My previous post about Finnegan let you know that he'd been kidnapped by a chipmunk by the name of Mark "Chomper" Reid, and his devilish cronies. Here's a pic of Chomper, looking cute and innocent...
I still don't yet know why Finnegan was kidnapped, at the time I speculated that it was due to his remarkable powers of recovery, they wish to make an elixir from his essence?
You'll recall that i visited the lovely historic silver mining town of Wallace in Idaho several weeks ago.
My trip to Wallace was to attempt to find Finnegan - a friendly goose informed me that he'd heard a rumour that a frog was being held in captivity in the Wallace area. A goose? Well, as it turns out, they are in the progress of migrating from Canada to warmer climates much further south. Hundreds of geese have been spending the night in the paddock adjacent to the Ranch in Hamilton.
So, armed with this intelligence from the friendly goose, on the Thursday I headed over to Wallace, a good 3 hours away. I spent the Thursday night and the Friday scoping the area, then on Saturday I rode the Hiawatha Rail Trail - having been informed that this area was "Chipmunk Central". It was indeed that. As well as seeing many fascinating tunnels & bridges, and having the opportunity to view spectacular scenery, I saw many chipmunks at different times.
I was taunted by the chipmunks.
Some made to steal my bike. The gall of the little demons!
Some stood to attention...
Some tried to blend in...
Some just watched..
Some tried to challenge and intimidate me...
Some pretended to ignore me....
Anyway, after my search on Saturday, I was no closer to finding Finnegan, but I knew that the Wallace region was hotbed of activity for CFD's (Cute but Furry Devils). I headed back to town, and happened across a former head of the Ski Patrol - Dave, who has a tracking dog by the name of Jack.
Dave had a gut feel that the dastardly demonic chipmunks may be in a particular area south of town. Thus on Sunday, we headed south until Jack the tracking dog got excited, then we followed a hiking trail for several miles with Jack barking excitedly and running on ahead.
Jack eventually led us to an old mining tunnel, where we found Finnegan locked behind bars.
We we able to speak with him briefly, but then a veritable army of angry dastardly develish chipmunks started throwing their nuts at us. I know not how they managed to throw those nuts with such ferocity, given that chipmunks have such short arms, but the nuts came at us like the protagonists from the Hitchcock movie "The Birds".
We beat a very hasty retreat. There is no easy way to capture the tunnel - it's down a steep 4 metre culvert, then across a small stream.
The chipmunks have a fortress-like position and a LOT of nuts.
I've been back in Montana, and I'm now in
Canada, working on plans to free poor frightened Finnegan from his angry
demented dastardly devilish captors.
I expect to be able to give you another
update very soon.
Here are some pics of Finnegan in better
times...
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