Savoring Wyoming

When I wonder what heaven might look like, I image serene meadows surrounded by mountains draped with sunlight. Horses are grazing with cattle and sheep in the distance. Monday evening, we arrived at just such an idyllic location. The Ladder Livestock Ranch in Savery, WY is nestled along the southern edge of the state. In fact, our actual campsite was inside Colorado. The pictures below don’t quite do justice to the views. If heaven looks like the Ladder ranch, sign me up… in due time.

We were greeted by three young boys, ages 10, 10 and 8, awaiting us in their ATV. Rhen donned a cowboy hat while his cousin, McCoy, drove the ATV. Tiernen, the 8 year old, dutifully took the lesser seat in back. These young Harvest Hosts led us to our camping site, then promptly offered to sell us fresh beef or a baseball cap. Tiernen returned in the ATV with two farm dogs instead of his cousins, deeming them friendlier companions. Fresh beef is now in our freezer awaiting a campfire dinner.

We walked up the road to the Ladder Livestock ranch buildings to introduce ourselves and thank our Harvest Hosts. We met one of the ranch owner’s sons and learned a bit more about the ranch. Fifteen hired hands help with the expansive operation. Ladder claims to “raise cattle, sheep, horses and children.” All true. The young cousins we met are the sixth generation of this ranch legacy. This coming Saturday will be a grand celebration of the 140th year for Ladder Livestock.

The owners, Pat and Sharon, invited us to dinner and/or to enjoy an early breakfast with the ranch hands. We opted for a quieter dinner in our RV, but eagerly accepted the opportunity for a ranch breakfast. Breakfast did not disappoint. The homemade cinnamon coffee cake was delicious!

After breakfast, Skip and I took a stroll. The hazard of RV living, at least so far, is too much sitting. I headed east on the dirt road and walked by an expansive field with sheep grazing. Sun kissed the slopes of the foothills that banked the meadow. I stopped in my tracks just to breathe deeply and take it all in. Conversation with God refreshed my soul.

As we prepared to leave the site, a small herd of horses trotted by in front of us. The ranch hands were rounding them up. Those of you who really know me know that I love horses. My heavenly dream was complete… cows, sheep and horses in a bucolic scene. My cup is overflowing with gratitude.

I was still savoring Savery, WY as we journeyed on. We opted for the scenic route which included 25 miles of dirt road through several ranches along the northern edge of Colorado. The occasional deep potholes and sections of washboard road rattled my ribs. [If you’ll permit me… that’s a momentary throwback to Mrs. Chamberlain teaching our fifth grade class the fun of alliteration.] About half the miles meandered through the Routt National Forest which was breathtaking. We encountered just a few opposing vehicles and thanks be to God, we were able to navigate around one another on the narrow road. A herd of sheep in the road made us chuckle.

We stopped in Steamboat Springs for a break and some delightful shopping. A sea-salt milk chocolate caramel somehow found its way into my bag. As we walked along the main street through town, Skip recounted trips to Steamboat early in his career, bringing a smile to his face.

We continued through mountain passes along narrow and sometimes extreme switchbacks. It was nerve racking. We were sad to see so much of the forest devastated by the pine beetle infestation and fire damage. The “standing dead” naked pines covered the hillsides for long stretches. Nonetheless, we were still moved by the expansive beauty. Skip has announced he is now mountain certified with our pickup pulling the 16,000 pound rig. We are so thankful for owning a diesel pickup. We wouldn’t have made it otherwise.

We arrived in the late afternoon at our campsite along the Horsetooth Reservoir in Ft. Collins, CO. Later on, we enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Simmers restaurant with my brother, Kevin, my niece Christine, and her husband Tom. Deep conversations were interspersed with lighter stories and recounted memories. Kevin has a gift for humor. Laughter abounded. My walnut butternut squash ravioli with balsamic glaze was divine.

Our adventure continues tomorrow. We’ll be boating on the Horsetooth Reservoir with Kevin, Christine, Tom, and their two sons, Ben and Owen. More to come!