Morning Stroll at Triple J Ranch

Last night I was so tired – it must have been all of the fresh mountain air. To top it off, I woke up very early today so I decided to go out for a walk.

The morning air was crisp reminding me that we are at a higher elevation, around 5,300 feet above sea level. My home elevation is 3,300 feet and it did seem different.

I’ve decided this photo should be titled Winding Road. The setting was so beautiful with the road, aspens and intense green grass. My camera captured about 10 images of variations of this scene.

I wandered up past the corrals and heard voices. Three of Triple J’s wranglers had been out doing morning chores and they were practicing knot tying. Later on we would hear just how crucial a properly tied knot is when you are packing gear.

I’m not sure what time the wranglers wake up but they had already had breakfast, I had not, and they had checked off some of their chores. I’ve decided ranch life can be pretty hard work, physically demanding, in all kinds of weather, and the days start mighty early. The wranglers seemed eager to be doing this type of work though. All had a love of animals and the outdoors.

Triple J has a kids’ riding program and two wranglers are devoted exclusively to that. Next week’s guest list for the ranch included kids, this week did not, so we didn’t have the chance to see that program. The kids’ program is one feature that sets Triple J apart from some of the other guest ranches. It’s a great way to take a family vacation.

The corrals and combination barn, shed and storage area are set up well for gathering groups of all ages in varied types of weather. In case of rain, you could easily work under the barn roof. I glanced around at all of the gear (tack) necessary to groom, saddle, pack and transport the horses and mules. It looks like a huge investment. I had a lot of questions for the wranglers, most starting with “What is that, what is it used for”.

I continued taking photos, then realized our group would be gathering for breakfast any minute. The wranglers had more work to do anyway to be ready for our morning activities.