Heading Home

Actually, we're home. Had a wonderful week; looking forward to next year.

Friday -
Meant to do Castle Rock but got a late start ... several flights were cancelled for the following day; various Gang Members were busy trying to get rescheduled. MC and Steb are going to ride with us to Billings and catch a flight from there.

Instead we headed up towards the saddle and meandered around - really a lovely ride; no particular destination in mind ... just ambled thru the fields talking and laughing.



Rave DJ

Eagle Eye

Federales

Steb & Trip

Sundance & Little Owl
 

In the afternoon, we went to Sheridan to do ranch clothes laundry and walk around. Not much new but some interesting little shops. Came back and packed the clothes we leave in storage. My goal next year is not to bring a suitcase.

And so HFBar 2014 ends ... good friends, incredible views, fun ride and very relaxing.

The Hide Out

After a week of making sure the ranch was safe from Federales; the gang decided it was time to mount up and head to the hide out - China Wall. Good thing ... we discovered some encroachers; who had to be driven away. Got a little confusing at times when we thought we heard some 2 footed Federales ... turned out to be the last 2 members of the gang; still coming around a turn below us. Awkward! Not good to shoot gang members ... this shooting thing ... what with? Think we'll rely on our fearsome presence to keep the Big Horns safe. Either that or watch Federales collapse from laughing. Both could work.

Ice Bucket is a brave addition to the gang. This woman is afraid of heights ... that poses a problem...just leaving the corral. There's sorta no where to go but up. I'm working on a story for the Ice Bucket name. Both Pauline and I protested that gang names come while riding ... not during the cocktail hour. However, Sundance declared "the name sticks" and I'm to make up a story to fit it. So far we've got: riding up to Ginger Meadow, with Bronco, forgot the ice for his gin and tonic; ice bucket wades into a high mountain stream ... story sort of falls apart at this point, definitely needs more work.

Even tho it didn't rain yesterday, China Wall was a little slippery. I didn't mind it as i'm now riding Pine Tree - my favorite - and we take the grades with ease. Interesting both Brooke and Pauline rode Pecan ... a little horse. Keep in mind these girls are all gorgeous legs from their toes to their chins ... but one is 5'4" and the other is close to 6'. Had to laugh when Pauline was ask whether or not she could get off the horse to open the gates; she just hopped on and off about 4 times in 30 seconds. Brooke just puts a foot down and swings a leg over.

Keep you headdown; maybe they won't notice us

Paul - noticing

Burro Buddy

MC & Topper

Skirting a grove of Aspen - MC & Brooke

Sneaky Federale

Those rocks are the China Wall; we're headed up behind them

CWG heading to CW

Made it, China Wall is behind us

Ice Bucket praising Little Joe for bringing her safely to the top

On top of Speedway, looking out towards the east

Beauty aka Sakebomb

Beauty and her dad

Brooke and Trip arrived last night ... minor celebrities in the dining hall. Both worked here the past couple of summers so lots of workers and dudes wanted to visit with them. We're getting the inside scoop about the ranch ... general consensus, little rocky now ... but it will probably turn around. Trip told a story about a couple who complained of mice in their cabin ... about an hour later; one of the employees showed up at the cabin door ... with a cat. No more mice. Philip and Steb II were laughing so hard, i thought we'd have to resuscitate them.

Cod fish for supper ... causing a major stampede to the kiddie bar. Jill and I braved the fish dinner ... surprisingly good. Our hasher, Chris, is beyond hopeless. I ordered spinach, cheese, mushroom omlet. Philip ordered cheese & mushroom omlet. I got ham & cheese omlet. Philip got spinach & cheese omlet. And we were the only 2 orders at the table ... how can this be so confusing.

Lovely sunny day this am; clouds and some sprinkles this pm. This morning was seriously cold; we had a fire going - thank you for dynomite!

Hobbling Home

Oh lovely, Philip's just back from the ranch house with coffee and a cookie ... what a lovely way to greet the day. Hmmm...how to arrange this on a daily at home.

Showered most of yesterday afternoon; Philip and Michael were still able to shoot ... Philip came home with an inch of mud on his shoes ...his only shoes other than boots. My nice new plastic bin was being used as a wash basin...right, like I'm putting clothes in it now!

No doms last night, no anything as the ranch lost power at 9pm ... came back on about 10:30. We lite a fire, cozy ... talked and watched the flames.

This is the last morning for Charlotte, Michael  and kids. Trip and Brooke arrive this afternoon and evening...from Chicago and Portland, Maine.

Oops, Philip just got too up close and personal with the resident squirrel. Think it mistook Philip's green shirt for a tree and jumped right on PB's neck. Neither seem thrilled with the outcome.

Our ride today was into Red Canyon, one of my favorites. Mine and Philip's ride was cut short when Memo cut both back hocks as we crossed a stream. We decided I should head back to the corral and Philip didn't want me going in alone. Unfortunately, the radio message to the corral wasn't concise...they thought I was riding alone; Paul rode out to meet me.

Hamburger cookout for lunch.

View to the ranch

Steb - Big Mesa in background

MC, MJ, Steb II & Jill

Little Mesa

Crossing the South Fork

Entering Red Canyon

Liatris

Heading home, Paul & Philip

SawMill Found!

Rained during the night and rained about 20 mins after we returned from our ride...timing is everything!

Philip and I drove into Buffalo yesterday - needed supplies for evening cocktail gathering. Nothing like 15 miles on a gravel road to leave your teeth chattering and hips aching. Picked up a new packing bin for the clothes/supplies we leave behind each year. This time I'm going to remember to take pictures of what we leave. Need to add thermos, mirror, flashlight batteries, paper towels.

It was obvious at cocktails; MC isn't feeling so good and now she's down for the count; probably a cold ... but when you live at sea level (Santa Barbara); having a cold at 8,200' is no treat.

Some of the gang made the night ride; PB and I headed for the cabin to read. There was a domino game starting but I couldn't stay awake ... tonight, caffeine infusion for dinner and I'll make it thru one game.

No WSJ or Times paper for breakfast so I didn't have to listened to any commentary; however there was a slight dustup when sports team mascots were mentioned. Think the general consensus was "don't go there with Becky if you want to leave the table with your head still intact."

We had a gorgeous ride to Saw Mill. If I didn't know better ... this month would be July. There are entire hillsides full of bee balm, harebells, yarrow, queen anne's lace, mariposa lily, sunflowers - the horses ride thru a haze of butterflies and bees - it's enchanting...I feel a little like i'm in a Disney movie setting ... bambie, thumper, & Flower will appear any moment.

The Saw Mill itself is almost gone, no walls still standing and brush is about to cover it.

China Wall gang dodged and darted the Federales brilliantly. The prong horn kind saw us coming and took out before guns were drawn. The Black Angus ... not so much. Apparently we're to have a Cocktail Discussion tonight on whether or not Black Angus should really be considered Federales.

Philip and Michael are shooting this afternoon. I went for a walk to gather sage; but the sage was too wet. I'm afraid it will mold before I can begin to dry it...will wait for another day.

Michael J; checking out the resident burro

Steb & Pauline, ready to ride out

1st Gate Stop; Saddle in the background

Cinch checkstop; turned out my cinch was verrrry loose
MJ, Steb II, Charlotte and Jill

Philip, on his fart-propelled mount "Little Owl"

Steb and Ziggy

Looking back toward China Wall

Saw Mill - what's left of it

Heading back to the ranch

Trouble in Paradise?

Rumours are swirling; the ranch might be in serious trouble - a million $ lawsuit lost and some kids in trouble - as in charged with murder. If it weren't for people like Botsy telling Philip; I'd probably discount this info but ...

I think back over the many years Philip's parents came here and the friendships they made ... hopefully it will go on. Who knew when Philip insisted we come here for a week - with 2 teenagers in tow ... the ranch and the people I met would become special to me?

I still remember how aghast I was my 1st arrival - everything seemed, old, dirty, dusty ... took forever to get hot water. Everyone seemed to know everyone and we knew nobody, It wasn't until the 2nd day that MC (Mary Carol) Chandor introduced herself and commented on what lovely girls Kim and Laura were. She invited us to ride with her group. Pretty much from then on, she had my unending gratitude. 30 years later, we're still part of each other's ranch family...we're the China Wall Gang.

Enjoyed Taylor's party ... prime rib for dinner, no one was riding so we had coffee on the ranch house porch. Think I was again asleep by 9:30 and fought the last 30 mins to stay awake. Life's exhausting in paradise.

So far perfect weather; some clouds and distant thunder in the evening.

Breakfast - I sooooo don't need the WSJ or Times Digest awaiting us at the breakfast table - now that I'm the lone voice of reasonableness ... i.e. democrat. Where is Pam when you need her - she's always faster on the uptake than I am. She'd do a quick retort and I'd do my bobble-head doll routine. Eye rolling doesn't seem to be effective.

Split in two groups for riding. Michael, MJ, Steb & Phil went up towards Saw Mill - in truth they followed the "Whoops, Missed Sawmill Again Trail." Should have stayed right and they went left. Been there; done that ... almost every year. The rest of us headed out towards Timothy Meadow and just meandered around ... saw more and more flowers; which normally you just don't see in August.

Clouds came in this afternoon; showers predicted with rain tomorrow. Don't think we've ever been rained out before.

Philip brings my morning coffee