{"id":20767,"date":"2024-04-17T00:52:51","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T06:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/?p=20767"},"modified":"2024-04-15T16:55:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T22:55:49","slug":"yellowstone-sleepwalker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/17\/yellowstone-sleepwalker\/","title":{"rendered":"Yellowstone Sleepwalker"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Bryce Angell – The outdoors has always been a large part of my life. My father was an outfitter and guide for 35 years and I was there to shoe and care for the horses and help him do the cooking. We took many great trips into the Yellowstone area. Even now that I\u2019m older, we still ride into the Tetons, Yellowstone and surrounding areas. My poems are mostly of personal experience. I am now retired and enjoying life to the fullest. I plan to do more riding and writing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My job was grazing horses when we packed to Yellowstone. I was ten years old but brave enough to graze them all alone.
\nAnd when they had their fill of grass I\u2019d tie \u2018em for the night. Then I\u2019d B-line to where the steaks and spuds were more than just a bite.
\nThe fishermen were chowing down on honey-buttered scones and gnawing on what\u2019s left of steak clean down to only bones.
\nWhen we finished washing dishes it was almost time for bed. By far the best time of the evening for this sleepy head.
\nBut first we stood around the fire and listened to the guide. He talked about tomorrow, how we\u2019d have an easy ride.
\nHe told us all, \u201cHit the sack. If needed, count some sheep. \u2018Cuz the fish are out there waiting. So try to get some sleep.\u201d
\nHe didn\u2019t have to tell me twice. I skinnied off my drawers. Then climbed into my sleeping bag out underneath the stars.
\nIn less than half a minute dreamland stole the night from me. I dreamed of a cricket chorus. A hoot owl singing in his tree.
\nI dreamed about the river. Cold air rising from its bank. And felt the splash of water from the horses while they drank.
\nBut the dream was all too real. I woke to water ankle deep. And wondered just how long I\u2019d slept. I\u2019d been walking in my sleep
\nI was out there in my skivvies and shaking from the cold. I tried to find our camp by then in desperation mode.
\nI\u2019m sure I walked for hours. Couldn\u2019t find my father\u2019s camp. My legs were soaked from all the tall grass being extra damp.
\nI swear the night was darker than the inside of a cat. So I backed up to a Doug fir, folded arms and there I sat.
\nI couldn\u2019t warm my fingers and my toes were freezing cold. They say to hug a tree when lost. Guess I don\u2019t do what I\u2019m told.
\nMy luck was finally changing. I stumbled to a new campsite. And there I found the men who got me through the scary night.
\nI recounted walking in my sleep, embarrassed of my plight. One man said, \u201dWe\u2019ll take you back. You\u2019ll get some sleep tonight.\u201d
\nOur camp was 50 yards away. My bag lay in a heap. I thanked the men. They said goodbye. Then to the deepest sleep.
\nMid-morning woke me. Thought I\u2019d go and check on my good friends. But they\u2019d set the saddle early. Never saw those men again.
\n\u2013 Bryce Angell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My job was grazing horses when we packed to Yellowstone. I was ten years old but brave enough to graze them all alone. And when they had their fill of grass I\u2019d tie \u2018em for the night. Then I\u2019d B-line to where the steaks and spuds were more than just a bite. The fishermen were […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","_pvb_checkbox_block_on_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-20767","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-cowboy-poetry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20767"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20769,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20767\/revisions\/20769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}