mules – As Far As The Eye Can See

Russ, Morgan and I are just home from a quick long weekend trip to Wyoming. We had a really good time. Over the course of a few days it seemed we were completely transported from our everyday life. I think you call that a very good break!

A very interesting and stirring part of our trip happened a little bit by accident. We stayed at an Air Bnb just outside of Cody, Wyoming and because we were out of town we drove past a little place called Ralston, where, it just so happened, “Jake Clark Mule Days” were happening. This was a whole week of events revolving around mule stuff. We looked it up online and found that we had missed most of the days but we could take in the mule sale at the end of it all.

On Sunday morning that is where we headed. We were there in plenty of time to browse thru the vendors, wander through the pens where the mules were housed and meet some of the sellers. It was a really pleasant time. We found the people very friendly and down to earth. We thought the mules were beautiful.

This local artisan created this gun scabbard (to hold a rifle while on a horse) and this breast strap (part of saddle equipment). He sold them for very reasonable prices and the guys were able to get things they had been hoping to find somewhere on the trip.

We had no intention to purchase a mule but we hit it off with some of the sellers and had good visits. This man had this mule which Russell just loved. He offered us to ride it. Morgan took the chance.

Morgan enjoyed this experience and it kind’ve bonded us to this mule. It was lot #36 in the sale and we all agreed we were not leaving the sale until we saw how our new friends did selling this fine animal.

Russ even made friends with fellows standing in line for the outhouses!

The mule we were attached to, in the ring. Oly’s daughter was sliding off the back of it, to demonstrate how well trained and easy going he was.

It was quite the experience to be there. The mules were so well trained, little kids helped demonstrate the mules, sometimes in pairs and even a trio of them. We saw kids stand on the backs of animals, walk underneath their bellies and often slide off the back. It was fun to watch. The atmosphere was electric at times. The mules went for very high prices, (in our way of seeing things), starting bids were $5,000, we watched one go for $32,000. The atmosphere was chaotic at one point in that one, people yelling bids from all around us it seemed. That was around the $26,000 point in the bidding. Oly’s mule topped out at $19,500. He said he would take it back home for that price. Whew. We were out of our league, but Russ said that it proved that he had a good eye for mules if 19,500 was not deemed enough, not reflecting its actual higher value. A fun moment was when Morgan leaned over in front of me to say to Russ, “aren’t you feeling like a genius for buying that donkey?” We are working on breeding mules of our own. Our donkey (named Elton John) has been “dating” some of our mares, this should result in the birth of a mule. Morgan has become very good at training, its possible we can return to that sale in the future with mules to sell.

After Oly’s mule went through the ring we headed out. First we stopped by a vendor we had not seen earlier. It was dimly lit in the back of the sale barn where she was located. We were pretty thrilled to find high quality red shirts for a $15 bargain. We bought one each, souvenirs of our great time. The picture below was taken back at home when we actually put them on for the first time, and much to our surprise as we pulled them out of the bag found they were pink!

Our time in Cody included visits to absolutely every cowboy store, Morgan was looking for a straw hat for summer wear. They were ridiculously expensive. In looking through what seemed like hundreds of hats on this holiday we found a cheap one for me and a new one for Russ (rare because his large heads make good fitting hats hard to find). I always feel like an imposter when I dress like this, and I say so. Russ always answers me with some variation of this question, “Kathy, how many calves have you had in your house this year? You are a cowgirl.”

A little personal reflecting………

As I spent time lingering in this place on Sunday I was so aware of how much I like mules. I can’t say exactly why. I have a few guesses. They are famous for being stubborn but truly it seems they are hard working animals with endurance and unique looks, kinda like me and Russ! (lol) Mules are such a big part of my story with Russ and honestly, I think that is why I am attached. A few highlights………..

I don’t remember this but Russ tells me that the day we met, when I came to lead a church service at a trailride, he was riding his gorgeous red mule he named “Jane.” So I guess that means the first time I saw Russell ride he was on the back of a mule. That seems important.

Back in September 1999 when Russ offered to give me riding lessons, (he offered, I said “No, I can’t afford it”, he said he would accept baking for payment), back then, it was Jane the mule who was my first ride. That first lesson made for an eventful day. I got a little bit hurt and hung out in Russell’s house for a while to get feeling better before heading home. These were among the first hours I spent with Russell Bayliss!

In October 1999 my Mom and Dad came to visit. There was a big and special church service planned they were here to attend. Russell offered to take my parents for a buggy ride. We went. What good sports my Mom and Dad were. The weather was terrible, my Mom’s special hairdo was at risk from the rain, but off we all went. It was memorable. I was very stressed by the service coming up, the risk of danger with this ride, and not entirely comfortable with Russell Bayliss. It was therefore surprising, hilarious and a blessing of sorts when from the back seat of the buggy my Dad (at the middle stages of his time with dementia) exclaimed to my Mom, “its so nice to see that girl so god-damn happy!” (His dementia meant he swore quite alot.) I didn’t feel happy. I felt stressed. What did my Dad pick up on? I don’t know. I think of this often as being the way he gave his blessing to mine and Russell’s union. Soon after that he stopped talking much. The mule pulling the buggy that day was “Dick”, the same mule that I rode a couple weeks ago, the only piece of my current life down here that has a physical connection to my Dad. The picture of that ride sits on a shelf I pass by dozens of times a day.

In the years since Dick pulled that buggy he has been the animal we have turned to over and over again to be the safe ride for visitors that come to us. I want to do a photobook all about Dick and his encounters with friends and family over the years.

Mules have longevity. Dick was born in ’95, here he is in 2002, with my niece Bobbi-Lynn riding him, leading a herd of horses down the road. This was back in the days when the Bayliss family had a PMU ranch.

Dick and I a few weeks ago, my friend Lynnette took this picture.

The day we attended the mule sale was Father’s Day. When I had the chance to buy earrings with mules on them I took it. Considering the connection between my Dad, a mule and I it seemed a perfect souvenir for me at the sale on that day. Russ also came home with the perfect souvenir for this story. About a year ago his wedding ring came off his finger when he didn’t realize it. It is gone. He has kept his eye open for a new one. One of the vendors had rings for sale, one fit his thick finger, he liked it, so do I, we bought it. That ring ties into our earlier history with happiness being noticed and blessed in the presence of a mule.