Cody: Farming, Navy, Rodeo And The Rest

Rodeo and western clothing has changed quite a bit since 2000. And, even though wife and I still wear Blue Original Boot Cut Wrangler Jeans, there are now different colors and a brand called Retro Wranglers and Cinch. Actually, Cinch Jeans remind both of us of the old Jordache Jeans that had white designs on the rear pockets.

The music has changed quite a bit. The "Old-Timers" don't necessarily like it, but the younger generation does.

Rodeo purse (money offered) is enormous compared to 20 plus years ago.

And, of course, horse feed, tack, trailers and any rodeo equipment costs a lot more today than years past

 

Just to let those that don't know, the white glove on my right hand is to protect my hand from a rope burn if the steer I roped tries pulling the rope out of my hand before I can dally around my saddle horn and turn my horse and steer. It just equipment used when Team Roping. I had a package of these gloves. They always wore out.

Tie-Down Roping and all Rough Stock Riding requires equipment to be bought. Rough Stock meaning, Saddle Bronc Riding, Bareback Riding and Bull Riding. Barrel Racing and "Bulldogging" aka Steer Wrestling doesn't have any required equipment.

 

Three days off for my work for my wife, but as usual, she won't get paid for Christmas. We've gotten use to no holiday, sick or any kind of vacation pay, so it's not as bad as when she first started this job.

Went out for breakfast this morning, and as usual, someone near us was coughing. Not a lot, but enough. It was still nice not to have to cook my breakfast. After breakfast, went to local car wash. Believe us, it was time! Just one trip up to where our boat/trailer is in storage, have some wind and that's enough to get this vehicle dirty. Plus, the roof on the carport the Durango is under leaks water.
Came home and wiped it down. We bought a large red Christmas ribbon at a Dollar Store and put it on the front of the Durango. A couple of months early, but this new Durango (new to us that is) is our Christmas gift. Will put a picture on my thread here.

Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, will go out for breakfast again and then stop by a local Shooting Range to check it out. We are looking forward to doing some indoor target shooting again.

In a few months, when the weather starts warming up again, wife will take a week off and we will go up to Carson City and Reno to check out for a possible move up there. We'd be going back into "Old Man Winter", but not nearly as bad as northern Colorado was.

 

Visited the Indoor Shooting Range on Sunday. It was absolutely immaculately clean. We were really impressed! This place really keeps each shooting lane clean, unlike the last Range we went to in Colorado. We don't shoot enough to get a membership. We shoot about twice a month, whereas a yearly membership cost would require shooting at least twice a week. It will cost us $40 for the both of us for an hour of lane time. And, that's all we can do anymore is an hour. The Range is open 7 days a week, minus holidays. The last Range we attended was closed on Sunday, so all we had was Saturday to shoot.

Sort of funny, but when anyone, young or old/older, find out that my 75, going on 76, year old wife has her own Smith-Wesson 9mm handgun, they are both happy and stunned.

And Indoor Range is very nice, especially if the shooter lives in a winter (snow/cold) environment.

So, now it's time to clean up the firearms and adjust the laser sight on each one.

 

Yes, there was a Range person monitoring the shooting lanes and he was open-carry as was a few others that worked inside. I've read that there are those that go thru a lot of ammo in each visit to a Range. That sure isn't us. Then again, those that go thru a lot of ammo are at the Range a whole lot longer than we would be and are members.

Actually, we love the indoor lanes where, with the flip of a switch, the target comes in or goes out. No more waiting until everyone has finished shooting ("Line Is Cold") to go out and retrieve a target or take one out to staple one on a piece of cardboard. Been there, done that.

 

Well, John, where we lived at in northeastern Florida, there was no indoor ranges. For the "Plinking" Range, there was no firing line. Just wife and I. For us, we will have two magazines each for each one of our handguns. That would be a total of six magazines. That's definitely enough for us. We will shoot even less if we only have the two rifles (Henry Lever-Action .22 and Ruger 10/.22) with us.

 

Now, as all of you can see, from my posts, just how different wife and I are from all of her family and mine. IOW: target shooting, rodeo, western clothes, boating, movies, music and the lists goes on. We both really wish it wasn't this way, but "it is what it is".

 

I'm now a part of U.S. Navy Ships on Facebook. I put a picture of the U.S.S. Robison (DDG-12) on their page. This was the first ship I went on a WestPac Cruise on. My second WestPac Cruise came to an end, on the same ship, when I had a roller skating accident at the Roller Rink at the Yokosuka, Japan U.S. Naval Station. I was taken off of the ship and put into a Naval Hospital. However, because I was a part of the crew, at the time, I was awarded another Bronze Service Star.

The other two ships I was stationed on were the Hoel and the Henderson. Like the Robison, the Hoel, was docked in San Diego, while the Henderson was at the Long Beach Naval Station (now closed).

 

Not an eventful NYE weekend at all. Saturday night, went to a Buffet Dinner at local hotel/casino. Great Prime Rib and the rest. We called it our New Years Eve Party/Dinner.

Sunday, watched NFL most of the day at home. Sunday night watched New York bring 2024 in, then went to bed. Not much sleep until after 12:30AM, due to fireworks being set off by homeowners or whom ever. Actually, had much more fireworks, and gunfire, noise in Colorado. So, it was nice not to hear so much.

Monday AM, had leftover breakfast from Sunday at iHop. Watched the Rose Parade on The Cowboy Channel with Pam Minick hosting it. Have met Pam before and she is a very well-known in the equestrian and rodeo world. She is a former Miss Rodeo America from many years ago.

Absolutely beautiful "Cowgirl" float in the parade from both The Cowboy Channel and Cowgirl Channel. The rest of the day, pretty much just "kick back".

 

We are now finding out, more and more, that the old rodeo world champions that we've known and who have retired, their daughters and sons are now in professional rodeo. Just like young farmers/ranchers keeping their farm/ranch going that their parents/grandparents ran.

 

Starting to get things ready, as in: Future reservations for hotel rooms. Apartment complex listing to check out. And, other things, for our week-long trip to both Carson City, Reno and perhaps Sparks, Nevada. Heck, due to the increased traffic and young folks speeding here, my wife doesn't feel safe driving, so I have to.