June 1st - 7th

Another week gone by with more life long memories built... life is really tough. Monday started in Miles City MT with a bright sunny sky but with lots of wind too. No big deal as we were only a couple of hours from our destination just south of Bridger MT. Our drive was uneventful and we met Dick and Sidne Overturf in the middle of a large (very large) pasture. We decided to park across the road where all of us could park horse trailers and campers. Tom Hone (Cowboy Tom from MN), his friends Mike and Diane Agnew arrived in Luther which is a few miles from our camp the same day.

Tuesday was dry in the morning but the rains came in the afternoon. Dick, Steve (ranch Cow Boss), Cash (Steve’s grandson), and I loaded up some round-pen panels and set them up in a field where the cattle were to be branded. After we finished that chore, Dick and I went to another section of the ranch to pick up a couple of horses and bring them back to the corrals where they would stay overnight each day. The rest of the “crew” arrived on Tuesday - Dan Moyer from Colorado, Cowboy Tom, Mike Agnew, and Bob and Betty King. Steve (cow boss on the ranch), Steve’s wife Peggy, and their grandson Cash came by and introduced themselves to the rest of the folks.

Wednesday we awoke to rain. The ranchers are very happy as this is high-desert land so they will take all the rain they can get. All the rivers and creeks are swollen because of the dense snow pack this year but it still costs money to irrigate so free from the sky is always better. Andy and Ashley King (Bob and Betty’s son and his wife) arrived to help with the branding too. After sitting around in trailers for part of the day and watching roping DVD’s the “boys” went to one of Wally & Rett’s (the ranch owners) hay barns where we threw ropes at the skinny cows for a couple of hours before returning to camp where the ladies had made a delicious dinner. We ate dinner around the campfire but did not make it a late night because we were starting (on the horses) at 7:00 AM the next morning.

The decision had been made to brand all the calves (232) in one day as the weather forecast called for a nice Thursday and then rain for the next 5 days. It made for one long day as we were in the saddle about 12 hours that day. Everyone was dog-tired as we (ground crew and ropers) worked continuously for most of the day. We had a little excitement when WD got off his horse to pick up his dropped rope. His foot caught in stirrup and he fell flat on his butt. Yup you guessed it, right in a cow paddy! Dan also created a little excitement when his horse Oriole was rim-fired and went to bucking. Dan bailed right beside a fence and just missed it by inches – he would not have looked good impaled on a steel t-post. Oriole settled down quickly and Dan was back in the saddle, unhurt but a little sore, within minutes. Once again the ladies made delicious BBQ beef and salads for dinner.

On Friday the sun was shining so the “boys” sat down for a de-briefing with Bob.  It was a very good session where WD learned a lot… can’t wait for the next branding opportunity to put what I learned into practice.  We then saddled up and went for a leisurely trail ride.  This is really beautiful country.  Friday night Wally and Rett put on a great spread for everyone.  As usual, everyone left stuffed! 

Saturday morning was pack-up time. Dan headed back to CO, Cowboy Tom headed to MN, Mike to his place in Luther MT, Dick and Sidne to another section of the ranch, Bob and Betty to Fort Collins, CO where Bob had another clinic to put on and of course, WD & Biker Arda headed to Billings for a couple of days.

WD & BA are going to Sheridan WY on Monday (we are leaving the trailer in a campground in Billings) to buy some leather for Armitas for WD. The next leg of our trip takes us to Calgary to visit my brother.

If you want to view more pictures, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/DaveTole and look at the album called "Branding Bridger MT - 2009".

Stay tuned for more updates… Keep your loops open!