If you missed parts 1 and 2 of my Wyoming adventure, then you can find them both by clicking the links!Thursday
The day started quietly, we were all rather tired from Wednesday and didn't go on a long ride because we were saving the horses for our ride to Cow Camp on the Friday. At lunch time Paul announced he had a surprise for everyone and winked at me telling me I'd like this. I was rather excited and couldn't wait to hear exactly what it was! My apprehension soon turned to excitement when I learnt we were going to spend the afternoon having a go at both shooting and roping! Before I go any further, I want to explain how amazing it was and how so very grateful I am to Paul.
Learning to shoot, or simply shooting a gun has been on my bucket list for quite some time now. I've been dying to have a go at Clay Pigeon Shooting at home but have just never quite gotten around to making the time and actually booking to go. Paul set up a car that we had to lean on when holding the gun so no one would get hurt. This was probably sensible as some of us had never done anything like this before! He gave us a debrief on how to hold the gun, how to open and close it and then how to load it. Half way through his instructions I was almost jumping up and down with excitement and just nodding, telling him to let me get on with it!
As it turns out I can't close the correct eye to say I'm right handed. Paul and I were in fits of laughter and he told me if I want to shoot more I need to work on this and an eye patch may be needed! We had three turns each and every time we made one shot, Paul made sure we walked over to the target to see where we had hit and explained how to get closer to the target. This man has the patience of a saint and spent as much time explaining to us all as we wanted.After shooting we spent some time roping again. It was difficult not having someone there to explain how to do it again, but Kathrin, Hugh and I all managed it in the end.
I must say, Hugh was very brave to allow me to try and rope him and I'm pleased to say I succeeded - even with my eyes shut! Goodness knows why he didn't trust me to try and do it when I'd asked previously.
I never thought I would say this, but out of all the places I've visited in my life, Wyoming has to be my favourite. I've travelled through various beautiful places in South-Africa, but they just don't compare to this stunning location. The views, atmosphere and lifestyle is so very different and one I really wasn't looking forward to leaving behind.
Thursday evening Paul asked if we wanted to go to the Hot Springs in Thermopolis. Hugh, Kathrin, Paul and I spent a lot of time playing Basketball in the outdoor pool and going down the waterslide. It was nice to get away from the ranch with everyone and let our hair down in a different type of environment - we had lots of fun and laughter throwing one another about in the pool and seeing who could go down the slide the fastest.Soon enough it was time for dinner and we all headed to another local bar for some much needed food and drinks. An exhausting but exhilarating day nonetheless!
Friday
Today was the much anticipated Cow Camp day, something we had all been looking forward to since the very start of our trip. The aim of the day was to ride up the mountains over-looking cow camp in the hope of finding several of the ranches loose horses that had all escaped and herd them back to the ranch. We were all rather excited and giddy at the thought of spending potentially 8 hours in the saddle, but at the same time slightly apprehensive. All of us had never herded horses before and weren't quite sure what to expect. Paul and Hannah had made it look so easy the other day, but would it be like that for us amateurs?
In the morning we all made ourselves sandwiches and packed some goodies into our saddle bags. Mine consisted of several chocolate bars and bottles of Sunny Delight to keep me going for what was going to be a long day. Hugh mocked my varying choice of snacks but was soon asking for some once we got riding - ha women are always the best prepared!On the way to Cow Camp I rode upfront with Jess as Hannah wasn't able to join us again. It was nice to get to know Jess a little better and hear about her life back in England and how she splits her time between there and America. This girl is literally living the dream, I think most of us were more than envious when she explained she spends winter in England and summer in America!
The ride to Cow Camp was stunning, I had to keep asking if we could stop for various photo opportunities and I probably took more selfies on that ride than ever before (which according to the others is hard to believe!). All of us were required to wear orange throughout the ride as it makes us stand out to potential hunters who may mistake our horses for bears and so on. I joked that it looked like we had all just escaped prison and between us we looked rather funny.
The spirits were high on this ride, we were all eager to find and discover Cow Camp and wrangle the horses back. Finally after about 3.5 hours we reached the top of the mountain and all stopped in awe of the breathtaking views. You quite literally feel on top of the world stood up there; there's no other way to describe the true beauty of the place and the rolling hills for miles and miles upon end. I wanted to photograph the view in my head so I had it forever. A photo on my camera or mobile phone just didn't seem to do it justice and can't describe the pure beauty of what I was experiencing. At this moment I felt like the luckiest girl alive - I had been given this opportunity by luck and chance and I shall always be thankful to those who helped me get there through various means.Soon enough after casting our eyes down into Cow Camp for 10 minutes we spotted several legs and bodies, all looking suspiciously like they shouldn't be there, but rather in MaeCile's corral! However... we had rode all this way up and now we needed to get down - somehow. Poor Clare was on tenterhooks wondering just how we were going to get down. Jess and I rode around for a few minutes and were really struggling to find a path suited to all. I suggested to Jess that we take a route which involved dropping down a rock ledge but then looked relatively sturdy. In the back of my mind I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew Clare was afraid of heights and we had to bear this in mind when it came to finding a path. Thankfully Jess looked at the path, suggested it to Clare and she agreed she would give it a go! Slowly we made our way down, which was both fun but also slightly terrifying as we were so far up! I was apprehensive that the route had been my suggestion and I didn't want anyone to get into trouble and it be my fault.
It was Paul's last day today, so Hugh and I spent a fair amount of time talking to him. He's a true Cowboy and his stories, jokes and anecdotes never tire to amaze me. There's something about him that I can't put my finger on - he is genuinely one of the most welcoming and admirable man I've ever met. Hugh and I ate lunch together whilst his horse Cav and Tina had a rest, which was nice. He's easy to get on with and chat to which I like - the conversation just flows and I enjoy we can have some banter with one another but also a serious conversation. (If he's reading this, i'm sure his heads just grown a considerable amount).
I'm sure between him and Kathrin I have hopefully made two friends for life.
After a 30 minute dinner it was time to jump back onto our horses and begin to herd the loose ones back to the ranch. We had a plan (not that plans ever go to plan) that Jess would be the lead horse which means she had to stay at the front of the herd and continuously shout "come horse". I would then ride at the front of our group and push the loose ones forward, with the rest of the group forming a semi-circle to stop any strays veering off. Honestly? It all sounded relatively easy at this point but soon enough, like plans always do, it went wrong. The aim had been to keep the loose horses in a walk or trot but as we rode through a gate we managed to get behind them and they broke off into a canter.Much to my delight, Paul shouted "Tina, go with Jess now!" and we both cantered off after them to find where they were heading and attempt to steer them back to the group. We hopped up a steep mountain that we were sure they had gone up, but unfortunately we lost them and they were nowhere to be seen! Finally the others caught up with us and quickly we had to come up with a plan. Paul knew I was more than eager to get involved as much as possible and go fast at any given opportunity, so he shouted for Jess and I to go the way we originally wanted the horses to go and the rest of the group would go the way we thought they had gone. If one group found the horses, they were to ride back to the ranch and take the horses, if not, we would meet back at the windmill.
I was more than excited to get the opportunity to go with Jess and secretly hoped we were the ones to find the horses. We set out into a gallop in an attempt to try and catch up with the horses if they had gone the way we were heading and all the way were vigilant, checking for fresh hoof prints on the ground below.Galloping along, chasing some horses in the middle of Wyoming felt surreal. It felt like I was dreaming and in any moment I'd wake up back in England, in my own bed, gutted to find it had all been some sort of dream. But it wasn't, and I was brought back to reality when suddenly I noticed a fresh hoof print and Jess shouted to me to push on as we must be on the right track. The feeling of seeing those horses over the next hill grazing was just fantastic. Jess and I squealed with excitement that we would be the ones to have to get them back to the ranch. It would be tricky with just two of us, but I was more than ready to give it a go! Jess explained that the horses would know their path home, so what we needed to do was push them forwards ensuring that none strayed or turned back around. I couldn't help but laugh with exhilaration and anticipation and we both high-fived one another. This was going to be an experience I was definitely never going to forget.
Tina immediately started to pull at the reins and excuse the pun - chomp at the bit! She knew what was coming and seemed just as enthusiastic as me. We set out at a canter, pushing the herd for home and all Jess and I could do was laugh - what a feeling!
We had several canters and trots and every so often allowed the horses to stop for a breather. The others knew to stop at every gate so we could open it for them - which gave us time to grab a quick swig of our drink before it was time to push on again!
Upon arriving at one particular gate we saw a stray cow from the neighbouring field and I was elated when Jess looked at me and asked if I wanted to herd it back into its field. Did she need to even ask? Of course I wanted to! So, I pushed Tina forwards to a canter and when I caught up with it, I had to slowly turn it around to push it back to the gate. Tina knew exactly what to do and every twist and turn that cow took, Tina followed. Nearer to the gate, Jess galloped up to me and together we pushed it through back to its mum and soon enough it was time to turn our attention back to our loose horses and getting them home!Finally after 8 hours in the saddle, shattered and starving we arrived back at the ranch on a high, full of stories to tell the rest of the group. It was an exhausting day, but one I'll remember and cherish forever. You don't forget memories and experiences like that easily and what better way to experience it than on a horse.
Saturday
Today constituted of a days shopping in Cody and then picking up our hire car ready for Yellowstone on the Sunday. We all had such an amazing day together, laughing and helping one another pick which cowboy boots to buy. We went to the local western store called Boot Barn which can only be described as my heaven! I got myself some boots and a pair of Cowgirl jeans. The rest of the gang also got some bits and bobs and upon leaving the shop we all felt like we fitted in with the locals now!
After going to pick up our car and having some dinner, the gang dropped Kathrin and I at the Legacy Inn hotel in Cody we had decided to stay at so we could have a night out just the two of us. We had such a great evening playing pool and dancing to the live band in Silver Dollar, as well as chatting to a few locals about England. The funny thing is, they absolutely love our accent here - as soon as anyone finds out we're British we get asked to say various words in our "awesome accent".
The question is, would we get up in time to meet the rest of the group at 7:30am to head to Yellowstone?
