Fish Tales and Bull Riders

The day on Friday, July 19, started with fish tales, ended with bull riders and had lots of excitement in between.  In the process, we learned that a bucking bronco or bull doesn't look a lot different than a trout as he tries to shake the line once you've hooked him.

We got up late, but still had time to try our luck on the Clark Fork right beside our RV campground.  Known as a great fishing river, it is both blessed and cursed by the impact of the Anaconda Superfund Site:  cursed because of potential pollution that probably makes the fish inedible, but blessed because, as a consequence, the stream isn't overfished at all and the fishing is excellent.

The section of stream near us, however, is in the town of Deer Lodge and adjacent to our campground, which attracts the anglers, so this section actually is well-fished.  While there are still enough trout to make it fun, the trout are very experienced and don't take the flies easily.

Here's Kathy trying her luck at the rapids near the confluence with Cottonwood Creek.  Kathy caught three nice brown trout the night before, further upstream right across from our RV.  This morning, David caught a great little 14" brown trout at the very spot Kathy is standing:

After fishing, we attended to some chores - washed and detailed the truck.  Then a nice steak dinner at the Broken Arrow BBQ Restaurant in town.  The food was good, but a mite too plentiful.

This was followed by a night full of action at the Bull-a-Rama at the Powell County Fairgrounds here in Deer Lodge.  There were two rounds of bull riding, with a round of bronco riding and a round of little shavers Bustin' Mutton.  The opening ceremonies were suitably impressive.  We noted with curiosity that when the U.S. flag was presented, the crowd sang, "I'm Proud to be an American," rather than the Star Spangled Banner.  We could speculate as to whether this is an new upswelling of the Western/Midwestern ethos in our country, but that gets a little esoteric.

The first event was Round 1 of professional bullriding.  The following photo just about says it all.  The announcer's booth is up top.  The bullfighters are the two guys dressed in orange and yellow.  They distract the bull once the rider falls off.  Two guys in jeans, white shirts and cowboy hats man the gate to the chute and open it for the bull and rider to come bursting out.

We were amazed how many professional riders can't stay on the bull for a full minimum 8 seconds.  If you don't, you get no points.  If you do, you're scored up to 100 based on up to 50 points for the strength and dynamism of the bucking bull and up to 50 points for the rider's technique and style.  High score this night was 81.  Each rider gets two chances - once each round, and the single highest score wins.

The bronco busting looked more like it was for entertainment than it was a true competition.  But the horses and riders provided lots of drama:

By far the most entertaining event, however, was the Mutton Bustin', which consisted of little shavers, from AS YOUNG AS AGE THREE to age seven, who wear bicycle helmet and cowboy gear and try to ride sheep out of the chute.  Judges scored them based on how long they stayed on and with what style.  There were more little girls riding than little boys!  Here's one young rider holding onto his/her sheep for dear life, with family, friends and other competitors kneeling in the ring to watch and help:

After the mutton was all busted, two cowboys (who also were responsible for rounding up the bucking bulls and broncos and ushering them out of the ring) herded the reluctant sheep back to their pen:

We had ridden our bicycles to dinner and the Bull-a-Rama, so when it was over we bicycled over to the after-party at the Corner Office Bar in downtown Deer Lodge - perhaps 3 blocks from our RV park.  They had live entertainment - a local rock band that had a pretty diverse repertoire:

But the highlight of the evening was a mechanical bucking bull that the bar put outside for rides:  $5 for two falls and $10 for unlimited rides.  All the kids purchased the unlimited rides and just kept riding and getting back in line and riding again, all night.

Kathy couldn't resist, and after one beer to fortify her courage, stepped forward, plopped her $5 down for a ride, and leapt up on the critter.  The light was poor and the bull was moving fast, so the photos were blurry, but you get the idea.  Kathy emerged victorious, unbloodied, but took her inevitable fall with grace and dignity:

We got home and finished the night listening to Norah Jones' rendition of her song, "Bull Rider," which we thought quite fitting:

Well first off you gotta wanna get off bad enough 

To wanna get on in the first place

And you better trust in your lady luck

Pray to God that she don't give up on you right now

Live fast, die young, bull rider.

One hand hold is all you've got 

It's you and the bull against the clock and a coarse crowd

And once upon a spinnin' ton 

Nothin' else you've ever done can pull this way

You're just outside the buckin' chute

Lose a spur you lose your seat and you lose yourself

By now he's buckin' mean and dirty

Slingin' mud and cowboy boots and kickin' clowns

No fools, no fun, bull rider.

You gotta feel the way he's movin', you gotta watch his head

And brace yourself for anything that might render you dead

You know the art of hangin' loose is hangin' just as tight

Well it's something like a hurricane dancin' with a kite

Live fast, die young, bull rider.

Well the rodeo is more than rough

It's a fact of life and it's tough to cut and it's beaver hats

It's drinking beer and pulling trailers

Tightened reins and barrel racers and a horse's buck

No fools, no fun, bull rider, hey hey

Live fast, die young, bull rider.