After riding more than 1,000 miles by myself, I am very happy to have a traveling partner!!!!
Before leaving Craig, Colorado, my girlfriend, Emma, met me with a car, thanks to the help of Allan and Sheri Sutherland and Kevin and Jane Brazier.
These extraordinary friends helped us attain this vehicle to make my life, and especially the horses’ life, a little better! I can’t thank them enough for their generosity. Once again, kind-hearted people are coming together to help make this journey a success.
With the car, we can now carry water, grain, and hay for the horses! You can’t even imagine what a relief this is for me. It is also really nice to have someone to share these moments with. Life is meant to be shared!
From Craig, we set out on a 80-plus mile trek to Rifle. With fall officially in the air, yellow and orange trees served as a breathtaking backdrop the entire way. For the first time since Alberta, I was followed by constant rain for two days. Luckily my slicker, chaps, and cowboy hat kept me somewhat dry…
After a long and rainy day, we found ourselves in Meeker, Colorado. What was meant to be a one-night stop ended up becoming a day layover!
As I rode into an RV parking lot that offered a pen for the horses, a truck stopped next to me. With rain now pouring down, the man inside the truck asked if I wanted to put my saddle in his trailer. I accepted the offer.
“My friend saw you riding down the road today and said you may be looking for work,” he said as I carried the saddle on to his trailer.
After explaining what I was doing, Mike Lopez shook my hand and said, “That’s so great.” Just like that, a new friendship was born. “Follow my truck – you and your girlfriend can stay at my house tonight,” he said.
Soon we were at Mike’s house eating dinner with his wife, Sam, and their two boys. We learned about Mike’s ranching operation, Sam’s family’s role in running the Meeker Airport, and how they met! It was so nice to sit in a warm home full of love eating a delicious dinner!
After eating, Mike hauled my horses to his friend’s, Benjamin Rogers, ranch, where they were hosted like royalty. In a few hours, he had convinced Emma and me to stay put for the next day.
“Tomorrow I will show you the beautiful valley Meeker sits in, the wild horses, and the large herds of elk,” he said.
That’s exactly what we did! Along with much learning, we held deep conversations with both Mike and Benjamin about ranching, the wild horse debate, and the current issues the United States is facing.
Still ranching where his family homesteaded 5 generations ago, Benjamin knows what it means to work hard. He not only runs the ranch, he also has cabins on his property he rents out to hunters this time of the year. He also BBQ’s for special events during the summer.
“These days we have to get really creative to make ends meet. Ranching alone does not pay the bills,” he said.
After the long and informative chat, we went to see wild horses and later a large herd of elk. This was so cool! I had never seen wild horses or that many elk together before.
The male elk were trying to attract the females, which is called bugling. They point their noses to the sky and make this crazy pitched noise. I wish it were that easy to attract woman in high school!
I will never forget the tremendous hospitality these families offered us in Meeker! The valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. I feel blessed to have been a witness.
