Burnt Well/cowboy perspective on $$ values and the economy

· Some people spend more time wanting what they don’t have than enjoying what they do. Stay tuned, more to follow.

Spring Bonney Drive, new camp mascot

This spring's cattle drive was completely out of the ordinary! Fewer guests than normal (no surprise with the economy and uncertainty of the times), fewer days at camp (and a cold one at that), Wed.-Tues (instead of Sun.-Sat.) and our firs...t doggie/ bottle fed calf (we've had doggie/bottle lambs and lots of puppies over the different drives). But all that said, it was right on up there with the best of drives, and the point of it all, we got the job done, had fun doing it and got to know great people in the process!! And the best bonus of all for Patricia, Haley came up and joined them over the weekend!! Thanks for the sacrifice it took to come, Haley!

Happy Easter!!

This week’s thoughts from Burnt Well: Two great stress reducers: I’m sorry. I forgive you. And on that note something I heard on the radio yesterday: Let’s celebrate the resurrection today (and this week) by forgiving someone, whether they deserve it or not! And by John Harrigan: ‘People need loving the most when they deserve it the least.’ Happy Easter!!

BURNT WELL'S TWO STYLES OF CATTLE DRIVES

Dude Ranch style cattle drives:

Drive any number of cattle from point A to point B, which could be from one to ten miles. On these drives we typically sleep and eat most, if not all meals, at the ranch but may have the occasional need to pack a sack lunch in the saddle bag and can take just about any age, riding and/or adventure level. This type of cattle drive is very common, if not the norm, at Burnt Well on most regular ranch stays (unless you specify that this is not what you want to do). Since we are a working cattle ranch on 15,000 acres and there is always plenty of cattle work to be done, the need to round up the cattle and drive them the various distances to the pens to work them could very well have you in the saddle for many miles/hours a day. Our guests have told us that our cattle work on a regular ranch stay is more than many of the ranches “specified” Cattle Drives.

Authentic ‘Old West’ style cattle drives:

As with our dude ranch style cattle drives, on our authentic ‘old west’ cattle drives we are actually doing a job, not just moving cows in the name of a ‘cattle drive’.

On these cattle drives we camp out on the trail at least 3 nights, sometimes 4 or 5. We provide you with a 'cowboy' bedroll (a 3" mattress made up with sheets & blankets and rolled in a tarp). We have 'cowboy' teepees in case of inclement weather and there are also cots available, for those who are a little squeamish about being right on the ground. We usually make between 10 and 15 miles a day with the cattle and are in the saddle between 5-10 hours a day. We start early, are driving cattle by sun up, and will try to be at camp by early afternoon.

The hot breakfasts and suppers are cooked dutch oven style and over the campfire while out on the trail, where there’s always plenty to eat (Patricia says, “If you leave Burnt Well hungry it’s your fault!”). After breakfast you pack your own lunch for the day, choosing from a vast array of choices along with a delicious wrap made with the extra ‘Chesser natural beef’, from supper the night before.

Nightly campfires, a blanket of twinkling stars on a New Mexico black velvet sky and, if you can get Patricia away from her camp kitchen, you could enjoy an evening of sweet fiddle music. Since we are out for the duration of the drive; actually doing a job, and living and eating in the elements, the conditions can sometimes be unpleasant. Therefore, our authentic ‘old west’ style cattle drives are adult only and for the adventurous adults with plenty of stick-to-itouvness! The stuff memories and bucket lists are made of!

Food for thought from Burnt Well:

Almost anything is easier to get into than out of.