Battling a strong crosswind this morning and then heading south into it really hurt the fuel consumption.

Other than that it's a pleasant, uneventful trip back into Oklahoma.

Home, sweet, home away from home.

Kat xo

P.S. 4.5 weeks, 3 great shoots, 10 states (OK, KS, WY, SD, OR, CO, MT, WA, ID, NE) = 6,110 miles/9,740km's and a ton of memories. 🙂

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An early start as we depart Wild Horse John and Saginaw Sue and head out on the i80. Still travelling with yesterday's bugs on the windscreen we go towards the first Pony Express station on our way home at Julesburg.

Unfortunately a tad early for the Museum to be open but found the marker at the relocated depot.

Onto Ogallala, the cattle town where Longhorns were herded along the Texas (Western) Trail. A quick stop at Front Street, Cowboy's Rest and The Crystal Palace.

The Crystal Palace have a revue every Mon – Sat night from Memorial Day to around second week of August, featuring all high school performers and it has been running for some 51 years.

There is a free museum attached which houses anything from the old west, early land owners, World War I etc. these hats caught my eye but I couldn't find why they came into being. Cowboy Country Mural, Harvest Gold and Brim Town.

We made a quick trip to Boot Hill (and exited) and saw some of the remaining markers and The Trail Boss sculpture.

Onwards we go wih the next stop at Buffalo Bill's Ranch, well a side step via Fort Cody as we come into North Platte.

Then out to Buffalo Bill's Ranch – Scout's Rest. A spectacular house built in the heyday of his famous Wild West Show in 1886. Today the house, outbuildings – including Ice House, Cob House and Spring House; and the barn are preserved and cared for by Nebraska State Parks.

Next was Gothenburg, yep still the same day…..it's gonna be a long one.

This Pony Express station was moved from 24 miles west of here off the Oregon Trail.

Midway station still remains on its original foundations just 2 miles south of town. This one only lasted 18mths in history before the telegraph changed everything. As we know, Buffalo Bill Cody was a pony express rider back in the day.

There were only 80 riders to carry mail for the Pony Express, the youngest being about 11 years old. They earned $25/week which was a very good wage back then. The equivalent to around $500/week.

Now we are blowing through Hwy183 South through rural Kansas – literally – it's windy enough to blow your dog off the chain! Soon we will hit the I70 and be back in some state of civilisation other than vast farms and oil mules.

We made it safely…..to Hays. Another 6hours is too much this evening.

Kat xo

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julesburg,_Colorado

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala,_Nebraska

http://www.ogallalafrontstreet.com/Ogallala.htm

http://www.westnebraska.com/2012/Fort-Cody-Trading-Post/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Bill_Ranch

http://www.gothenburgdelivers.com

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The start of the long journey back to Oklahoma City, we leave Washington back through Leavenworth for coffee break and on out of Wenatchee – in a roundabout way – ending up on Highway 2 around the back of the mountains.

High desert they call it. It's still filled with smoke haze, fields that go on forever, freshly tilled or cut, dust devils and then a tiny town appears out of nowhere.

Back into Idaho and we pass Lake Coeur d'Alene. What a spectacular view! Water sports and fishing are the go here. They won't show up in the photos but some docks have that typical boathouse structure at the bottom of their properties just like in the movies! 🙂

Made a coffee stop in a quaint little ex-silver mining town of Wallace. The Red Light Garage with its eclectic interior serving just about anything in Huckleberry so I'm guessing they are plentiful here.

We took a quick drive down the street to get back to the freeway and wish we had have had time to stop at Oasis Bordello Museum. Lots of nice looking old hotels as well and then the 50's styled neon lights of the Stardust Motel.

We're almost out of Idaho now and over into Montana heading towards Butte but made it as far as Missoula for the night.

Today, Thursday, we hauled ass and really have only seen the inside of the car, the back of our eyelids and plenty of smoky haze as we left Montana and into Wyoming.

Tonight we are staying wih Wild Horse John and Saginaw Sue and then hit more of the Pony Express Route tomorrow.

Night peeps!

Kat xo

Aug 20th

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace,_Idaho

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Once the shoot finished we headed towards Everett, Washington where we would spend the next couple of days with hosts, Mudflat Mike and Nellie Belle.

Now we are seeing the 'Evergreen State'! Everett and the surrounding area is forests, ferns, green as green, lakes and is not far from Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean.

Their gorgeous little house sits within the vicinity of Lake Cassidy which made for a pleasant view for the morning workouts.

Monday was casual, get washing done, sit and chat over projects, and just enjoy the beautiful fuchsias, hummingbirds, squirrels and blue jays.

Tuesday we headed for the Boeing factory and went on their tour. Unfortunately no photos inside the massive plant, suffice to say it certainly is mind blowing at the capacity and size it is.

It's hard to fathom the sheer size of these from the viewing balconies. 214ft of wingspan fitting in a building is incredible. The automation lines has sped up production with overhead gantry cranes like I've never seen before, moving sections of plane body around and into place for attachment.

Yes we did get to view many planes in various stages of production including completed paint jobs and planes waiting for delivery. Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Aero Mexico to name a few.

With a plant here in Everett and one in South Carolina they have been able to keep momentum on production with the many orders they have. They turn a standard cargo or passenger 747 out every 3 days a 25 day total turn around from start to finish. The carbon fibre new 767's taking a little longer. (From what I can remember as couldn't take iPad with me)

Boeing employs approx 42,000 people with the oldest being a lady who is 92 years of age and has worked with the company for 72 of those. Some have 'kept it in the family' and generations are or have worked with Boeing.

We did visit the Future of Flight Center (which is where the tour begins) and were able to get up close to engines and nose gear which certainly puts things into perspective. You can test your flight control abilities, check out the strength of various composites that go into an aircrafts making, view business plane interiors and be used for a survey on future plane seating and headspace.

Then we took the tourist drive down to Mukilteo to the docks and the ferry port where residents of Whidby Island come and go across Puget Sound to and from work.

Ahhhh, breathe in the salt air! With a view of the Sound, fishing boats and the ferries coming and going we enjoyed dinner at Ivars. What's for dinner? Fish and chips of course! (And yes they actually called it chips here not fries) tasted the local brew from 'Diamond Knot' and 'Mac and Jack' for Jack.

The scenic route back round through Smokey Point to their home club meeting. It was funny watching the preparation for the upcoming entertainment at their 2015 annual 'Standoff'. If you are getting to this shoot, you are in for a treat, the bay's are shaded and I've seen the evidence of previous opening ceremonies and entertainment spectaculars! Lol!

We departed from our gracious hosts this morning to start the trek back to Oklahoma. Thank you Mike and Teri we thoroughly enjoyed your company and getting to know you better.

Kat xo

http://www.smokeypointdesperados.org

http://www.ivars.com

http://www.futureofflight.org

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Let's start by saying thanks to The Apple Valley Marshals for putting on a great match for the SASS 2015 Northwest Regional in East Wenatchee, Washington.

This years match was based on the John Wayne film, Big Jake.

Well pilgrim Thursday was a hot, hot, hazy day, “still, that's the only problem” We headed out at midday to watch the last of the warm up posse's get through and then at 2pm we commenced with 4 stages of Wild Bunch.

“This will take a harsh and unpleasant person” for the task. It was hotter than hell but we had 3 posse's of keen, sweltering shooters that buckled up and had a great time under the direction of Sunrise Bill.

“I go with the sheep” on Friday and with an early start (hopefully avoiding the majority of the heat) we get into our first 6 main match stages. It was pleasant and cool in the morning “dog” but there are fires in the areas north of us and the smoke is blowing in, making the view of Wenatchee close to zero visibility.

The heat wasn't going to stop us, “not one bit”. Back to the hotel for a swim! That night was a potluck dinner and the soiled dove contest which quite “proficiently father” raised money for the SASS scholarship.

“The hell there aint “ a better posse we could have been landed with. Cowichie Kid, Fire Opal, Helena Bucket, Jack Straw, Jackaroo, Jocko, Joe Cannuck, Kathouse Kelli, Pedernales Jake, Primrose n Proper, Reo Diamond, Robert I Plantem, Ronghand Wright, Rusty Wood and Texas Cherokee. We all worked, all shot well, laughed much and had a great time meeting new cowboy's and cowgirl's.

“Not hardly” finished and we are ready for another fabulous lunch by Grill Master and plenty of visiting with folks before we headed back to the hotel to cool off and get ready for the banquet.

In our finest, the banquet got underway with costume contestants appearing before the judges, drinks with friends, friendly banter and practical jokes. We tucked into a beautiful banquet consisting of salmon, ribs and trimmings.

Side matches were then awarded along wih costume, both working costume and best dressed. Jackaroo won Best Wild Bunch Costume for his Rough Riders outfit, Best Dressed Lady for my blue and grey walking dress and one for Wild Bunch overall ladies – I think I'm going to enter the men's traditional at smaller shoots as I don't have many fellow Lady Traditional competitors. Congratulations to JT Wild, Men's Overall Wild Bunch.

Clockwise from top left: El Gordo Hombre as Big Jake; Jackaroo; Kathouse Kelli & J.T. Wild; Saginaw Sue & Wild Horse John; Sly Puppy & Jackrabbit Joe; Twelve Mile Reb & Agnes.

We both made it into the Shootout for Sunday morning, however that was short lived. Too funny.

Congratulations to Fast Enough and Belinda Belle for taking out the Top Gun Shootout honours.

Lunch, prize draws and awards followed. I placed 1st in Lady Wrangler with congratulations to my fellow competitors in 2nd place, Tillie Dyes and 3rd place, Sandy Charm.

First cowboy overall and NW Regional Champion went to Lunger. First cowgirl overall was myself, Kathouse Kelli, with the delightful little Ivy Hills the ladies NW Regional Champion for 2015.

Again a huge congratulations to all involved.

Kat xo

The lines I couldn't work into my post?

“Dead? The next person who says that I'm gonna shoot, so help me.”

“Newspaper clippings. I killed a man for newspaper clippings.”

“I'm gonna blow your head off.”

And 'dog' was the line for two stages.

Sun, Aug 16

http://applevalleymarshals.com

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenatchee,_Washington

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