Chapter 14: Saddle Tramp

It was just after sundown when I took a break. My backside was feeling it after riding cross-country for over two hours. Now would be a good time to try calling the ranch, I thought, to see what was happening. I hoped there hadn’t been too much disruption at the ranch and that everyone was safe.

I unpacked the phone and the prepaid card to access the minutes I had purchased. Two things kept me from making the call: first, I had no signal, as the phone showed less than half a bar; and second, the battery had very little power left. I needed to find a better location for reception and somewhere to charge it.

Frustrated, I tried to think of where I could fix both problems. It wouldn’t happen that night, as I was far from any place where I could charge the phone or get a signal. The earliest opportunity would be the following night, since I was nowhere near where I could charge the phone or receive a cell signal.

If I continued in the same direction, I would be close to Zion National Park. I might find what I need there, but I also risked being recognized. That risk was too great, so I needed another option. I had to go a different way, but I wasn’t sure which direction to take. With the terrain as it was, I could easily end up traveling in circles and never find a safe place to charge the phone or get a signal.

I was getting tired and, in my estimation, not getting anywhere. Instead of continuing, I planned to stop for the night and then decide what to do in the morning. I had been in the saddle for over a week and was growing used to traveling by horseback—becoming something of a saddle tramp. The constant riding kept me safe from the Ramos criminal element, but it did little to help me stay in contact with Cletus and Edna.

It was then that I noticed lights in the distance. My curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to investigate. I cautiously rode to within a hundred yards of the lights and tethered the mare to a cedar tree I spotted, backlit by the glow of the buildings. They weren’t a homestead; instead, they looked more like they came from an attraction or a retail location.

I approached the buildings, expecting a motion detector to trigger lights that would illuminate me and give security cameras a clear view. But nothing happened. There were no motion-activated lights or security cameras—at least none that I could see.

I found that odd. Maybe a watchman was keeping an eye on the property. There were no cars in the parking lot, so I doubted anyone was around. The place was deserted, though well lit on the sides facing the road. I cautiously moved along the side of the building, keeping my hat low to hide my face.

There, on the door, was a sign listing the hours for the attraction and gift shop. According to it, the place was closed Sunday and Monday and would reopen Tuesday at 9 a.m. This was early Sunday morning, so there was a full 48-hours before it opened again.

I sighed with relief and decided to look for an outdoor faucet where I could get some fresh water. Fortune smiled on me, and I found both a faucet and an electrical outlet. Pleased, I went back to where I had tied the mare. She stood patiently while I dug through my gear for the phone, its charger, and the water bottles.

I carried everything back to the water faucet and electrical outlet. First things first, I tested the faucet and was relieved to find it worked. I quickly filled the water bottles and plugged in the phone. The outlet was live, and the phone began charging. That was a relief.

I would be able to call the ranch and talk to Cletus and Edna, they had to be as concerned about me as I was about them. It took over two hours to fully charge. I kept an eye on it as it powered up.

The signal strength wasn’t even a full bar where I was, which meant I would have to find a place with better reception.

The sun was starting to make its presence known, so I needed to leave soon. I made sure I had gathered everything and returned to the mare. After stowing my gear, I took one last look around, mounted up, and rode off into the scrubland where I couldn’t be seen.

As I left the roadside attraction, I had to decide where to go. The only place I knew I could get a signal was back toward St. George and the interstate. As the crow flies, it was an hour away by car, but I was on horseback. It would take at least two days to reach a place with enough signal to make a call.

I was tired of traveling by horseback and hiding. I wanted to contact the ranch and make sure everyone was safe. I just wanted to go home.

Funny, I thought to myself. I was calling a ranch home. A little over a year ago, I’d called a ranch-style house home, and I was married, happily teaching math at a college. Things had certainly changed.

I was in my head again, not really aware of where I was or what direction I was traveling. So I stopped to check my compass. It indicated I was heading west.

With all the rock formations and washes I had to detour around, I could have been going in circles. Looking back and slightly north, I could barely make out one of the mountain ranges I’d been using as a reference. I took out my pocket memo pad and turned to the page where I had sketched it, along with several other reference points.