Bulls, Broncs & Broken Bones

The 61st edition of the College National Finals Rodeo got off to a great start Sunday (14 June) with the Bulls, Broncs and Breakaway performance.

Thirty-nine bull riders from across the US and Canada qualified for the CNFR. On Sunday each cowboy attempted to ride the first of three bulls in hopes of securing a spot in the coveted Top 12 championship round.

In rodeo, momentum is everything. For the eight riders who successfully covered their first bull Sunday, it was a step in the right direction to earning a national title.

Joining me in the bullfighting duties again in 2009 is PRCA Bullfighter Al Sandvold of Belgrade, MT. We work really well together and certainly got off to a good start. Much like the riders, bullfighters rely on momentum to help carry them through a long event and we were happy with how things started Sunday.

I didn’t break anything but did manage to tear a ligament in my middle finger. It’s not a bad deal, I just can’t fully extend my middle finger. The ligament I tore is in the fingertip so for six weeks I will be wearing a splint in efforts to get it to heal straight verses straight down!

Just so happened a rider ended up in a precarious situation and the bull was headed for him. I was able to step in and grab the bull's head allowing the rider to walk away… but in doing so, the bull lunged at me and somehow managed to mangle my finger. All in all, it’s no big deal.

Justin Thomas carried the Wyoming flag for bull riders Sunday as he was the only cowboy with Wyoming ties to successfully cover his first round bull. Thomas is a freshman at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. The freshman gitters didn’t deter this young cowboy as he turned in a 72 point ride.

Well, it’s off for a good night rest as Al and I have to be ready to fight bulls in the morning during the slack portion of the CNFR. Oh yeah, did I mention slack starts at 7am!

Forever West,
Jeremy

Unfinished Business

Our time at Devils Tower has come to an end. I encourage you to personally visit the tower at your earliest convenience.

A most sought after license plate for collectors worldwide is the Wyoming edition. Ever since I have lived in Wyoming, the plate has featured Devils Tower alongside the iconic Steamboat bucking horse. Seeing the tower in a photograph or on a license plate doesn’t do it justice. It is a personal experience you need to savor in life, not in a picture.

Granted photos of Devils Tower are spectacular but it’s impossible for a picture to capture the feeling you have when you’re lying under the moonlit sky with every star in the heavens illuminating the tower.

As a matter of fact, Jamie and I will be returning to Devils Tower after I perform at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, WY. We have a little unfinished business to tend to. We have arranged to climb the tower with expert Frank Sanders. Frank is a legend in Crook County, Wyoming. Frank has climbed Devils Tower 365 consecutive days!

We were able to spend a little time with Frank this weekend and with the encouragement of Matt Driskill we are entered in the rock climbing class. O, did I mention neither Jamie nor I have ever climbed anything higher than the bed of a pickup truck?

Frank owns and operates Devils Tower Lodge and Wilderness Climbing making it possible for a novice like myself and avid climbers alike to reach the top.

You can bet I will be blogging about this adventure. I am even going to try and wear a helmet cam so I can upload video with the blog.

Before I sign off this Memorial Day, let’s not forget the reason for our extended weekend. Yes, to some today was simply a day off of work but to others it’s an opportunity to honor those who have served our nation - many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

I want to send a personal ‘thank you’ to the troops serving outside the wire Memorial Day 09. Likewise, to my uncle Ronnie Sparks who served in Vietnam and a longtime family friend, Mr. EJ Hosey who marched with Patton in World War II and my Wyoming neighbor Mr. Smedley who survived the attacks on the USS Intrepid in WWII.

The United States will remain the land of the free so long as it is home of the brave.

Forever West,
Jeremy

Back in the Saddle Again

Saturday , Jamie and I were able to ride horseback over a portion of the 10,000+ acre ranch the Driskill family homesteaded in the late 1800s.

I don’t get the opportunity to ride much anymore but I sure do enjoy it when I do. In the last few years my riding has been rodeo parades, filming movies or photo shoots. But nothing takes me back to my teenage years like riding horses.

Jamie was even up for the adventure. I’m pretty proud of her. We crossed the Belle Fourche River twice and once jumped the “Red Canyon.” Well, I told Jamie we could call it the Red Canyon but it was really more like a red clay ditch. Nonetheless, she did a great job keeping up with Matt and me as we rode in the backcountry. Along the way, we spooked a turkey, several deer and even a red fox.

Devils Tower is spectacular from the road but seeing it from the backcountry on horseback is simply euphoric. If perchance you are looking for a perfect wedding site, keep in mind Devils Tower.

I’m not sure how many acres we covered or even how long we were out. But the one thing I do know is as we were riding home the sun was setting over our nation’s first national monument. As the American flag gently waved in the cool mountain breeze all three horses stopped and faced the setting sun. It was inspiring to take in that view one more time.

As night fell we thought it would be a good idea to stoke the campfire, make smores and roast hotdogs. And yes, we did it in that order. If you have never made a smore follow these simple directions:

Build a fire
Find a small tree branch (or wire clothes hanger)
Stick a couple of marshmallows on the stick and roast over fire
Break a graham cracker in half
Break a Hershey chocolate bar in half
Sandwich the roasted marshmallows & chocolate between the graham crackers
Eat
Email me simply saying “Thank You!”

Sitting around the fire I couldn’t help but think about days gone by. As a kid my parents would load up the vehicle and search out a campground. Many a vacation was spent under the stars roasting hot dogs, building smores and making memories.

Living in this hurry up, hustle & bustle world, I want to encourage you to slow down long enough to make memories your children will always cherish. Truly, it is the small things in life I hold dear – family time, a good saddle, campfires, and being immersed in nature.

Forever West,
Jeremy

First-Time Close Encounters

Devils Tower is more than I anticipated. The Tower has a way of stirring something inside you that until you experience it you can’t fully comprehend the majesty.

This morning Jamie and I saddled-up the bicycles and peddled the three-mile stretch between the park entrance and the visitor’s center.

It’s a moderate ride in and quite literally it’s uphill the entire time. However, I found it was rather enjoyable. On our ride we spotted deer, turkey, and even got a up-close look at Devils Tower most famous species – the black-tailed prairie dog.

My goodness, as soon as we entered the park we were greeted by 1,000 plus of these little guys. On the map the area is called “Prairie Dog Town.” I tell you, the Prairie Dog President must have been in town today because all the dogs were out.

The real treat was watching a turkey strut for fifteen minutes as he tried to impress a nearby hen. We ended up leaving the bikes in the ditch, walking in the forest a bit, and taking a seat on a fallen tree in order to enjoy the show. The gobbler would sound a few notes, fan its feathers and strut around until the lady had no choice but to notice him. It reminded me of some of my cowboy friends from my early rodeo days.

Well we made the 1400 ft incline and couldn’t believe how massive the tower appeared. From afar, Devils Tower looked big but standing right under it, that emotional stirring really starts to happen. The rock tower doesn’t fit into its surroundings. It’s not like there are several smaller rock towers and then the grand tower. Devils Tower erupts from rolling hills and looms over trees that are a part of the Black Hills National Forest.

There are at least three scientific theories regarding the origin of the tower and at least three more legends. You can read all about those theories as you walk along the Tower Trail. I prefer to side with the Native American’s tale. Legend has it (and I paraphrase) that seven young girls were playing on a small boulder in the distance from the tribe’s camp and a big grizzly bear spotted them. The young girls, scared for their lives, began to pray that the rock would save them. The Great Spirit answered their prayers and the boulder grew and grew, taking the young girls into the sky where they remain today as a group of seven small stars - The Pleiades.

The only question now is how did the tower ridges form? Continuing with the legend, the ridges are the result of that big grizzly scratching and clawing his way toward the young girls to no avail.

It is easy to make a full day inside the park’s perimeter. We only scheduled a half-day before we were off in search of the Vore Buffalo Jump.

In route we came across Aladdin, WY - population 15. Throw a one on the front of the population and you get the age of the town general store (mercantile), which at 115 years old is still open. East of Aladdin, we found what we had been searching. During the construction of I-90, the Vore Buffalo Jump was discovered. Turns out, this is a natural sinkhole providing an exceptional means for the Native Americans to harvest buffalo in numbers hard to comprehend. Ranging from the 1500s to the 1800s at least five native tribes used this sinkhole to trap and then harvest buffalo.

Although limited digs have taken place, bones of an estimated 20,000 buffalo have been found buried and perfectly preserved along with countless Native American artifacts. Despite being directly off of I-90, I would guess not even 1% of the passersby stop to experience Vore Buffalo Jump.

Well it’s suppertime at the KOA and I need to get going. We arrived back just in time to fire up the grill, help start the community campfire, and set up for the nightly showing of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” - a movie shot right here where I’m sitting now! No wonder Devils Tower KOA has earned three consecutive KOA Presidential Awards. They have free WiFi, campfires, movies, playgrounds, and a priceless view of Devils Tower. What else could a tourist ask for?

Forever West,
Jeremy

Memorial Day Weekend, Here We Come

My summer rodeo run is merely three weeks away and there’s no better way to clear my mind and finish prepping for a grueling schedule than to travel Wyoming. Highlights of the trail will include the College Nationals Finals (Casper, WY), Cheyenne Frontier Days (Cheyenne, WY) and the Santa Barbara (CA) stop of the PBR tour.

But today, Jamie and I are off to the northeast corner of Wyoming in search of Devils Tower National Monument, the first national monument in the USA!

Since starting the Blogging Bullfighter, I have wanted to visit Devils Tower and capture my experience in words. However, don’t merely take my word for it, get out and experience Wyoming yourself.

Thanks to Matt and Kathi Driskill of Devils Tower KOA Campground this trip has become a reality.

We left Cheyenne at 1pm yesterday and began the easy 300-mile trip to Devils Tower. I bet we counted over 500 Antelope between Cheyenne and Gillette.

In my eight years living in Wyoming, I have never been east of Gillette. To my surprise, the plains faded in the background as we entered plush, green, rolling hills and acre upon acre covered with towering pine trees. We spotted at least fifteen turkeys and a dozen mule deer. You gotta love that.

The GPS showed 20 miles remaining and it was nearing 7pm. W were making good time despite three pit stops along the way to include a FedEx drop box. You want to talk about fun, try pulling a 33-foot fifth wheel through a FedEx drive-in.

Out of nowhere Devils Tower appeared! I have heard others remarks regarding the same thing but until that moment I didn’t fully understand what they meant. The hills roll, a deep red-rock canyon is winds its way along the roadside, and then “BAM” a massive neck of chiseled rock towering to the sky.

It’s obvious we have arrived. Our home for the next several days is at the beautiful Devils Tower KOA Campground at the base of the national monument. I’m positive I will scout things out and report my findings.

Hey, do yourself a favor. Get off the internet, pack up the vehicle and travel Wyoming…you won’t regret it!

Forever West,
Jeremy

Sleigh ride through the elk

Wyoming is a state where a person can experience what life may have been like long before towns started springing up in the West. Obviously travel and the abundance of wildlife are two areas that have changed greatly.

While in Jackson, I was able to have one of those experiences thanks to the National Elk Refuge.

Jamie and I signed up for the National Elk Refuge sleigh ride tour at the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitors Center. While waiting on our 10am tour, we enjoyed exploring their great educational displays and browsing the massive collection of wildlife found in the area. On display were elk, wolves, eagles, bear, sheep, coyote and several other species. In addition to learning a thing or two about the refuge we were also able to purchase souvenirs there.

At 10am, we departed the visitor center in route to the refuge. When we arrived we were welcomed by wranglers who drive the teams of horses responsible for pulling the sleighs.

Being it is now officially spring and temperatures have often exceeded the freezing point combined with the fact snowfall isn’t what we have seen in previous years, the wranglers decided it would be best if we took a wagon tour.

Nonetheless, we were excited to be able to get up close to the elk. My sister-in-law and her family were able to join us so it was a real treat to have this time together.

By 10:20am we had the wagon loaded, cameras ready and were and headed out.

In no time we were among a herd of 2,500 elk. Talk about every outdoorsman’s dream. At our fingertips were elk that would land in the record books should they be harvested. But what a beautiful way to see a 6x7 bull elk scratch its head with its hind leg. Looking at a large herd of elk with the Grand Teton Mountains in the background is a moment none of us will soon forget.

Prior to western settlement elk ranged freely from east to west in the United States. Native Americans livelihood was dependent in part to the massive number of free ranging elk. Every part of the game animal was used to sustain life. Many artifacts can be found in Wyoming museums across the state to include a pristine collection in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.

In the late 1800s when settlers arrived in the Jackson area, the elk population in the Jackson valley is said to have been 25,000.

By 1912 residents knew a protected area was needed. Not only were livestock and elk competing for the same food, harsh winters and disease had taken a heavy toll on the elk population.

Today, Over 7,500 elk make their winter home on the 25,000 acre National Elk Refuge in Jackson. The elk migrate from Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park as well as nearby national forests.

Despite being largely fenced in, the elk are not contained. Due to the daily feeding that takes place elk have learned it is easier to survive the harsh winters by migrating to the refuge. The fence is simply used to help keep the elk off of the highway and out of harm’s way.

On the National Elk Refuge you can get a glimpse of what life may have been like in the old days. Transportation is still sleigh or wagon. Work here is still done using teams of horses, and elk are abundant. If you’re lucky you might even spot a wolf or bald eagle.

I’m certainly grateful that we had this opportunity but even more I’m pleased for the benefit the refuge offers future generations.

Forever West,
Jeremy

Get Along Little Doggies

In my last blog I wrote that we found the best place to eat in Jackson. Well I can now say we have discovered the best activity to experience in the Jackson Hole area. A tour with the Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours is a trip that you will never forget.

I have to admit I am not a huge dog lover. Jamie, on the other hand, is an extreme dog lover and proud dog owner. After today’s experience, I have a new-found respect for dogs especially ones that earn their keep.

At 0815 this morning we headed south of town in search of Frank Teasley, a professional dog musher for nearly 30 years, an eight-time Iditarod veteran and owner of Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours.

In route we spotted deer, elk, bighorn sheep and my favorite, the bald eagle.

When we arrived at the headquarters I was overwhelmed by the number of dogs. Over 170 dogs reside there. We were greeted warmly by both staff and dogs. When one dog sounded off to welcome us in, the other 169 followed suit.

It wasn’t long after our arrival we were able to meet the legend himself. I enjoyed getting to visit with Frank and learning a bit more about his background. He is certainly a talented and tough athlete. As a pre-teen he knew professional sled dogging was his passion. I can relate to that because at age fourteen I knew bullfighting was going to be my future.

Before leaving, he fitted Jamie and me with the proper attire for handling a 20-mile round trip to the Granite Hot Springs. The secret is dressing warm and being prepared. It was at that time Frank said, “Jeremy this is like rodeo in the winter-time!” “Well giddy up,” I replied.

Our guide was Dan. We eagerly watched as he hooked the dogs to the line and ultimately the sled. The lead sled was powered by eight Alaskan racing sled dogs. Much like marathon runners the dogs are lean, muscular, and ready to run. All of the dogs love their job. That was evident by the eager barking and forward lunging taking place as soon as they were hooked up. It was as if they were telling Dan: “Let’s go, let’s go, it’s off to work we go!”

Right before heading out, Dan informed us we would both get the opportunity to drive the team. Did I mention any previous experience with dog sledding? I didn’t think so.

Nonetheless, we started our journey with Dan in control. It would be ten miles before we would arrive at the Granite Hot Springs. The focus and intensity each of the dogs possesses is simply amazing. All of the pre-trip barking and lunging was now silence and concentration. Each dog has a role and performs their role out of loyalty to their owner. There is the lead, swing, and wheel positions. Simply put, the dogs know their respective roles and want to run much like rodeo animals want to buck. If you don’t believe me just say “Hike” and see what happens.

Equally impressive as the team of sled dogs was the wilderness we explored in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Wildlife is abundant and the scenery is at times so beautiful it is hard to adequately describe. Within two miles of our start I spotted two moose. It happened to be a cow and her young offspring. Snow was belly high on the animals but they managed to move with ease in hopes of finding food.

The trail followed the rim of Granite Creek. At times it felt as if we were in heaven. Beautiful mountains towered above us, the smooth sound of running water was merely a few feet beneath us, the sun was shining, and the only sound outside of Mother Nature was that of the dog’s paws dancing in the snow.

The average speed of our sled was eight mph. It didn’t take too long to reach the Granite Hot Springs.

Upon our arrival there, Dan told us we could enjoy a soak while he prepared lunch. We didn’t pack for a swim so I thought I was out of luck. To my surprise, I was able to rent a pair of shorts and enjoy 30 minutes of pure relaxation.

Wyoming is home to multiple hot springs situated throughout the state. In the southern area you can soak in Saratoga. In the center of the state you can relax in Thermopolis and in the northern part of the state you can find hot springs in the Jackson area as well as Cody and Yellowstone.

Granite Hot Springs is the largest soaking spot I have ever been in. The water enters the pool from Granite Creek. It is approximately 108 degrees in the winter time. In the summer, it is slightly cooler. Yes, cooler. At its deepest, the pool is over six feet.

So there I was, relaxing in a natural hot springs with huge snow cliffs all around me. The steam rolling off the pool created a light fog that when breathed in was refreshing to my soul. I can guarantee you one thing – nobody was talking about 401Ks or the stock market.

Dan was sounding the dinner bell chimes and I had worked up an appetite so that was like music to my ears. It was a full course meal featuring steak and trout in the middle of the scenic Bridger-Teton National Forest.

When our meal was complete it was time to start the ten-mile trek home. This was the moment of truth. Dan told me to take control of my own sled dog team. That was a feeling I will always remember and rates in my top life experiences. Jamie took over at the halfway point. We both handled the sled with ease and managed to keep it upright and on the trail proving that you don’t need any experience to direct your own sled.

Who would have ever thought that I could gain so much respect for dogs in such a short time? Of course Jamie now needs more dogs so she can get her very own sled.

If you have never experienced a sled dog tour, let me highly recommend the Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours. You can request a full or half day but take my advice and reserve a full-day tour. The added bonus to that is a soak in Granite Hot Springs.

On the other hand, if you are already a fan of sled dogs or just a dog lover, let me invite you to visit Wyoming’s stage race at http://www.wyomingstagestop.org/

The International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race starts in Jackson, Wyoming and features overnight stops in seven Wyoming towns ending across the border in Park City, UT.

Perhaps Jamie will have a team put together by next year and take the gold. Regardless, we plan on making an overnight stop with the race and reporting my findings on the Blogging Bullfighter.

Forever West,
Jeremy