JOURNAL

As a born-and-raised Texan, I knew a lot about Texas. When I finished my first year at The University of Texas at Austin, I was ready to know somewhere else. I read a story about a man gutting fish in Alaska for a summer, and I wanted in. I literally googled, “gutting fish in Alaska jobs.” CoolWorks.com came up, and the world of paid exploration opened up before me. The Alaskan fish-gutting dream took backseat to the mountainous charm of 4UR Ranch in Colorado. Off I went for the Summer of 2010. And 2013. And 2014.

That ranch became home, and those people became family.

Nightly bonfires, the absence of cellphone service, adventurous fellow millennials, and the hundreds of acres of trail and natural beauty had me showering less and living more. That rustic country experience further fueled the spirit of adventure that has me exploring the world and travel writing today. I can also handle a night in the dish pit and bear-proof almost anything. At 4UR Ranch, I lived and learned.

Check out Becky’s biggest takeaways on Ranch Life in her post 15 Things I Learned Doing Seasonal Ranch Work