When I was younger, my father, stepmother  and I went on a winter day drive. We were living in Utah Valley at the time and we decided to start our day by heading up  Provo Canyon. Our aimless driving eventually brought us to Strawberry Reservoir,  a beautiful high mountain reservoir south of Heber, UT.

It was a gorgeous day, the sun was shining, the snow was sparkling and the wind had blown all the snow off the lake. As you could probably guess there were quite a few Ice-fisherman out, sitting around in their tents or on their lawn chairs, patiently waiting for a bite.   We decided to go out on the lake just to check things out. Since the wind had blown all the snow off the lake you could see through the ice and down into the water. It was a very eerie feeling, the ice was cracking, and making creaking noises( I found out later that if you can hear the ice creaking it means it is very safe).

My stepmother was not an outdoors person and had married into a family of fisherman and hunters. She was always asking question about the new things that she was experiencing and she had no idea that people could fish on the ice.

She asked my father, “Is ice fishing different then regular fishing?”

My father replied, “Yes, it is very different, you drill a hole in the ice…grab a stick…then sit around and wait for the fish to come up for air”. He waited a moment then continued “When they come up for air…you hit them on the head as hard and as fast as you can”.

She was very excited to try this technique.

My father and I went to look for an abandoned fishing hole, while my stepmother went and found us some sticks. We found an abandoned hole, dug out the thin skim of ice on top and grabbed the sticks that she brought and settled down.  She silently stared  at the hole very intensely for the next half an hour.

Waiting for a Bite at Otter Creek

She finally broke the silence by saying, “Boy these fish can hold their breath for an awful long time”.

The ice-fishing down at Otter Creek Reservoir is really hot right now. We have had quite a few guests tell us how much fun they are having.

Come on down and do some fishing this winter. We have very affordable winter rates here at the Rockin’ R and we are only 5 minutes away from the reservoir. Come on down, I promise the fish won’t hold their breath forever!

Brandon Hanks

Rockin’ R Manager

The past few weeks I have been reading quite a bit of  Cowboy poetry. It is a art that has gained quite a bit of popularity over the last decade. There are many Poetry readings throughout the west.

The Poetry to me, gives a connotation to a way of life that is slowly fading. I will occasionally include some poetry on the Rockin’ R Blog to help keep that feeling alive. Please feel free to share your favorite poem as well.

Here is a great poem written by Arthur Chapman

Out Where the West Begins

Out where the handclasp’s a little stronger

Out where the smile dwells a little longer

That’s where the West begins;

Out where the sun is a little brighter,

Where the snows that fall are a trifle whiter,

Where the bonds of home are a wee bit tighter,

That’s where the West begins,

Out where the skies are a trifle bluer,

Out where the friendship’s a little truer,

That’s where the West  begins;

Where there is laughter in every streamlet flowing,

Where there is more of reaping and less of sowing-

That’s where the West begins

Out where the world is in the making

Where fewer hearts with despair are aching-

That’s where the West begin;

Where there’s more of singing a less of sighing,

Where there ’s more of giving and less of buying,

And a man makes friends without half trying,

That’s where the West begins.

Cowman’s Prayer

Now, O Lord, please lend me thine ear,
The prayer of a cattleman to hear,
No doubt the prayers may seem strange,
But I want you to bless our cattle range.

Bless the round-ups year by year,
And don’t forget the growing steer;
Water the lands with brooks and rills
For my cattle that roam on a thousand hills.

Prairie fires, won’t you please stop?
Let thunder roll and water drop.
It frightens me to see the smoke;
Unless it’s stopped, I’ll go dead broke.

As you, O Lord, my herd behold,
It represents a sack of gold;
I think at least five cents a pound
Will be the price of beef the year around.

One thing more and then I’m through,—
Instead of one calf, give my cows two.
I may pray different from other men
But I’ve had my say, and now, Amen.

Author: unknown

The Rockin’ R is not only a world class guest ranch, but also a working cattle ranch and during this time of year the cows are usually all snug and cozy in their corrals. However, when Creston (the owner) counted the cattle a few days ago he discovered that we were short about 40 head. We have all taken turns, over the last couple of days, going out into the Mountains to search for these strays. Yesterday, my wife and I put on our long johns, and went out to look for our lost bovines (don’t worry, we also wore pants, sweatshirts and coats).

We saddled the horses and off we went. Our destination was Hidden Springs, a beautiful natural spring , nestled deep in a  rocky canyon.  Because the country is so vast we decided to ride in different directions. I went north and my wife headed west. In the end we only found 9 cows, but it was an awesome experience. The snow was deep and all the water was frozen. It is very different being up in the hills during the winter time. The world is very hushed and tranquil. The only thing one hears is the sound of your horse breathing and his hoofs crunching in the snow. It seemed that even the cattle didn’t  want to break the silence and remained quiet as we pushed them down towards the ranch. I felt  like we had moved back in time.

I am always a little saddened when we finally return to the ranch.  It is hard to return to the business of life after experiencing the hush & tranquility that the winter mountains bring.

Brandon Hanks

Yesterday (Jan 8th) we were invaded by a boy scout troop from the Bloomington Ward out of  St. George UT. They planned a Ice-Fishing trip down at Otter Creek Reservoir and stayed a night here at the Rockin R. They had a fireside(by the fireplace) and played pool, and ping pong. They brought a wonderful spirit and we were sure glad to have them here.

The Rockin R has been providing a wholesome atmosphere for youth for over 30 yrs now. If you look at the photos below you can definitely see how times have changed, but not the spirit. As I look around the Ranch, and ponder about my youth, I realize that the the Rockin R has the ability to create powerful long lasting memories. There just isn’t anyplace like it! I am not talking about beautiful location, or the authentic “old west” 3 story lodge. Those things add to the spirit of what I am talking about, but what I am trying to explain  is that the wholesome spirit of all the memories made here, help create a one of a kind place that cannot be found anywhere in the world.

I wish that everyone could enjoy it!

Brandon Hanks

Rockin R in 1972

Rockin R in 2010

The Rockin R has been around what seems like forever. We are constantly running into, and hearing from old friends and guests.

We received a photo from Micheal that explains it all!!!!!  This is a photo that was taken in 1972 and as you can see the kids are having a great time. I really love the antlers on the horse!!!!

If you are a former guest or have been here with a youth group we would love to hear from you.

Brandon Hanks

Rockin it at the Rockn R'

The wonderful weather continues as Christmas winds down and the New Year approaches. We thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas vacation, but are very happy to be back in full swing down here at the Rockin’ R.

The Holidays are a time to appreciate all the wonderful things that we have been blessed with. Here at the Ranch we are blessed with the opportunity to celebrate in a small town where everybody knows everybody.

Antimony, Utah, has a population of only 126 people or so. We are able to experience what small-town life is all about. The old-fashioned values that have set the American West apart from everywhere else in the world still exist here. Brandi and I feel blessed to be able be a part of this special atmosphere that doesn’t exist in many places around the world any longer. And the best part about living here is that we are able to share this with you.

When you visit the Rockin’ R, you are transported to another time. A time without cell phones, television, video games. A time where families worked together all day, ate dinner together at night, sat around the campfire and talked about their hopes and dreams. It was a time of horse and saddle, not GPS navigation systems in your SUV.

The people that have come and stayed with us are able to leave here with a feeling of “how things used to be”. My holiday wish is that everyone can experience this feeling,  if only for a little while.

The Rockin’ R is a great place for hunters and ice fisherman. Otter Creek is only 5 miles down the road and they say that the fishing is really good right now.We have had some cow elk hunters stay with us the past couple of weeks. THE WINTER RATES ARE SUPER!

So come on down and experience a little of the American West.

Happy NEW YEAR!!!!

Brandon & Brandi Hanks

Rockin’ R  Managers

Hard work during the holidays

As Christmas rapidly approaches, it has been beautiful here at the Rockin R! We are living in a crystallized world of white.

We have been out moving cows around the ranch, and the sounds and sights of winter have arrived. The crunch of snow underneath your feet, the horses steaming breath, and the sun sparkling off the snow. It has been wonderful.

The wildlife have moved down out of the mountains into our little valley. We have seen foxes, coyote, elk and mule deer. There have been quite a few big bucks around, but I haven’t been able to get a good picture yet.

Down at Otter Creek the ice fisherman are surrounding their little holes that they have dug into the ice, waiting, hoping that the fish will choose their line.

The twinkle  light are up, the trees have been decorated, the team has been hitched to the hay wagon and we are out singing Christmas carols on an ole’ fashioned winter hay ride.

Life is as good here in the winter as it is in the summer. You just have to wear more clothing!!

Brandon Hanks

Manager

Yesterday the snow finally came. The beautiful valley was filled with snow this morning after storming all day yesterday. It finally feels like December, we have had wonderful fall weather for the last 2 months, but we were wondering when the winter would finally get here. Yesterday Creston(owner) and myself pushed some cattle back up into the hills behind the Rockin R. It was really beautiful and we had a lot of fun.

Calves on the Rockin R

If a cow moo’s in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?

During the fall the Rockin’ R is a beehive of activity. We are a working cattle ranch and have over 600 cows that are in constant need of attention. The first thing that happens is we bring them down off the mountain where they have been feeding and getting fat all summer long. We do this the old fashioned way, using horses and moving them down in a series of cattle drives.  We had  to a couple of guests help us all week long and they enjoyed themselves a lot. We then bring them to the corrals and start separating them. When the mama cows get separated from their calves, you can hear them mooing for miles. We get the calves ready to sell by feeding them 3 times a day! The Black family(owner’s of the Rockin’ R) have been running cattle in this valley for over 100 years.  There is a feeling that comes over you when you are pushing cows out of the hills and down into the valley. Knowing that you are experiencing something that few people get to. It’s a  feeling of going back in time, a time before cars, television, cell phones, and all the modern conveniences of today’s hurried and rushed life. It’s a good feeling.

There is a lot that goes on with the cows (especially when they check the cows to see if they are pregnant) so come on out to the Rockin R and learn about the American West.

Brandon Hanks

Rockin R Manager