Drowsy Water

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Final Crew of 2012 Staff!

We've been introducing our staff bit by bit the last few weeks. Here's the last of the bunch. Aren't you excited to meet them all? We sure are!
Name: Nick Schulte

Hometown:  Apison, Tennesee

Position for the summer: Wrangler

One thing I am looking foward to this summer is: exploring Colorado trails and customs with guests and colleagues.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: studied abroad in Nantes, France for 4 months (September-December 2011)

Name: Levi Grammer

Hometown: Saltillo, Mississippi

Position for the summer: Maintenance

One thing I am looking foward to this summer is: meeting new people from different places, and seeing new things!

The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: winning state with my archery team on April 2nd and we are now going to nationals on May 11th with a great chance to win nationals!
Name: Kevin Kruger

Hometown: Gordon, Nebraska

Position for the summer: Wrangler and Farrier

One thing I am looking foward to this summer is: meeting new people and riding with them while having a good time.

The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: finishing horseshoeing school. 

Name: Bradley Pentecost
Hometown: Schererville, IN
Position for the summer: Prep cook
One thing I am looking foward to this summer is: meeting some good people, having some good times, and learning everything I can from this experience.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: traveling around the country with my closest friends to music festivals and other concerts.


Name: Alihan Ashirbekov
Hometown: Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Position for the summer: Dishwasher

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Ding! Ding! Round 3! Staff Intros for 2012!

We've been introducing our staff little by little. By now, we hope you're ready for a new bunch. We still have a few more to go so check back again next week!
 Name: : Ellen Tholen
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Position for the summer:  Wrangler
One think I am looking forward to this summer is: Meeting everyone and having great new experiences!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: Leaving home to live in the Rocky Mountains this past year.
Name: Dirk Ashly Knoedler
Hometown:Gothenburg, Nebraska
Position for the summer: Maintenance
One think I am looking forward to this summer is: meeting a lot of good people and waking up in one of the most beautiful places on earth everyday.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: stay off the beaten path.
Name: Emily Diaz-Leal
Hometown:Grand Rapids, Michigan
Position for the summer: Wait/Housekeeping staff
One think I am looking forward to this summer is: slowing down and getting acquainted with life on the ranch and making great new friends.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: racking up more than two thousand volunteer hours.
 Name: Jake VanDyke
Hometown: Orem, Utah
Position for the summer: Wait/Housekeeping Staff
One think I am looking forward to this summer is: riding horses!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: live in england for 2 years!
 Name: Kat Stubbs
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Position for the summer: Office Assistant/Nanny
One think I am looking forward to this summer is: meeting new people and spending time in a beautiful place!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: camping with friends and family on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan; many of my favorite memories have been made!
Name: Katie Foster
Hometown: Sedalia, Colorado
Position for the summer:  Wrangler
One think I am looking forward to this summer is: getting back to the mountains
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: soaking up time with my family.

posted by Drowsy Water Ranch at 1:52 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Monday, April 23, 2012

Next batch of 2012 super-staff!

Here's our second batch of staff for 2012! We can't wait to have them all here to welcome our guests! And go back to the last post to meet the others, too. More still to come!
Name:  Alex Lakenen
Hometown:  Marquette, Michigan
Position for the summer:  Waitstaff/housekeeping
One thing I am looking forward to this summer is:  meeting new people and having the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: moving away from home to live with my extended family last summer. It was an experience I would never take back and  have gained a close relationship with them that I will have forever.
  Name:  Emily Johnson
Hometown:  Charlotte, North Carolina 
Position for the summer:  Prep Cook 
One thing I am looking forward to this summer is:  Having the opportunity to work in a beautiful place, while surrounded by the many wonderful people DWR attracts from all over the world.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: having the opportunity to travel solo through Europe for three months! I explored Scotland, England, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. One of my favorite memories from the trip was hiking the Cinque Terre, "The Five Lands" on the Italian Riviera. 
  Name:  Emily Reeder
Hometown:  Ellicott City, Maryland
Position for the summer:  Buckaroo Counselor (Ages 0-5)
One thing I am looking forward to this summer is:  Spending time with the children and animals!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is:  Obtained my Masters Degree in Engineering
  Name:  William Jesse Law
Hometown:  Eastman, Georgia
Position for the summer:  Waitstaff/housekeeping
One thing I am looking forward to this summer is:  seeing a different part of the United States, and meeting new people. I wasn't ready to get a desk job in an office straight out of college
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: play college soccer. I had the chance to meet and play with people that were from all around the world.

 Name:  Kayla Newell
Hometown:  Stockport, OH
Position for the summer:  Rangerider Counselor (Ages 6-13)
One thing I am looking forward to this summer is:  Finally being back in Colorado and meeting new people!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: realizing that I love the outdoors and going to new places and doing new things any chance I get. 

 Name:  Chris Van Conett
Hometown:  Grand Rapids, MI
Position for the summer: Chef
One thing I am looking forward to this summer is:  The Beautiful Rocky Mountains and all they have to offer.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is: Toss up between a 20 mile overnight hike through Paintbrush and Cascade Canyon's in the Grand Teton's and a 1 week 150 mile Canoe trip down the the Manistee River in Michigan.

posted by Drowsy Water Ranch at 1:48 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Meet our 2012 Staff!

We'd like to introduce the fine folks that will be serving our guests this summer at Drowsy Water Ranch. We hand select these fine individuals to make our Colorado dude ranch the best family vacation our guests have ever experienced. From wranglers to kitchen staff to housekeepers to kids counselors, we are excited to get going on our season with our great staff. We'll introduce a few at a time, so check back weekly to see new faces!
Name: Trish Hurst
Hometown: Blanding, Utah
Position at DWR: Head Housekeeper
One thing I'm looking forward to this summer is. . .Making new friends from all over the world and running, hiking and biking.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is. . .Working at the ranch for 7 summers (of course!)
Name: Nell Pollak
Hometown: Pleasantville, New York
Position at DWR: Wrangler
One thing I'm looking forward to this summer is. . .Meeting new friends and reuniting with old ones.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is. . .Worked at DWR.. duh! Studying abroad for a semester was pretty life-changing too.
Name: Ruby Kahane
Hometown: Cape May, New Jersey
Position at DWR: Housekeeper/Waitstaff
One thing I'm looking forward to this summer is. . .Living in the mountains!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is. . .Living in Tokyo for 9 months while attending a language school.
Name: Sarah Mackenzie Schmitz
Hometown: Newport, Kentucky
Position at DWR: Housekeeper/Waitstaff
One thing I'm looking forward to this summer is. . .Riding!
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is. . .Joining Air Force ROTC at the University of Kentucky
Name:Tanner Isaacs
Hometown: Deer River, Minnesota
Position at DWR: Wrangler
One thing I'm looking forward to this summer is. . .having an amazing summer full of memories with new friends.
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is. . .is qualify for Nationals in the High School Rodeo in team roping my junior year.
Name: Valerie LaCrosse
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Position at DWR: Wrangler
One thing I'm looking forward to this summer is. . . Spending many hours in the saddle with beautiful scenery and interesting people
The greatest thing I've done in my life so far is. . .Earned a B.S. in Zoology from The Ohio State University

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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Large and In-Charge

Drowsy Water Ranch is home to a few big mamas. They run the joint this time of year. They're noisy, stinky, and demanding. And they eat a lot. Yeah, you're probably thinking to yourself, "What a bunch of cows!" and, while we are usually very nice, politially correct folks, I have to agree.

Really.

They are.

Cows.

No, really, they are a bunch of cows.
This time of year is when they really have the run of the ranch. We watch them cautiously and vigilantly because they've been pregnant a long time and they are starting to birth the next generation of Drowsy Water Ranch Angus.
We check on them at least two or three times a day. Usually, the cows are fine with labor and delivery on their own. We try not to interfere with the natural process unless we have to. Most cows just go off on their own, away from the herd, and through what I'm sure is a painful few hours, have a calf without any help from a team of nurses, an anethiesiologist, or even a friend.
Once the calves are born, we check that they are moving around (they walk almost immediately), nursing, and generally healthy. We tag their ear with a numbered tag that indicates the mothers number and and additional number to indicate the year of birth. That way we know what calf belongs with what cow and when it was born.
After a few short days, the calves are running and playing with eachother just like puppies. The try hay, they drink milk, and they rest in the sunshine. They are happy, cute little creatures.
It goes to show you that even with a cow as a mother, you can still be cute as a button.

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Friday, April 6, 2012

Drowsy Water Ranch Easter Egg Hunt

At Drowsy Water Ranch, we can host an extreme Easter Egg hunt. We can hide eggs all over the ranch and then the family has to find them. It might take all day, or all week, or all month. We go all out.

Speaking of going all out, we are getting ready to go all out for another summer of fun on the family dude ranch. The reservations for the summer are great and we look forward to meeting and spending time with all of the great families and friends we welcome into our home here on this Colorado Dude Ranch. We have a few new tricks up our sleeve for our guests including a frisbee golf course, a few new petting zoo animals, and maybe a new song or two. Come visit!

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

iOutdoors: Drowsy Water has "app" for fun

Ken is currently slaving away to get this year's Drowsy Water Ranch newsletter to the printer in the coming week. We'll be mailing out the paper copy soon and hope you'll read your copy cover to cover to learn about ranch news. This is a sneak peek at one of the articles about our kids' program, a true highlight of a Colorado Dude Ranch Family Vacation! And, if you need a copy sent to you, let us know! We'd be happy to send one pony express.

Driving up the dirt road, twelve-year old Tommy started to wonder just what his mom and dad had signed him up for when they booked a ranch vacation. After they parked the car, some dusty cowgirl greeted Tommy’s family. She showed them around the ranch; he saw horses, chickens, maybe a cow or two. They talked about food and horses, but no one mentioned the Wii. No one mentioned the T.V. or Internet access. “Oh no!” Tommy thought as the sound of dooming music lurked in his brain, “No electronics! What is this place?”

Tommy soon found out that the outdoor-focused kids’ programs at Drowsy Water Ranch are a highlight of the family dude ranch vacation. At Drowsy Water Ranch, kids of all ages have a unique opportunity to explore and appreciate the best of Colorado’s outdoors. The Buckaroo program, for kids ages 0-5, and the Rangerider program, for kids ages 6-13, both offer mountains of technology-free fun and unique outdoor activities for kids.

Buckaroos are entertained and cared for while their parents participate in ranch horseback rides, raft trips, hikes, etc. Buckaroos spend most of the day outside doing nature related activities like making bird feeders or exploring the forest for wildflowers. Buckaroos also get to take turns getting led around the ranch on the Buckaroo horse, a horse hand-selected from our herd for its gentle and patient manners.

The Rangeriders are matched to a horse of their own for the week and participate in a riding program that includes lessons, clinics, and trail rides. When they aren’t exploring the forest and learning the lore of the backcountry on horseback, the Rangriders have a counselor at the ranch that keeps them busy outside doing everything from hiking to crafts to archery to swimming.

Both kids and parents experience the magic created in Drowsy Water’s secluded mountain valley. The kids can roam and explore outside without worrying about cars, strangers, or homework. The parents enjoy letting their guard down and allowing the kids to have fun in a safe and exciting world of its own.

For kids like Tommy that are accustomed to the world of technology, a Drowsy Water Ranch vacation is a great introduction to a life-long love for the outdoors. Kids leave Drowsy Water Ranch with a new or renewed respect for animals, sunshine, fresh air, dirt, water, and mountains and kids discover that fun, entertainment, and learning does not always require electricity.

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posted by Drowsy Water Ranch at 10:44 AM 0 Comments Links to this post