Bee Rock by Sam Walk

This photo is taken from the top...looking down on Highway 6 (to Clifton). I enjoyed sitting here with my legs dangling off the mountain and enjoying the pretty view. Often, there would be farmers working in their fields...livestock feeding...and cars driving by. It was very exhilarating. I've taken .22's, 30/30's and shotguns up on the mountain, but never killed any creatures. Just plinking around...often across the highway into the Bosque river. I made sure no one was in the area I placed my slugs. There were times when I'd sit with my binoculars and watch people fishing or walking along the river. It was also fun to look at people driving by in their cars and see if I recognized them.


On a few of my trips I packed a hammer and small chisel to Bee Rock to carve my name or initials into the rock. You can see where I flattened out a spot for my name and then others crowded theirs around mine. I have no idea whose initials these are. Sometimes I would also paint my name on the more difficult and dangerous ledges that I would crawl out on. I didn't deface the mountain...just a small brush and some red paint and the initials SW. Nothing obtrusive. Just a reminder that old Sammy had gone where few dared to go! It was said that in the 1800's local Indians would station scouts on Bee Rock. I wandered all over that old mountain, but never ran across any arrow heads or other artifacts from that particular era.


This is as far as you could go on the ledge supporting the old cedar tree. I have climbed up to the next small ledge you see...using the tree...and then on to the top. It was quite a drop to the ground below. I made most of the trips to Bee Rock by myself and a few with certain chums. I would often carry water, a sandwich, banana and cupcake with me and spend the entire afternoon just wandering around Bee Rock. Sometimes while I was up there...other young people would climb up and I would track them and make little noises that would confuse them and hopefully spook them a little...especially the girls. No one ever discovered me while I was doing this. Wow! How the years do fly by. Now, I entertain myself playing golf. - Sam Walk 2011