Third Day at Sweet Grass Ranch

July 11th, 2012

Howdy!

I can't believe the week is already half over!! Where has time gone?? Well, I guess it must have flown because I’ve been having soooooo much fun. I love riding horses and during the free time hanging out with Brianna. The ranch is almost like a home now. Except that I still have to wake up at 7:00 am…

After a quick breakfast, Brianna’s dad, B.J, left Brianna by herself to get her mother at the airport. Brianna came with Paige and I on the fast ride, where we headed back to the lake we visited on the first day. We were able to lope and trot.

Then, Paige and I relaxed in our cabin until Brianna came to visit. Then we sat on the beds talking.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, lunch was served. I was starving!!!

After we digested, I played pool with Brianna again. I love having someone as active as me to hang out with!!!

Then, back in the saddle for a horseman-ship clinic. Roscoe, the guy leading the clinic, was very good around horses and the clinic was very informative.

Next, we headed down to the creek for some more Flotilla fun!! It was just as freezing as yesterday, if not colder!!!

After jumping off the bridge for one more time, Paige and I headed back to our cabin to read and relax a little before dinner. Before you knew it, it was time to eat again. But it was pouring and hailing outside. How were we going to get to the dining hall? Finally, we just sprinted out across the hall and made it to the main building, phew!

Then, it was back to being a “true” cowgirl, meaning more practice roping the fake cow with Brianna.

But soon it was time to be a true suburb girl again. Paige, Brianna and I all squished ourselves onto a sofa in Brianna’s room to look at pictures of all Brianna’s pets on her computer. She even owns a horse, named Reba. After amusing ourselves with crazy pet pictures, we amused ourselves more by watching a truly hilarious sloth, the last mammoth, a quirky saber tooth tigers and a trouble-making squirrel who just wants a acorn. Yep, you guessed it, we watch Ice Age 2, The Meltdown.

Then it was, yawn, time for bed after a quick shower.

Good night y’all!

Camilla

P.S. I’m very sorry but we have practically no pictures of today because the camera was not brought on the rides, during the clinic or when swimming in the creek. I’ll just post some pictures of the beautiful landscape instead.

Blue Mountain

Morning Mist

Leading to Open Fields

Crossing the Bridge

Horse trails

Beautiful Morning Sky

The Creek with the Crazies (the mountain range) in the background

The Ranch

The Horses Grazing in the Morning

Second Day at Sweet Grass Ranch

July 10th, 2012

Howdy!

After a tiring day yesterday, I was thankful that I only had to wake up at 7:00 today. That’s still way earlier then I when I wake up at home. Oh well, to fit all the amazing activities we do here, I guess you have to wake up early.

Today was a special day because… we were going on an all-day ride to the water slide!!! Sweet!!! Before we could get to the rock water slide, we had to first do some cattle work.

After we got on and were ready to go, we rode up a ridge to look for some cows. With a little bush waking, we had found and herded most cows through the gate. Brianna, Connor (Page and Pat’s son), a few other guests and I went looking for any stray cows. We ended up sort of lost on the hillside. Luckily, we found a wrangler and headed back to join the rest of the group. Finally, we started up the steep path to the waterslide.

As soon as we arrived at the water slide and after the horses had been tied to the trees, we had lunch. It definitely wasn’t the best lunch I’ve ever had but it wasn’t too bad.

And then, it was time for some super fun sliding!! All the kids went down the slide but only one grownup was brave enough to go down too. I only went down once but it was pretty fun…and a little bumpy.

The ride back to the ranch was much quicker and had nicer scenery. It was more enjoyable then the steep ride there, even though I was a little wet. Soon, I was going to be more than a little wet.

Upon arriving back at the ranch, Paige, Brianna, Jake (10 years old, Ben’s brother), Ben (8 years old, Jake’s brother), Connor and I all headed straight for the creek, carrying black inflatable tubes. The water was the same temperature as yesterday, super super cold, but that didn’t stop us. We formed a “Flotilla” (all of the floats tied together) and jumped into the raging water. We had so much fun; we stayed at the creek for almost two hours! One time, Paige, Brianna, Connor and I floated really far down the river and had to climb up a hill to get back!!! We all had such and good time!!!

Once we froze ourselves enough, we went back to our separate cabins and all took really long, warm showers.

After my warm shower, I met Brianna down by her cabin and we practiced roping a fake cow. I am so bad at roping!!!

Then, it was time for dinner.

Even after supper the fun never stopped!!!

We continued to rope the cow until someone said we should play capture the rope instead! We ran and laughed our heads off until the wind started to pick up and our parents called us inside. A huge storm swept up and then was over just like that. A beautiful rainbow formed and we ran back outside to play some more games. Soon it grew too dark and we grew too tired to continue. Yawning, we headed to our respected cabins for a good night’s sleep.

Yawn, what a busy day!

Goodnight!

Camilla

Herding Cattle

Ben (left) and Jake (Right) team up

Nad and I herding the cows

Connor braves the water slide

Molly (Ben and Jake's Sister) goes down the waterslide

Jake takes a turn

Brianna has some fun

Did I mention how cold it it?

Sister power!

Who's idea was it to go for a swim?

Flotilla!

The rides over kids

Walking back

"I think our stop was back there..."

The horses being let out into the pasture

Roping a cow

Paige playing with Roper (the dog)

Capture the rope is now underway

A rainbow

1...2...3... NINJA!!!

First Day at Sweet Grass Ranch!

July 9th, 2012

Howdy!

Today was our first official day at Sweet Grass Ranch. And it all started really early... at 6:45 am to be exact. Because breakfast was served every day at 7:30 and we had to be dressed by then, we really had no choice. Yawning, I threw on jeans and a t-shirt then headed for the dining hall.

Today we sat with Brianna and her dad B.J. They are both super nice and funny!!! And Brianna’s the same age as Paige, 15.  I just know we’ll become great friends!  

After breakfast, we all went down to the corrals to listen to the safety talk and meet our horses for the week. I got matched up with Nad, a really sweet girl with a notch taken out of her ear. Paige got Bailey, a feisty young mare, and Brianna got Katie.

In all the confusion with getting our horses and mounting, Paige and I ended up going on the fast ride while Mom and Dad went on the slow ride. At first I was extremely nervous because I had never ridden western before in my life but soon I got accustomed to the saddle and reins. We rode to a pond and back in about two hours. We even got to lope (canter for all you English riders) up a hill!!! It was so awesome. After we got back and changed, we had a quick lunch. Yummy! The food here is so good!

And before you know, we were back in the saddle again! This time we went on a slow ride with Mom and Dad to a lookout point. Going up the mountain, we were able to trot and lope in a few fields. And then, we were on the edge of a cliff looking at the cliff below! So terrifying but beautiful!!! We rode back down the mountain and dismounted our horses for the day. Ugh, I was so sore

To cure our soreness, Paige, Brianna and I decided to swim in the creek. Bad idea!!!! It. Was. So. So. So. So. Cold!!!!!! But that didn’t stop us!! We proceeded to freeze ourselves by jumping of the bridge! I was numb by the time I hit the water!!!

After freezing our butts off, we went back to our cabins and changed just in time for dinner. Dinner was great and afterwards Brianna, Paige and I played Uno. Soon though we grew bored and Paige drifted back to the cabin. Brianna and I stayed behind and played Pool. We were so bad it wasn’t even funny! But we had a great time and that’s all that matters.

After another exhausting day, I couldn’t wait to sink into a nice warm bed.

Goodnight!

Camilla

Rounding up in the morning

The horses in the corrals

Heading out on our morning ride

Returning from our morning ride

Me preparing to jump off bridge

Me swimming after jumping in

Paige getting ready to jump off bridge

Paige just after jumping in

Paige and I tipping Brianna's raft

Paige and I rafting down the creek

Paige and I after a busy day

Driving to the Ranch

Howdy!

Today we finally got to the ranch!!!!! It’s totally amazing!

Our day started, however, with breakfast in the hotel. After that, we went to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. There were tons of dinosaur skeletons and models. Along with dinosaurs, there were also exhibits on Native Americans, Napoléon, and regional history. I found all of it really fascinating.

After checking out the gift shop, we proceeded to, you guessed it, Walmart! I never knew that there was Walmarts in Montana!

Loaded with water bottles, sunglasses, and Chap Stick, we were ready! Except that we hadn’t had any lunch and were starving! We fixed this by stopping by at Burger’s Bob and having a bite to eat. Then we picked up cowboy hats for all of us at a local western store.

Now we were super ready… for a two hour drive. It felt so long because I was so excited! Finally, we arrived!

We were among the first guests to arrive and were greeted by Page. I know what you’re thinking, and no, I did not spell my sister’s name wrong. This was a different Page, the woman who helped run the ranch. We were lead to our cabins and started to unpack. Mom went around and learned the names of. Every. Single. Guest! Wow!

To escape the frenzy of unpacking and meeting everyone, Paige and I went wading in the creek. Oh My God it was freezing!!!!!! I felt like my feet were going to freeze off!

After a quick wade, we went to dinner and started to meet all the guests.

After a long day, I quickly fell asleep in yet another new but comfy bed.

See y’all in the morning!

Camilla

A skeleton of a T.Rex outside of the Museum of the Rockies

One of the many models of dinosaurs in the Museum of the Rockies

We're finally here!

Horses grazing with the ranch and the mountains in the background

My sister and I's shared cabin

My Parent's cozy cabin

First Night in Bozeman

July 7^th, 2012

Howdy!

Today was my first day out west! So exciting! Today was also a traveling day. Ugh, I hate traveling! But at least now we’re here! To get to Bozeman, we had to first take a flight to Minneapolis-St. Paul airport in Minnesota. After that we jumped on a plane that took us here, to Bozeman. After some slight confusion with which room we were staying in, and a long walk through the hotel, we finally were here! Paige and I, upon hearing that there was a pool in the hotel, quickly threw on our bathing suits and headed out to find it. The pool was a perfect way to relax after a stressful and tiring day. After a quick swim, we got ready and headed out into Bozeman. The town looked like something out of an old western classic! After looking around a bit, we headed over to Ted’s, a bar like restaurant with outdoor seating. The food was both delicious and artistic! Feeling stuffed to the top, we decided to take a walk around the town. We passed by many funky stores and had a fun time window shopping. After a long day, it felt so good to flop onto a really plush and comfy bed.

Goodnight!

See y’all tomorrow,

Camilla

A forest fire my dad could see out the window from the plane

Bozeman's Movie theater with an old car in front

Our First Sunset in Montana

Just...Wow

Such Beautiful Colors