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I was actually looking for a cattle ranch where I could experience the real stuff and I must admit that I found it at Dryhead..... and even more. No posh relaxing resort but a basic and realistic place on earth with excellent horses and extremly nice and warm people ..... the Bassett family.
Follow me on a two weeks journey to one of the loneliest places I have ever been .... the Dryhead Ranch in Montana.
Once I had the ok from my wife to bring my boys dream to reality (it was actually my Christmas present from her) it took me exactly two weeks to arrange my visit including travel and Al's Bootery in Billing opening his boots shop for me on a sunday to sell me a pair of real buckaroo boots. During the next four months I was telling almost everybody what I was going to do and I tell you I was getting excited.
When arriving at Billings it was cold and pooring with rain. What a welcome after almost two days of travel from Germany. I called Jim of Al's Bootery who picked me up from the airport to open his boot shop, just for me what a customer orientation. After almost one hour of trying different boots I left the shop with the most beautiful boots I ever had .... and I had a lot so far. Beautiful Hondo buckaroo boots which you can't buy at home. Some further shopping at Big R for some apparel (jeans and jackest) for the family and Jim finally dropped me at the airport.
At about 2 pm Joe and Iris turned up to take us to Dryhead with a step over in Lovell, their winter ranch where we met Jennifer, their daughter, and Steve, son in law and our wrangler for the coming two weeks. Some friends took us (the nine guests for the cattle drive) to the Dryhead since the Bassetts had some family celebration going on that evening.
Arriving at the Dryhead after quite a drive through rain and snow was somewhat disappointing since the weather was awful and the bunkhouse was cold and dark. "So that΄s what you get after two days of travel" I thought by myself and went straight to bed.
But what a difference on the following morning, still cold but the sun was about to rise ... what a view and what a difference compared to what I am used to from good old Germany. No non natural noise nature pure ..... and breakfast was about to come.
Marie and Marc prepared an excellent welcome breakfast which had everything you could even think of and which should help us make it through the day.
After driving back to Lovell we picked up our horses, received some general instructions and how to behave to maximise security for everybody involved. The coming 5 days of the cattle drive kept the following experiences for me personally and I must say I don't want to miss them:
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- excellent horses and tack fit for purpose
- superb support from the cowboys taking into account the different level of capabilities in our city slicker group
- a night in camp at -5 °C with waking up at 4 am, freezing cold and me starting a fire to survive
- a terrific sunrise over the Prior mountains, though quite cold
- excellent food
- time for thought and relax whilst riding through beautiful countryside
- turning four bulls at full lope and returning them to the herd
- experiencing lovely people with a different set of values than mine as coming from tight and crowdy Germany
- feeling like coming home when pushing the 350 head of cattle onto the Dryhead ranch premises after a five day drive
- 8 10 hours in the saddle daily
- making new friends with people from all over the world (Switzerland, South Africa, England and USA)
- being elected guest cowboy of the week
For the weekend Iris dropped me at Billings airport together with the other eight city slickers who went home. That night we have gone out with the gang having the first beer after a week which really hit the spot. Good night out with lots of talk and fun.
For the Sunday I hired a car to visit Little Bighorn where General Custer lost his life in his fight with the Indians. When returning to Billings I did some further shopping (even more) before Iris took me back to Dryhead with three other guest (this time from Sweden, Germany and the States). I was looking forward to a ranch week comprising:
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- again lots of riding on excellent horses (quite a variety!)
- hot summer weather requiring starting early and having healthy lunch snoozes ... just great
- driving cattle
- separating 100 couples for branding in two days close to a cutting experience
- camp fires and marshmallows with Hershey chocolate and biscuits (forgot the name)
- stories and jokes
- the climax of healing calves and dragging them to the fire (I did 5!!! Who's had more?)
- watching a horse whisperer from Utah during working colts
- lovely scenic rides in marvelous country
- going fishing with Tyler at 4 am without catching a bite
- wrangling the horses with Steve in the early morning when everybody was still in bed .... what an experience: Two men on horses riding the range without talking a word and the sun coming up!
If somebody would ask me for my advice I would recommend the ranch week over the cattle drive .... more time in the saddle and more variety.
But unfortunately everything has his end and Marie took me to Billings airport where I started my return journey. Although I was bit sad to leave the place I really learned to respect and love I was looking forward to meeting my girl and boys at home to tell them about ..... the real experience!
And I made a promise ....
I will return to the place where I had such a good time thanks to the Bassetts! And I can tell you ... my family is fed up with my stories since I can't stop telling everybody about this terrific experience of understanding that less is sometimes more.
If somebody wants to know more about it feel free to contact me. Now have a look at the pictures since my words can't reflect on the beauty I have experienced on Dryhead.
Jochen
(which nobody could pronounce correctly on Dryhead hence called Joe)
from Germany.
HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYCOWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The Real Experience......
