Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Change of pace..

Well I'm not sure if you all have noticed, but things on the blog have been a little depressing lately and I'm sorry about that. I know that this is supposed to be a place to share the perfect version of my perfect life, but I'm nothing like other bloggers and I tend to over share in the best worst way possible.

So things out here have been a little rocky. {It would be punny if I was still in the Rockies} But seeing as I'm not that could be part of the problem. "No place I've been would ever make me think I would want to go back to Sombrero." Hmm, that's the truest statement I've heard in a while, but maybe I just miss the place where I left my heart...who wouldn't?!?! But with inspiration from a fellow West Coaster, I've decided to turn things around and make the most of the next few weeks in Buffalo, Wyoming.



I've created a list. Two lists actually. 

{Places I want to go}
{Things I want to do}


Let's start with the places: 
   {Considering I live a reasonably short distance from some of the most beautiful and monumental place in the country, I've decided to go see them.}

1} Yellowstone National Park
2} The Grand Tetons
3} Mt. Rushmore
4} Montana
5} Thermopolis
6} Devil's Tower
7} Cody
8} Badlands
9} Crazy Horse Memorial


And finish with the things I want to do:
    {I hope I have time to finish at least of a few of these things before the summer ends}
1} Learn to rope
2} Learn to pack
3} Free climb Fan Rock
4} Swim in Lake Angeline
5} Get something to remember this place by
6} Camp
7} Explore Buffalo
8} Have a photo shoot on the mesa
9} Make memories

I think I read on pinterest once that "adventure is out there we just have to be brave enough to look for it." I guess I haven't been that brave this summer. Every now and again I tend to get a wild hair and remember what last summer looked like, but I think with the inspiration I just received and the life I lead I think I can find some adventure out here.



Sunday, July 27, 2014

The Wrangler Life

They never said it would be easy. They promised us the best, worst summer of our lives. Because not only is that convincing, but it also makes a ton of sense.

This place...so different than Sombrero in 10,000,000 different ways, but in every way it's exactly the same. You can't help but compare here to there, which makes everything so much more complicated.


So we work less hours, so I get to meet so so so so many amazing people, so I get to lope on rides, so I get my own five horses, so I have a huge room, so I get to eat the greatest food everyday, so I get three dessert options every lunch, so I get to see Prince Charming with a Southern Accent everyday, so I really do live in God's country, so it really might be Paradise. But then again...

I have the best job in the world. 

But one place I found myself, my other half, my person and my horse. Here...I found teen's camp.


So we'll have to see how the rest of summer goes, see if we can fix a few things, and maybe I can find a bit more of the things I loved there, here.



Thursday, July 24, 2014

They say they're FREE...

But I'd say...the best things in life are the little ones...

They're not always the easiest to find or free, but they are what keep us sane, what make us human, and what make us smile.

The little things in my life currently are...
{Night Adventures}
{Untucking your shirt after a long day}
{Back massage trains}
{Skipping dinner to girl talk}
{Listening to the rain}
{Dessert}
{Gourmet Meals}
{Going to town}
{Finding your favorite horse}
{Getting the last can of Mountain Dew Voltage from the mini fridge}
{Having an awesome roommate}
{Internet}
{This blog}
{Prince Charming with a Southern accent}
{Turnout}


So my list keeps getting longer and longer, but I can't help, but have a million things to be thankful for and keep me sane in this strange strange place!

Living in social Siberia tends to make you a little crazy, but thankfully, we were all a little crazy before we got here.



We like to keep it interesting here and beyond that it's just nice to come home to a little drama every now and again.


Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Some Nights...

{http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM0}

I'm not even really sure what to say to you all ever so dedicated fans! All three of you...

The last few weeks have been INSANE. Sometimes I miss Sombrero so much it hurts, I think constantly about my first summer and everything terribly wonderful that happened and I literally relive every moment from last summer like it's my job, but then again, I literally live in Paradise....

I quoted myself today. The worst, most cheesy, non sarcastic quote I could have ever chosen...so not like me. {For those of you that don't know me, I drip sarcasm, I live my life through sarcastic comments and backhand compliments}

I said...."Even though we're thousands of miles from home, we're never without family." Yep, I literally just threw up in my mouth....

I said that about this place and for a second I think I meant it. I know that lately my post have been ever so motivating and uplifting and don't get me wrong, I love it here!!! I have the greatest job in the world. I get to sit on a horse all day, listen to my own voice, and wake up to some of the greatest views the world has to offer. But, sometimes this place just gets to you.

This place is amazing. As a wrangler, this job is cake with a side of cookies, but it's so different. We're at our breaking point and it's time to find a life jacket or a strong swimming buddy before you drown like Jack. The days are getting longer and the tensions keep rising. The character building might send a few of us off the unsteady wooden door that Rose won't share. I love my job, how could you not, but lately I've been a little more team Sombrero.

Maybe being an adult is easier than this...

My life is going a million miles an hour and everything out here is so surreal. Reality is a thing of the past. The only real thing here is the consistency. Our lives are scheduled down to the minute. Every week is the same, no daily special changes, no dinner is ever served without potatoes, no square dance lacks male crew. Everything is constant. How helpful. We are our own little world and we have everything here except a post office, so why leave, why go off to somewhere else when life is so constant and immature here.


I realize now that everything I just said has made no sense and if you've made it this far you're one of three people, my mother, Prince Charming, or really bored.

So let me sum it up for you...
{Too much time with the same people makes you a little crazy}
{Living with 17 girls is gross}
{I eat too much dessert}
{Everyday is made better by the fact that I live in the same place as Prince Charming with a SA}
{I love picking up rocks...more than life}
{The camel's back is broken}
{I don't spend enough time with these people in my off time}
{Sunday's are my favorite day of the week}




Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Anti-Social {Media}

So I realize lately...that the longer I've been here the less I care to be social...on the media end of things anyway.

I spend everyday creeping on peoples lives with each ride I take, meal I attend, or event I participate in. And the more I learn about these people and the more I fall in love with my life out here, the less I feel it nessicary to snap or pin or tweet or post. 

Yeah, my life is totally and completely awesome out here and I love it, like a lot. But someone told me before I left that it's hard to experience the adventure when you're behind the camera.


So stop for a second. Don't be so obsessed with taking the perfect blogger status picture for Instagram or having the best snap story and just live in the moment. Don't tell anyone via social media about you're awesome summer vacation. Give them a call, send a postcard, or wait till you see them again! 

As an ex-Pinaholic, I am proud to say Pinterest is no longer my go-to to kill time! Hanging out with my friends and Prince Charming with a Southern Accent, riding, reading, watching old westerns, and complaining about the state of our bunkhouse are my new go-tos to kill time!!

So yeah, I've been a little anti-social media lately! But hey who wouldn't be when I get to wake up to this view every morning!?!? 




Monday, July 7, 2014

THE BLOG BATON!!!!

I am so exited to say that I will be holding the Blog Baton tomorrow!!!!


What is the Blog Baton you ask?!?!? Well my brief explanation is that is an Instagram account that is held by a different blogger each day! These bloggers get to post pictures about their day and what their lives are like.

It was all created by the wonderful Mason, like the jar!

I am so excited to show you all my day and what it's like to live here in Paradise! So make sure to head over to Instagram and be sure to follow (@chacheana) and (@theblogbaton) tomorrow all day to see what it's like to be a wrangler here at Paradise Guest Ranch in Buffalo, Wyoming!!!!

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Turning out to North Pasture...

It's the end of a long work day, you've spent the whole afternoon fighting your high strung pony. You've finally swapped out him for your trusty black steed. We've gotten the go ahead to saddle up.

You tighten your cinch, slip on the bridle, tie up your lead rope and step into your stirrup. One shift to the right and a good grip on your reins. The horses can feel the excitement building. They know it's finally time to run.




So here at Paradise we like to do things a little different. Between 180 horses we have about 60% dude horses, 15% semi-dude/string horses, 20% string horses, 5% personal horses. We split the herd in half each week and send one pen out to pasture virtually each night. Well for the first part of the season it's been to home pasture. A few cracks of a bull whip and some "hey boys" and they call come running. But this week, for the first time this season, we sent out to north pasture, a small section of the woods/ field that about half our rides take. Sending them out to north pasture requires that all the wranglers block off sections of the home pasture and ship about 80 horses out through a river and a gate. The first day also required that we remind them where water is, so that means running these horses to the creek.

Well we're all sitting in our saddles waiting for the final instruction. After all of us has found a blocking point, a "Go Ahead" is heard through the radio. One gate opened to 2 wranglers leading the herd at a gallop. There is nothing quite like seeing those horses turn out and take their best shot at getting to the front. Finally the herd passes our barricade and we're told to follow the herd and keep pushing. We hit an open meadow and it's fair game for a sprint to the creek. Horses and riders are flying past in a cloud of dust, mud, rocks, and hooves.

After a sprint through the meadow the herd makes a turn back home and I'm at the worst side of it. We finally get them turned around and all I hear from the foreman is to start running. So Coal and I make a dash for the creek 80 some horses in tow. 9 horses break from the group and take a fence out. A few of us sprint after them and Prince Charming and I are told to turn right. We start tracking the wild ponies and start to see some seriously convincing sign. We follow them up to the top of the mesa and finally catch up to them. After a bit of a struggle we got them all home safe and sound.

We've turned out to North Pasture everyday this week and the process has been nearly the same. But let me tell you, these are the moments where I love my job the most. There is no better adrenaline rush than tearing across a field of purple flowers, with mountains so tall they look like they touch the sky just covering the world in front of you, and four hooves moving as fast as the wind will take them all to catch up to their friends down a ways.

It's been a long and adventurous week full of return guests, trips to Sheridan, Chinese food, hail storms, and parades. Stick around to hear all about my Fourth of July week with return guests who have been here longer than I've been alive.



Sombrero Moment

Do you ever have those moments where you wish you could go back and relive a moment in your life? Me too.

Well for me it's more than a moment. It's more like six months. Three stables. Two summers. One place. Estes Park.

I know I sound crazy, I think a little of me is crazy, but this feeling isn't. You never have to ask a repeat offender why they did it again. Once you're there, you just know it was the right choice! Sure there are a million moments where you're so tired you fall asleep on your horse, you're so sick of children you want to smack them across the face, and you're so irritated cause you worked your ass off and didn't get tipped, but at the end of the day, you go to Dave's, you see your best friend, you go on amazing dates, you have real talk, you take in the mountains, you fall in love with your life over and over again.

So yeah, sometimes we love to hate our jobs and the horses and the guests and the food, but more often than not, we never regret the decision to come back. Ever.

There is something about that place, it sucks you in, takes a hold of you and makes you believe that only the best is possible.

Sure, we work from sunrise to sunset, but I never gotten better advice or had better friends than I've gotten there. Yes, I love Paradise and I wouldn't go back ever, but man, a part of my heart will always live in Estes Park. In those mountains, down those park roads, at that lake, looking up at those stars. I will never forget the perfect moments from those two summers in the Rockies. I will always love the views from the 4 hour, testing out 016, falling in love with Edgar, racing Diamond up the road, seeing Gina and Kathleen again, falling in love in a parking lot, McDonald's dinners, Becca's trusty red SUV, and every adventure in between.

I know that I have to move on to a new chapter in my life and that's why I'm here, but I'll never forget my first love.