklahoma border is where I was on the 4th and 5th. The keepers at the Frank Buck Zoo are the proud new caretakers of Cletis the camel. This yearling Arabian is a lucky little fella. He’s got a great group of folks who love him and want to be able to maximize his educational potential, so I was called in to provide a couple days’ instruction on training. After a little classroom time, we headed to Cletis’ exhibit, which he shares with a donkey and a couple of African tortoises.

Cletis was bottle raised (given a replacement milk via bottle as opposed to mother raised, nursing naturally) and accepts wearing a halter and being led, so much of the early work has already been accomplished. We worked on desensitizing the beige colored camel to being touched everywhere and I think the animal care staff would agree that just in the first afternoon they witnessed great strides. We also began training Cletis to kneel down on command, accept being brushed and hobbled (various methods of restraint) and to stand while tied to a post.

By the second day each of the keepers had Cletis kneeling down and generally accepting all that we’d asked of him the day before. What a great joy it is to see such dedicated people progress in their relationship with an animal they so obviously care about. Cletis had his off-property debut just last night at the annual "Zoobilee" fundraiser, with guest speaker Jack Hanna, and the rave reviews are already pouring in. Way to go Cletis!
Sunday, September 9th, my 7-year old son Pecos and I headed back up Interstate 35 to Frisco, Texas, just above Dallas for a birthday party. Also along was the aforementioned Richard as well as Gobi, our 16-year old Bactrian (two humps). The party was for little, oh I forget her name, but her family had planned an Aladdin-themed party and camel rides were part of the deal (I guess the magic carpet shop was closed that day). Now before I receive any heckling from those of you who know how much I DON’T like doing camel rides, let me plead my case:

I’d been approached by the booking agent for this event in the dead of summer, when camel biz was at a standstill. (Note to potential employers- if you want to see me compromise my principals, I’m at my easiest in June, July and August.) I also stipulated that the camels would be there for a finite period of time, two hours, kids only would ride, no adults, and that we weren’t going to wander the immaculately kept subdivision, Pied-Piper style ad nauseam.

The rides went fine, kids had a ball, and my favorite quote from my son Pecos (shouted from the birthday girl’s balcony) was, "DAD! They’ve got a movie theatre in their house!" How did he get away from the camels and me? It could’ve been I was mesmerized by the guy on stilts in a sheik’s costume shouting, "Welcome! Welcome to whatever her name’s party!"
From the 11th through the 20th, I was in Arizona, working for VisionQuest (www.vq.com). This residential treatment facility has programs all over the country, but their Elfrida, Arizona site, in the southeast corner of the Grand Canyon State is their only program with camels. Each month I alternate working with girls and boys, both of which they have on this same site. September was boys’ month.

The young men the staff had selected to work with camels included TJ, Dale, Robert, Glen and Adam. I’d worked with all but one of these youth before, and all seemed to be up to the challenge.

Dale, Robert and Adam all did well, riding more seasoned camels, but Glen took on 7-year old Arabian camel Jericho, who’s been riding for a while now, but simply needs more time. The combination of Jericho and Glen, who’s actually been riding camels with me off and on for almost three years, was superb. At the end of our time together Jericho was riding without having to be tied to a larger, more experienced camel.

A sad part of my time in Arizona, though, involved TJ. Before my arrival, TJ had been told he’d be working with camels (an activity which he loves and at which he excels), but not everyone had been included in the decision making process. The medical staff had not been consulted. Like so many of the youth in these types of programs, he receives psychotropic medications for behavior disorders. Well, for whatever reason, he’d not been taking his meds and this put him on medical restriction from any activities until his med situation was straightened out. I told the staff that I’d not mind breaking the news to TJ, though it’d be heartbreaking. The 14-year old cried, but understood and asked when I’d be back in October. I gave him the dates and he asked, though he knew I’d be working with girls then, if he could ride when I came back. "Of course," I told him. I’ll plan a special day for TJ in October.
Also, while in Arizona I received a call from a promotion agency in the Dallas area about a job in October. The representative asked, "Is it even possible to rent a camel?" To which I replied with my standard, "I’m game for almost anything, as long as it’s not a p**n film or something."

His pause was not a positive indication. While it wasn’t a film of questionable content, he was looking for a camel to advertise cigarettes for a convenience store across from the State Fair of Texas. I simply told him that with the amount of work I do with children in school settings it might be awkward for me to take on this job. He said he understood and appreciated my honesty.

He might’ve had better luck if he’d called in July.
Yesterday, the 28th, camels Ibrahim and Xian (our 2-year old Bactrian) and I were on the campus of Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas for the annual Texas Music Heritage Foundation’s Living History Day.

Frank Gonzales, a veteran of the 2006 Sesquicentennial Camel Drive, was on hand and in the uniform of the 19th century United States Army, allowing me to reprise my role as one of the native camel drivers who, ostensibly, were brought over to teach the soldiers how to handle camels. Frank is an aspiring author who’s currently working on a book about the historic US Army Camel Corps and I sure appreciated his being there to help deal with the roughly 1,000 school children from across the Texas Hill Country.

Having presented programs at this event for three years in a row, I’m beginning to recognize lots of teachers’ faces and many of the home-school groups that visit. Seeing all the students learn in a setting other than a classroom is always interesting and the THMF puts on a heck of an event. Big thanks to Tim and Kathleen for all their hard work at Schreiner.
Last month, some of you eagle-eyed email recipients noticed that I’d neglected to include a featured email recipient in the last newsletter, something I’d begun in August. Though well intentioned, I dropped the ball in September. Creature of habit, I guess.

So, without further ado, everyone please go and visit the website of Ms. Lynn Kot, of Tucson, Arizona: www.lynnkot.com. Lynn is a former Egypt/Sinai trek guest and now a good friend whose many talents constantly blow my mind. An avid apiculturist (look it up), a reproducer of Spanish Colonial Folk Art, designer and builder of rustic furniture AND she’s truly a rocket scientist! If she could only find some ambition I think Lynn’d go far.

It is my earnest intention to feature one of you each month from the ranks of the illustrious 288 folks who receive this email newsletter. Furthermore, it is truly a blessing for me to know such unique people and it’s my pleasure to try and highlight your talents and/or unique lives.
In October, you can find the camels and me in Abilene, Texas at Frontier, Texas! for their annual living history event on the 4th and 5th; in Colorado City, Texas (my hometown) on the 7th for the Junktique Jamboree for more public education programs; Big Sandy, Texas on the 11th for a day of education programs; back working for VisionQuest in Arizona from the 15-24 and the 20/21 we’ll be in Kingman, Arizona celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Beale Expedition of 1857 that passed through this town with two dozen camels on the way to California. Finally, a big official welcome to all our Egypt/Sinai guests for January, 2008. Howdy to Pam, Clinton, Vance, Irma, Steve, Kay, Barbara and Charles! If last January’s group was the Sinai Seven, I reckon this will be the Egypt Eight. At this rate we could have the Nefertiti Nine, the Tutankhamen Ten, the Elephantine Island Eleven and the Tutmosis Twelve some day.

Whatever you want to call ‘em, these intrepid folks will be gone from just after the Christmas holidays through New Year’s and into early January and will enjoy the hospitality the Arab world is known for.

Their visit will not only take them to the more recognized stops such as the Pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian Museum, but also to unknown sites like Mileyha’s goat-cheese-in-a-jerry-can seminar in the village of Wadi Samghi and Rathia’s Bedouin bread-on-a-barrel-lid class at the oasis of Ein Khudra. Those big tour companies have got nothing on the Texas Camel Corps! Group member Vance said, "I want to go to the meat markets. I want to see the livestock..." Vance, we’ll be living there my friend. You’ll see it, taste it, hear it and smell it. Makes all of you want to go doesn’t it?
As always, thanks so much for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS No longer wish to receive these emails? Simply reply with the words "You think you could steal my stuff and sell it?" in the subject line and, just like O.J. Simpson running through an airport, you’ll be gone.

Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Doug Baum and his camels will be criss crossing the state this holiday season.  Chances are good that you might be able to catch up with him in your area.  SEE the schedule by clicking HERE.

Texas Camel Corps- October
Howdy folks, and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps.

On October 5th and 6th, camels Gobi and Richard and I traveled to Abilene, Texas for Frontier, Texas’ annual Spirit of the Frontier Festival. This gathering of Living Historians is always fun. On Friday, over 1,000 mostly 7th grade students visited and were generally well behaved- some even pretended to be interested! Frontier, Texas has been described by the New York Times as "Disney with cowboys and Indians". It’s truly an innovative museum experience, focusing on the expansion of the Western frontier in 19th century Texas.

This is my third or fourth year to participate in their event and, suited out as a 19th century soldier in the US

Army Camel Corps, I got to share lots of stories with all the visitors. Saturday the event was open to the public and it’s always fun to present programs in West Texas. The general understanding of livestock is so widespread as compared, say, to big cities like Houston. Because of this, I can present more info on training, diet and management, etc instead of answering "the Big Three": Do they spit? Do they store water in their humps? So the male has two humps and the female has one?

Big thanks to Jeff, Scott and Nell at Frontier, Texas and the folks at Animal Health and Medical Center of Abilene for putting the camels up for a couple of nights.

On the heels of the Abilene event I headed further west to Colorado City, Texas, my hometown for their annual Junktique Jamboree on Sunday the 7th. The camels were available for photo ops at what is essentially a huge, open-air antique and junk sale.

The camels were well received by the hometown crowd and it’s always fun to go home. Seeing former teachers, folks from the church choir and even a couple of old girlfriends brings back mostly good memories.

Like most small towns in West Texas, Colorado City has been economically depressed for some time since the slow down in the oil industry of the 1980’s. The building of prisons and now wind farms has made a significant economic impact on this community of 4,500 people and the Main Street designation for the historic downtown area should help to bring about some change for the better. My father’s the Mayor there, so I’m able to stay tuned in to the goings-on there and truly hope for the best for my home.

Monday the 8th, junior members of the Texas Camel Corps Ibrahim, 5, an Arabian camel (one hump) and Xian, 2, a Bactrian (two humps) took that fateful trip to the vet for castration. While some native cultures keep a male camel’s anatomy intact, I find it better to take the pertinent parts away, thus removing any possibility for aggression during breeding season when heightened levels of testosterone are present. I’m proud to report both camels are healing up nicely. In an attempt at maintaining a modicum of professionalism, any usually expected witticism will be omitted.

On October 11th, the camels and I tried really hard to make it to the opposite end of the State, East Texas. I say tried because about 90 miles after leaving the farm, an axle cracked on my trailer, blowing out a tire. Camels Gobi and Richard were again on board, along with donkey Hamar. I was able to limp back home, switch to my brother-in-law’s trailer (smaller than mine, he has horses), switch out Gobi and Richard for Ibrahim and Virgie (younger, i.e., smaller camels), throw Hamar back in and headed East to Big Sandy, just north of Tyler, Texas.

The event was a Biblical living history event at a very unique facility called ALERT (
www.alertacademy.com). Taken from their website: The Air Land Emergency Resource Team (ALERT) is a unique training and service organization for young men who desire to achieve maturity and fruitfulness in service as Christian men. The training young men receive at ALERT equips them with the discipline, character, and skills necessary to meet the needs of people in crisis. These ALERT Responders will then be deployed to disaster-stricken areas such as those affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and mud slides.

The camels and donkey were one of many exhibits that portrayed life in Bible times. I was very proud of Virgie and Ibrahim. They probably had 200+ kids crawling all over them over the course of the 4-hour event! At 7 and 5, respectively, these two camels are super gentle, they just don’t have a lot of time on them. A little "OJT" for Virgie and Ibrahim.

On the way home, fate dealt another mechanical blow to the Texas Camel Corps: the clutch in my truck went out! Fortunately, I was close to home, was able to unload camels, return the trailer to my brother-in-law and drive straight to the Ford dealership. The repair took longer than expected, but ilhumdulillah ("Thanks be to God" in Arabic), by Tuesday the 16th it was ready.

Big thanks to Sharon and David at ALERT for their enthusiasm bringing the camels to their event.

Clutch calamity behind me, Wednesday, October 17th, finally saw me leave for Arizona for my monthly trip to work with VisionQuest (www.vq.com), their kids and camels. I was already two days late and the kids let me hear about it when I finally arrived. Each month when I leave, they ask when I’ll be back. I give them the date and I know they look forward to it. Once I explained the vehicular woes, they understood.

This month I worked with the girls in the Madalyn program. It was my goal to get every girl who’d progressed out of the orientation group on a camel and I succeeded. Some of these girls had only recently moved from what’s called First Direction (there are four Directions in all), up to Second and boy were they happy. Ashley, Arlene and Ana Maria were three who’ve been waiting quite some time to ride a camel, but the pace at which they progress through the program is totally up to each youth. The harder they work to attain certain goals, they more quickly they can proceed to a higher Direction.

Annie’s a young lady who’s in Third Direction and is a pretty darn good little camel rider. This trip, I brought a saddle from Egypt and wanted to try it on the VQ camels. In stark contrast to my camels, the 11 camels I manage for VQ in Arizona are FAT. Annie was excited to see how this saddle would work with her favorite camel, Marianne. It worked great, and Annie really felt special, riding a saddle that came all the way from Egypt.

What a great time.

While in Arizona, on the weekend of the 20/21, I participated in Kingman, Arizona’s 150th anniversary of the Beale Expedition, which used camels surveying a wagon road from New Mexico to California. My best bud Sidi Amar Taoua (a Tuareg tribesman from the Saharan country of Niger, now living in Tucson) and I had four of my VisionQuest camels, Chewy, Chug, Sam and Irenie in the town’s parade. School essay contest winners JoAnn, Matthew and, hmmm, I can’t remember the other kids’ names, but these bright students all won the honor of riding the camels in the parade honoring Beale.

The event was all weekend long and I’d originally contracted in to provide living history programs after the parade. Upon arrival, however, my contact asked how much the camel rides would be. Those of you who’ve followed this old grizzled camel man’s exploits may recall that I’d rather eat broken glass than give camel rides. Those of you who’ve been out on the trail with me also know that I’m a people pleaser, too, so guess who walked in circles for two days? Correct, Sidi Amar! Just kidding. We both dutifully, and at times cheerfully, took on the challenge and even perhaps enjoyed ourselves.

Maybe I have no real excuse, other than the fact that my camel initiation 14 years ago was giving rides in a zoo setting for largely unappreciative children and even less appreciative mommies and daddies (Ever since, I’ve imagined voices whispering, "Look at the carnie!"). But Sidi Amar was truly born in a camel caravan and I felt horrible asking this most dignified of desert denizens to deign himself, but together we made it through the storm.

Truthfully, we met tons of great people and ten minutes into the circular ambulations I’d forgotten how much I hated giving camel rides. The best quote of the weekend was delivered by one of two lady snowbirds (Northern US retirees to the desert Southwest) riding side by side, each on their own camel: "Can you imagine riding one of these things through the desert?" I had to look over at Sidi Amar whose eyes simply rolled as he smiled. "Yes," I thought, "he can."

Big thanks to Tom, Suzy, Britney, Duchess and Albert for all their help.

On the 25th, just back from the Grand Canyon State, super gal pal Manda Butler and I had the pleasure of sharing camels Ibrahim and Xian with the frat boys of SMU’s Phi Delta Gamma in Dallas, Texas for the second year in a row. Jeez, camel rides in Arizona, frat boys in Dallas- I’m really selling out. Greeting guests outside Al Amir restaurant for photos was pretty much the whole job and really, everyone behaved themselves (camels and collegians).

You may remember last year’s tale from this same job was a pinch off-color and caused me to question my business ethics. Suffice it to say it was no different this year. Last year the justification was new tires for the truck, this year it was the trailer axle and the truck’s clutch. Kick a camel man when he’s down and he’ll do almost anything. To quote my father (also self-employed): "Boy, sometimes you’ve just got to shut up and take their money." Thanks Pop.

An unscheduled, last minute appearance in Austin, Texas popped up on the 27th (sorry I couldn’t get the info to those of you in the Austin area prior to the event). The Austin Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (AAACC) was hosting an event called "India: Spice of Life" at an area golf course. Gobi (our 16-year old Bactrian camel) along with all three of my kids, Vanessa, 14, Delany, 12 and Pecos, 7 and I headed 100 miles south to the capital of Texas for this event.

Indian food, Indian dance and perhaps some of the most cerebral conversations I’ve had in a long time were the highlights of the day. After the frat job two nights earlier I could’ve spoken to a plate of chicken curry and it would’ve seemed stimulating. Vanessa really shined in her role as camel ambassador and watching her interact with the diverse crowd sure made me proud of her. Delany and Pecos really enjoyed playing with golf balls.

I look forward to working with the folks at the AAACC again soon.

November’s here and you can find the camels and me in George West, Texas for the "George West Storyfest" tomorrow, November 3rd (http://www.georgeweststoryfest.org/special_attraction.html).

On the 13th, we’ve got a TV shoot in Houston for the Spanish-language talk show "Cristina" on Univision.

Thanksgiving weekend, our holiday madness starts back up with live Nativities and Christmas productions that take us all over Texas. We begin in Hallettsville, Texas on Saturday and Sunday, the 24/25.

The 29th takes us to Waco, Texas for Baylor University’s "Christmas on 5th" celebration.

November 30th is the beginning of Waxahachie’s "Bethlehem Revisited" event and goes on Dec. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9. Check my website’s homepage throughout November and December for complete holiday activity listings.

Looking a bit ahead, into early 2008, I’ve got two groups back to back heading to Egypt/Sinai. My sincere thanks to Pam and Clinton, Vance and Irma, Steve and Kaye, Barbara, Charles, Mike, Morgan and Scott. (Guys and gals, I'll have another trip update to you early next week.)

These adventurous folks will be enjoying a side of Egypt and Sinai that most visitors don’t see. Better still, these folks will help make an invaluable contribution to my Bedouin "family" out in the desert.

And finally, on to this month’s feature: Sidi Amar Taoua (www.saharaexpedition.com). Mentioned above in the Kingman, Arizona story, Sidi is ethnically Tuareg, a people who are known as the "Blue Men of the Sahara" due to the slight staining of the skin from their indigo-dyed clothing. Sidi’s wife, Phyllis, is a professor at the University of Arizona and they have a daughter, Bitti, who’s about as beautiful and sweet as they come. Spoken in their home is a melange of French, English, sometimes Spanish and Arabic and any time I get to spend with these fabulous folks always leaves me feeling enriched.

Sidi guides tours in his homeland of Niger and I hope you’ll check out his website and send him an email.

Thanks as always for your interest in my camels and I hope to see you out there on the trail soon.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails? Simply reply with the words "dia de los muertos" in the subject line and, like an ofrenda to a loved one passed to the great beyond, your email address will sit on an altar in some small, forgotten little Mexican church only to be picked up at some later time by a mysterious, red-headed caretaker known simply as Grito Colorado.

Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

December Update...

Howdy folks and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps.

November was pretty slow, compared to a hectic October, but we did manage to get out there and pound the pavement a bit with the camels.
On the 3rd, camels Gobi and Richard and I headed to South Texas for the Georgewest Storyfest. This annual event saw over 8,000 visitors and, helped out by author/reenactor Frank Gonzales, I think we visited with each and every one of them!

This is an event that brings all types of storytellers to an eager and well-trained audience. There was not one cry for camel rides! Rather, folks were happy to sit on hay bales and listen to Frank and me share old tales about the U.S. Army Camel Corps of the 19th century. We had a great time and met many, many wonderful folks.
On the 13th, camels Richard, Gobi and Cinco participated in a really unique TV shoot in Houston, Texas. Spanish-language network Univision’s "Cristina Show" surprised a viewer with a home redecoration for the holidays on one day and the next camels showed up with the Biblical Magi delivering gifts.

The family was truly down on their luck and for us to be involved was a very rewarding experience. Best buddies Steven Evans, Paul Arellano and Kyle Mathis and I had a great feeling participating in the production and just getting to spend time with these guys, doing something I love, was icing on the cake.

On the morning of the 13th, we shot some outside scenes at a J.C. Penney store (one of the show’s sponsors and major contributor of gifts to the family), but the production was short one celebrity they’d counted on to ride a camel. They asked me if one of us would mind stepping in. Kyle was chosen, and magically transformed into a Spanish-speaking Nobleman from the East. Among our group, Paul is the only native Spanish speaker, but Steven, Kyle and I can all speak Spanish and the one year in Senora Wilson’s Spanish class in high school served me well. In fact, much of the early negotiations had been done in Spanish, but ultimately, on location, a mixture of Spanish and English was heard.

So with Kyle’s crowned head slightly swollen from his coronation and onscreen time eclipsing the rest of us mere camel shepherds, we finally wrapped up at J.C. Penney and headed to the neighborhood where the Garcia family lives. Steven’s experience as a mule packer in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado was instantly put to use. The camels had to carry "dummy" packages, with sponsor logos prominently showing and in a jiffy Steven threw enough half-hitches, diamond hitches and slip knots to rival the Boy Scout handbook.

Prior to the shoot, Steven (who’s not hobbled by dial up internet service like I am) used Google-Earth to find the family’s address and he’d identified an empty lot just a block away from the unsuspecting family’s home from where we could stage. We got the camels loaded up and walked to the folks’ house, parking the camels right out front, in the street, laden with something other than gold, frankincense and myrrh. Right on cue, the family was escorted out into the street and was utterly speechless.

I’m told that the segment will air on the 17th of this month on Univision, so keep your eyes out for that. Big thanks to the folks at Univision, the Houston Film Commission, Houston Police Department and the top- notch crew of Paul, Kyle and Steven for such a great experience.
In the October update, I’d forgotten to mention a TV production my son Pecos and I were a part of. The Cactus Jack Show, a public access children’s program from Nashville, Tennessee included the Texas Camel Corps in a piece they were doing about the Old West. Pecos, dressed in his best native camel handler attire, and I, suited up as a soldier in the U.S. Army of the 19th century, shared stories with the show’s host, Cactus Jack. It was really great to be able to work right here at home!

Pecos had some speaking parts and even led Cactus Jack into the sunset on Gobi, our 16-year old Bactrian camel. "The kids at school won’t believe that I’m going to be on TV," said Pecos about his experience. He asks once a week if I’ve gotten a copy of the show yet! The folks from the Cactus Jack Show did send Pecos a nice thank-you card. For those of you in the Nashville area, keep in touch and I’ll let you know when I hear something about an air date.
Cold weather and rain knocked us out of our opening weekend for Christmas camel work in Hallettsville, Texas on Thanksgiving weekend. Some years it’s been 80-plus degrees down there! It was not to be, however, this year.

Still, on the 29th, camels Ibrahim (5), Virgie (7) and Xian (2), along with donkey Hamar, worked at Baylor University’s Christmas on 5th event in nearby Waco, Texas. This campus-wide holiday celebration included a petting zoo, carriage rides and concert and, for our part, a live Nativity. My 12-year old daughter Delany came along and helped out and we had a fun night. By then the weather in Texas had warmed up again and it was back to the usual, balmy yule we’ve come to expect around these parts.

On the 30th, Bethlehem Revisited, in Waxahachie, Texas began, truly signaling the breakneck pace that is the Christmas season for the Texas Camel Corps. Think Renaissance Faire set in Biblical times. This event is an immersion into the village of Bethlehem, 2,000 years ago. Complete with Roman guards (big, beefy types with swords, shields and spears) patrolling the city block-sized recreation of Bethlehem and over 100 costumed cast members, this event is a real spectacle. Any of you folks in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area should come out. Performances continue this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The rest of December is full of similar events and we’ll be in other Texas locales like Austin, Ft. Worth, Boerne, Whitney, Duffau., Waco, Valley Mills and Hillsboro.
On the 28th, just after Christmas, daughter Delany and I head to Egypt. I’ve got two tour groups back-to-back that I’m guiding for the better part of January and Delany’s really excited about getting to go. This will be her first trip abroad and I’m hoping to get some work out of her! She loves archaeology and Ancient Egypt in particular, so she’ll take on some of the interpretive chores at the Pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian Museum, two stops on our 10-day trip.

Big thanks to Pam and Clinton, Vance and Irma, Steve and Kaye, Mike, Charles, Barbara, Lynn, Scott and Morgan for making up the two groups. Your participation in these trips allows me to get back over and visit the Egyptian and Bedouin folks that are truly like family to me and, more importantly, will make a tremendous financial impact on those peoples’ lives.
Happy Holidays from the camels, my family and me and thanks as always for your continued interest in our camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails anymore? Simply reply to this email with the word "VANISH" and, like the fruitcake your weird aunt always sends you, your address will magically go away, uneaten.
Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Happy New Year, Groundhog Day, Elvis’ birthday and any other Hallmark occasion I may have missed. Our little email list has grown to over three hundred, three hundred and thirteen to be exact, and with December’s busy Nativity season and January’s Egypt trips it’s been a while since I was able to update you all on camel goings-on. So, here goes. In December, our usual Christmas work was again a success and business took us up and down Texas’ spine, Interstate 35, from Dallas/Ft. Worth to San Antonio and numerous points in between. For newcomers to this newsletter, Nativity season is when we provide camels, donkeys and occasionally sheep for church productions commemorating the birth of Jesus. The forms these productions take range from humble, static displays on church lawns to elaborate, indoor dramas, complete with scripts, blocking, flying angels, etc.

In a total of seventeen events (two nights were lost to bad weather), the camels, donkeys and borrowed sheep helped to celebrate the newborn King and created a chance for my family to spend more time together, particularly my three kids and I. Vanessa, 14, Delany, 12 and Pecos, 7 all got in the act from time to time and this year’s schedule actually allowed my wife, Trish, to only have to work one event. Home for the Holidays she was! Those of you who’ve followed these Christmas exploits for some time will undoubtedly notice the absence of any sheep-related calamities; all went perfectly.

One event, among the many, really stuck out, though. Delany and I brought two camels, three sheep and a donkey to Hillsboro, Texas, a mere thirty minutes from our farm, on a chilly, drizzly evening. The event was a Christmas parade, which ended up in the historic downtown district, at the picturesque town-square, centered around the recently renovated Hill County Courthouse.

I’d been directed by the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce president, my contact for the event, to arrange the animals on the lawn of the Courthouse. It only took a few minutes for the thought to set in that I’d just engaged in truly subversive behavior, something perhaps worthy of a visit from the ACLU: I’d provided the backdrop for a Biblical depiction on government property!

Would Delany and I be escorted off the Courthouse lawn? Who’d take care of our animals, I feared? OK, I didn’t fear for the sheep so much, but I definitely feared for Hamar our donkey and camels Gobi and Richard. As I mentioned this to the Chamber president, the county judge who actually signed off on the event happened by. I told him how much I appreciated him allowing the display (and providing income for my family) and he said, "It’s what we need."

There was not one protestor that we encountered and, believe it or not, most folks were warm and welcoming, asking the usual litany of questions. "Where’d y’all get them things?" "Is those real camels?" Perhaps the drizzle kept the ACLU away. Perhaps the ACLU has no office in Hill County, Texas.

Big thanks to friends Kyle, Terri and Paisley Mathis, Manda Butler, Jamie Griffin, Tonja Sivils, David Laubert and my kids for all their hard work this past Christmas season.
For the better part of January I was in Egypt/Sinai, guiding two groups. The first group had ten folks (plus Delany and me); the second was much smaller, with only two fellas. The time spent with Delany, on this, her first trip to Egypt, was magical. Seeing the trip through her eyes really made me realize how lucky I am to be able to do what I do for a living and Delany was a real trooper. She even had a sleepover with her Bedouin "sister", Noora, with whom she’s traded things, through me, for years. Not one person in the house spoke English, but Delany didn’t hesitate when I asked her if she’d like to spend the night.

Delany’s version (from her journal, unedited!): Yesterday we got to Saleh’s house and I finally met the family. Fatma is the wife of Salleman (who is Saleh’s son) who is deaf. Then Freija is the wife who is the mother of Noora who is my age. My dad thought it would be interesting if I spent the night at Noora’s house- by myself. It was extremely hard. If I had to go to the bathroom she would point me to the kitchen. If I was tired and needed a bed, she would direct me to the camel pen. I was so frustrated that I just gave up on all communication and did everything by myself. Once we woke up, we had potato mush for breakfast. Then Fatma would grab my arm and would point to a bowl of water and rag to wash my hands and face. The water was so unbelievable cold!! Then today, we hiked Colored Canyon. I saw a Russian girl wearing Prada high-heels with rhinestones on it. My dad and I thought at the same time, "Now how in the world is she supposed to hike Colored Canyon in those?" Once we got down in the valley, there was a rock that had fallen down and just sat there. I was the only one that fit through. We saw so much water and wind erosion that was over 3,000 years old!! In the rock we also saw dykes, which is lava that has risen and has fit inside a mold to form a strip of dark rock. After that, my dad and I went back to Saleh’s to give Noora some clothes and a watch. Her eyes were as wide as a soccer ball. She was so happy to have a watch that was multi-colored. Then went back to the Habiba village where we stayed near a beach that was beautiful. And I FINALLY got to take a shower today because I never had the opportunity in the last five days.

Thanks, Delany.

These trips are, if I may say so myself, very unique in the world of travel. Most of the time is spent in people’s homes, not hotels and, to quote group member Vance D., of Waco, Texas, "I’ve traveled many places, but I’ve lived in Egypt." That may be the best compliment my trips have ever been given.

Steve and Kaye, Pam and Clinton, Lynn, Mike, Barbara and Charles joined Vance and his wife Irma. Ranging in age from 12 (Delany) to 70 (Barbara), this group really was like a family. I can’t thank each of these people enough for making the trip so wonderful. It’s my goal for every guest to go home and talk about the people they met in Egypt/Sinai, rather than the Pyramids or other sites they visited. The historic sites are incredible, but imagine that something can be even more memorable. I think we succeeded.

Pam, a nurse, was kind and offered to doctor a young child’s ear when we passed through a village. She even left the supplies needed for follow up treatments. The second group had a doctor and he, Scott G., of Oklahoma, did the follow up. What a blessing these folks were. Scott and his pal Morgan were a hoot and being roughly the same age as I, we became quick friends.

In addition to his medical skills, Doctor Scott also brought his guitar (after a two-hour separation sightseeing in Amsterdam, on a nine-hour layover). You’ve never heard anything "sweeter" than one-eyed Rathie (one of my Bedouin family), strumming and caterwauling with Scott, Morgan, the other Bedouin and I clapping in "rhythm"!

I make no bones about these trips being opportunities to give to folks who are less fortunate, and my group members always rise to the occasion. Money is desperately needed in Bedouin culture (not to mention much of Egypt), so helping to create forms of sustainable income is important to me. One initiative I’m really trying to get going is to encourage Bedouin women to take the time to make handmade items for sale, preferably woven textiles with traditional Bedouin motifs. It’s very easy for the Bedouin to buy mass-produced plastic jewelry for resale and, over the course of a camel trek, my guests may each purchase fifty dollars worth of this meaningless stuff. Having gotten the word to some of the Bedouin ahead of time, there were, thankfully, a handful of handmade items available and I thank each of my guests who purchased the various bags, blankets and other items. In the future, I hope to see more of these types of items for sale.

In Cairo, Magdy and Mohamed, teenaged sons of the family we stay with, want to learn better English than their public school can provide. They buy various English/Arabic dictionaries and with this in mind, I brought along the computer-based language program, Rosetta Stone. The boys have their own computer and, in the four weeks I was there, their English improved dramatically. I know for sure that their confidence in speaking English improved, too. Usually the boys use minimal English, but this program ABSOLUTELY works! It’s the program I’ve used (among many) to improve my Arabic. I’m so proud of the boys.

Living in the capital of Egypt, Magdy and Mohamed have access to everything a city of thirty million people offers. The Bedouin, however, are not so fortunate. My Bedouin family does have a home with electricity, so it’s my goal to return with a laptop computer, loaded with Rosetta Stone’s English program. All the kids in the family have expressed a desire to speak better English, which they recognize will increase business opportunities. Huge, gigantic thanks should go out at this time to Marilyn T., of Decatur, Texas for her unsolicited donation of one hundred dollars toward this cause (more about Marilyn below). Morgan, one of the two fellas on the second group in Egypt had actually put forth the idea of asking Dell or some other computer manufacturer for a new laptop (or laptops) and I’m still considering this, but I don’t want any strings attached to the endeavor. Will update.

In Cairo, I too set about learning a new language: klak-sat. This is the "horn language" used among drivers in Egypt. You might well imagine that traffic patterns, or the lack thereof, in Egypt’s largest city could create a language and some of the "phrases" are quite colorful and shouldn’t be repeated here. There are nice things to say in klaksat, though. Two short beeps approximate the word "shu-kran" (thank you, in Arabic) and can be used if someone lets you into traffic or another driver allows you to pass. I’m told by some male drivers that three short beeps, repeated in rhythm (ba-heb-ik, ba-heb-ik), says "I love you, I love you" if you see someone of the opposite sex that you might be so inclined to say this to.

I could bore you with endless anecdotes from the trip, but let it suffice to say that the guests who came on the trip had a real impact on my "family" in Egypt/Sinai and I think the exchange was mutual. There’s not a trip that goes by that the Bedouin or the folks in Cairo don’t ask by name about previous guests and how they're doing.

*Shameless final plug for Egypt/Sinai trips: In April, the oldest son of the family we stay with in Cairo will be getting married. I’m trying to get a trip together so that I can make it to the wedding. If anyone’s interested in Egypt/Sinai for April, the itinerary will include the wedding (something that can only be described as an assault on the eyes and ears!) and, of course, the Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and other historic sites. The camel trek in Sinai among the Muzeina Bedouin can run from as few as three days/two nights to as many as you’d like. Trip prices are averaging $1950 (air not included) for a ten-day trip and itineraries are absolutely customizable. Average air from the U.S. is $1000-$1500. Call or email ASAP if anyone’s interested.
On January 28/29, upon return from Egypt (and recovery from a scathing case of jetlag), I headed north, to Decatur, Texas to meet Marilyn T., Madolyn C. and their little camel Humphrey. Humphrey’s a ten-month old Arabian (one-hump) camel who travels, along with other animals like donkeys, chickens, reptiles and a llama named George, to retirement home communities. Marilyn, 71, says she likes to "visit the old people".

Marilyn is a real Texas treasure and I feel lucky to have gotten to spend two days with her, training her to train Humphrey. After getting to know the young camel a bit, I sized him up as a good candidate for learning how to "couche" (kneel down on command), a basic camel behavior necessary for loading of gear or mounting up in the saddle for riding. At ten months, he’s a bit young and small for riding, but we were able to fashion a Somali-style packsaddle for him from PVC pipe and a broom handle! Loaded with forty pounds of dog food, Humphrey took his load and nonchalantly sauntered off with no problem. It was decided that we’d spend the better part of the next day with him packed, led by Marilyn on a hike through her wooded property that adjoins the LBJ National Grasslands. It’s beautiful country up there.

Marilyn saddled up Fizz, her 25-year old Quarter Horse and dallied Humphrey’s lead rope around the saddle horn. Off the three of them went, through the oaks and tall grasses. Madolyn was on camera duty and I, well I guess I was there in case anything went awry. I need not worry, though. In Marilyn’s life, she’s dealt with a lot tougher stuff than a green camel and a horse that may or may not want a camel on its hind end.

A cancer survivor who’s outlived two husbands, her response to the only "incident" on the trail that morning was priceless. Following ever so closely, Humphrey’s front legs were tickled by Fizz’s tail and he kicked/jumped the tiniest bit. Fizz reacted by kicking back at Humphrey. In classic "don’t make me turn this car around" fashion, Marilyn brought the queer caravan to a halt and chided Fizz for kicking, a behavior she says is inexcusable, no matter what the cause. She then gathered up Humphrey’s lead rope, bringing his face nose to nose with her own, and said, "That goes for you, too!" Humphrey replied with a "hrumph" to which Marilyn replied, "Hrumph to you, too!" I instantly fell in love with this woman.

Before leaving, I simply mentioned the aforementioned laptop plan for my Bedouin family (during a discussion about Marilyn’s own travels in Africa and how profoundly affected she was by the locals) and she graciously donated $100 to the effort. When I say unsolicited I mean it was unsolicited and I can’t thank her enough.

What a pleasure it was to spend the two days with Marilyn and Madolyn. If you know any folks in retirement homes in North Texas, tell ‘em to keep an eye out for Humphrey!
On January 30/31, documentary filmmakers Leah P. And Rio T., of Austin, Texas, visited the farm. Before leaving for Egypt they’d contacted me about a camel-handling course in preparation for a film they’re shooting. I have been asked to be intentionally vague in describing their project, because there is some real danger in the areas they’re intending to shoot, but I can elaborate on our time together.

A dynamic couple, Leah and Rio have documented troubled regions around the world (including the U.S.) and Rio spent the bulk of the time with the camels, while Leah filmed. On the first day I instructed Rio on how to hobble his camel for grazing, medical treatment, etc, along with some instruction working with donkeys, the hardest working animal on the planet and something I’m certain they’ll be dealing with at some point. On day two, we spent some time learning camel packing techniques specific to the area they’ll be traveling, but inordinately high winds led me to abandon the thought of taking the camels out, fully laden for our day’s ride. Instead, we unloaded the bulky packs and took camels Ibrahim and Richard out for the day into the cattle pastures behind our humble farm, saddled and carrying minimal gear.

Rio’s experience with horses really translated well to working with the camels and once we got away from the barns (and herd-bound attraction of Richard, 12 and Ibrahim, 5, to the other camels), I had Rio mount up in the saddle. While the high winds certainly made the filming dramatic, all our tall winter grasses swaying in submission to the strong, south wind, communication was minimal. Ibrahim, tied to Richard primarily as company, was no problem and I intended on using him to carry home some firewood. I abandoned this effort given the bitter wind and we headed for a low spot, along a natural drainage course that I hope would offer some respite from the gales.

At lunch, with the camels hobbled and grazing, we discussed some more scenarios Rio might encounter, then mounted up for the return ride. About half way home I announced I wanted to get some time in on Ibrahim (who’s not trained to couche yet), so we untied him from Richard and, standing up on a bucket found out in the field, I jumped up in the saddle. What a great job the "I-Man" did! Had I planned a little better, and packed a blanket, I would’ve ridden much longer, but after about five minutes on that old wooden saddle, my legs had had enough. Still, it provided some good footage, I hope, for Leah who was on the ground filming while Rio rode Richard and Ibrahim and I followed down the cattle trails. Will update on Rio and Leah’s documentary, as details become available.
This month, the camels and I will be putting on the uniform of the U.S. Army, circa 1856, as we spread the gospel of the historic U.S. Army Camel Corps. Thursday and Friday of this week, February 7/8, we’ll be in Kingsville, for the John E. Conner Museum at Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s annual Living History event.

On February 27th, I head to Ft. Lancaster State Historical Site for a day of programs for school kids visiting from "nearby" Sanderson, Texas. Nearby, in West Texas terms can be a hundred miles. This beautiful old frontier fort is in ruins and is still almost as remote as it was in its heyday a hundred and fifty years ago. If ever your travels take you through this part of Texas, drop down off of Interstate 10 onto scenic loop 290 and visit. You’ll be glad you did.

I’ve been getting quite a few inquiries about trekking in Texas this spring. Groups and dates are being put together, so now’s a good time to join up if you’ve ever wanted to visit Monahans Sandhills State Park or the Big Bend region. Call or email for specifics.

Also, Texas Camel Corps is in the current issue of U.S. Airways’ in-flight magazine. If any of you are in airports or on U.S. Airways flights, check it out. You can see it online, too, at: http://usairwaysmag.com/2008_02/. Click on "Over the Hump."
Finally, I’ve got a plethora of power adapters, used for converting U.S. electronic appliances to local plugs in virtually all points on the globe. Over the seven years I’ve been traveling to Egypt I’ve had to replace my adapter a couple of times (having given them away, lost them, etc) and the Wal-Mart in Waco doesn’t sell, of course, just the one I need. I’ve literally got at least two for every continent! If any of you out there in cyberland have travels coming up and need just such an item, I’d be happy to give any of my duplicates to you. If you’re headed to Great Britain, Ireland, Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Northern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji or China, I’ve got your connection! Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want these newsletters anymore and are REALLY angry about it? Simply reply to this email with the klaksat phrase "be-be-be beeeeep beep" and I’ll get the picture.
Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Howdy folks, Happy (late) Leap Year and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps. An extra special "Howdy" to new recipients, too. Having recently switched computers, it required that I juggle around the list of recipients. I hope not to have lost anyone and, in recovering the list, I may have inadvertently added some addresses of folks who don’t want to be on here. I’m sure I’ll here from you if you’re among this group. Go easy on me, but please avail yourself of the easy-to-follow instructions at the bottom of this email to be removed from future mailings.

On the 7th and 8th, camels Richard and Gobi and I headed south. Waaaaay south, to Kingsville, Texas. Texas A&M University there has its annual Ranching Heritage Festival and we were proud to be a part of it for two days, visiting with South Texas schoolchildren and even a few snowbirds (Canadians who winter in those parts). Temps, by the way, were in the mid-80’s during our visit; I can see why the folks from north of the border flock this way!

While camels don’t strictly tie into ranching in an historical context in Texas, my educational presentations centering on the historic U.S. Army Camel Corps do touch on the role camels played in settling parts of the West, making it safe for further expansion in the 19th century.

The great thing about presenting programs in some parts of Texas is the questions kids ask come straight off the ranch. "Do you ride a camel with a bit?" "Can you use regular latigoes, cinches and off-billets with a camel?" These aren’t the kinds of questions kids in downtown Houston ask, that’s for sure! So many children in South and West Texas still have livestock and live in rural settings, so it’s always a pleasure to spend time in these areas.

Big thanks to Hal Ham and the folks at TAMU, Kingsville.

On February 18/19 it was my great honor, and indeed pleasure, to be asked to share some images and anecdotes from my recent Egypt/Sinai trips with students at Baylor University. Professor William Baker, Arabic and Middle East Studies, is someone I’ve known now for a few years, having taken some continuing education courses from him in the past.

Getting the opportunity to spend time with Professor Baker is always a treat for me and presents one of the only opportunities to speak Arabic (if you can imagine that) in the Waco area. I have to admit to being a bit nervous: this is the man who first taught me to read/write Arabic (inasmuch is possible in a 6-week CE course!). Still, the students responded enthusiastically and, little did I know, much of what I shared with the classes supported perfectly what Professor Baker had planned for his curriculum. It almost looked like we’d planned it all!

Shukran jazeelan, Nabeel! It’s always my honor to spend time with you.

On the evening of the 19th, old friend Jamie Clarke (www.jamieclarke.com) of Canada spent the night at the farm. Some of you may know Jamie’s name as one of three Canadians I helped train for a 900-mile camel trek across Arabia’s Empty Quarter in 1998.

Jamie, among many other adventures, has summited Mt. Everest and is a highly sought after convention/banquet speaker. That evening, he was addressing the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. My oldest daughter Vanessa and I went to enjoy the presentation and were delighted to hear Jamie speak and relate his climbing achievements to the chamber’s own business goals.

After the event, Jamie drove to the farm with us and he, my wife Trish and I stayed up too late, laughing and getting caught up. It’d been 10 years since we’d seen one another. In fact, we’d only spend two long weekends together back in the summer of ’98 during training for what would be the second time in history a Westerner would traverse the barren landscape known as Rub al-Khali.

Jamie, his brother Leigh and friend Bruce Kirkby made up a dynamic team and Jamie and Bruce each chronicled their expeditions in very captivating books, "From Everest to Arabia" and "Sand Dance", respectively. Though it’d been 10 years since we’d seen one another, we’ve often emailed and once Jamie was in our home we fell right back in step.

The next morning, after the kids left for school and Trish had headed to work, Jamie and I went out to the barn to feed the camels. I asked him, "How long’s it been since you were on a camel?" "It’s been a while," he said. I pulled long-legged Richard over to the fence, Jamie climbed on and there we conversed for a good half-hour- he perched bareback on the camel, me on the fence.

Do take the time to visit Jamie’s website and pick up his book. In it, he’s far too generous to me in his description of our training, for which I’m forever grateful. Our time together so long ago very definitely influenced my own travel pursuits and I’ve used his desert journey as inspiration for some of my own sojourns.

Wednesday, February 27th, stalwart, A-team members Richard and Gobi and I drove west to Ft. Lancaster State Historic Site. This 19th century frontier fort played host to all 130-plus students from nearby Sanderson, Texas for the day and we were asked to represent the U.S. Army Camel Corps that passed through the remote outpost at least three times from 1857-1860.

Now, if I thought the kids in South Texas were bright, the kids from Sanderson really impressed me! Those kids knew the names of the compartments of a ruminant’s stomach (rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum) as well as a variety of plants that grow in this region, known as the Trans-Pecos. Presenting programs to such a well-heeled group of kids was fun!

My hat’s off to all the parents, teachers and students in Sanderson. Big thanks also to Kim and Ted D. of nearby Sheffield for the camel motel and human accommodations. Final thanks go to Site Manager Chris Elliott for his undying enthusiasm for the camels and the unique role they played in Texas’ past.

From the classified section: Camel(s) for sale. The VisionQuest camel herd I manage in Arizona is downsizing and there are a few available. Give me a call or email if you’d like more info.

In March, look for the camels and me at Ft. Clark, in Brackettville, Texas this weekend, the 7th and 8th, for a Living History event.

On the 13th Richard and Ibrahim (Richard’s understudy) have a commercial TV shoot in Dallas.

Ft. McKavett, near Menard, Texas has its annual Living History event on March 28/29. Look for us there as well. It’s been a long time since we were able to make this event and this fort is one of the best preserved in the State. Hope to see you at one of these events.

Finally, looking ahead a bit to April, wedding bells will be ringing in Cairo, Egypt for Sayed, oldest son of the family with whom we stay in Egypt. The wedding will take place over two days, the 23rd and 24th, and YOU are invited. You’ve not lived until you’ve been to an Egyptian wedding! Bring your dancing shoes and your earplugs.

I’m ironing my best gallabiya (local Egyptian men’s clothing) and would be happy to bring you along. We’ll include the wedding in the itinerary, but will make sure and see all the sites you’d expect: Pyramids of Giza, Egyptian Museum and my favorite, a camel trek among the Bedouin of the Sinai. All of this will be included as part of a roughly 10-day itinerary.

In the past these trips have been as much as $1950 (air not included), but due to this short notice and at the time of this writing lower air fares, I may be able to discount it a bit. Call or email for details. For those of you who’ve been wanting to take one of my Egypt/Sinai trips, this may be the best opportunity to do so. For trip alumni, you can imagine how welcome your presence at Sayed’s wedding would be!

Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails? For those of you in Ohio, Texas and any other state with a primary tomorrow, please refer to the Texas Camel Corps email list removal proposition on your state’s ballot. Outside of these states, please reply to this email with the words "Blah, blah, blah" in the subject heading and, like so many campaign promises, your email address will simply cease to exist.

Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Howdy folks, and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps. March came and went so quickly, it’s hard to believe we’re already in April.

On March 7th and 8th, camels Gobi and Richard and I went south, to Brackettville, Texas, home to historic Ft. Clark. Now a housing community, this old frontier fort has seen Black/Seminole Indian scouts, the U.S. cavalry and even the historic U.S. Army Camel Corps. Sharing the camels with the public in locations where the old Camel Corps actually trod is always so rewarding.

Friday’s attendees were primarily area school children, while Saturday brought out many local folks as well as tons of snowbirds (northern retirees who live part of the year in South Texas). The air was alive with accents ranging from Noo Yawk, Canada, eh? and Texan. A beautiful melange it was!

Big thanks to Gil T. Hernandez and Frank Gonzales for all the their help with the camels. Also, my hat’s off to the Nowells who put together such a great event.

On the 13th, camels Richard and Cinco were part of a Toyota TV commercial shoot in Dallas, Texas. Cinco was actually Richard’s understudy, but camel-thespian Richard needed no stand-in! Superbueno gal-pal and camel, elephant and rhino trainer Manda Butler, of Waco, made the work go wonderfully.

The production folks budgeted eight hours for the camel shots and Richard was most patient throughout the ordeal. The set was inside a soundstage (warehouse), under lights, and Richard was basically supposed to walk from stage left to stage right, behind two Toyota hybrids, pausing once to look at the spokesman who’s just made some outlandish claim about the "history of transportation". Easy enough, Manda and I figured. No saddle, no lead rope or halter, just a camel walking a straight line.

We used food rewards to bring Richard across the stage and voice commands to get him to look downstage, toward the camera. This was shot maybe two or three dozen times, then we broke for lunch. After lunch, there was a second shot, one that would show Richard’s reaction to the spokesman and we probably ran that one an equal number of times. At the end of the day, the director said he got at least five perfect takes, which he’ll edit together to make TV magic. Way to go Richard!

I wish I could come up with some harrowing tale about how, at some point, Richard had had enough, stampeded through the overhead doors of the soundstage, kicking the windshield out of one of the cars, but that might come closer to describing my day! Honestly, it went as smooth as could be. During a handful of takes, when he was to look at the camera, Richard sauntered up, between the two brand new vehicles, directly toward the spokesman, as if to say, "Hi! I’m Richard, who are you and why are you in my commercial?" We ended up putting a barrier between the two cars to keep Richard from walking in that direction, but man, if the only thing the producers could say negative about the camels was that he was too friendly, they can say all they want!

The production assistants might’ve not loved Richard too much, though. The immaculate white floor had to be retouched with paint during lunch, thanks to the generous amount of argols deposited by Richard throughout the multitudinous takes.

Big thanks to Manda Butler. Also, gracias to Jami LoVullo, Animal Safety Rep of the American Humane Society who monitored all animal activity to ensure that no animals were harmed in the filming of the commercial.

On the 22nd, the Baum house welcomed the family of Vance D. of Waco, Texas for dinner. You may remember Vance’s name from the January Egypt/Sinai trip. He and wife Irma were along on that incredible experience.

Vance was so moved by his time with the Bedouin and the folks in Cairo, he wanted to take two of his three daughters to witness the hospitality and generosity the Arab world is so known for. It works out great that later this month, April 23 and 24 to be exact, there’s a wedding in Cairo and that’s a great event for Jennifer and Stephanie to really jump feet first into! Dinner here at the farm that evening was, appropriately, Middle Eastern and served with guests sitting on the floor. The girls loved it and while I was putting the finishing touches on the falafel, my wife Trish took everyone out into the fields to visit with the camels. What a great night!

I’m really looking forward to getting back to visit my "family" in Egypt and we’ve even picked up one other traveler, Lore B. of Houston, Texas (thanks for coming aboard, Lore!). While our group may be small, I know the financial impact will be incalculable for the Bedouin among whom we stay in Sinai. That’s the true reason I do these trips: to repay the Muzeina Bedouin for all they’ve given me over the past seven years. Insha’allah ("God willing" in Arabic), I’ll be doing this for a long time to come.

This past weekend, March 28/29, camels Richard, Ibrahim, Gobi, donkey Hamar and I visited yet another frontier fort, Ft. McKavett, near Menard, Texas for their annual Western Heritage Days.

This beautiful, largely intact, old post sits in such a beautiful location and it’s always an honor to present the camels and share their connection with Texas/American history there. Friday, over five hundred area school students showed up, no mean feat. Some schools had to bus their kids one hundred miles one-way!

The next day, many locals came to visit and stimulating conversation abounded. It’s always fun to meet folks who are so interested in history. They tend to be very colorful people themselves; while I’m there to share my stories, I oftentimes find myself "interviewing" those who’ve come to see the camels! I met an interesting fella who worked in mining in Honduras in the 1960’s, a gal who was born in Texas, but moved to Mexico as a child, then lived in Japan and finally, another reenactor who was raised in Saudi Arabia who had a really cool khanjar (Arab dagger, unique to the Arabian peninsula).

Saturday was officially Colonel McTaggart day in Menard County and an Air Force band from San Angelo’s Goodfellow Air Force Base was on hand to celebrate the proclamation. Col. McTaggart, a Ft. McKavett native, is a retired Air Force colonel who spent numerous years in Afghanistan from the 1950’s to the 1970’s and has been a tireless supporter of the fort. I was honored to first meet him years ago, at the fort, at a living history event and sat enraptured as he told his tales of life in Central Asia.

It was an incredible juxtaposition: the celebration of the historic military aspects of the frontier and the celebration of our own modern era’s Colonel McTaggart. The Colonel’s perspectives on current events in Afghanistan, as well as Iraq, were priceless and I sat, again listening, honored to be in his presence.

Big thanks again to Frank Gonzales and Gil T. Hernandez, both in uniform and attendance this past weekend as well as Steven and Caleb Evans, "board members" of the Texas Camel Corps and, finally,

Chris Elliott and Kinley Coyan from Ft. Lancaster State Historic Site. All these fine gentlemen sure make it fun, safe and a little easier to bring the animals out to share them with the public.

In April, we’ll be traveling from Ft. Worth, Texas to Harlingen, Texas, the Chihuahuan Desert as well as the Sinai and Sahara deserts. Whew!

Tomorrow, Thursday April 3rd, camels Gobi, Richard and Ibrahim will travel to Ft. Worth’s Leonard 6th Grade Center for a program in conjunction with the Camel Library of Kenya (google it!). The students at this school have been collecting books all week to ship to Kenya. In short, the Kenyan government services many rural school children with books delivered via camels.

An American author, Masha Hamilton, has even written a book about her time in Kenya and will be on hand for the event. Her book, "The Camel Bookmobile" is out now. Hope to see you there!

This weekend, I’ll be trekking in Texas’ Big Bend region in the Chihuahuan Desert with Ted and Janet W. of Washington State. Avid birders, these folks have llama trekked and thought this’d be fun, too. I’m sure looking forward to getting back out west (to my own desert), before heading back to Sinai/Egypt later this month.

On April 18, 19 and 20 I’ll have four camels (whichever four are closest to the gate when I load up!) at Harlingen, Texas’ RioFest for educational programs each day. I was scheduled to present programs at last year’s event, but had just come home from Egypt with a lovely case of Hepatitis A and didn’t think it’d be great to share that much of me with festival goers! If any of you know anyone in the Harlingen area who might be willing to put the camels up for three nights, give me a shout, please.

After a mad dash home from Harlingen, I’ll head to Egypt on the 21st and won’t be back until May 5. May’s update, thusly, will be a bit late, but I promise to include all the details from the above events, especially the time in Egypt/Sinai.

Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails? Simply reply with the words "Please remove from mailing list" in the subject line and, voila! your email address will be removed from the list. No strings attached, no gimmicks and no salesman will come visit. Your address will truly be removed. Meanwhile, the rest of us will make ugly faces behind your back.

Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254-675-HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

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PART 2

The couple, Say-ed and Wel-la’, had arrived to the outdoor fete, sitting side by side, atop a camel in a traditional sha-bri-ya, or tented canopy. At one point or another each of our group was pulled onto the stage, dancing to the band made up of one keyboard player and about a dozen drummers. The men tend to dance with a ma-traq (a riding stick used with camels and donkeys) in their hands and this is clearly something young boys become proficient at from an early age. Young ‘uns and youthful gentlemen particularly enjoyed placing the ma-traq in Vance’s or my hands and “challenging” us through dance. One feat is to place the stick between the two dancers’ bellies, parallel to the ground, keeping just enough pressure to prevent the stick from falling. I could’ve said no plenty of times, but when in Cairo…The women danced and ululated (za-ghroo-ta in Arabic)- that most familiar of feminine Arab sounds of jubilation- basically a high pitched wail, not unlike Indians on the warpath.
 
Weddings are the same all over the world and, after two days of activities, we let the family sleep and we headed out for some sightseeing. We visited multiple mosques and museums over the next couple of days. The Egyptian Museum, Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara, the mosques of Sultan Hassan and Ibn Tulun and the Gayer-Anderson Museum all served to give our group a good grounding in Egyptian history from Pharaonic to Medieval Islamic times. Later, after our return from a week in Sinai, we’d cover Coptic (Christian) Cairo, Jewish Cairo (the Ben Ezra synagogue), the Citadel (home of Egyptian government for 600 years), Khan el Khalili market and Dervish dancing. I can’t possibly move on, though, without mentioning the Dervishes. This free performance in a beautiful setting (the wikala of Al Ghouri, an old caravan stop) will be added to all future trips. Words cannot describe what our group saw that night. Lore was brought to tears and I found myself utterly blown away.
 
The middle portion of our trip was spent in Sinai, the land bridge between Africa and Asia and home to my Bedouin “family”. Getting there, though, was quite a chore.
 
The private transfer company I’d hired to drive us from Cairo to Sinai sent a driver who’d not slept much the night before and, as we approached one curve, was dozing. I shouted his name; Ahmed (the representative from the company in the front passenger seat) grabbed the wheel and we avoided flying off the eastbound, elevated roadway. Skidding, we then made a 270-degree spin at highway speed, finally coming to a halt perpendicular to the road, just off the opposite shoulder.
 
“Il-hum-du-lil-lah” (“Thanks be to God” in Arabic) was all E-mad, the driver, could say as we immediately determined that no one was injured. He said it repeatedly. I assured him that we were all ok and after a few minutes some Bedouin drove by and helped to extricate the van so we could change a blown tire. The Bedouin were happy to help and even happier when their request to have their pictures taken with Jennifer and Stephanie was granted by Vance, the girls’ father.
 
Vance (a lawyer, no less!), also had everyone pose in various “crash positions” laid out on the highway with the van in the background. Ah, priceless vacation memories.
 
Yes, il-hum-du-lil-lah, no one was hurt. I have sent the owner of the company (which I have used many times) a letter and you can bet that all future drivers I arrange will be closely monitored. Unfortunately, less than a week later another company’s tour bus carrying nearly fifty people overturned in Sinai and nine people were killed.
 
Deep breath……….Read on.
 
We overnighted in Taba, on the Red Sea, just below the northern point on the Gulf of Aqaba where Egypt, Israel and Jordan all meet. But a few miles directly across the Gulf are the western mountains of Saudi Arabia. A ferry would take us the next morning to Aqaba, Jordan, less than an hour away. Aqaba is famous for Lawrence’s raid on the Turkish stronghold in the early days of the Arab Revolt during World War I. Our day’s destination, north of Aqaba, was the Nabataean city of Petra.
 
After a two-hour bus ride, we arrived at the Visitor Center outside of Petra. The ancient city, once home to as many as 40,000 people, was reached through a narrow canyon called the Siq, which contained ingenuously carved aqueducts along its sides for delivering water to the city from the many springs above. Completely carved out of the surrounding rock, Petra has recently been named to the new list of Seven Wonders of the World and is much deserving of this accolade.
 
We spent about three hours with a guide in Petra, visiting the iconic “Treasury”, Roman amphitheatre and hiking around before heading back on the bus for Aqaba, stopping for a late lunch along the way. Having guided in Egypt for five years now, this was my first trip to Jordan and I have to say that their infrastructure for tourism is second to none. Though I only spent a short time in country, I was beyond impressed. The day trip to Petra will also be a new “must-see” on all future trips. We took the ferry back to Taba (on the Egyptian side of the Gulf) and bussed south to the town of Nuweiba for the night.
 
The next morning two of the group elected to sleep in (Mummy’s revenge having struck some tummies), others went snorkeling in the coral-rich waters. I, however, had a prior commitment to deliver a laptop computer.
 
Saleh, the patriarch of my Bedouin family, has seven children, ranging in age from 3 to 24. They speak only a few words of English and lack confidence. I had the idea to bring a used laptop, loaded with English language software, to help them. Rosetta Stone is the best language program I’ve ever seen (it’s the one I’ve used to improve my Arabic) and I have to say thanks to Jim Hale of the American Camel Company (www.americancamelcompany.com) for his donation of the RS English program. I know Saleh and his family will greatly benefit from this.
 
I’ve long felt that Saleh and his kids would be better poised to work with tourists (about the only employment option in Sinai for the Bedu) if their English was better. It’s something about which I’ve thought long and hard, though. “Dropping the Coke bottle”, so to speak (referencing the movie “The Gods Must Be Crazy”), isn’t always best. In other words, giving the Bedouin a high-tech gift, though well intentioned, might not necessarily benefit them.
 
In the past, I’ve given various gifts, never to see them used. I truly believe this culture has everything they need and some of the superfluous items they receive as gifts simply get sold for what they really need: money. The items wouldn’t be sold for a “profit”; the money made from such transactions goes to buy food and necessary items. Sensing this, I’ve not been bringing much in the way of presents other than clothing for some time now.
 
The computer, however, I felt was justified. Steve Leuschner, an old friend from college, donated the laptop. Steve’s the CEO and President of Cardinal Tracking, Inc. and his generous donation will not only allow Saleh’s family (and neighbors, perhaps) to learn English, but also make it possible for them to look at pictures on CDs. In the past I’ve put together photo albums, but now plan to put all the images from each trip on CD for them.
 
Also, big thanks to Marilyn T., of Alvord, Texas for her desire to donate to this cause. Marilyn was featured in the January 2008 newsletter and is owner of Humphrey the “harrumphing” camel. When Marilyn found out about my plan, she immediately gave $100 toward the purchase of the laptop. Though ultimately the laptop was donated, and I returned her contribution, I wanted to publicly thank Marilyn for her thoughtful gesture.
 
After the snorkelers, the slumberers and I all came back together, it was time to head out to the desert and meet the camels.
 
A friend drove us in his jeep from the idyllic Red Sea coast to the desert village of Wadi Sam-ghi, a small collection of Bedouin homes, fashioned together from corrugated tin, feed sacks, shipping pallets and what have you. I always visit this place when I’m in Sinai because my dear friend Hajja Mi-ley-ha lives here. Hajja Mileyha is the grandmother to a good portion of the many children here and once made some high-octane chicken soup for me when I had a cold. The thought of driving past Wadi Samghi without seeing her is impossible.
 
Any meeting with Bedouin is begun with the invitation to sit and drink tea. Our tea circle quickly grew. The many children crowded around extending their hands for sal-a-maat, or greetings, shouting “dig-lis” (the closest transliterated approximation I can find for my full, given name, Douglas) which seems easier for the Bedouin to pronounce than just “Doug”.
 
Eager to perform old tricks I’d shown them in the years since I first began visiting here, the kids soon dispersed at the urgings of some of the older boys. Some of the Bedouin women then moved into Mileyha’s “courtyard” to offer their greetings. Many of these women will say hello, then ask if I remember their names. While I do remember some of the names, I always tell them it’d be a lot easier to remember which faces the names belong to if they’d take the darn “ta-ra-ha” (scarf) off! This is always met with laughter and (I think) smiles, from beneath their veils. After a good half-hour of tea, conversation and perusing the trinkets the women and children offer for sale, our group began making its exodus.
 
Some of the group mounted up on the camels, others were still suffering in their nether-regions and elected to ride in Saleh’s truck. I, as always in the early stages of a trek, hoofed it so I could get plenty of pictures of the guests on camelback. By late afternoon we made it to the “beyt-shaar” (goat hair tent) of my friends Salem and Emira, in an area called Wadi Ar-way-bay-ya.
 
The camel trek I guide while in Sinai follows more or less the same course every time, taking us not so much from interesting site to interesting site, though by proxy that does happen. Rather, we travel from interesting person to interesting person. Just like Hajja Mileyha at Wadi Samghi, folks like Salem and Emira and their kids have become like family to me. I, in turn, believe I’ve become like family to them. An example: whenever I arrive at Salem and Emira’s, Emira walks over to me, drops her veil, offers the usual alternating kisses to the cheek, but doesn’t stop at the requisite three. She always goes for FIVE: the first two on either cheek, the next pair inching nearer to the center, then WHAMMO! N,umero cinco tends to land almost square on the “hash-m”. Translate that one on your own.
 
Some of the best times I’ve ever spent in Sinai have been with Salem and his family. Salem never fails to ask about my camels, about my camel business in America and he never gets tired of my incessant questions about his beautiful life.
 
After a dinner of rice and boiled lamb, this, our first night in the desert, found our group scattered about for sleeping. Vance, quite the snorer, chose a spot a bit outside of the tent. Jennifer and Stephanie elected for the open skies too, leaving me, Lore, Diane and some of the Bedouin under the tent. Lore and Diane, the Bible says, “Make a beautiful noise”. You did.
 
The next day’s ride took us through sand, rock and ultimately to the oasis of Ain Khud-ra where we stayed with the widow Ra-thia. Rathia’s got one of the nicer palm-thatched huts in the oasis, complete with cushions and pillows, and she always looks after our groups like a protective auntie.
 
With some of the group still a bit queasy, Rathia offered some of the herbal remedies for tummy troubles that Bedouin have used for centuries. Brewing tea with mar-ma-ri-ya leaves (a type of sage) and downing a bit of crushed baeth-ran bush (no English translation) chased by water did the trick for Diane. Unfortunately, by then I’d handed out all my Immodium and had to resort to grinding up a pecan-sized piece of charcoal and mixing it with water for my own problems. For the record, it works.
 
Also at Ain Khudra lives Sob-ha, another widow whom I really hold dear. Sobha’s place is a simple stone structure that she uses primarily for storage, while she sleeps outside under a beyt-shaar on the rocky escarpment that surrounds the oasis. I love listening to Sobha play the shem-beh-beh, a Bedouin flute, and the Bedouin men in our group always sing along with her haunting, ancient melodies.
 
On this trip, Sobha asked me why I always have my groups stay at Rathia’s and not with her. Not wanting to hurt her feelings by stating the obvious, that Rathia’s place is more comfortable, and knowing the question concerned the economic rewards reaped by Rathia, I countered that Rathia gets my “sleeping money” and Sobha gets my “entertainment money”! I do try and steer folks over to Sobha to purchase trinkets and she occasionally has some handmade things for sale, too. Regardless of how she makes out with her “bazaar”, as she calls it, I always leave Sobha a little extra money and tell her it’s a gift for her donkey Mus-ki. In the past I’ve brought Sobha shoes, tools for trimming her sheep, goat and donkey’s feet and other gifts. I think I used the Arabic equivalent of “trying to spread the love”!
 
The next day’s ride would be our longest and would mark the first time in the four-day/three-night trek that all members of the group would be riding the camels. Our destination for the evening: an area called Bur-gaa.
 
After an uneventful day of riding we arrived at our camping site- a soft, sandy spot next to an impressive sandstone mountain. After dinner, Vance began pulling us all in on a joke he wanted to play on his girls: “snipe” hunting in Sinai. This American rite of passage is usually pulled on young kids on their first camping trip and is a great way to get children scared to death before they go to bed.

[SHANEA]

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PART 1

Howdy folks and welcome to another month (or two!) gone by with the Texas Camel Corps.
 
This update will include both April and May, 2008. Highlights include a wedding in Egypt, a bus crash in Sinai, meeting Jefferson Davis’ great, great-grandson and Kenya’s Camel Library. Read on, por favor, and get comfortable.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
On April 3rd, when we last left our heroes, camels Richard, Gobi and Ibrahim went to visit students at Ft. Worth, Texas’ Leonard 6th Grade Center as a part of a fundraiser for the Camel Library Service in Kenya. My 8-year old son, Pecos, also was along for the trip. He didn’t seem to mind skipping school one bit.
 
Kenya, in East Africa, has a unique book delivery service for children in remote areas: camels. Many schools, libraries and bookstores in the U.S. have begun book-drives and fundraisers for this worthwhile event and the Texas Camel Corps was asked to be a part of Leonard’s contribution to the cause.
 
In addition to the camels’ appearance and my presentation on man’s use of camels, Masha Hamilton, author of the novel “The Camel Bookmobile” spoke to the students, giving them a first-hand account of what life is like in the Kenyan bush. The school had some goals for their book-drive, which they far-exceeded and the school principal got to ride a camel. Or was it KISS a camel? I can’t recall for sure, but I think she did both.
 
Big fun at Leonard 6th Grade Center and definitely a worthy cause. Thanks go to librarian Karen Hale for the initial contact and for all her motivation and hard work. For more info on the Camel Library, visit: www.knls.or.ke/camel.htm
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Driving from Ft. Worth to the Big Bend area of Texas (exact opposite ends of the state- who comes up with this routing?!!!), Pecos and I, along with camels Gobi, Richard and Ibrahim met up with Ted and Janet W., of Washington state for a 3-day, bird-watching camel trek.
 
Early the next morning, before Ted and Janet had arrived, I’d taken some hay and a few other bulky items to an area near a spring where I like to camp. I thought the camels might appreciate not having to haul everything. By 10 a.m. Ted and Janet dutifully took the lead ropes of their camels and off we went, Pecos opening and shutting gates and I extolling the virtues of camel-pack trekking, the flora and fauna of the Chihuahuan Desert and the history/prehistory of this most magnificent part of Texas.
 
The first stop was a beautiful waterfall for lunch, an arduous, uphill hike from our starting point. OK, waterfall might be stretching it a bit. When there’s water, it does in fact fall, but this time there was no water. Still, the canyon that “feeds” the waterfall is a splendid hike and offered a small bit of shade. The wasps also liked the shade and one was determined to bite Janet squarely on the rear. Though I’d only known Ted and Janet a short time, as their guide I felt obligated to keep Janet’s rear (and all other body parts) safe and I swatted at the wasp, mid-flight, with my hat. Expecting to hit the critter (the wasp, not Janet), but missing, I was taken off guard and my hat flew from my hand, was caught on the breeze and gracefully floated over the 80-foot drop of the “falls” where we were so precariously perched.
 
Appreciative of my concern for Janet’s well being, but apparently more concerned for my fair complexion, Ted insisted that I hike up, over, around and ultimately down to find my sombrero. Coincidentally, this is the same place where my guests Dan and Christina were posing for a picture almost two years ago when a gust of wind blew her cap from her head. While I did find my hat, I didn’t find Christina’s.
 
Making our way to camp later that afternoon, Pecos and I began to prepare dinner: cactus stew. Much enjoyment was had around the fire that evening listening to and watching birds and bats and we all drifted off to sleep.
 
The next day we took the camels, loaded only with lunch and water, toward the southwest corner of the ranch. Ted said he’d had a handful of “firsts”- new sightings of birds- and Pecos and I handled the camels pretty much from here on out so our two guests could more easily access their field guides and binoculars. We meandered along Cibolo Creek, filled with huge cottonwood trees, a few puddles of water here and there and the camels were allowed to drink. Ted got a small bath (or at least his feet did), as Ibrahim pulled him across the creek at one point!
 
Back at camp that evening, I had something very camel-trek appropriate planned for dinner: shish-kabob, couscous and falafel. Janet declared the meal “gourmet”. Thank you very much, Janet! Apparently some raccoons also liked our provisions. Though I’d hoisted all our groceries in a bag up in the air, suspended from a branch, the masked bandits still made off with our bread and chips. The next day’s sandwiches would be on tortillas.
 
On our final day together, we headed north, up the creek to keep near trees and the water. Prime bird habitat. Pecos took great delight in learning about the birds of the area from Ted and Janet and even got adept at identifying the Vermilion Flycatcher (pyrocephalus rubinus), his new favorite bird.

The camels were loaded with everything; I didn’t want to have to drive back and pick up anything from camp. Now, I’ve always taken great pride in being able to pack odd-shaped items on my camels, but the ice chest on top of Gobi must have made our odd caravan look like a cross between the junkman and a bunch of smugglers. Add this to the harp and two live chickens packed on previous treks and I’m starting to feel pretty proud of myself. If only I could’ve gotten Pecos to ride on top of the cooler…

Big thanks to Ted and Janet for such a great time and to my little buddy Pecos. This was his first 3-day trek and we had a great time together.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
April 18-20, I took Gobi and Richard to Harlingen, near the southern tip of Texas for that city’s annual event RioFest. A festival devoted to art, music and, I guess for my part, history, RioFest provided a perfect place to share stories of the historic U.S. Army Camel Corps of the 19th century. Harlingen being largely Hispanic, I presented portions of the programs in Spanish.
 
Though at times it was hard to compete with the cacophony of carnival sounds (having a microphone and P.A. system sure helped), I do believe some folks might have actually learned something. I sometimes joke that I usually don’t like to book my education programs into events that sell funnel cakes. This was one time I made an exception and I enjoyed the funnel cake, thanks Latif and Shana!
 
Over the three days I really enjoyed meeting some very colorful locals: Latif, from Morocco, who’d married Shana, a good South Texas gal (what great meals THEY must have!); a gentleman from Northern California who’d recently moved to the Gulf coast for the fishing; a preacher from Tennessee who builds small churches across the border in nearby Mexico. The list goes on. OK, you got me. I use the camels as a means to meet interesting people! It works.
 
Thanks to Kathy Preddy and all the folks at RioFest as well as the family of Lynn Johnson for the “camel motel”.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
I returned to the farm from Harlingen around four o’clock on Monday morning, April 21. At four that afternoon I would fly to Egypt.
 
In January, Vance and Irma D., of nearby Waco, Texas, were part of our group in Egypt/Sinai and Vance was so taken by his time with my “family” that he decided to go back, this time with two of his adult daughters, Jennifer, 25 and Stephanie, 23. Also along was Lore B., of Houston, Texas, a long time newsletter recipient/camel lover and Diane F., a Texan, currently residing in Cairo, who teaches at an American private school in Egypt. I can’t thank these folks enough for making the trip possible.
 
The big-ticket event on this trip was the wedding of the oldest son of the family with whom we stay in Cairo. The two-day hoopla starts with the signing of a marriage contract by the two fathers. Held at a mosque, with a government representative recording the proceedings this is fairly low-key, with only men attending. There would be a procession of vehicles from our house and I was thrown a set of car keys and told to drive to the mosque.
 
I’ve driven in Sinai twice before (and only got stuck in the sand once!), but driving in Cairo is nothing that’d ever crossed my mind. Regardless, the keys were airborne and I, instinctively catching them in my hand, had unwittingly accepted the challenge. In case I got separated from the larger motorcade 13-year old Magdy, youngest brother to the groom, was put in the vehicle with my group.
 
Cairenes, nineteen million of ‘em, all live in an area big enough for maybe a quarter of that. On the streets are white markings delineating traffic lanes. Some of the larger roads may have as many as six or even eight lanes. These are meaningless. If a bus, truck, car, motorcycle, bicycle, camel, donkey, donkey cart, horse, horse cart, water buffalo or flock of sheep can fit in a nook or cranny among the packed conditions they will.
 
I shucked, I jived, I even overtook a few vehicles jostling for my spot among the emission-challenged masses. I may have even uttered a line or two of klak-sat, the rhythmic, horn-based traffic language that can mimic spoken phrases ranging from “I love you” to something that derides another motorist’s maternal heritage. I passed a traffic cop and tried to look as Egyptian as possible. I was familiar with some of the streets we took to the mosque, but the difference between being a passenger in Cairo and driving in Cairo is as great as the Pyramids of Giza (which we passed coming and going). At one point we had to cross oncoming traffic (zah-ma in Arabic), then drive against said zahma for thirty or forty yards to get to an alley that would take us more directly (?) to the mosque. My Peugeot prowess garnered thumbs-ups and applause from the other drivers when we finally parked outside the mosque. I had conquered Cairo!
 
While the men folk were in the mosque, the gals had been swept away to the bride’s soon-to-be former house, nearby. Group member Lore B. picks up the tale:
 
After being greeted by everyone, a young girl took us into the entry of the house and pointed out stacks of boxes there and in two other rooms.  We didn't quite know what to make of this. We just smiled and nodded - completely clueless.  We found out later that day, we were looking at Wella's dowry/wedding gifts for setting up her household! 

Meanwhile back on the street, the celebration was on.  At least 100 women were there.  There were elderly grandmothers, fashionable twenty-somethings, adventurous teens, new moms, and the women in charge. Everyone was singing and dancing. One lady was drumming- and I mean gettin’ with it- on a large square plastic pail. It looked like the kind 30 pounds of cat litter comes in. She would shout out a verse and the crowd would call it back  Think of a big, boisterous, cracklin’ happy pep rally- without the taint of wanting the other team to lose. One song had a refrain like "humdallah, humdallah, humdallah wheeeeeeeeeee". I didn't have a clue what they were singing, but didn't care and joined in.  (Now I know the refrain might have been a blessing or a call for a blessing from God.)

My eyes nearly popped out when somebody let out a whoop, not just any whoop but an ululation. That seemed to be a cue for some of the ladies to teach Jenn, Steph, and me how to warble too. We were P I T I F U L!!!! We'd sheepishly laugh and try again and that would start another round of laughter and whoops.   

The drummer overheard me showing Stephanie and Jennifer the call/responses we used to do back in Georgia. The drummer knew exactly what I was doing and motioned me to shout-out the call for the group. What a hoot! They tried and did a lot better job of it than I did ululating! We all ended up laughing again. We were all glad when the drummer took charge of the singing again.   

I can't imagine being made so utterly welcome at a stranger’s wedding celebration here in the US. Shoot, I've never felt so welcome or included at any wedding before.

Thanks Lore!
That evening, back at the house, there was a “small” party with dancing and a meal. And gunshots. This soiree’ of perhaps two hundred people finally ended about midnight. The next night, over a thousand revelers wouldn’t get to bed until after two a.m.
 
Egyptian weddings are an assault on the eyes and ears. Everyone dances, everyone, with no exceptions. Money is given to the couple and periodically the amount given and the donors’ names are announced. No, they’re not announced, they’re blared. “Muhammad Mahmoud gives 3,200 Pounds! Ahmed Nabil gives 1,500 Pounds! Mr. Douglas, Mr. Hogan and Mr. Van (Vance’s name corrupted into Arabic) give 5,000 Pounds!”  All this, shouted through tinny speakers with the treble turned all the way up and the bass turned all the way down.

[SHANEA]

Howdy folks and welcome to the June/July Texas Camel Corps newsletter.

In the month of June the camels sat around with no work. I’m not complaining, though. The usual summer dearth of employment always allows me to attend lots of softball/baseball games for my kids. My middle one, Delany, 12, went all the way to state playoffs with her team. They ended up second during a week of double and triple headers, fighting their way out of the loser’s bracket.

١  (each story will be preceded with numbers used in the Arab world- it's cool finding new toys on my computer! I hope your computer allows you to see them.)

On July 10 camels Richard and Gobi and I, along with daughter Vanessa, 15, and son Pecos, 8 (Delany was swingin' for the fence), visited folks in Ozona, Texas. This west Texas town’s chamber of commerce invited some of us involved with nearby Ft. Lancaster State Historic Site’s living history programs to share frontier lore with locals. In these times of high fuel prices, the chamber thought locals ought to see what they have in their “backyard” and brought the fort to town, more or less. Our role was the historic U.S. Army Camel Corps, initiated in the 1850’s to establish camel pack trains in the Southwest.

There was a good showing and the chamber event, staged at their office along Interstate 10, actually drew folks off of the highway who happened to see the camels and other goings-on. No word as to how many wrecks there were- “Hey Earl! Wuz them camels down there?!!!”

Ft. Lancaster brought a stagecoach, along with three re-enactors, and Pecos was dressed as one of the native handlers who’d come from the Mediterranean with the camels. Vanessa wore a purple, period dress (and looked ever the proper lady), while I was in my historic military uniform.

Thanks to the folks at the Ozona Chamber of Commerce and Chris, Cheryl and Kinley from Ft. Lancaster for including the camels, kids and me.

٢

On the 15th, Martha D. and her four grandkids, along with adult daughter Lindsey, visited the farm. We get lots of folks to the farm in the summertime- parents whose children have pushed ‘em to the edge with shouts of “I’m bored”, “There’s nothing to do”, etc, but Martha was on a mission. Martha’s a free-lance writer who’s pitching a story about the historic U.S. Army Camel Corps to True West magazine and has another story in mind, possibly for a children’s publication like Highlights.

The visit lasted a couple of hours; everyone got a chance to ride a camel and Martha dutifully took notes. I’ve seen a rough draft and Martha’s done a bang-up job. Sadly, most stories about the old Camel Corps continue to perpetuate myths like the camels’ feet couldn’t handle the rocky terrain of the U.S. desert or that the camels were simply abandoned, left to fend for themselves. In truth, the camels were sold at auction in California and Texas and only a handful of feral camels ever existed. I was so happy to find that Martha had done her research, was asking great questions and it looks like we may have some real “myth busting” when the article comes out. Will update.

Thanks to Martha for taking the time to write about a part of history I hold so dear and for bringing her daughter and grandkids along.

٣

July 18th, First Baptist Church Waco, just a half-hour from the farm, hosted camels Richard and Ibrahim, along with donkey Hamar, for a visit to their Vacation Bible School. All Texas Camel Corps hands were on deck (Delany was on a one-week break between district and state tournaments), so all three kids and I shared stories about camels and donkeys in Bible times.

Historically, camels and donkeys would be used to haul things like water, hay and household items for the semi-pastoral peoples of the region. These are images all children seem to be familiar with, so we contrasted that with stories of my own travels in Sinai, Egypt, Israel and Jordan today.

All the kids (and their were a few hundred of them) seemed to enjoy the stories and time with the animals, but for me the best part was seeing my own kids working, acting as ambassadors between the animals and the children. I’m so proud of Vanessa, Delany and Pecos.

٤

In August, things keep about the same pace, with a TV shoot for the PBS show “Roadtrip Nation” here at the farm this Saturday and we’ve got two more living history events on the last two Saturdays of the month. The 23rd sees us back in Ozona, this time at the Davy Crockett Festival (Crockett County’s namesake) and the 30th we’ll be in Big Lake, Texas, for Santa Rita Days, in honor of this West Texas oil town’s first oil boom. Hope to see y’all there.

٥

Finally, our next Egypt/Sinai trip is really shaping up. I’ve got three folks committed and I’ve still got room for about five more for this 13-day adventure that will start with your Cairo arrival on December 30 and go through January 11.

The trip will include three days of sightseeing in Cairo (Pyramids of Giza, Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo, the medieval Khan el Khalili bazaar and Cairo’s camel market), a 5-day/4-night camel trek with the Muzeina bedouin of the Sinai, a day-trip to Petra in neighboring Jordan, a half-day snorkel/dive in the Red Sea, hike up Mt. Sinai and visit to the 1,600 year old Monastery of St. Catherine.

These trips are, of course, based on home-stays with Egyptian and bedouin in homes of people who are truly like family to me. The trip is a real financial benefit to these two families and will be nothing like any travel you’ve ever experienced.

Group member Vance D., said, “I’ve traveled all over the world, but I’ve lived in Egypt and Sinai.”

“Have you ever been on vacation and it begins to fade on the way to the airport? That’s because the experience wasn’t real. This trip is real- with real people, real Egyptian food and experiences. Gourmet trip!”- Lore B.

Susan L. said, “My life will never ever be the same again and I am so thankful. My life has been enriched beyond my dreams.”

If you’re interested in the trip, give me a shout. Price is $2075 and I’d be happy to put you in touch with the folks whose testimonials above were not coerced through water-boarding. They’ll shoot straight with you and tell you all about the trip, warts and all.

Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

 دج     (Doug in Arabic)


PS Don’t want to receive these emails? Simply reply with the words “al balalaam” (an Arabic cousin of abracadabra) in the subject line and magically your email address will be removed.


Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254 675 HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Howdy folks and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps.

August in Texas is still plenty hot and there’s not a lot going on, but we did manage to keep the camels busy.


PBS Program Pays Visit to Texas Camel Corps

On Saturday the 2nd, cast and crew from PBS television’s program “Roadtrip Nation” came by to visit.

This is a program that features young folks, traveling the US in a big green RV, trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. Now, that synopsis might not have sold the idea to PBS initially, but I think that’s a fairly accurate description.

The three cast members who visited with us were Su-Yin, Marianna and Camilla, three Australian gals. With them were Dan and Adam, camera guys/producers/directors. The angle they were taking, visiting our farm, was to interview someone who was doing a slightly left-of-center kind of job that he loves.

After an hour or so out at the barn, shooting the girls hanging out and riding camels, we headed inside for lunch and the interview.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the depth and insight the girls were looking for, they are “searching”, after all, for what they want to do with their lives. I’ve got no problem talking about camels all day long, but the focus was on me and it was a bit awkward.

The most difficult questions centered on how I could embark on such a career path, knowing the instability of this type of work. I simply replied that my wife, Trish, has always held a “normal” job that included benefits like insurance and that my parents were great examples of folks who followed their dreams. My mother was a professional musician and my father had played pro-baseball in the 1950’s. Neither of ‘em had a leg to stand on to tell me what I was doing was unconventional! Furthermore, I’d never seen my parents fail at anything so, to my thinking, anything you want to do, you just go out and do it. Thanks Mom and Dad. It wasn’t quite a tear-filled, Barbara Walters moment, but it did lead me to articulate (perhaps for the first time ever) how much of an influence my folks were on my life.

Sometimes TV productions never let me know when they’ll air, but I’ll keep my ear to the ground and promise to update when I know something. If you’ve got DVR on your TV, search PBS, Roadtrip Nation. Let me know if you find it and I’ll be looking, too. Learn more online at www.roadtripnation.com


Texas Camel Corps Visits Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville, Texas

On Monday the 4th of August, I traveled to Gainesville, Texas, north of Forth Worth, to work with the animal care staff of the Frank Buck Zoo and their camel, Cletis.

Regular readers of this newsletter may remember that I visited with Cletis just last year (http://www.texascamelcorps.com/907news.asp), but there’s been some keeper turnover and Zoo director, Susan Kleven thought it might be helpful if the new staff had some training.

I’m proud to report that Cletis is doing all the things a young camel should be doing: walking nicely with his handler(s), kneeling down on command and standing up on command. I also felt this would be a good opportunity to push Cletis a little bit and begin saddling him and having him carry some weight.

We fashioned a Somali-style packsaddle for him out of broomsticks and I showed the staff how to load things on Cletis. This could be helpful if they wanted to walk Cletis around the Zoo sharing items from the education department with zoo visitors, for example. Ultimately, it’ll be good practice if Cletis ever needs to give someone a ride. To that end, and to demonstrate that I felt he was ready for that next step, I hopped up on the camel’s back and had one of the keepers, Jason, lead Cletis around the exhibit. Hooray for Cletis! He took my svelte, 200-(give or take) pound frame with no hesitation. I was really proud of him and the keepers all saw some real progress as well as a fun, tangible goal to shoot for.

Big thanks as always to Susan Kleven at the Frank Buck Zoo for valuing my opinions and trusting me with Cletis and her animal care staff.

 

Ibrahim and Virgie Learn French

Through the middle part of the month, knowing school would be starting soon and I’d be losing my labor force, I had my daughter Vanessa, 15, working with two of our camels, Ibrahim and Virgie, both Arabians (one hump), teaching them to kneel down on command.

In the US, camel folk use the word “couche”, a French term more or less meaning “lay down”. A mother might say this to her child at naptime, for instance. I reckon the West has adopted this nomenclature from the French campaigns in North Africa that put them into contact with camel cultures.

Regardless of the verbal cue (you could use “Rumpelstiltskin” if you wanted, but the consistency is what’s important), camels learn SO quickly and Virgie and Ibrahim figured out exactly what Vanessa and I wanted within a few, short, 15-minute training sessions.

It was lots of fun to see Vanessa challenged with something new and the other two kids, Delany (12) and Pecos ( got lots of riding time as the two young camels practiced their new-found skills.

Of the six camels we’ve got, only 3-year old Xian, a Bactrian (two humps), is not completely full service, but his time’s coming!

 

Davy Crockett Festival

The 23rd of August, a Saturday, took us to Ozona, Texas for this West Texas town’s annual Davy Crockett Festival. We were part of nearby Ft. Lancaster State Historic Site’s contingent, brought in to share frontier history with the event goers. Camels Ibrahim and Xian were in attendance, along with reenactors from the Friends of Ft. Lancaster organization. For our part, we were to represent the camel’s historic use by the US military in 19th-century Texas.

The morning started off with a parade through the charming neighborhoods and historic downtown area of Ozona. Ibrahim and Xian led our entry, followed by an 1850’s replica Concord stagecoach, filled with Bill, Jeremy, Brandon, Gayland and Chap from the Friends group.

Chris Elliott, site manager, led Xian who’s too young to ride yet, and I started out riding Ibrahim. Unfortunately, the country band on a trailer behind our group didn’t play Ibrahim and Xian’s kind of music (nor mine, they blared “Sweet Home Alabama”). Neither of the camels seemed to appreciate the finer points of southern rock and after a couple of blocks I thought it in my best interest to dismount and walk young Ibrahim. All went well and, after the parade, we headed for our spot on the festival grounds to wow the masses with our recollections of history.

As always, on events like these, you meet the most unique folks. From the family whose members include a Vietnam veteran and an Iraq war veteran (father and daughter, no less!) to the numerous cowboys who just gotta ask, “Can you rope off of one of them thangs?”, I don’t mind admitting I use the camels to meet interesting people. My dad and his wife even drove two hours from our hometown of Colorado City, Texas to surprise me. Thanks for the lemonade, Pop; no one’s more interesting than you.

Thanks also to the folks at Ft. Lancaster State Historic Site for including me in their efforts to promote living history and for helping to keep me on the road.   ;-)

 

Santa Rita Days

Over this past weekend, camels Gobi and Richard and I were back out west playing Camel Corps in Big Lake, Texas for Santa Rita Days.

The event, which commemorates the oil strike that started the Permian Basin Oil Field, was not unlike the previous weekend in Ozona. Small town festivals are always great and, as usual, I use these appearances as ploys to satisfy my innate curiosity about humankind, employing the camels to draw the folks in, then, WHAMMO! I get nosy: Who are you, where are you from, what do you do?

I met a most incredible fella, Joe L., 83 years old, and a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Joe had also been the last principal of the all black school in Big Lake, before integration. What a treasure this man is and a blessing to his community. Alas, folks continued to file by the camels throughout the day and I didn’t get near enough of his stories. Duty called.

I got the opportunity to meet the parents of one of my Egypt/Sinai guests for this next trip, David and Cindy T., of Grand Falls/Royalty/Imperial, Texas (look on a map!). Their son Matt, 15, will be along with his grandmother, the amazing and inspiring 72-year old Marilyn T., whom you might remember from our January ’08 newsletter (http://www.texascamelcorps.com/108news.asp) as being the owner of camel Humphrey, whom I helped out with some basic camel training.

Matt, unfortunately, couldn’t make it out to the event in Big Lake, he and his grandmother were on a trip in Canada, riding horses among grizzly bears! I told his folks I’d have to work really hard to make the Egypt/Sinai trip compare to that! Coincidentally, David’s grandfather was the geologist on the Santa Rita all those years ago, when oil was discovered. What a great and interesting family.

Big thanks to the Reagan County Historical Society for inviting us and to the Schneemann family for the camel accommodations. Also, thanks to David and Cindy T., for helping put the camels and all their “stuff” away.


Caitlynn Wants to Ride A Camel

When I checked email in Big Lake Friday night, I’d received an inquiry from a family in Odessa, Texas, an hour and a half to the northwest.

Their 4-year old daughter, Caitylnn, was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor and has been given three months to live. She wanted to ride a camel, but would be unable to make the drive the next day to Big Lake and her uncle, Joshua, asked if I could possibly come to Odessa after the event.

Less than 72 hours later I am still wrestling with how to describe what happened next, so, I’ll just chronicle things as they came. I first thought, Odessa’s in the wrong direction. When I pack up in Big Lake, I need to be heading back east. I told Joshua I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it. Joshua said he’d be happy to cover my gas and put me up in a hotel. I thought of a family I know in Odessa with two young camels and offered that perhaps Caitlynn could visit with them and called to see if they were around. Got their answering machine. Called my wife, Trish, who immediately said,  “Go to Odessa.”

I feel like an absolute heel for even hesitating, but would feel worse if I told this story with anything less than the truth. I did not instinctively answer, “Yes,” but after speaking with Trish I called Joshua back and told him I’d be in Odessa the next evening sometime after 6 o’clock. When I arrived at Joshua’s place, on the west side of Odessa, I saw roughly twenty-five family members, A TV crew, newspaper reporters and Spongebob Squarepants.

Perhaps guilt was still plaguing me, and all I could think was, I don’t want to talk to the media. I was certain I’d say something that might make me look opportunistic, that promotion of my business was the reason I’d come. I certainly hadn’t known the press was going to be there. In fact, I didn’t know anything other than Caitlynn wanted to ride a camel.

I drove the trailer onto the empty lot next to the family’s home, got out of the truck and introduced myself. Bending over to look Caitlynn in the eye, then patting her on the head, the 4-year old reached out and hugged me. I nearly crumbled, but was able to get out, “You wanna ride a camel?”

I unloaded Gobi and Richard under a blanket of dark, grey clouds that had been building and was unsure whether we’d get to do this before rain hit. I considered the looming storm, the time it would take to saddle, but gave Caitlynn the choice of which camel she’d like to ride. She pointed to Gobi, a Bactrian (two humps) and I said, “Good choice!” With a pair of humps, Gobi has a natural saddle in the cleft between the two fatty deposits, making it easy to ride bareback; I simply placed a blanket between the humps as a little padding.

As everyone watched, I asked Caitlynn if she was ready. The little blonde, looking at all 2,050 pounds and eight feet of Gobi’s height stepped back, afraid, and asked if her mother, Brandy, would ride with her. Brandy looked like she’d been asked to play quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. However, with just a pinch of prodding, mother and child climbed aboard and Gobi rose from his kneeling position as the passengers’ eyes swelled to the size of saucers. We spent the next few minutes under a foreboding sky, criss-crossing the lot, recently mowed by uncle Joshua. Gobi showed his appreciation by occasionally reaching down and sampling Ector County’s fresh-cut camel buffet.

Caitlynn’s big sister, Laney, asked if she could ride and Gobi obliged. Then the wind came.

Everyone agreed it might be a good time to wrap things up and I began to stow the camels safely back in the trailer. Uncle Joshua asked if there was anything he could do to help, but Richard and Gobi know the drill. Back door’s open, it’s gonna rain, they’re in the trailer! Joshua reached out his hand with, you guessed it, a wad of bills nestled in his palm. I pulled my hand back, but Joshua was insistent. He said the family had taken up a collection. I was more insistent and said, “Joshua, this took three hours out of my life. When Caitlynn’s gone, your family will wish you’d had three extra hours with her. Use that for Caitlynn.” Joshua said, “If you’re ever within 500 miles of Odessa and need anything you call us.”

Most of the family headed for the safety of the house and I briefly answered the TV and newspaper folks’ questions. I told ‘em the same thing I’d told the family. “I’m blessed,” I added. “I’ve got three healthy children. How could I not come?” I prayed I’d said the right thing and tried to keep the focus on Caitlynn and her family. Leaving in a downpour, I arrived back at the farm at 2:48 a.m. Joshua called me at noon, Sunday, to make sure I’d made it home safely.

The newspaper article and some video can be found at the following links: http://www.oaoa.com/news/caitlyn_20544___article.html/camel_family.html

http://www.oaoa.com/video/index.php?bcpid=1184514319&bclid=1184507400&bctid=1764090632

Folks who’ve seen the article or caught the TV news piece have already emailed some very nice comments about the camels’ visit with Caitlynn. I appreciate the kind words, but let’s all, please, keep this family in our prayers.


Coming Events

Friday, September 26th, the camels and I will be headed to the Texas Heritage Music Foundation’s annual storytelling event on the campus of Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas. We’ll be there sharing stories of the historic US Army camels. Visit these great folks online at http://www.texasheritagemusic.org/

On the 28th, I’ve got a grandmother and granddaughter coming from California to visit the farm.

 

Egypt/Sinai Update

As far as the next Egypt/Sinai trip goes, we’ve got four or five folks with bags packed, ready to go. I can take as many as eight to ten guests, so there is some room for more. Final payment deadline is the last week of October. Remember, these trips are based on home-stays, not hotels and really benefit the families with whom we stay.


Newsletter Clarification

Last month’s inclusion of Arabic numbers before each story was met with varying degrees of success from readers (some folks’ computers showed something more like Cyrillic characters!), so, I’ll be scuttling that. Instead, as you’ve seen, I’ve gone with headlines for each tale.


Thanks

Finally, the Texas Camel Corps website (www.texascamelcorps.com) has been undergoing some maintenance and I have to thank chief web guy, Matt Lyles, for all his recent hard work. Updated now is the Newsletter archive, with everything online and active, back to 2005. Matt’s a tireless volunteer and, aside from his duties with the TCC, he’s a devoted family man and public school teacher, so I really appreciate the time he puts into the website. Look soon for updated Camel Treks pages as well.

Thanks as always for your interest in the camels and I look forward to hearing from you.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails? Simply reply with the words “Historic US Presidential election” in the subject line and, like the same old boring candidates, your email address will be mostly removed.

 
Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254 675 HUMP (4867)

[SHANEA]

Howdy folks and welcome to another month gone by with the Texas Camel Corps. September usually signals the end of the slow summer months (as far as business is concerned), but we did have a couple of fun adventures.


Bruised Shin and Slipping Saddle

On Sunday the 7th, James H. and family from the Dallas, Texas area came to visit the farm. James and I had been trying to coordinate our busy schedules for some months so that he, Jenny and Trenton could come ride camels.

The whole Baum family was on hand and camels Cinco, Richard and Gobi were saddled and loaded with water and snacks for the afternoon’s activities.

James rode Richard, while Jenny and Trenton were on Cinco and Gobi, respectively. My son Pecos brought up the rear on our donkey Hamar.

The camels love heading out into the rolling pastures behind our farm; the hackberry trees and other delectable plant life are among their favorite snacks. We could probably have made a lot better time if I’d not allowed (encouraged!) them to eat along the trail, but we were in no hurry.

At one point, when the camels got side by side along a line of hackberries, Jenny’s shin got scraped and bruised as Richard and Cinco jockeyed for position. Later, Trenton almost slid sideways off of Gobi when Richard, tied behind Gobi, balked at crossing a dry creek bed (first time he’s ever done that!) and Richard’s lead rope pulled loose the cinch on Gobi’s saddle. Quick moves by my wife Trish righted young Trenton and five minutes later we were at our half-way point, a hand-dug well hewn through the rocky ground back in 1932.

At the well, we checked the water level, peered down inside to see if we could find any crawfish, common occupants of the well, and took a break in the shade, drinking and snacking.

On the return to the barn everything went as smoothly as you could ever want. Trenton said he’d like to ride the donkey and Pecos didn’t mind switching to Gobi at all (he’d ride a tornado if he could). We took a different route back, circling an earthen stock tank to see if the summer’s rains had filled it. It was low, but at least it had water in it.

These kinds of trips are so rewarding for me. They’re informal, my family and I get to spend time together outdoors and folks who come to visit really get a unique experience. I don’t advertise this on my website and I don’t even have a fee established. Folks just give whatever they want. It’ll go to buy hay. There’s no overhead, I walk out the back door and I’m at work.

Even with Jenny’s bruised shin, James said this is the best thing they’ve ever done and wants to come back and do an overnight sometime.

Thanks to James, Jenny and Trenton for taking the time to drive the two hours from Dallas to come visit.


Texas Camel Corps visits Kerrville, Texas

On Friday the 26th, camels Gobi and Richard and I were part of the Texas Heritage Music Foundation’s Living History Day in Kerrville, Texas on the campus of Schreiner University.

It’s our 5th year to take part in this annual event and school children from all over the Hill Country and South Texas were in attendance. For our part, the camels were reenacting their use as pack animals for the U.S. military in 19th century Texas.  Other presenters shared music, cowboy poetry and other cultural aspects of Texan heritage.

Good buddy Frank Gonzales, who’s been authoring a new book about the historic U.S. Army Camel Corps was on hand and, as always, his help wrangling camels and sharing stories with the students was appreciated.

My thanks to Tim and Kathleen with the THMF for inviting the camels back each year. Also, thanks to Jim and Carolyn with the American Camel Company for the camel motel and accommodations.


October Schedule

October’s schedule is considerably busier than the last few months.

On Friday/Saturday, the 10/11 we’ll be at Ft. Griffin State Historic Site near Albany, Texas for their annual Living History event, reenacting the U.S. Army Camel Corps.

The following weekend, Saturday the 18th, we’ll be at Ft. Lancaster State Historic Site, near Sheffield, Texas celebrating Archaeology Awareness month.

October 29th, I’ve got a half-day trek in the Hill Country of Texas, on private land for a couple from New Hampshire. We’re using the day as a reconnaissance of some property a good friend of mine owns. John Karger (lastchanceforever.org) and I have wanted to partner up for some time, so this should be fun. Take a moment to visit John’s site and see what great work he does for birds of prey.

The 31st and November 1st, we head to Del Rio for more education programs related to Archaeology Awareness Month. We’ve not been that direction in some time, so it’ll be nice to visit with old friends on the border.


Egypt/Sinai Trip Payment Deadline

Finally, the payment deadline for folks on our next Egypt/Sinai trip is October 24th. Looks like we’ve got a fun group assembled and there is some room left if you’d like to join up. Trip price is $2075 (based on double occupancy; $100 more for travelers requiring single accommodations) and this covers the roughly 2-week itinerary that includes camel trekking in Sinai, sightseeing in Cairo, a day-trip to Petra, in Jordan, climbing Mt. Sinai and diving/snorkeling in the Red Sea. Remember, these trips are based on home-stays, not hotels, and offer you the chance to LIVE, not be a tourist, in Egypt and Sinai! Trip dates are Dec. 30-Jan. 11. In the event we get more folks than my maximum of 8, I’m happy to set up a second itinerary, on the heels of the first. Give me a shout. Here's the itinerary:

Tues Dec 30: Your Cairo arrival. Doug and Adel (our Cairo host, rhymes with "bottle") pick you up. Overnight at Adel's house.

Wed Dec 31: Breakfast at Adel's, then Cairo sightseeing: camel market of Birqash and Sphinx/Pyramids of Giza. At Giza, the entry fee into the Solar Boat museum and to enter one of the Pyramids is included. Also included is a camel ride around the area.  Dinner at Adel's house, then Dervish dancing (If everyone's beat or just jet-lagged, we can put the Dervishes off until later in the trip). Overnight at Adel's house. (Lunch today not included.)   

Thurs Jan. 1: Breakfast at Adel's, then transfer to town of Nuweiba, on the gulf of Aqaba, by private van/bus. Overnight at Habiba Beach Resort. (Lunch and dinner today not included.)

Fri Jan 2: Early (5:30 a.m.!) departure from Habiba by van/bus to port of Taba, Egypt for ferry to Aqaba, Jordan, then bus to Petra and back, with lunch. Ferry back to Taba, then van/bus back to Nuweiba that night. Overnight again at Habiba Beach Resort. (Breakfast and dinner today not included. Horse or carriage ride, if you want, is included at Petra, but a tip is not. Staying two nights at Habiba provides a great opportunity to get laundry done if you need it. Plan to drop it off Thursday, after we get checked in. It should be ready when we get back from Petra.)

Sat Jan 3: Half-day snorkel, then take my buddy Ibrahim's jeep to meet Saleh, patriarch of my Bedouin family, and camels at village of Wadi Samghi. Camel trek to area called Wadi Arwaybayya. Overnight in goat hair tent of my friends Salem and Emira. (All meals while on trek are included.)

Sun Jan 4: Trek from Arwaybayya to oasis of Ain Khudra. Side hike (optional) along the way into place called Closed Canyon. Overnight at oasis in palm-thatched hut of Rathia, a widow woman you'll adore.

Mon Jan 5: Trek from Ain Khudra past Maktoub, an Inscription Rock (Nabataean, Greek, Arabic inscriptions), to area in open desert called Burgaa. Overnight in open desert.

Tues Jan 6: Trek from Burgaa to area near Bir Safra ("yellow well"). Overnight in open desert.

Wed Jan 7: Trek from Bir Safra to area called Wadi Nawamis, home to 4,500-year old, stone tombs. After lunch, short ride to meet vehicle, then transfer to town of St. Catherine, near Mt. Sinai. Dinner (included) and overnight in Monastery Guest House.

Thurs Jan 8: early morning (3:30 a.m. wake up- do you hate me yet?) hike (optional) up Mt. Sinai, returning by 9 for breakfast, then tour Christian monastery of St. Catherine (1,600 years old) 'til noon. Afternoon transfer back to Cairo (Lunch not included today. Try to sleep in the van/bus and plan to arrive hungry at Adel's- he'll be worried, thinking the Bedouin have starved us!)

Fri Jan 9: Breakfast at Adel's house, then Cairo sightseeing: Citadel (seat of Egyptian government for over 600 years), Gayer-Anderson Museum (two 16th/17th century homes, joined by a British officer, serving in Cairo in the 1930's), Ibn Tulun mosque (one of the largest and oldest in Egypt; unique for its minaret, patterned after one in Samarra, Iraq) and Khan el Khalili market (medieval bazaar, portions of which date to 1382). Dinner and overnight at Adel's tonight. (Lunch not included today.)

Sat Jan 10: Breakfast at Adel's, then Cairo sightseeing: morning at Egyptian Museum (all of King Tut's treasure is here except his inner coffin and mummy, which are in the Valley of the Kings). Entry fee into the Mummy Room (Ramses, Hatshepsut and more) is included. Afternoon open for free time (ride horses at Pyramids, additional shopping, bookstore, nap, etc...) If we didn't catch the Dervish dancing on Wed, the 31st, I highly recommend we catch 'em tonight. Dinner, pack and clean up at Adel's before tomorrow's flights home. (Lunch today not included.)

Sun Jan 11: US departures


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

This next trip to Egypt/Sinai will also bring a baby shower! Soliman, son of our Sinai host Saleh, and his wife Fatima are proud parents of a brand new baby girl! She was born this past Sunday, September 28th, and I received the good news when I called Saleh to wish him Eid Mabrouk (“Blessed Holiday”) on the final day of Ramadan. Eid al Fitr (“breaking of the fast”) is a special day for Muslims and I think it’s safe to say that this year is even more special with the addition of the family’s first grandchild.

The phone connection I had wasn’t great, so I wasn’t able to catch the baby’s name, but I do know it’s a girl. For those of you on this next Egypt/Sinai trip, plan to bring some 3-6 month baby clothes, blankets or other appropriate baby items as a gift, please.


Thanks as always for your interest in my camels.

Doug

PS Don’t want to receive these emails? Just reply to this email with the words “Camel business is slow, can I expect a bailout, too?” in the subject line and, like $700 billion worth of credit debt, your email address will disappear.


Doug Baum
www.texascamelcorps.com
254 675 HUMP (4867)