Aw Nebraska! It was good to see you again. My trip last year was amazing, therapeutic, and refreshing. If there's one thing that I can say about being out there is that there just seems to be less noise. I'm not just saying that it's quieter out there, although it is, but it's just less.....less. I know, makes no sense. You are out in the middle of nowhere (45 minutes off the main road, several thousands of acres, and neighbors miles apart) and there's little physical noise. I don't have to listen to my cell phone go off, feel the pressure of checking email, and I go to bed early and sleep long and hard. And there's less stimulus. Seems like it's hard to get that at home. There's noise from camp, noise from phones and TV and the distraction of always feeling like I need to do something. So it's definitely refreshing and a great change of pace.
We left for NE Sunday afternoon and were able to drive Ben's car which meant incredible gas mileage compared to the truck which we took last time. We arrived at 5:30 am our time and slept on the couch for about 2 hours and then were up and at 'em for the branding (100+ calves first site, 259 calves second site). We didn't have any particular job this time but it was so fun to watch as usual. My regret? Not bringing my camera! There were a bunch of kids there this time because of fall break and these guys are definitely little cowboys. They are a different sort of kids, but not in a weird way. This is their life. They have no fear walking in and out of the cows at 5 or 6 years of age where other parents would be whisking them out of the way, their parents are watchful but have taught their kids to listen well and when they tell them to move, there is no hesitation. They seem to be the most responsible kids you'll meet. But, of course, they were having loads of fun too. They were practicing their roping, picking up the testicles from when after the cowboys castrated the bull calves and throwing them around (totally a boy thing!), and making a fort out of branches in the pasture. At one point, they wandered into the pen from where the cowboys were dragging out the calves and caught themselves a calf and it took 6 kids to drag that calf in. Best kodak moment ever! Another good meal after the branding and we make it home by 5 pm. It was a long dusty day and a shower couldn't come soon enough. A quick dinner and I was in bed by 8:45 and slept for 12 straight hours. The next day, we help a bit around the house, go with Trevor to pick up a washing machine from a friend and then pick up fence, and then Amie and I get to go ride. She rode Bob and I rode Romeo. It was quite the adventure as we just headed out, following fence lines and attempting to circle around it all but the sun decided to go down and, well, there's a lot of land to cover out there. We did pass 3 cows who were dead and gone. Two were piles of bones and one was obviously still food for the coyotes. Makes sense to leave them out there when they die. Food for something. Then it was back home and time for dinner. A wind advisory was in effect from 11pm that night on and, right on cue, two hours after I'd gone to bed, that wind came. It was incredibly gusty (50mph) and the house whistled and things banged all night along.
The next day was still windy and about mid morning we got the chance to move calves. It was about 49 degrees and a constant wind of about 35 mph and still gusting up to 50. We bundle up, saddle up, and canter on out to the field where the cows are. We are bringing them to a closer field for the branding in a few days. They come in pretty well and then we wait for a long 20-30 minutes in the wind for them to "pair up" again, meaning the moms and calves find each other again. We go looking for a couple more pairs and herd them back and it was back to the trailer, back to the barn, then back out of the wind. A good hot meal later and we spent the rest of the day inside playing with Amber's kids and taking naps and reading books. Trevor had to go out and fight a ferocious grass fire that was probably started from a lit cigarette thrown from a car (cmon folks, really? If you're going to have a disgusting habit, take care of it!) and with the recent drought and high wind, it was a recipe for disaster. About 6 miles of land were burnt and although I heard of some evacuations, I have no idea how many homes were affected. Even if no homes were harmed, it can still be devastating because these fine folks live off the land. Anything (drought, fire, etc) that can harm the land will harm the people. They got the fire under control and had to fight a small one the next day. Small video to show the wind that day.
Thursday was very lazy and the wind continued so we stayed inside and mostly talked and laid on the couch. A good day spent doing nothing. The plan was to leave Friday morning to make it back by Saturday trail rides. All in all, it was a good trip.
The Nebraska cowboy of the Sandhills is a creature of contradictions. He's a tough man, fighting the elements from atop his steed, working day in and day out in the roughest of weather. Fixing fence, moving cows, getting up at night during calving, and taking care of everything and everyone when any help is miles and miles away. There's lots of work to do and not many folk to help him. His family and his cattle depend on him. Yet he works on the most fragile of lands, the Sandhills. He has to be a tough and patient man to take care of tender, gentle ground, but they work together and take care of one another so that both can survive. He is the Nebraska cowboy.
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