EAGLE, Idaho — I still don't know why the chicken crossed the road — but on Wednesday, the sheep showed us how it's done at the semi-annual crossing of Highway 55. I'm your Eagle neighborhood reporter, Alexander Huddleston, hearing from the many locals who came out to see the crossing for themselves.
Traffic on Hwy 55 stopped both ways Wednesday morning for the semi-annual crossing of the sheep. Families lined the roadway, and kids could hardly wait.
"This is our third year being here. It's something we look forward to every year. It's just something so unique and so different. It's so Idaho. We love it," said Star local Lindsey Moore.
It's a tradition dating back more than a century — ranchers guiding their sheep up into the foothills to graze, and not without a little confusion.
Steve Stubner with the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission laughed, saying, "The sheep decided to take a little detour when they hit the highway. Just a little roundabout. But the herders got them going in the right direction."
Despite the mixup, the flock made a quick trip, announcing their presence every step of the way.
If you encounter the sheep on their journey, enjoy, but remember to be respectful and give them space.
"It's important to keep your pets on a leash, or those guard dogs will see your pet as a threat. If you are mountain biking, get off your bike and walk through the sheep. Put the bike between you and the guard dogs. That will defuse the situation, walk through the sheep, and continue your ride," explained Stubner.
The sheep will now head east, following the green foliage all the way through the mountains towards pastures near Idaho City.
