T Cross Ranch

New Website: New Blog

Erica Colvin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:15:45 +0000

Hello wonderful T Cross friends,

With our website’s exciting facelift, we are moving our T Cross blog so our guests and friends can find everything in one place.

We invite each of you to subscribe to our new T Cross blog here. But never fear, all your favorite posts have been transferred. So you will still be able to find the fabulous Homestyle Ranch Biscuit Recipe, the hilarious Pie Eating Contest video, and the breathtaking Photographer Highlights.

Check it out!

New T Cross Website Goes Live!

Erica Colvin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 04:54:11 +0000

We are thrilled to announce our new and improved T Cross website featuring exciting new photos, easy navigation, and much more information about your favorite ranch.

We’ve added some great new features including a “Meet the Horses” page under The Ranch. If you’re missing your fantastic steed, reminisce by checking out photos and a horse bio.

Also, see what other guests are saying about the T Cross with our rotating TripAdvisor reviews on the homepage. Feel free to leave your review so more guests can see just what the T Cross is all about.

Access your favorite blog , now available on the T Cross site navigation bar. Basically, you get a fresh taste of that little piece of frontier all in one place.

We hope you love what we’ve done with the site. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment here!

The T Cross Ranch: An Introduction

Erica Colvin — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:33:39 +0000

Hello! We are so glad to share our wonderful ranch with you. Each guest that visits the T Cross Ranch becomes a part of the family. If you haven’t been out to see us yet, go ahead and get to know us. A great place to start is our guest brochure.

Go ahead and click here: T Cross brochure to view the entire document. Inside you will meet your hosts: Mark and Gretchen Cardall. You’ll also catch a glimpse of the T Cross history and special insider tips to enjoying the surrounding areas. What have past guests shared about their experiences at the T Cross? You’ll find their words, stories, and memories inside as well.

Thanks for checking us out!

Wyoming Weather Report

Erica Colvin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:46:50 +0000

Hello! We are so excited for guests to start arriving. As you begin packing, keep in mind that temperatures are a bit lower in Wyoming’s higher altitude. Be sure to pack plenty of layers: socks, jackets, long/short-sleeve shirts, etc.

Check out our 10-day weather forecast for this next week, below.

Get ready for some high adventure at the T Cross Ranch. Don’t forget your cowboy hat! For more details on what to pack, click here.

Making Your Milestone

Erica Colvin — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:20:24 +0000

Driving across Wyoming is like going back in time. The decades melt away with each mountain range, and you start to wonder how the world managed to change so much.

The Continental Divide (the natural boundary line separating waters that flow into the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico from those that flow into the Pacific Ocean) is one of my favorite stopping places on my annual trek to the T Cross. Nestled in the green grass, watching the river ripple down the hillside, I reconnect to the bigger picture of North America’s geography. Like a giant hinge, what begins on one mountaintop ends thousands of miles away.

Making time to investigate what this country has to offer is like creating your own life milestone. So one day when you look back, this world will be a familiar place and you will know it and be known. Find your frontier at the T Cross Ranch, and build a milestone for your family that will effect generations.

A Cowboy’s Tune: Amarillo By Morning

Erica Colvin — Tue, 31 May 2011 03:46:28 +0000

Monday evenings present a very special treat at the T Cross Ranch. Cowboy singer Dick Fredrickson adds flavor to your meal with songs of times past and frontiers long gone.

Below is a beautiful example, Amarillo By Morning, originally written by Terry Stafford and Paul Fraser. George Strait made it famous in the ’80s. Enjoy.

Amarillo By Morning

Amarillo by morning
Up from San Antone
Everything that I got
Is just what I got on
When that sun is high
In that Texas sky
I’ll be buckin’ it at County Fair
Amarillo by morning
Amarillo, I’ll be there

They took my saddle in Houston
Broke my leg in Santa Fe
Lost my wife and a girlfriend
Somewhere along the way
I’ll be looking for 8 when they pull that gate
And I hope that judge aint blind

Amarillo by morning
Amarillo’s on my mind

Amarillo by morning
Up from San Antone
Everything that I got
Is just what I got on
I aint got a dime
But what I got is mine
I aint rich but Lord I’m free
Amarillo by morning
Amarillo’s where I’ll be

Amarillo by morning
Amarillo’s where I’ll be

Ranch Recipes: Homestyle Buttermilk Pancakes

Erica Colvin — Sun, 22 May 2011 00:00:03 +0000

Waking up to the smell of a warm breakfast is possibly the best thing in the world. At the T Cross, every morning presents a new favorite.

Today we are sharing our Homestyle Buttermilk Pancake recipe. Enjoy with jam, syrup, or honey.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 Tbsp oil

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add water, buttermilk, egg, and oil. Mix until well blended. Let stand 3 minutes while you grease or spray the griddle. You’ll want to heat the griddle or pan between high and medium, it will depend entirely on your stovetop.

Use 1/2 cup measuring cup to scoop out a perfect amount of batter. Pour on heated griddle. Watch for small bubbles to form and pop in the batter. Check often to prevent burning. Flip. Repeat. Enjoy!

The T Cross Roundup

Erica Colvin — Thu, 12 May 2011 08:09:03 +0000

Hello friends! The snow is melting, grass is growing, and school kids are counting down the days until summer vacation. This can only mean one thing: it is time to dust off your cowboy boots and head out to the T Cross! We are excited to begin welcoming guests June 19.

Our cabins are filling quickly, so if you haven’t scheduled your next T Cross adventure, give us a call and reserve your little piece of frontier today.

World Wide Web: The T Cross Is Listed

Erica Colvin — Fri, 06 May 2011 05:50:33 +0000

We are so happy you found our T Cross blog. But did you know we have profiles on a huge number of sites? See what you can find by clicking on the following headings.

Trip Advisor

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features.

Facebook

Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Equitrekking.com

Inspired by Darley Newman’s Emmy-winning Equitrekking travel TV show on Public Television, Equitrekking Travel features exceptional horse riding vacations. The Equitrekking team searches the world for the best horseback riding ranches and riding vacation destinations.

National Dude Ranchers Association

Discover the American wilderness that can only be seen by horseback. Discover the men and women who are the stewards of this land. These families open their homes to thousands of guests every year, committed to providing the best vacations possible.

Wyoming Official State Travel Webiste

Winner of Juggle Awards Top Website State Tourism.

Ranchweb.com

Ranchweb was created to serve travelers around the world bringing them to some of the most exciting destinations offering riding, white water rafting, fly fishing, wildlife photography and much more.

WyomingDudeRanches.com

We are a team of adventure enthusiasts with a passion for ranch vacations. We savor the wide open spaces, comraderie, good food, fun, lots of outdoor activities and we really enjoy horseback adventures.

Wyoming Dude Ranchers Association

A Wyoming Dude Ranch Vacation is a Family Ranch Vacation. At a Wyoming Dude Ranch your Family will find many adventures.

Realadventures.com

RealAdventures helps travelers around the world find great accommodations, plan relaxing vacations and embark on exciting adventures.

The Internet Shopper

Our guides make online research and shopping simple and smart.The Internet Shopper Ltd have been producing our best selling guides for five years now. Working with some of the country’s leading on- and offline publishers our guides have provided safe, competitively priced online shopping for hundreds of thousands of UK internet shoppers.

Google Maps

Find maps and directions to anywhere in the world.

Rodeo Events for Dummies: Bull Riding

Erica Colvin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:53:16 +0000

I sometimes find myself wondering, “Why exactly would someone do that?” But for many, bull riding is the premier rodeo event.

Here’s what happens. Before the competition even starts, the riders and bulls are matched randomly. Each bull has a unique name and number and are each judged to be of good strength, health, agility, and age.

Once the event begins, a rider mounts a bull and grips a flat braided rope. After he secures a good grip on the rope, the rider nods to signal he is ready. The bucking chute (a small enclosure, which opens from the side) is opened and the bull storms out into the arena. This is where I start holding my breath.

The rider must attempt to stay on the bull for at least eight seconds, while only touching the bull with his riding hand. His other hand must remain free for the entire ride.

The bull bucks, rears, kicks, spins, and twists in an effort to throw the rider off. This continues for a number of seconds until the rider bucks off or dismounts after completing his ride. A loud buzzer acknowledges the completion of an eight second ride. Exhale.

Throughout the ride, bullfighters, also known as “rodeo clowns” stay near the bull aiding the rider if necessary. When the ride ends, either intentionally or otherwise, the bullfighters distract the bull to protect the rider from harm.

After the cowboy picks himself up and exits the arena, the bull is guided out as well. The ride is then scored from 0-100 points. Both the rider and the bull are awarded points. There are usually two judges, each judge scoring the bull from 0-25 points, and the rider from 0-25 points. The combined point totals from both judges make up the final score for the ride.

Scores of zero are actually quite common as a lot of riders lose control of the animal almost immediately after the bull rages out of the bucking chute. Many experienced professionals are able to gain scores of 75 or more. A score above 80 is considered excellent, and a score in the 90s exceptional.

When you join us this summer at the T Cross, we never miss the Friday Night Rodeo in Dubois. By the time you leave, you’ll be able to boast to your coworkers and friends how incredible (or incredibly scary) the bull riding rodeo event was for you and your family. Book today!