Archive for October, 2008
Yes, it’s still October 31
From there I had a brief stop in Rapid City to see a few friends working hard on in preparation for election night. Once again I would go into detail, but again Ms. Couch has advised me that, while I might stray a bit in my travels, I should not in my writing.
Did you think I had enough gear?
My trip was far from over as I headed back out on the road, destination: Rapid City. My next stop was Rays Western Wear. I needed to pick up a Montana Silversmith briefcase. [From the editor: if Jess is going to have to carry a briefcase around while wearing that suit, it better be a a piece of Montana pride!] Like everything there is more to the story here, but my editor coaches me to be brief and concise on my first round of blog postings. So I will just say to all you readers, if you are driving I90 to Rapid City, you better stop in at Rays Western Wear and be prepared for service and western hospitality that warms your heart and lightens your pocket book! Yes, Deb and the crew are the best, and I am still not sure how I went in to pick up a briefcase and came out with a new cowboy hat. If you want to know the story, you will have to stop in at Rays Western Wear! Call ‘em before you do at: 605-787-4702 and ask for Deb McPherson!
Moving on down the road
From there, my travels take me to Belle Fourche, SD. Belle Fourche is home to one of the top livestock markets in the Black Hills. Here I meet up with a top cowman Mike Karrells. Mike and I discuss U.S. Cattlemen’s membership efforts in Montana and the Dakotas. On a side note- if you are looking for some great horses, the Karrell ranch is having its annual horse sale at the Big Country Sale, Wednesday, December 3rd at Midland Bulltest outside of Columbus, MT. For more information, click here.
Mike and I map out some possible USCA meetings for January 2009 and agree to make these happen and continue building the organization!
I need gear
But as I prepare to head out on the road, I need some gear. I stop in one of my favorite western wear and supply stores: Murdocks in Miles City. If you are ever traveling through or near Miles City, you must stop in at Murdocks. When I am in DC, I don’t have any places to buy a good shirt, vest, or pair of jeans. So when I get the chance, I love stopping in Murdocks to stock up on some new threads. Plus, Clothing Manager Tracy Hauk knows just how to outfit anyone with the perfect look and fit!
Heading to the countryside
When you head out on the open road in this great country, you will find one constant reassuring principle: America is made great by the fine people that are proud to live, work, and play in the good ole USA. If your faith is ever lacking or if you doubt the goodness of people in this country, rest assured there is a simple cure–just head out on the open road! [What Jess means is: if you find yourself stranded under a highway underpass in a snowstorm in Rapid City, South Dakota, someone will have a shovel you can borrow. More on that later.]
Seriously, I have one of the best jobs in the world! I spend the majority of my time lobbying on behalf of U.S. cattle producers in Washington DC. The other part, I manage a cattle operation in South Central (near Red Lodge) and Eastern MT (Miles City). And of course the challenging–but oftentimes the most rewarding and heartwarming–part of my job is traveling the country meeting and speaking to ranchers. The goal of these meetings is first and foremost for me to listen to what is on the minds of ranchers. It’s also my goal to recruit supportive and engaged individuals to join the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association.
On this particular journey in late October, my goal seems pretty simple: I plan to reach the Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska annual meeting Valentine, Nebraska.
Join the journey
Somewhere between boots and saddles, briefcases and taxis… an idea was sparked that a cowboy lobbyist and a highly-skilled writing professional should team up and narrate the adventures of a young Montanan trying to build a cattle operation, a cattle association, and a lobbying and consulting firm. Oddly enough, all three of these jobs have a single striking similarity—a large majority of the paycheck is the satisfaction one gains from working extremely hard to make just a little bit of progress doing what we love doing.
So here’s the deal: I am going to attempt to relay the stories and adventures that take place throughout this journey. You will soon see that I have a passion for the job; I talk a mile a minute; and my ADD often seems to drive me overboard. Fortunately for us, a highly-skilled writing professional will clean up my thoughts and ramblings…. She will make several references like—note from the editor “Jess meant to say” or “I have tried to revise Jess’s ramblings several times, and this is the best I can do.”
So get ready, we are taking a journey. We’ll all learn, laugh, and cry together. As stated, I have a short attention span so most of my blog posts will be short blurbs on any given topic that affect my daily work and play as I travel somewhere between boots and saddles and briefcases and taxis, again and again.
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