Having a day off from our busy ranch life is usually the time we take to sleep late, go into town, be lazy or well...whatever! And then there are those days when you just have to get out and be "one with nature". Having no time frame to adhere to, no urgent personal chores I needed to complete and feeling rested, the red cliffs around the ranch were calling my name.
Grabbing water, a few snacks and of course letting folks know what I was up to, I eagerly took off through the meadow and crossed the Wind River at the back of the property to head "up the draw".
Entering the willows & cottonwood tree stands I can't help but notice the quiet that surrounds me. When thoughts of visiting moose (or other wildllife) cross my mind, I feel it is important to make my presence know to whomever, or whatever, might also be out on a walk! So, whistling a tune I
start up the sandy wash and hillside, soaking in the rugged beauty. It crossed my mind how different things look from on foot and on horseback. I stop to admire the colours of the rocks, the weathered wood from fallen trees or an old fence post standing for who knows how many years. I touch stones, I smell the flowers, I listen to the birds cry out as they fly overhead.
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| Wildflowers growing out of a lichen covered rock outcropping! |
One can easily imagine being the only person within a hundred miles.
I hike up...stopping now and again to take note of where I am going and to catch my breath! The strain on my muscles reminding me that I do not walk (hike) enough. Sometimes nature surprises us even more than we hoped when we see new life in a way we never expected!
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| Twin elk calves! |
It's easy to lose track of time when you are out here, so after a couple of hours of scampering over this remarkable landscape, I take a few minutes when I reach the top to just sit and soak it all in.
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A view from above.
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That's when I realize that this was not just a "simple" walk. This is a memory that I can revisit time after time, a place I can go to and enjoy no matter where in the world I may be. It is a time when "the world" ceased to exist and I was a part of this amazing country I love so much! All from a seemingly innocent Dude Ranch in Wyoming. And that, my friends, is something not many people can say!
Are you ready to come experience your "simple walk"?
