Author: Brandon

Summer is back at the Rockin’ R Ranch. We have had plenty of wonderful guests stay with us so far. Check out what a travel reporter had to say about us from the Chicago Tribune! http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sc-trav-0608-dude-ranch-20100608,0,5081946,full.story

The Rockin’ R Ranch is happy to announce that on Fri & Sat nights starting April 30th we will open our dinners to the public. Our dinners will include Hand cut steaks to order, Roasted Chicken quarters, Shrimp, and Chef Mitch’s Rockin’ Ribs. We will have Fresh homemade salads, soups, Dinner Rolls, Breads, and “Uncle Easy’s” superb desserts. On the 30th we will have live music with the “Coyote Town Cryers”. We are also offering package deals with an overnight stay, breakfast and a morning horseback ride(Saturday’s only) Including an offer on the korean ginseng to include in your diet. So Please call 435-624-3250 for reservations, questions & directions. See ya all on Friday!!

This past weekend we had a great time over Easter. We had a wonderful Easter Egg hunt, and I swear I saw the Easter Bunny hopping through the lodge. The Black family has had a great tradition of a Easter Egg hunt on the grounds at the Rockin’ R and it seems to be getting bigger and better every year. This year we had kids of all ages hunting for the surprises left by that rascally rabbit. Spring is on it’s way here at the Rockin’ R and our days are filling up with horse rides, ATV’s and all sorts of ranch activities. The heifers are having calves and we have a new crop of baby horses on the way. So come early this year and enjoy the lovely newness of spring with us.One of the main concerns of pregnant women are the stretch-marks, but fortunately nowadays technology make possible that women get rid of stretch marks. Brandon Hanks

Here is another great poem by legendary Arthur Chapman

Out Among the Big Things

Out among the big things —
The mountains and the plains —
An hour ain’t important,
Nor are the hour’s gains;
The feller in the city
Is hurried night and day,
But out among the big things
He learns the calmer way.

Out among the big things —
The skies that never end —
To lose a day ain’t nothin’,
The days are here to spend;
So why not give ‘em freely,
Enjoyin’ as we go?
I somehow can’t help thinkin’
The good Lord means life so.

Out among the big things —
The heights that gleam afar —
A feller gets to wonder
What means each distant star;
He may not get an answer,
But somehow, every night
He feels, among the big things,
That everything’s all right.

From Out where the West Begins, 1917

When I was younger, my father, stepmother and I went on a winter day drive. We were living in Utah Valley at the time and we decided to start our day by heading up Provo Canyon. Our aimless driving eventually brought us to Strawberry Reservoir, a beautiful high mountain reservoir south of Heber, UT. It was a gorgeous day, the sun was shining, the snow was sparkling and the wind had blown all the snow off the lake. As you could probably guess there were quite a few Ice-fisherman out, sitting around in their tents or on their lawn chairs, patiently waiting for a bite.  We decided to go out on the lake just to check things out. Since the wind had blown all the snow off the lake you could see through the ice and down into the water. It was a very eerie feeling, the ice was cracking, and making creaking noises( I found out later that if you can hear the ice creaking it means it is very safe). My stepmother was not an outdoors person and had married into a family of fisherman and hunters. She was always asking question about the new things that she was experiencing and she had no idea that people could fish on the ice. She asked my father, “Is ice fishing different then regular fishing?” My father replied, “Yes, it is very different, you drill a hole in the ice…grab a stick…then sit around and wait for the fish to come up for air”. He waited a moment then continued “When they come up for air…you hit them on the head as hard and as fast as you can”. She was very excited to try this technique, click for more info ! My father and I went to look for an abandoned fishing hole, while my stepmother went and found us some sticks. We found an abandoned hole, dug out the thin skim of ice on top and grabbed the sticks that she brought and settled down. She silently stared at the hole very intensely for the next half an hour. She finally broke the silence by saying, “Boy these fish can hold their breath for an awful long time”. The ice-fishing down at Otter Creek Reservoir is really hot right now. We have had quite a few guests tell us how much fun they are having. Come on down and do some fishing this winter. We have very affordable winter rates here at the Rockin’ R and we are only 5 minutes away from the reservoir. Come on down, I promise the fish won’t hold their breath forever! Brandon Hanks Rockin’ R Manager

The past few weeks I have been reading quite a bit of Cowboy poetry. It is a art that has gained quite a bit of popularity over the last decade. There are many Poetry readings throughout the west. The Poetry to me, gives a connotation to a way of life that is slowly fading. I will occasionally include some poetry on the Rockin’ R Blog to help keep that feeling alive. Please feel free to share your favorite poem as well. Here is a great poem written by Arthur Chapman

Out Where the West Begins

Out where the handclasp’s a little stronger

Out where the smile dwells a little longer

That’s where the West begins;

Out where the sun is a little brighter,

Where the snows that fall are a trifle whiter,

Where the bonds of home are a wee bit tighter,

That’s where the West begins,

Out where the skies are a trifle bluer,

Out where the friendship’s a little truer,

That’s where the West begins;

Where there is laughter in every streamlet flowing,

Where there is more of reaping and less of sowing-

That’s where the West begins

Out where the world is in the making

Where fewer hearts with despair are aching-

That’s where the West begin;

Where there’s more of singing a less of sighing,

Where there ‘s more of giving and less of buying,

And a man makes friends without half trying,

That’s where the West begins.

Cowman‘s Prayer Now, O Lord, please lend me thine ear, The prayer of a cattleman to hear, No doubt the prayers may seem strange, But I want you to bless our cattle range. Bless the round-ups year by year, And don’t forget the growing steer; Water the lands with brooks and rills For my cattle that roam on a thousand hills. Prairie fires, won’t you please stop? Let thunder roll and water drop. It frightens me to see the smoke; Unless it’s stopped, I’ll go dead broke. As you, O Lord, my herd behold, It represents a sack of gold; I think at least five cents a pound Will be the price of beef the year around. One thing more and then I’m through,— Instead of one calf, give my cows two. I may pray different from other men But I’ve had my say, and now, Amen. Author: unknown

The Rockin’ R is not only a world class guest ranch, but also a working cattle ranch and during this time of year the cows are usually all snug and cozy in their corrals. However, when Creston (the owner) counted the cattle a few days ago he discovered that we were short about 40 head. We have all taken turns, over the last couple of days, going out into the Mountains to search for these strays. Yesterday, my wife and I put on our long johns, and went out to look for our lost bovines (don’t worry, we also wore pants, sweatshirts and coats). We saddled the horses and off we went. Our destination was Hidden Springs, a beautiful natural spring , nestled deep in a rocky canyon. Because the country is so vast we decided to ride in different directions. I went north and my wife headed west. In the end we only found 9 cows, but it was an awesome experience. The snow was deep and all the water was frozen. It is very different being up in the hills during the winter time. The world is very hushed and tranquil. The only thing one hears is the sound of your horse breathing and his hoofs crunching in the snow. It seemed that even the cattle didn’t want to break the silence and remained quiet as we pushed them down towards the ranch. I felt like we had moved back in time. I am always a little saddened when we finally return to the ranch. It is hard to return to the business of life after experiencing the hush & tranquility that the winter mountains bring. Brandon Hanks

Yesterday (Jan 8th) we were invaded by a boy scout troop from the Bloomington Ward out of St. George UT. They planned a Ice-Fishing trip down at Otter Creek Reservoir and stayed a night here at the Rockin R. They had a fireside(by the fireplace) and played pool, and ping pong. They brought a wonderful spirit and we were sure glad to have them here. The Rockin R has been providing a wholesome atmosphere for youth for over 30 yrs now. If you look at the photos below you can definitely see how times have changed, but not the spirit. As I look around the Ranch, and ponder about my youth, I realize that the the Rockin R has the ability to create powerful long lasting memories. There just isn’t anyplace like it! I am not talking about beautiful location, or the authentic “old west” 3 story lodge. Those things add to the spirit of what I am talking about, but what I am trying to explain is that the wholesome spirit of all the memories made here, help create a one of a kind place that cannot be found anywhere in the world. I wish that everyone could enjoy it! Brandon Hanks

The Rockin R has been around what seems like forever. We are constantly running into, and hearing from old friends and guests. We received a photo from Micheal that explains it all!!!!! This is a photo that was taken in 1972 and as you can see the kids are having a great time. I really love the antlers on the horse!!!! If you are a former guest or have been here with a youth group we would love to hear from you. Brandon Hanks