{"id":7698,"date":"2018-06-01T23:02:46","date_gmt":"2018-06-01T23:02:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=7698"},"modified":"2018-06-01T23:49:12","modified_gmt":"2018-06-01T23:49:12","slug":"the-good-the-bad-and-the-chubby-at-diamond-horseshoe-ranch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=7698","title":{"rendered":"The Good, the Bad, and the Chubby at Diamond Horseshoe Ranch"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We didn’t have time for a long vacation this year, so we decided to spend a few days on a dude ranch in Arkansas. \u00a0It was a terrific vacation!<\/p>\n

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The Good, the Bad, and the Chubby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Day 0<\/h1>\n

We traveled to Diamond Horseshoe Ranch in Arkansas. \u00a0 We arrived on Sunday afternoon in time for dinner in the mess hall, a little time in the game room, and some time in the pool.<\/p>\n

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The entrance to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A view of Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Goats and horses ran wild around the ranch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The bedroom in our cabin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The loft in our cabin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The main part of the cabin from the upper floor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam, the Ping Pong hustler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tom, the pool shark<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Surveying his domain…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The view from our cabin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Day 1:<\/h1>\n

The first day began with a large breakfast. \u00a0Then we went to the barn to meet our horses for the week. \u00a0Candy had Jon Snow. \u00a0Sam had Butterbean. \u00a0I had Scout. \u00a0Tom had Dramamine. \u00a0After a short trail ride to get familiar with our horses, we walked over to the range where we shot bows, rifles, and pistols and threw axes.<\/p>\n

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The first trail ride<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A view of the ranch from horseback<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The lodge building<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam throwing axes at a tree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Candy Oakley on the rifle range<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Robin Hoodlum shows his skills with a bow<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam showing off her mad archery skill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A few pistol shots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After lunch we did some rock climbing.<\/p>\n

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Tom and Sam scaling the cliff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam and her mad rock climbing skills<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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An old mountain goat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We even had time for a game of frisbee golf in the evening. \u00a0The course was quite challenging, and we had to actually search for the holes at times.<\/p>\n

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We even had time for a game of frisbee golf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After another terrific dinner meal (the food was universally terrific), we went to the barn for some games for an hour or so.<\/p>\n

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Candy and Sam playing a game involving trying to get the other player to step off her platform<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_4934.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

Day 2:<\/h1>\n

On the second day we split up in the morning. \u00a0Tom, Sam, and Candy went for more rock climbing.<\/p>\n

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Breakfast the second full day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Candy starting her climb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tom climbing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam most of the way up the cliff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I had only been on a horse a few times before, and I was enjoying getting more comfortable and learning how to actually control the horse, so I went for another trail ride with some other campers.<\/p>\n

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Happy trails to me…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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An example of the scenery we rode through all morning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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I think I saw that guy in a John Wayne movie…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After lunch we suited up for the adventure course. \u00a0This involved rock climbing through a cave, around cliffs, and one of the top five zip lines in North America.<\/p>\n

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Suiting up for the adventure course<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Inside the cave<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There were portions of the cave that were very tight. \u00a0There were also portions that dropped pretty deeply. \u00a0It was an interesting experience.<\/p>\n

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Tom and Sam on a portion fo the adventure course<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Working our way around a cliff (Tom, Sam, and me). Candy is just off to the right of this picture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tom and Sam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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All of us getting ready to zip. I didn’t get a picture of myself in the harness.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam getting ready to zip<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tom getting ready to zip<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Candy getting read to zip<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_4982.m4v<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

In the evening, during the camp fire and s’mores, we went back to the barn so the kids could work their way through the cave simulator. \u00a0It was narrow, winding, and dark.<\/p>\n

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About half way through the cave, there was this window that gave you a glimpse of freedom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A long shot of the cave simulator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tom completing the cave simulator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Day 3:<\/h1>\n

Day 3 began with a trail ride to a secluded location where we ate breakfast cooked over an open fire by the ranch staff.<\/p>\n

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A view of the ranch during our breakfast ride<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The morning ride<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Goats along the trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The four bandits ride!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Trail breakfast of scrambled eggs and grilled ham steak<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the afternoon while Tom and Sam did more rock climbing, Candy and I went down to the Buffalo river to lounge in the water and hiked to the twin falls.<\/p>\n

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The twin falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Two movie stars at the twin falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Day 4:<\/h1>\n

We travelled home. \u00a0It was a really good trip. \u00a0When we planned this short vacation, I was worried that just three days would be too short. \u00a0It was a very physical vacation, so after three days we were ready to go home. \u00a0A fourth day might have been fun, but more than four days would have been too many.<\/p>\n