Eusebio's Graffito

As my reader knows, Rural Ways has an interest in old arborglyphs, or aspen tree carvings.  When I am walking in an aspen clone, I keep my eyes open for the interesting ones.  In many areas, all you get is silly, half-witted vandalism:  Dave was here; J.T + L.M.; For a good time, call; etc.  In some areas, however, there is a history of tree carvings by cowboys or shepherds that can be up to 80 or 90 years old.  Some of these include detailed drawings, others include enough information about the carver to be able to place him in context.  In the area of the Little Snake River on the Routt National Forest in north-central Colorado there is a wealth of tree carving done by Peruvian shepherds—dating from the mid-1920s through today.  During the summer of 2012, I spent five weeks working on the Routt, and I had the opportunity to make a few pictures of these Peruvian arborglyphs.  The one above says it all.  It was made—from what I can tell by looking at other carvings—by Eusebio Benites in 1988.