Cheese Head Cowboys

Even I occasionally question Dangerous' habit of striking up conversations with about everyone he meets on the trail.  His friend Bill always shakes his head in disbelief as Dangerous reins up his horse and starts a conversation with perfect strangers he has never met before, but before too long, Dangerous is exchanging email addresses and phone numbers, and extending dinner invitations if they are ever in Grover.  If Bill or Utah Jack questions his behavior, he tells them that everyone has a story, and for the most part, he finds the stories to be pretty damn interesting.

Gen and Dangerous on the Red Cliffs Reserve

 

I have to admit that I didn't get this most recent story first hand.  About two weeks ago, Dangerous took all three girls -- Rose, Dottie, and Gen -- to St. George to ride with Bill and Dennis.  Unfortunately for me, I had to stay home while Dangerous got to enjoy the sunshine while I suffered in the cold.  While Gen doesn't particularly care for me, she did fill me in across the fence when they got back.  From what she told me, I missed meeting two of the more interesting characters Dangerous has met on the trail in sometime.

The Cheese Head Cowboys

 

To be fair, the rider on the left was an attractive woman who the two Cheese Head Cowboys conned into showing them the Red Cliff's Desert Reserve.  Dennis is convinced that she found him attractive even though he was wearing a riding helmet that no self respecting horseman trying to impress a real cowgirl would be seen wearing.  In his usual gentle way, Dangerous tried to explain to him that her only interest was selling him the horse she was leading.  But, Dennis, ever the aging romantic, remained unconvinced.

You probably wonder where the "Cheese Head" label comes from.  Bill hung it on Sam and Robin when he found out they were from Wisconsin.  You might also wonder what two guys from Wisconsin riding their own horses were doing in Southwest Utah in March.  Well, it didn't take them long to explain that they were looking for sunshine just like Dangerous, but had driven almost three days one way to find it rather than the short four hours it takes Dangerous to find warm riding weather.  They explained that they thought hauling two horses cross country to ride made more sense than flying to Phoenix to play golf.  Dangerous instantly liked these two guys.  Their logic made perfect sense to him.

Wisconsin Spring Ride

 

Robin was kind enough to share a picture that explains clearly why he and Sam spent two weeks riding in Utah.  I'm not sure, but I think that this group of Cheese Head Cowboys should be on skis or snowshoes rather than horses.  When the snow reaches the horse's belly, Dangerous parks the horse trailer, hangs up his saddle, and waits for spring, but not these hearty Midwesterners.  Robin who works for the County trains horses in his spare time.  Robin explained that Wisconsin winters are long and cold, but the horse training goes on no matter how deep the snow gets.  Sam who owns a truck dealership is Robin's cold weather riding buddy who has the time to follow the sun all the way to St. George and prefers horse riding in the desert to playing golf. 

 

Pine Valley Mountains from Red Mountain Trail

 

Well, Dangerous tells me he doesn't mind sharing trails with guys like Sam and Robin.  Anyone who makes the effort to see the country from horseback like these two deserves clear views and blue skies.  I believe Dangerous really meant it when he invited them both back to ride the High Plateau and have dinner in Grover.

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