The K-Bar.

 In the Year 2008, I was pregnant with our 4th child ~ Lucia. In early September I was getting rather tired of it all. I was uncomfortable, huge, and couldn't sleep at night. I also had restless legs. Did you know there is a name for that in the medical world? Restless Leg Syndrome. Wow. Who thinks of these things? I heard just yesterday on the radio that it can be relieved by getting up and walking or jogging in place. (who would've guessed?) Anyways, I was bored and miserable, so when My Cowboy told me one day that he had to go put out mineral blocks at the K-Bar, I pleaded with him to take me along. He agreed. SO we all piled in the truck. All the trucks here have quad cabs, so the kids could sit in the back.

We drove north of town a ways, (don't ask me how far. I don't know.) and turned onto a dirt road. There is no one living on the K-Bar. It is used mainly for summer pasture, so the cowboys just take a horse up once in a while to ride through the cattle. Anyhow, we drove for miles that day.

                               These horse were photographed on the X-Bar - I just felt like sticking them in. :)

                                                       Photo credit goes to Axel Selter.
This is either the K-Bar or close to it. The country looks the same. I wish I had taken a camera with me, but my brain wasn't working to good. Plus, who would've known that i wouldn't ever get back up there? Babies limit me considerably...

Photo credit goes to Axel Selter.

Obviously, this wasn't the day we went there. This was a year later, when they were moving the summer yearlings down to the shipping pens. We drove down two-tracks that I declare were rougher than the field. We stopped every once in a while so My Cowboy could put out a mineral block and a salt block. After the first hour, I was beginning to wonder why I had wanted to come along. Ladies, imagine yourself 9 months pregnant, and riding...well, the roughest ride ever. it was starting to be more misery than fun. Before the ride became too unbearable, My Cowboy said he wanted to show me something. I was curious, what could there be seen back here? (besides the usual rocks, sage, rocks, cows, rocks, you get the idea.)

I was pleasantly surprised when we topped a hill and seen this cute cabin. We stopped and explored a bit. The kids explored the taste of salt blocks, and My Cowboy and I walked inside the cabin and imagined what it was like to be a pioneer couple, fighting the Wyoming elements to survive, when there was no running water or electric heat.

When my brother seen this picture, he said he doesn't think there is much 'serving the Lord' going on here - just some 'falling down'. Smartypants.

When we had stretched our legs sufficiently, we drove on. We drove through wide open pastures, crossed little creeks, so full of trout I could see them swarming as we drove over, around the base of a hill, watching herds of elk. My Cowboy took a 'shortcut', at one point. Now, he has been married to me for several years. Long enough to know I don't DO four-wheeling. I hate it, actually. I'm scared spitless of driving on a tilt, or over large rocks. Never-the-less, we take a shortcut. Which involves some large rocks and much driving on a tilt. I desperately try to keep from screaming or worse, blubbering. I admit, I have an irrational fear of rough roads. I can't help it. I try to keep silent when my kids are around, cause I truly want them to be balanced like their dad, and not wacky like me. But I think the paranoia must ooze out of my pores, because my daughter is becoming just like me, despite the tough front I try to portray. Its sad.

Back to the K-Bar - there was no road where we were driving. Just trees, rocks, and grass. Oh, and those awful, deep ravines. My Cowboy drove around them, sort of. But it would have taken too long to drive completely around them, (this was a shortcut, remember?) so he picked the shallowest part and drove through. I about had a heart attack.  You know when you drive so up-tilted that the ground dissappears, and when you look out the windshield, you see nothing but sky? I hate that. A bit later we were driving along the side of the hill, very tilted, when we spy elk. My Cowboy always is looking for elk, trying to get info for when he goes hunting.

"Look! There's a pretty good-sized bull." He says, leaning over and craning his head to look out the window.

"You look where we're going, and I will look at the elk!" I scream.

OK, I didn't scream.

I have never screamed at him. 

But I am sure the same idea came through.

He chuckled nervously, and looked away from the elk.

We made it. 

We didn't even pop a wheelie.

But I was exhausted. It is hard work to be nervous and up tight. I have decided that even if we all die  by rolling off the side of a mountain, I will never again be so scared. (ahem) 

We were driving around the K-Bar, dropping off salt blocks for 6 hours. By the time we got home, I was very sore from all the jolting. It may have helped. 3 days later Miss Lucia was born. 

Disclaimer: I don't remember the exact words or looks from that day. I tell as I remember it.