A whole lot of bull at the Northwest Montana Fair

My flirtation with the cowboy way continued Thursday afternoon at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo in Kalispell.

Co-worker and friend Jeremy Weber and I were wandering through the grounds looking for subjects to photograph for our respective newspapers.

When we walked past the mechanical bull he said something about me riding it.

We laughed and then the thought quickly gained ground. After taking several photos of kids enjoying the fair, we headed for old "Hook 'Em."

Since Jeremy is from Texas and grew up on a ranch, I thought naming this "bull" after the Texas Longhorns' famous slogan was appropriate.

Jeremy's family will give him heck, though, because many of his family members are Texas A&M graduates.

I hadn't ridden a bull of any type before, so the prospect was both tantalizing and fear-inducing.

Back in my old stomping grounds in north-central Pennsylvania, there was a mechanical bull in a little place called the Force Hotel Bar and Grill in Elk County. Friends and I stopped in there a few times for a cold one and burgers.

But I never hopped on that "bull." Why, I am not sure.

One of the reasons we were in the area then was to see the state's wild elk that roamed the area. Through various friends, I met a cowboy named Don "Woody" Wood. He lived in the heart of elk country and had horses and mules. He loved trail rides in the most wild part of Pennsylvania, as well as trips to Colorado with his stock while chasing elk and deer.

I took a few rides with Woody. One was fairly memorable when the pony bolted before beginning the formal trail ride. I managed to stay on, though.

Woody thought I should get into horsemanship, and he was right!

Back then I'd tell him that my mountain bike didn't need a pasture, feed or the care that animals require. The bike just needed some chain grease and some new moveable parts every so often.

Truly I was more of a dog person, anyway.

But now, what I wouldn't give to be a horse person. As it happens in so many things, the advance work one puts into something usually pays off down the road.

It'd sure be nice to have my own horse to load up and take into the backcountry. The mountain bike is still great on level ground or downhill, but it's pretty much an anchor when pedaling uphill.

Somehow, a good 20 or so years passed before I got on a horse again. Last fall I took a prep ride with a local guide before my hunting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

The "Bob" trip included about 100 miles on horseback, and I still am amazed at the rough ground those animals covered with not much prodding.

Just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting, interviewing and writing stories about three local folks who were inducted in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame last weekend. I also can't forget writing about the Back Country Horsemen of the Flathead's trail clearing efforts.

I was even invited on some of their work trips, which would have meant some more time in the saddle, but work usually prevented my participation. Maybe someday.

I've rambled on long enough. Back to "Hook 'Em."

After paying the ride operator I awkwardly got on the bull. A former coworker and her husband were at a booth nearby and realized they knew the guy on the bull.

There was quite a bit of laughing and joking before the operator flipped the switch. The bull gave a big, downward lurch, then tilted from side to side, back and forth and up and down.

Jon yelled for me to get my free hand up in the air so I looked more the part. It did lend some tiny degree of authenticity to the brief ride.

All I really wanted was 8 seconds on "Hook 'Em" so I could score, and I managed 20.

Ultimately, the cowboy way will always be something I get to be a part of in some little way, and I reckon I can live with that.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.