Pick the Dude

I know I have told everyone that I don't have a favorite book. Well, that's not the complete truth. On some cold nights, Ole Dangerous or his wife will read me my favorite Where's Waldo. You remember how it goes. You get to look through lots of confusing pictures trying to pick out Waldo. Sometimes, after riding the High Plateau all day, we gather on the porch and play our own version -- Pick the Dude. I thought you might enjoy taking a turn at the game we enjoy so much. In addition to the pictures, I will give you a few hints. Don't be taken in by the costumes. As I have explained earlier, you can be confused by style and fashion. I won't give you the names of horses or riders either even though you may recognize them from past postings.

Let's start with the guy riding the dark buckskin -- top picture, left rider. This guy is wearing a hat too large given to him by a friend. He is also wearing $400 Wilson boots custom made in Livingston, Montana. His horse has fallen on him, taken him off on trees, but never bucked him off. After spending too much time in the saddle, his right hip hurts, but so far hasn't required surgery.

The "cowboy" sitting the sorrel horse in the middle has the complete outfit -- hat, chaps, boots, and spurs. The whole ball of wax. One of his riding buddies frequently tells him that he dresses like a "pall bearer at a rodeo clown's funeral." He rarely whines after a long ride, but will complain if there isn't an extra sandwich for lunch. I have seen him land hard on the ground after his horse jumped out from under him. It can happen even to the best "cowboy" especially when you are getting along in years and packing a few extra pounds.

Don't mistake the guy riding the spotted pony as a construction worker. He might look like a redneck contractor, but he rides regularly, refusing to wear the regulation outfit. He buys his tee shirts and jeans at Kmart, and someone usually gives him the ball cap free. Sometimes we call him our "reluctant cowboy," but he goes because one of the other guys provides him a horse. He owns his own saddle, but it is too big for the pony. The horse is too small and he is too big, but he usually stays on unless his cinch isn't tight which usually results in a 180 degree spin to the ground. After the laughter subsides, we check to see if he's hurt while he's climbing back on.

The guy riding the paint has the best hat and boots money can buy. The hat is from Burn's Saddlery, and he wears expensive Wilson boots. The aviator dark glasses don't fit the cowboy look, but he thinks they are California cool. Unlike the first guy, the hat fits, but the boots are 14 AAAs. The borrowed horse packs him nicely where ever we wander, but occasionally, we have to stop a let me dismount. He's a good sport about riding with us, but occasionally "a little snot bubble" is seen coming from his nose if we ride too far or too long.

Well, by now, you have probably guessed who the dude is. If you could only ask the horses, they would tell you in a second. However, you can't ask even though the gray can talk, so study the pictures and descriptions carefully and pick-the-dude. If you want, let me know your pick.