[pct-l] llamas as food

[mardav at charter.net (Marion Davison)]

Joseph Niemiec wrote:

> Hey that's a great idea.  Just have your food walk along with you!   
> Drop 10 lbs off yer pack weight!
> I think I'm going to herd some chickens along this year ...
>
> Just kidding.  Can you ride a llama? did they carry your stuff?  You 
> just walking them or did they follow you down the trail?
>
> I can just see a hungry mt lion or bear being really confused.
>
> That's too funny.
>
>
The llamas wear saddles and packs to carry all of our gear.  They weigh 
about 350 pounds, and can carry about 70 pounds each, so we can stay out 
for about three weeks between resupplies with really comfortable gear.  
Small children can ride llamas but adults are too big.  We lead them in 
a string down the trail.  We use llamas because we are older people and 
we both have medical problems that make backpacking not recommended for 
us.  We carry tools (saw, rake, shovel) and do our best to clear up any 
trail obstacles we encounter.  Llamas are easier on the environment than 
horses, and we would rather walk than ride a horse.  Cindy Ross, her 
husband and her two small children completed the entire CDT in five 
seasons with a string of llamas.  We have used them for seven years, and 
average 500 miles of hiking per year.   Llamas are not allowed 
everywhere, but they are allowed on the entire PCT.  
Some large predator, either mt. lion or bear, killed a llama in Kings 
Canyon last summer, on the Bubbs Creek trail.  The llama had sore feet 
and had been abandoned by its owner.  We now carry wrist rocket 
slingshots to defend our llamas from large predators.  Most bears act 
spooked by llamas, but we have encountered some aggressive ones recently.
Regarding llamas as food, one of our llamas got a fatal injury in our 
home pasture, during a fight with another stud llama.  The Mexican 
butcher shopkeeper in town was very happy to get the meat to feed his 
extended family.  He said it was really good. I am a vegetarian, so I 
won't eat llama.
Llamas are not raised as meat animals in this country, so it is unlawful 
to sell the meat.  Animals that are raised as meat must have specific 
medical records, special types of vaccinations, etc. 
Your post contained nearly every windshield tourist's most FAQ.  Good job.
Marion