| November | December 2005 Volume 79 Issue 6 |
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Feature Yee Haw! By Christine Loomis The other cows don't like Number 9. Bad for her, good for the Five Fast Fillies driving her from one end of the corral to the other in hopes of getting her into a waiting pen. She's already apart from the herd, making her a cinch to round up. Sort of. The self-named Fillies, five women taking part in a Giddy Up Gals weekend at Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg , Ariz. , have a fabulous second round—46 seconds. Regrettably, it's followed by Round Three, two minutes and 40 seconds of torturous outwitting by three bovine beauties who, let's be honest, aren't all that well endowed in the brain department. They're really well endowed in the stubbornness department, however, and therein lies their success. Win or lose, the team penning competition is a highlight in a weekend of good times and great riding with women from around the country who come not just to be cowgirls, but also to bond with their sisters, friends, daughters and mothers. And to revel in an expanse of Sonoran Desert that for all its harshness is, in April, splashed with delicate wildflowers and cactus furiously blooming, sudden color among sand and stone as if some careless painter shook brushes in the desert wind. Greater Phoenix may be best known for luxury resorts built around lush championship golf courses, palms and pools, but there's more here than that. Horses, whose arrival pre-dated the area's first golf course by some 400 years, are almost mythic in the region's rich culture and history. If you haven't seen the Sonoran from horseback, you haven't seen it. Dude ranch vacations ensure you get a good dose of the vast, rugged landscape from the saddle, as well as a glimpse of the cowboy life that defined the American Southwest for centuries. As powerful as that is, it is still less than the power of camaraderie. For Jacque Stevens, a Denver realtor who has participated in two Giddy Up Gals weekends with a group of close friends, it's about time together. “It's a weekend of just girls, getting away from it all—stressful jobs, families, whatever. It's a weekend full of laughter,” she says, “a totally stress-free time.” Jan Smith, a biologist from Sacramento , Calif. , went on her own but discovered the same sense of kinship. “I didn't know anyone there, yet immediately felt comfortable and relaxed.” Other than a spirit of adventure, no prerequisite experience is needed. The women on my weekend ranged from 16 to 76, from riding beginners to some with their own horses. We were grouped by ability for trail rides, and the ranch has a place—and horse—for everyone. Mine was Gumby, willing to fly down dry creekbeds when asked and well mannered—except when we happened on rattlesnakes coiled by the trail. There were no major complaints about any of the horses, and the wranglers—all women for the women's group—weren't just competent, they were fun. The weekend results in a pile of dirty, sweaty clothes, yet it's hardly hardcore adventure considering the digs, historic Rancho de Los Caballeros. The “ranch of the gentlemen on horseback” has been welcoming guests since 1948 with spacious “casita” suites, the friendliest service around and a staggering array of tempting food to keep the hardest working cowpoke going strong. Yes, there's golf, too, and a pool, but natural desert stretches away from the main grounds providing miles of wild Sonoran to explore. In spite of sore muscles and other body parts for the novices, the weekend has an easy-going itinerary. You don't have to get up early or stay up late, though some of us found reason to do both—early walks in the serene desert morning, and cocktails, pool-playing and laughing in the cool desert nights (including a trip to rowdy La Cabaña in town). In between, we rode mornings and afternoons, gathered for sumptuous meals and fine conversation and, on the final night, rode spine-jarring wagons to a cookout. It's a weekend of memories that stick with you. Months later, Jan Smith recalls in vivid detail what she liked best. “Riding among the wildflowers, loping where the trail winds back and forth, and feeling Jazz [her horse] adjusting his gait to follow the path; the covey of quails at dawn while I was jogging at the golf course, great meals full of giggling and discussions with the ‘gals,' snapdragons in the gardens, the friendly staff, team penning, the campfire, my luxurious room.” Ditto that, plus the twice daily run of the horses coming in from the range or going out. In a long stream of chestnut, black, brown, white, pinto, dun, roan, palomino and bay lit by a rising or setting sun, the horses pass in a rush by the casitas, kicking up dust and looking for all the world like stars in a vintage western. Chelsea Liddell, who joined up with her mom, had a distinctly teenage view of the weekend's positives. “We could ride and then go inside afterwards and sit by the fire and not worry about doing chores or making dinner.” The Arizona teen also admits to having fun with her mom and, to her credit, took the humiliating defeat of the Fillies in stride. Smith wishes the weekend were longer, noting it's marketed as three days but runs noon Friday to about noon Sunday, really just two. And there's the issue of svelteness—human and equine. “It would have helped if Jazz and I each lost some weight! Jazz is big, which is great, but he's also pretty porky, so he's not as light on his feet as the smaller horses. I'm working on getting rid of my extra pounds,” notes Smith, who has already booked another Gals weekend, this one with her daughter and daughter-in-law. No word from Jazz on weight loss. As for me, I'm just waiting for another chance at those cows. Christine Loomis-- lifelong rider and freelance writer in Lafayette, Colo. , believes indulgent spa treatments will offset her somewhat competitive nature and help her forget about cows. Planning Your Trip Giddy Up Gals at Rancho de los Caballeros: Jan. 27–29, March 3–5, April 7–9, May 12–14. Cost: $612 single, $990 double, including riding, instruction, meals, guided hike, team penning and more. Don't forget a rain jacket/layers for unpredictable weather, lightweight camera for trail rides, and adhesive bandages just in case. Contact 800-684-5030, www.sunc.com. Sheraton at Wild Horse Pass: At this elegant tribal-run resort within Gila River Indian Reservation, most staff is Native, including trail ride leader Tyrone Thomas. Wild horses are an integral part of the landscape, and seeing these normally elusive creatures so close was a rare gift. But Tyrone is a gift, too, a man who likes to share the stories and history of his people—to “sing the songs out in the landscape for the ancestors so they will know their songs have been passed on and are still being sung.” He might tell you about Oriole, for example, spinning the legends so intently you can almost see the days of old when the Gila River flowed through a fertile valley. Aji Spa offers equestrian workouts, and post-ride indulgences like the Blue Coyote Wrap, based on a legend of Bluebird and Coyote. End with dinner at the hotel's extraordinary Kai restaurant, arguably one of the Valley's best both for its setting and its menu of creative, contemporary Native cuisine. 602-225-0100 or 888-218-8989. Golden Door Spa: Located at The Boulders in Carefree, this spa offers the usual pampering plus a selection of unusual experiences. Among these is Horse To Heart, two hours with a life coach who uses horses as the medium through which clients learn about themselves. Truthfully, I was dubious, but my daughter and I both left with much to think about. Andrea Scott is a gifted, compassionate coach who interprets interactions between humans and horses, asks questions, offers assessments and ultimately guides clients to their own answers. “A-ha” moments ranged from amusing and intriguing to emotional and deeply profound. I can't tell you why it works, only that it does. $300 per person. The Boulders: 800-553-1717. Andrea Scott: 480-595-5533. |
