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My Locale

Tap

Well-known member
Here is a link that I found, that shows some roadside pictures in my area. The last four pictures on this link are the ones near us. The fourth to last, is leaving Belle Fourche and heading north. It shows some of the open rangeland and hills in this country. The 3rd and 2nd to last are about the Crow Buttes, which are real near me here. The last one is as you break over Sand Hill, and the view of Buffalo. These don't do justice to the country, but give an idea of the area.

Link: http://www.milebymile.com/main/United_States/South_Dakota/highway_photos_225.html
 

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
Does old Jim White still have his saddle shop over by the tracks near the sale barn in Belle Fourche-I spent a good morning there one day listening to him tell stories-he had some of the best looking mules I've ever seen.
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
Northern Rancher said:
Does old Jim White still have his saddle shop over by the tracks near the sale barn in Belle Fourche-I spent a good morning there one day listening to him tell stories-he had some of the best looking mules I've ever seen.

If it is the same Jim White that I knew, he passed away quite a few years ago. He located in Valentine, and brought the mules with him. He had a saddle shop there for awhile. The saddle that my youngest son rides is one that he built. I bought it for myself, but it just didn't come up to the standards of my ol' Shimon saddle, so I donated it to the Kosmo Kid. I also bought a good looking medium sized mule from Jim. She was pretty, but that was about where her attributes quit.

One nice January day, my oldest son and I went for a ride. This was probably about 1990, so he was only about seven years old. He was riding a nice pony and I was riding a young horse. We put a pack saddle on the mule, Cherry, just to give her a good workout. We headed out going north from our buildings, with our destination the LaCreek valley about seven miles north through some rugged Sandhills. About a mile south of the far side of the hills, we decided to eat our dinner on the banks of Elm Creek. There looked to be better grass for our horses on the other side, so we decided to cross. My horse forded the meandering stream, and the mule followed. When the pony got right in the middle of the water, it started to paw and then lay down in the creek. Of course my son went off and got all wet. His first words were, "If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have come."

We made a little fire for him to hunker by, and ate our dinner. I said, "I've got a better idea." We got back on our horses and rode another mile north to our good neighbors, Ray and Virginia Gardiner. We explained the wet clothes. Virginia, being a very nice and gracious lady, put the clothes in her dryer for a little while. The clothes were fluffy and warm, and my boy was all smiles as we mounted our horses again to ride back across the hills towards home.

Back to the mule. Cherry had a rather nasty disposition. There was a horse sale the following Wednesday. I loaded her up and sold her loose. I didn't say anything about her, but she still carried the sweat marks and evidence from the pack saddle. Some other fellow bought her cheap enough, and he called me a few days later. He asked, "Can that mule do anything but kick and eat nails?" I replied, "No, you pretty well have her talents categorized."

Back to Jim White. He had been in a bad car wreck out in California in his younger days, and almost died. From that time on, he had a hole in the bottom of his throat which he breathed out of. He had some good stories, and it was quite an effort for him to talk, but he still liked to tell the stories. A listener was is constant danger of getting sprayed while conversing, but the interesting facts gleaned from the conversation made it all worthwhile.
 

Tap

Well-known member
Yep Soapweed, that is the same Jim White that I remember in Belle Fourche. He was put together to look like a character, even before he spoke. :wink: He wasn't there too long as I remember, and I think I would remember as we do lots of business at the Belle salebarn that is next door.

We came back a bit ago from that direction, and the gumbo country that lies between here and Belle F. hasn't looked so good in a long time. It has on it's new green spring outfit, and makes you look twice. :eek: :D That is something, as it has been in perpetual drought for many years. The dams are even full. :shock: :!: The kids and I gathered a bunch of wildflowers on that stretch of hiway today. Good clean fun!

NR, have you ever met a stranger?
 
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