What I Learned This Fourth of July (7-4-14)

I learned the Red Lodge Champions Rodeo is in its 85th year.

I learned competitors come from all over the world, including Canada and Australia.

I learned The Star Spangled Banner was written 200 years ago.

I learned there’s some good eats at the Montana BBQ cookoff in Absarokee, MT.

I learned cowboys can dance!

After JR finished his filming duties on the Fourth, we had dinner out and then went to celebrate at the cowboy-gathering-place, The Bull ‘n Bear Saloon.  There was live music….and lots of cowboys.  Let me tell you, cowboys can dance!  After seeing them with steers, horses, and bulls all week, I had a defined respect for the work cowboys do, and the care they take with their animals.  They were serious people 90% of the time, though they did enjoy watching the rodeo replay each night (courtesy of Red Lodge Tech!).

So, I was a bit surprised that as soon as the band started playing, the cowboys came out of the woodwork and onto the dance floor!  It was awesome!  JR and I sat and watched for quite awhile.  The people watching was phenomenal, and so were the dance moves.  Then, the band started playing Merle Haggard’s “Big City.”  All of the sudden JR had me off my feet and onto the dance floor!  Woo hoo!!  If you don’t know the song, give it a listen online and you’ll know why JR loves it so:

I’m tired of this dirty old city.
Entirely too much work and never enough play.
And I’m tired of these dirty old sidewalks.
Think I’ll walk off my steady job today.

Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana.
And gimme all I got comin’ to me,
And keep your retirement and your so called social security.
Big City turn me loose and set me free.

Been working everyday since I was twenty.
Haven’t got a thing to show for anything I’ve done.
There’s folks who never work and they’ve got plenty.
Think it’s time some guys like me had some fun.

Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana.
And gimme all I got comin’ to me,
And keep your retirement and your so called social security.
Big City turn me loose and set me free.

At the end of the song, I told JR, “Don’t you dip me (wink wink).”  It worked – he dipped me!  So fun!

Related posts:

Conversation with a Future Cowboy (7-3-14) Yellowstone (8/17/13 – 8/19/13) Lake Fork with Bunny (8/25/2013) Bobcat (8/2013)