Return to Lost Valley Ranch 1997

As I mentioned in the last post, we enjoyed our 1995 trip to Lost Valley Ranch enough that we went back in 1997, for Roundup Week, the last week of October.

A blizzard hit Colorado the weekend that we flew out there. Our flight out was delayed by 45 minutes, to allow time for the airport in Colorado Springs to clear a runway for us.

At the ranch, we were somewhat dismayed to realize that we'd been assigned to one of two cabins located at the top of a steep hill. The cabins were appropriately named "Huff" and "Puff" because those who occupied them were definitely huffing and puffing after climbing that hill.

The view from the porch of our cabin

 

We had to hike up and down that hill at least three times a day...or go hungry!

Although this was Roundup Week, they didn't send us out looking for cows on the first day. Instead, the morning and afternoon rides on Monday were just pleasure rides. There was an embarrassing moment when my horse, Stinky, decided to lie down in the snow on the trail. I was able to get off her, but getting me back on her proved to be a bit of a challenge. Another guest strode confidently to me and tried to give me a leg up, but I proved to be too heavy for him. The wrangler who was leading our ride tried next and was, thankfully, successful.

The ranch is truly a guest ranch, but they did run about 85 head of cattle on 25,000 acres of Pike National Forest. Their lease required that the cattle be removed from the national land by October 31st each year. The blizzard had driven about half that number to return to the ranch on their own. That made finding the rest of them something like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

During Roundup Week, a trail guide would take us out some distance from the ranch, then turn us loose to look for cattle to bring back to the ranch.

On the first day of that activity, Doug and I got separated from everyone else and, at one point, even from each other. Fortunately, our horses kept calling to each other until we were reunited. But, on the upside, we did find five cows and a bull on our way back to the ranch. Meanwhile, our trail guide had radioed to the ranch that we were lost; and three other ranch employees stayed out to look for us.

On Friday, we went on an all-day ride (roughly 17 miles over some pretty rough terrain) to look for the last four cows still to be found and brought back to the ranch. It was the hardest and longest riding I've ever done; but, oh, it was beautiful! The rest of the photos are all from that ride.

Linda riding Stinky and Doug riding Slick

Taking a Lunch Break Before Starting Back to the Ranch

That long ride didn't result in finding those last four cows. As we neared the ranch on our return trip, Doug and I and another man decided to follow the road at a leisurely walk, while the others chose to continue beating the brush in a search for those missing cows. To our delight, though, we three found the cows on the road to the ranch and brought them the rest of the way in.

I was so sore that I couldn't go on either the morning or the afternoon ride on our final day at the ranch. Doug went on the morning ride without me, earning my deep respect. But he declined going on the afternoon ride.

For a long time after our return home, Doug said that, when he looks out the window and sees an Amish horse now, all he can think about is how glad he is that he doesn’t have to get on it on go riding after cows!

1995 Visit to Lost Valley Ranch

Back in 1995, Doug and I spent a week at Lost Valley Ranch, a dude ranch in Colorado. It was a wonderful get-away. The lodging was luxurious; the meals were fantastic; the staff were fun and very accommodating; and the scenery was amazing.

This is a postcard picture of the ranch. 

One couple among the guests, Joe and Gina, were especially fun. They were from New York City. Gina had never even worn slacks before, let alone ridden a horse. But she oozed personality, and guests and staff alike couldn't help being drawn to her. In the picture below, Gina is the one a little right of center, with the black hair and wearing a flowered blouse.

Guests gathering at the corral for their first morning ride

Everyone watched anxiously as Gina mounted her horse for the first time, erupting in cheers and applause when she was safely aboard. And she went on every ride that was offered that week. I was impressed with her determination.

That handsome cowboy is my hubby. Gina is in the blue, with her back to us.

Me

Relaxing in our cabin

Dining with other guests while Molly, our waitress, looks on. Gina is across the table from me, and her husband, Joe, is the guy with the beard and the purple sweatshirt.

Story time on Helen Rock

Head Wrangler, Brad, was "spinning a yarn" for our entertainment.

Doug shot a video during Brad's outrageous story, but I don't know how to edit that segment out of the longer video, in order to share it on the blog. 

Brad and Phil (the cook) providing some evening entertainment

We had more cowhands than cows on this cattle drive.

Doug and me, taking a break on one of our rides

We had so much fun during our stay at Lost Valley Ranch that we went back again two years later. I'll have to share that adventure on a future post.

Jack and Jill Ranch 1966

As I mentioned in the post about Gay El Rancho, our little group of friends and co-workers had such a good time at that dude ranch in 1965, that we decided to take a similar trip the following year. We chose a different ranch this time, but still in Michigan. The ranch of choice for this second trip was the Jack and Jill Ranch in Rothbury, Michigan.

Judy and Dar were unable to go with us this time. So this year's group consisted of myself and three others who had gone together the previous year, Carole, Kathy, and Mary, as well as Dorthea, another friend of theirs from their Catholic Youth Organization.

Mary drove all of us and our considerable luggage to the ranch in her car. I don't remember the exact year and model of the car, but I do remember that Mary called it "Irving Geronimo."

I think all five of us spent the night at Mary's house the night before the trip to the ranch; and, if memory serves (which it often doesn't these days), Mary's mom messed with us by putting pepper in our beds or some such tom foolery.

Here is a picture of the five of us, trying to get Irving Geronimo's trunk lid closed in preparation for our departure for the ranch.

This is the sign at the ranch's entrance. Kathy and Mary are sitting in the buggy.

Calico Town. We stayed in the Wells Fargo building on the far right end.

The dining room, where we were well fed.

Carole, Dorthea, Kathy, and Mary on their way to mass. Head coverings were still the order of the day back then, although it looks as if some allowances were made for ranch guests in other areas of dress code.

The Wagon Wheel Building, where most of the evening activities were held.

Mary, Kathy, Dorthea, and Carole getting a shooting lesson from ranch employee, Darwood.

Mary is sharing her drink with a wooden horse, which is actually a mailbox, as Carole and Kathy look on. Notice the interesting mural in the background.

Mary, me, Dorthea, Carole, and Kathy, on our horses.

Mary, Kathy, and Carole sunning by the pool.

Our week at the ranch included a day trip to the sand dunes on Lake Michigan. This is ranch employee, Scottie, in the foreground, walking on the dunes.

Things get a little crazy on the last day. Here are some of the staff posing for pictures: Roy, Latigo, Bib, Steve, and Buddie, with Zack in the "blue convertible."

Here, Zack seems to be directing as Latigo, Roy, Steve, Buddie, Alice, and Dorthea are creating a human pyramid. That's Dorthea on top.

Dunking guests in the horse trough is a tradition. Unfortunately, Dorthea's turn came just an hour before we were to get into Mary's car and start for home.

Here we are, all packed and ready to load the car for the trip back home. It looks as if Dorthea found some dry clothes to change into.

And here are some of the staff, gathered under a tree to sing us a sad farewell.

Mary now lives in another state, but she returns to our area once a year or so to visit family. A few years ago, we began having a "dude ranch reunion" on those occasions. Carole, Dorthea, and I all still live in the same area. Sadly, Kathy passed away five years ago from cancer. We had been unable to reach her in time for our first reunion, and she was gone before our next.

I did a little internet research and learned that the Jack and Jill Ranch is now operating under the name of Double JJ Resort. The name isn't the only thing that has changed, either. It seems they now have a championship golf course and a water park, as well as the horses and other amenities.

Maybe our next dude ranch reunion should be held at the Double JJ Resort. It would be fun to see what changes 45 years have wrought.

Gay El Rancho 1965

When I graduated from high school in 1963, I went to work for a large insurance company, which was just about the only place in town that would hire someone just out of school, with no previous work experience. Because of that, a large number of their employees were young single women in their late teens and early twenties. It made for a work environment that was more like a girls' day out.

The pay wasn't great, but the lunches in the company cafeteria were subsidized. I remember that, when our state implemented a tax on food, the first penny of tax came into play at a food cost of 25 cents. So I always made it a point to keep the cost of my cafeteria lunch to 24 cents or less. For that, I could have an entree, dessert, and beverage. We would usually eat our lunches as fast as we could, then retreat to the large lobby to join other employees in a fast game of Euchre, a card game that enjoys great popularity in our area of the country.

The cafeteria would also be open at break time, offering fresh fruit and ice cream. I rarely partook of that, though, because there were "candy drawers" located in the individual departments. There were no vending machines, but individual employees would take it on themselves to stock a desk drawer with candy bars, which could be purchased by other employees on the honor system for a minimal price.

With that sort of working environment, friendships easily grew between employees. I don't remember which of these fellow employees first conceived of the idea of a joint vacation at a dude ranch, but the idea took hold and quickly became a reality.

The location chosen was the Gay El Rancho, located in Gaylord, Michigan, not exactly the first place one thinks of when considering dude ranch locations; but it worked for six young women who didn't make very much money. There were five of us from one department at the insurance company, plus one friend that the other four knew from their Catholic Youth Organization.

The year was 1965.

Gay El Rancho Sign

Thunderbird Lodge

The six of us stayed in two adjoining rooms on the first floor of the Thunderbird Lodge. One room had two double beds, and the other had two single bunk beds. There was a large lobby area outside our rooms where we could sit in the evenings and read or write letters.

Carole, Dar, Kathy, Mary, and Judy walking from the lodge to the Ox Yoke Building. Dar was the only one who didn't work in our department and the only one that I didn't know before the trip.

Linda, Mary, Kathy, Carole, Dar, "Uncle Frank", and Judy at the bar.

(Notice that five of us managed to sit on three bar stools.) 

Judy was the only one of us old enough to legally consume alcohol, but "Uncle Frank," the bartender, obliged us younger ones with "Shirley Temple" drinks. At first, we were confused when Frank offered Judy an alcoholic drink but not the rest of us. Then we realized that the name tag Judy had been given was slightly different than ours, signalling that she was "of age."

Judy, Carole, Dar, Linda, Kathy, and Mary on the second-floor balcony of the Thunderbird Lodge

Carole, Linda, Mary, Dar, Kathy, and Judy

Notice the old Brownie camera hanging around my neck.

Clockwise around the table: Carole, Kathy, Dar, Mary, Judy, and Linda

Carole, Kathy, Judy, Mary, and Dar surrounding Linda and her Ride-Off trophy.

Times were different then, weren't they? We're all wearing dresses for the occasion of "Awards Night." And don't you love the eyeglasses?

Linda and Dale (one of the guys on staff) on Lucky on our last day at Gay El Rancho.

Lucky was my horse for the week because he was the only one they used a flat saddle on, and I was the only guest who was willing to ride in a flat saddle. He was a big, not-especially-handsome brute, but I loved him. I kind of liked Dale, too, if we're being honest.

The six of us had such a great time on this vacation, that we took another dude ranch vacation together the following year...but to a different ranch. But that's fodder for another post.