Watching a Rodeo

Stoughton Bell, Frank Gallegos and Waldo Stevens in Cuba, New Mexico in 1965. Waldo was the foreman of the 100,000 acre Baca Location #1 ranch and Frank was one of the cowboys. The ranch, still owned by 8 Texas families, encloses 11,254' Redondo Peak and most of the Valle Grande, a huge grass valley, the remains of an extinct volcano high in the Jemez mountains. Waldo visited us in Albuquerque several times and we visited the ranch several times. I drove much of the ranch in Waldo's jeep. Back in those good ol' days the ranch gate was not locked as it is now - nostalgia just ain't what it used ter be - From the highway, it is not easy to see the bunkhouse or the spectacular, octagonal, stone, owners' vacation home with it's immense octagonal fireplace in the center from which radiates each of the eight pie-shaped living quarters. Also, from the highway, the cattle look like specks.

I haven't seen Frank since he was badly burned in a bunkhouse fire.

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