Artist Ride

Whew!!!

Kelvin and I went down to the Cheyenne River for the Artist Ride on Wednesday evening. Got our range tepee’s set up and an over head line between two tree’s to tie all the horses to. We took Pilgrim, Beaver, Mijo and Squirt, as Hope and Chance and children were coming down on Thursday evening after Gus got out of school.

Daylight Thursday morning we were up and going. We loaded up Beaver and Mijo and drove up on top to a big flat where all the models saddled up and rode back and forth at mostly, fast speed as the Artist sat on a flat bed being pulled by a pickup, keeping pace, so they could get good photo’s of running horses with Calvary, Indians, old time cowboys and a few modern cowboys. We also did a few different deals with individual artist riding up and down and around on the bluff overlooking the river. Around noon, the light was bad for the artist so we all headed back to camp. Kelvin and I unhooked from the trailer, left the horses fed and watered and rove into Wall and ate a bite, picked up some necessaries for the Boy’s from Illinois, camp ( 5 guys who come out ever year prepared to model anything from Revolutionary War soldiers on up to late date cowboys.) Mountain Man seems to be the one most artist pick to depict them in, maybe as they are very good at it, seeing as several if not all used to go to hunting camp in their buckskins and cut up and pack out the elk and deer. If their skins look real, it’s cuz’ they are! Good guys and many at the ride hang out at their campsite a lot, both artists and models alike. I mean a real lot! Great hosts, and I always try to contribute to the beer cooler and maybe a bottle of selected adult beverage! They get offended if their friend try to pay for some of the beer or food you eat or drink while setting in their camp, so I just get some and some ice and dump it in their cooler. So far, they haven’t stopped me from doing so.
Cindy got down to camp before Kelvin and I got back and was setting in out camp. Later on we set up the big wall tent for the kids. IN the late afternoon when the light gets good, we saddled up and ride to the river to set up different scenes and just try to come up with things that look real and western. the artist take photo’s and then pay the models in tips. We ride in and out of the river with and with out slickers and there are cowboys and Indians, cavalry, towns folk from days gone by and some wagons and teams and this year an ox cart pulled by some ox a 12 year old boy trained himself. Great job with them too and the artists really enjoyed them. We also move longhorn cattle around and up and down thru’ the river and also a herd of horses. Artist make suggestions and once in awhile an artist takes certain model or models off to do a private shoot, which is not open for the other artists to take photo’s of. We do this over and over in different settings and clothes for four days and nights, yes there are night scenes for saloons and bath houses and about anything else from the old west.
I got sick Saturday night as did Hope and Gus./ Not surer what we ate but it was bad. I haven’t been that sick for ages. No, it didn’t have anything to do with beer or other booze.
Got the Master CD in the mail while I was gone so will be getting the new CD done and ready to ship to any and all. I will keep everyone posted who might be interested in one.

Been warmish and dry tho’ a brief rain storm came thru’ camp the other night and two artists got some real good photos of real wet and wind blown cowboys.

Hope and Cindy mostly took the kids around, all dressed up and also with a bum lamb and them artists just ate that up! Cindy even had an old time dress made for her so she could fit in. Models and families pretty much are always dressed up in old time looking or authentic looking clothes from different time periods of the west. Artist mostly just wear street clothes. And no, she doesn’t want a picture of herself in the dress on this blog! Why, I don’t know….