We drove our cows nearly 85 miles to Medicine Lodge, Kansas. This was the year to be part in the Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Pageant which is a historical re-enactment of the not only the signing of a peace treaty between the U.S. government and five Indian tribes, but also the history and traditions of the exploration and settlement of the west. Our longhorns were used to re-enact the cattle drive era of the 1880′s.
The cattle drive took us six days to get to Medicine Lodge. It was a lot of fun with just a little bit or rain and lots of great people. The following photos were taken from the guests’ perspective. 
David and I are headed out from the ranch. Notice the only green grass is in the bottom right hand corner. There is a windmill there, and the runover from the windmill has produced the only green grass in miles.
This is the same pasture. We rode 11 miles to where the cattle were located, in slightly greener pastures. From there we drove them another 13 miles to the first campsite. It was a long day.
We were slowed down a bit along the way when Matt’s two year old refused to cross the first creek we came to. After some encouragement, the cowboys finally resorted to roping him and pulling him across. Several more days and miles down the trail, he had no more problems crossing water.
The horses were unsaddled for the day. I scampered around as fast as I could before dark to get a fire started and supper ready. Most everyone else found a place for their bedroll that night and spent the evening relaxing.
We did venture into one city along the way. Wilmore, population of perhaps 15, has a grain elevator, a bank and of course the Wilmore Opry.
The cattle grazed at the Wilmore City Park as we ate lunch from the chuckwagon.
The cattle grazed, we ate, and those lucky enough not to be holding the cattle horseback did this.
The chuckwagon is waiting on the cattle to drink. Menno and David are holding the cattle until all the younger cows have wandered into drink.
Paula caught me during the middle of starting supper. I had just completely gone through the chuckwagon looking for the ingredients for supper that night to make stew, cornbread and peach cobbler.
There was always one more hill to go over, one more gate to go through and one more creek to cross before the day was over.
So when evening came, we were all tired and ready for relaxing around the campfire;
Until the rain came at 4:00 am and tore everyone out of their bedrolls. Both man and beast were looking for the shelter of this teepee.
It was still a little misty the next day when we made into Medicine Lodge at the ranch rodeo grounds, the end of the trail.
Everyone managed to survive with smiles. The smiles were either due to a healthy six day existence in the fresh air, or more likely, the visions of the hot shower we were all dreaming about at the time.