Heading Out to Royal-T Ranch
Woke up crazy early ’cause I wanted to beat the heat. Threw my backpack together real quick – water bottles, sunscreen, that dorky wide-brim hat I always pack for ranch trips. Drove two hours singing off-key to country radio, GPS cutting out near the dirt roads like always. Pulled into Royal-T Ranch right as they opened, dust kicking up under my tires.
First Stop: Horseback Trail Ride
Met Jake the wrangler at the corral. He sized me up and goes “You look like a Biscuit rider.” Got paired with this lazy brown mare who stopped to munch grass every five minutes. Jake laughed: “She’s not slow, just thorough!” We clopped past cactus patches and dry creek beds for an hour, sweat dripping down my neck but feeling awesome.
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Pro tips I figured out:
- Wear jeans that stretch – saddle soreness is real
- Bring baby carrots to bribe stubborn horses
- Take water breaks BEFORE you’re thirsty
Afternoon Madness: ATV Adventure
Swapped my cowboy hat for a helmet after lunch. Hopped on this beat-up four-wheeler that rattled like a coffee can full of bolts. Guide took us through scrubland trails kicking up so much dust I could taste it. Hit this one nasty bump that nearly launched me – held on white-knuckled while the guys behind me whooped. Got back covered head-to-toe in orange dirt, grinning like an idiot.
Nearly flipped trying to climb steep gravel ridge. Stalled twice going downhill. When we finished, the guide high-fived me: “You wrecked better than most tourists!” Legs felt like spaghetti walking back to main lodge.
Closing Out the Day
Hobbled over to the picnic area as sunset painted everything gold. Ate lukewarm barbecue sandwich watching jackrabbits dart between mesquite trees. Smelled like a mix of campfire smoke, horse sweat and engine grease – perfect ranch cocktail. Drove home exhausted with half my ATV trail dust still in my teeth.
Final takeaways:
Roy-T ranch feels rough around the edges but that’s its charm. Nothing’s too fancy – equipment’s worn, trails ain’t Disney-smooth, but that’s where real adventure happens. You wanna sanitized experience? Go to a theme park. You wanna laugh about almost eating dirt while learning to handle an ATV? That’s Royal-T magic right there.