Waunita Smoke Signals

Volume 3, No. 7, Newsletter 2007, Gunnison, Colorado

This is the 23rd edition of Waunita Smoke Signals, sent along with a special invitation for you to visit Waunita Hot Springs Ranch during 2007.

WAUNITA WRANGLERS CD After many requests for a recording of the Friday evening Western music show, last May the Waunita Wranglers band recorded a CD based on show music. It even features 9-year old Dani Shea on several songs. (Sorry, “My Own Grandma” was not available during the recording.) We’ll be happy to send you this CD — $14, including postage.

Will Dudley, our “traveling musician,” is taking time off this winter to pursue a degree in history at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado. Admirable for a man of “middle age.” As many of you know, Will has produced five CDs. You may purchase them via his website at: www.willdudley.com. Evelyn, our local “cowgirl musician” stays busy as a working Mom.

A 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY PARTY Rod and Junelle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on September 30, 2006. ’Twas a great party (a semisurprise) with some 100 friends and relatives attending. All three sons, their wives, and three of our seven grandchildren celebrated with us. Sons Rod S., Wes and Ryan, along with their wives, performed for the group; and Rod S. sang a very special song he composed for the occasion, entitled “Fifty Years.” Ryan surprised us with a nostalgic Power Point presentation based on old album pictures sneaked from our stash while we weren’t looking. The many cards, phone calls and presence of loved ones were indeed appreciated and humbling.

2006 SUMMER SEASON During the 2006 summer season guests journeyed to Waunita from 25 states, Germany and Japan. Almost half of these folks had been guests in previous years and another one-third were brought or sent by past guests. Other new guests came to us mainly through the various associations to which we belong, with the majority coming through The Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Association.

We have been active in CDGRA for over 30 years. Junelle has been the Historian of this organization for several years. CDGRA honored Rod and Junelle, along with several other dude ranchers, as Honorary Lifetime Members at the 2006 fall convention.

June, July and August saw us enjoying another “dude ranch summer” with guests old and new. We had more rain than in past years. Wildflowers were gorgeous and mushrooms sprouted all over the forest in late summer. Cookouts at the three forest sites were again popular events. Breakfast cookouts featured cowboy poetry, either the Waunita wranglers or local poet, John Nelson. (A CD of John’s poetry entitled “Word Wranglin’ & Wrymin’” is available through his website at coloradoguideandoutfitter.com). Ryan’s recitation of “Silver Bells and Golden Spurs” at most breakfasts was a popular poem. Favorite rides included the Canyon Creek Ride, Baldy Mountain Ride and the ride to “Vera’s Mine.” Child Counselors Lyndi and Christie worked many hours to provide care, games and souvenirs for the kids.

We are already working on plans for the 2007 Summer Season to make it “The Best Week of Your Year” ever!

FALL/WINTER SEASON The ranch has been busy this fall with Bed & Breakfast guests, small meetings and local folks coming out for a soak in the “oh-so-delightful” pool. This winter we will accommodate youth and family groups for skiing at Monarch and Crested Butte, as well as cross-country skiers, snowmobile groups and retreats.

A NOSTALGIC LOOK AT THE PAST The 2007 summer season will be our 46th summer at the ranch. We arrived in March 1962, driving a 1961 Jeep and a Chevrolet station wagon. The Jeep is still being used for chores around the ranch. We also arrived with three pre-school-age boys — ages 7 months, 2 and 4 years. Quite an adventure for these greenhorns from Houston, Texas. We are truly blessed to have been able to live these past 45 years at Waunita Hot Springs Ranch and to live our dream.

The ranch history book grows as we acquire more old photographs and information. Junelle’s on-going project is the documenting of our history here.

NEW BROCHURE AND WEBSITE A brochure update was printed in May 2006 and we’re pleased with this new marketing piece. Texas guests are revamping our website and we are excited about the new look.

NEIGHBOR NEWS After nine years in our valley, our neighbors “across the road,” the Joe Penn family at White Pine Ranch, chose to return to Louisiana and Mississippi. They held an absolute auction for their 8,500+ acres on November 18th. Although the property was initially divided into 55 different parcels, the entire ranch sold to one buyer, a Limited Partnership, whose majority owner is Joe’s brother, Claude Penn. We believe that translates into no major change in the Waunita valley at this time.

FAMILY NEWS The senior members of the family — Rod and Junelle — besides celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, became great-grandparents in November. Granddaughter Jessica Pringle Montgomery, gave birth to Ava Michelle on November 9th. We’ll have her riding in the arena before you know it.

Rod S. and Elisabeth Pringle are the busy parents of college-age sons, Josh and Logan. They continue to be involved in church activities and Rod writes beautiful Christian music. Their work-days are spent with UPS and the Abilene Head Start program. Josh is attending Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, where he earned a college letter as a member of the soccer team. Logan will be attending Abilene Christian University in 2007.

Wes and Kari Pringle live in Farmington, New Mexico, where Wes teaches science at Piedra Vista High School, while coaching girls’ pole vaulting in the spring. Kari is the department head for special needs students at Heights Middle School. They are active in their church and are the proud grandparents of Ava Michelle. Daughter Jessica and husband Robert Montgomery live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Son Brody has moved to California to work toward a music career.

Ryan and Tammy manage the ranch and spend ‘away from the ranch’ time with family and church activities. Daughter Randi Reneé debuted as a full-time wrangler this summer and she is now enrolled as a freshman at Abilene Christian University. Son Kolby, a sophomore at Gunnison High School, qualified for the varsity basketball team; and 10-year-old Dani Shea is interested in music and drama.

Eric Soerensen, our faithful Maintenance Person, Fishing Guide, Canyon Creek Camp Host, and Friday Evening Steak Chef has been with us some 13 years. Sadly, his dog, Arlo, the “front porch door stop” for the last two summers, passed away this fall.

Speaking of dogs, that leaves us with Ryan and Tammy’s two black labs, Nike and Taz. Unfortunately, those two spent much of the summer and fall “in the dog house” — literally, because of their attraction to porcupines.

LODGE HOSTS The lodge host program begun in 2005 was so highly successful that we chose to continue the program in 2006 (and 2007). We are grateful to those special people who come to help care for our guests.