Day 6 - Last Day

Charlotte & Michael left this morning - same flight to Minneapolis, we'll be on it tomorrow. Think we had our 6 or 7th Hasher of the week - are we running them off? Food this evening was trout, resulting in a stampede to the kiddy bar. Actually I was shocked as both Philip and Stebbie opted for the vegetarian offering - tofu! There's something so wrong about tofu on the ranch! We rode to Red Canyon this morning - again I was in the lead; enjoying myself tremendously. Jill did well. She has a fear of heights - which makes riding in the Big Horns difficult. But she's such a good sport. She learned her father has a colon tumor ... nothing definitive by today but I can see she's worried. Thumbs pressed. Packed up our boxes to be stored at the ranch. Signed up for next year - same time. Had the traveling cocktail party at Stebbie & Jills... yesterday they brought a crate of goodies to our place. We loaded up the crate with more goodies and returned it to them. Philip and Whitney Long arrived this PM - haven't seen them in 15 years. The day was a little muggy as clouds moved in ... I'm ready to be home.

Here are some last day scenes:

Ice Delivering horse in front of our cabin - Misty Moon

Me

Misty Moon Master Bedroom

MM Master Bath

Day 5 - Oh The Sameness of It All

Early morning fire to take the chill off the room, sun starting the shine on the Big Horns, wranglers heading out to bring in the horses, Philip's gone to the dining hall to get coffee. How could the rest of the day not be perfect? Well... maybe not completely perfect. My right knee is swollen, so I passed on riding. Philip, Steb & Michael went to Castle Rock where Philip paid his respects to TC. Then in the afternoon, Steb, Steb II, Michael and Philip went shooting. I did a load of laundry, read, beaded, went walking - gathered more sage to dry. Potluck cocktails (whatever you've got; bring it) at our cabin. MC's B'day is the 21st - Laurries too, I think. Next year, we're planning a major party ... MC 80; PB 70 and Michael 60. I knew Michael was named Gate Man but I'd forgotten why. On one of his early rides with us he was willing getting up and down opening the gates (new soon-in-law syndrome plus being a genuinely nice guy). There was a gate he couldn't open, no matter how hard or long he took and we had to turn back. We no sooner turned our horses, when some Dudes came riding up; open the gate & rode thru. We turned back to examine the gate and continue our ride. Thus he became Gate Man ... who knew it would become an expectation.

Day 4 - It's True What They Say; If You're Not The Lead Horse - The View's Always The Same!

Such an exciting day ... Reverse Rose Bud; Pine Tree and I were almost always in the lead ... by A LOT! That's never happened to me before. Steb or Steb II are almost always in the lead. But no ... it was Pine Tree and me. I felt like I was riding the high plains by myself; but it was nice to know the gang was behind me... tho it might have taken them a while to come to my aide. Understand there's to be a Gang meeting about changing my name from Last Frame to Fast Frame.

Wow, I've never seen the trail without another horse's butt right in front of me!!!

Anyway . . . fun to be on lead. Day was sunny with high clouds and several showers. Cocktails at our cabin tonight so we went into Buffalo for Supplies. Nice evening with the gang; Lindsay, Dan and family. Said goodbye to Kim & Ian this AM. Lindsay and Dan's kids range from 15 to 8. We were a little surprised that they come to the cocktail party (Lindsay ask first) but I heard Dan tell the kids; you're here for adult conversation. Afterwards I heard him ask "did you talk to an adult? About what?" Reminded me of when we brought Kil ... he liked to watch and listen but not interact. My solution was to challenge him to learn something "unusual" about our friends. Between Laney & Granville; there are about 10 kids under 6 years of age - they look like mosquitoes on top of the horses. I'm trying to decide what I like about the ranch that brings me back every year - besides the 24 hr service. Primarily, it's the people ... and then there is this gorgeous scenery. Oh ... the stories ... After 30 years, there are so many. And as time goes by, the stories take on new flavors as each of us remember them thru different filters.

3rd day - We Go Our Separate Ways

After a long windy night - finally at midnight I got that window over our bed to stop rattling - we awaken to a cloudy, cool day.

After breakfast, most of the gang took off on horse back. Jill and I decided to walk Rose Bud. Cutting thru the pasture and up the grade behind Little Mesa was steeper than we realized or it could be the altitude, we're at 7,000'.  Fortunately we quickly dropped down to South Fork Creek with all it's aspen & wild flowers. Jill helped me gather sage - which I'll dry and tie into bundles. It took us about 2 hours to walk the trail - stopping once to move off the path and let the Granville Troop go by - Grandparents riding with 10 grandchildren, ranging from 12 t0 6; the parents were riding Shell Creek.

Interesting lecture this afternoon - a local military historian; with an in depth knowledge of Red Cloud & the Bozeman Trail, plus several of the local battle fields. Didn't think it was possible but he gave me some interesting insight on Custer - a subject I'm usually tired to death of.

Believe it or not - these are pups, both about 10 months old. Drinking coffee on the porch this morning; they ambled up to join us.

Philip & C4, ready to ride

Historian, Chris Morton in Ranch House Library

 

 

Cocktail this evening at Steb II & Jills - they have Flora's old cabin. I still miss Flora; she was almost 80 when I met her ... she arrived the end of May and stayed until September. She knew every wildflower on the ranch. She could tell me where to walk to find the most unusual flowers. Before dinner, Ian made a short film of the gang for his folks.

 

Ian & Kim

Ian, Kim & Philip

Mary Carole

Steb & Lindsy

Charlotte

Steb II, Steb, Kim & Charlotte



 

 

Dinner was so-so; not crazy about the veal chop. Went up to the corral to watch riders heading out before sunset - some beautiful cloud formations. Think tomorrow we're heading up to Castle Rocks.

 

Dining Room - our table

Ian & Kim

Ian & Kim

Charlotte

Steb II

Ian & Michael

Steb II

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



2nd Day, Part 2

Had an interesting ride to Red Canyon - apparently before the ride; all the horses got together had a meeting and refused to agree on a lead horse. We not only didn't have a lead horse; we didn't have a lead rider - almost didn't make it out of the corral. At least 5 x's we were stopped dead on the trail; no reason, nothing to worry them just weren't going to move. It was a bizarre morning. Several riders reported the same problem ... apparently all the ranch horses had a meeting. No dudes going anywhere today. 

View toward Castle Rock

Pine Tree's shadow

Butch & Skidmore

Red Canyon

China Lil & Sundance

Gate Man & Preacher Lady

Gate Man riding Morgan. We think Morgan has some Arabian

Gate Man & Morgan heading back to the ranch

View towards Big Mesa

China Lil & Butch

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Crossing the Creek

 

 

And to add insult to injury; once we headed back to the barn and the horses were really starting to step out ... we meet some REAL dudesn aka Federalies with a wrangler ... Sundances's horse turns to follow the Dudes to go on yet another ride. Horses going to the barn DON'T DO THAT. We're thinking C4 is crazy.

This afternoon I beaded; Philip, Michael & Steb went shooting clay rabbits, pigeons or something - apparently Philip's quite good.

Cocktails at Senior Chandors - invited our table and some of their long time friends; celebrating Charlotte & Michael's 24th anniversary and welcoming Ian and Kim. Enjoyed visiting with Mary - who grew up in Watsonville - we both share many memories of the bay area.

Dining table was raucous - in a very good way. Rodgers family (MC's niece) arrived - we now have a table of 17. Everyone was telling stories...we closed down the dining room and then morphed out onto the porch for another half hour.

Appears the weather is change; big blow came in around 7:30PM; supposed to be in the 70's the rest of the week.