Alas! An entry from Montana!

Well, I'm coming up on the two week mark for landing in Montana. As it turns out, internet does exist here, just only as VERY slow and unpredictable dial-up. So between its speed and its use by the ranch for office purposes, I don't really have internet in the sense most people are used to. But, I thought you guys deserved an update, so here I am.

My flights to Montana went well. On time for both if not even a little early. Flew into the Billings airport (largest city in Montana with a population of ~100,000). Found Phyllis, one of the owners, with ease as the airport is quite small. The ranch is very remote. About an hour and a half away from Big Timber, most of which is driven on a very poor dirt-and-boulder road. The address here is actually in McLeod, Montana, but McLeod basically just consists of a post office and a bar (The Roadkill).

Saw lots of wildlife in my time here so far. My first night in we saw a large adult Grizzly Bear across the way in a meadow! Very cool, as long as he stays across the river that is... I've also seen plenty of deer and elk, a coyote, several moose (one kept hanging around the "bunkhouse" where I live and thus was termed "Hannah's Moose" by the others), bald eagles, and several black bears.

The weather had been quite nice the first week I was here, but then this past week we had three days straight of cold snow! It was wet, heavy stuff, so it melted rather quickly, but nonetheless I was not exactly thrilled to see a sheet of white and be tromping through 4 or 5 inches of the stuff for that time. It's mostly gone again now, and instead we've been stuck with rain. It's supposed to get nice by mid-week though, so hopefully that holds true.

All but 2 staff have arrived at this point (both wranglers, one arriving today and one arriving tomorrow). For the most part, the other staff is great and I'm glad to be around them. The owners, Ron and Phyllis, are really great and treat the rest of us well. Phyllis and some of the others keep telling me how much they appreciate my hard work, so I must be doing something right thus far.

The first guests arrive June 1st (next Sunday), although there aren't very many guests the first two weeks. The first two sessions are "Wellness Weeks," something new they are trying this year. The horses won't be brought up the road (literally driven with people on horseback the 14 miles up the road) until June 6th, and so the regular sessions involving the horses won't begin until after the Wellness Weeks.

So far we've just been doing a lot of deep cleaning around the place-indoors and out- in preparation for the guests. The ranch had to be evacuated last year due to wildfires (cross your fingers it doesn't happen this year), and so the ranch was kind of left in less than ideal conditions at the end of last season. It's hard work, but bearable, and it will be worth it in the end when everything is spruced up and looking good. I think I will enjoy my time here more once guests arrive and we are able to get into a routine. I don't like having to ask what I'm supposed to be doing all of the time, and so it will be nice when everything is second nature and I can just go and do it with no questions asked.

I've been taking lots of pictures, but don't have anyway to get them on here currently unfortunately! I'll probably create entire albums on photobucket or something when I get back from the summer, so I'll be sure to link that here so you all can look through everything if you choose.

Things are going to get much crazier and busier here shortly, but I'll try to take some time to update this once every two weeks or so if I can! Otherwise, I've been writing lots of letters, and have only recieved two (thanks Dad and Papa and Grandma), so if you expect to keep getting my letters, write me back please!!! The address is PO Box 4, McLeod, MT, 59052, so now you all have no excuses!

So, in conclusion, I'm doing well, but missing home a bit more than I thought I would. I'm ready for the season to start, and working had until then.

Goodbye for now! Have a great holiday weekend everyone!