We are staying at Ruby’s Inn RV & Campground. Everything
in this area has “Ruby’s Inn” in front of the name. I wondered why?
So, let me
tell you a bit more about the history of Ruby. Reuben Syrett, known as “Ruby”
brought his wife Minnie, 8-year old son and 6-week old daughter to the eastern
edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in Southern Utah. They established a ranch near
the present site of Ruby’s Inn. A few weeks after his arrival, a visitor from
the nearby town of Tropic stopped and asked them if they had ever seen Bryce Canyon.
“No, what is it?” The neighbor said, “Just a hole in the ground, but you should
see it.”
So, Ruby and his family made a Sunday visit to the canyon rim. They
were mesmerized by the views and took the opportunity to tell other people about
the canyon’s beauties. They also became hosts to its visitors. In 1919 they pitched
a tent on the rim, to host guests and a year later they had obtained permission
from the state to build a lodge, the “Tourist Rest”, near the brink of the
canyon. The Union Pacific Railroad Company was developing tourism around
National Parks, they wanted the land where “Tourist Rest” was built. In 1923,
when Bryce Canyon became a National Monument, Ruby had to sell “Tourist Rest” to
the railroad. They went back to ranching, but really missed “Tourist Rest.” So,
in 1924 a friend convinced them to build another lodge. They built a lodge on their
ranch and called it “Ruby’s Inn.” It boasted a kitchen, dining room, lobby,
guest rooms with baths, beauty shop, barber shop, tea room and several tourist
cabins. The Post Office established services at Ruby’s Inn. The USPS still services
the area residents and guests from that location. Ruby’s reputation grew as the
National Monument grew to a National Park, and soon Ruby’s Inn became a large
business operation. What started with tent houses and a place to serve meals, lead
the way for the building of modern facilities, eating establishments, services
and expansive entertainment venues. All that serve the tourists at Bryce
Canyon, providing all the traveler needs to make a stay in the Bryce Canyon.
Our first night in Bryce Canyon, we attended the Bryce
Canyon Country Rodeo. Charlie and I have been to several, but many in our group
have never been to a Rodeo. We got there when the gates open and got good
seats, not under then grandstand but in the metal bleachers, at the top, with a
backrest!
They started the event with the National Anthem, with
cowboys carrying the US and Utah flags.
The first event was Bronco Bustin’. Those guys could really
hold on!
The second event was for the little guys, Mutton Bustin’. If
you have never seen these little ones ride, or try and ride … it is an event
you have to see!
The little bit bigger kids, had Heifer Bustin’. As the
announcer explained, the older guys and girls doing the Bronco Bustin’ and Bull
Riders all started out on something smaller!
The kids in the audience got to participate in the Rodeo
too. They had three different age levels and each got to chase a pig or piglet.
The winner was the child who could catch the pig! If you have ever tried to
catch a pig, you know how quick they are!
Barrel Racing was the next event up. The girls that
participated were very good!
The youngest participant was less than 5 years old
and she was lead around the barrels by her father. Start them young … that is
this family’s motto!
A fun event they had was the “Sweetheart Pick-up.” It was a
unique event …. One person had to race down the arena, put on a vest, and climb
onto a barrel. Once they were on the barrel, their partner rode down on a horse
and the person on the barrel had to get onto the horse and then they raced back
together. It was a timed event! We saw a boyfriend pull his girlfriend off the
horse! We saw a young man afraid to jump from the barrel onto the horse … it
was a very funny event.
The Rodeo ended with a beautiful sunset and a fireworks show
celebrating Pioneer Days!
Sunday morning we took our church to the rim of Bryce Canyon
on Horseback.
We witnessed the beauty of his work for the first time on the
back of a horse!
We enjoyed a trail ride from town, through the Ponderosa Pine
forest to the north rim of the Canyon. We all were a bit scared, since none of
us could remember the last time we were on a horse! We turned in our tickets
and waited to be assigned a horse.
Nancy, got a horse named Alice; Charlie (not
my Charlie, he passed on this activity) was riding a horse name Bodacious. Rick
was on a horse named Feona and his wife, Donna, rode Lady. My horse was a paint
named Wrangles.
We had three cowboys that assisted us with our trail ride.
Two of them, were in the Rodeo we saw the night before. There was maybe 20
horses and riders in our group. The funniest part of the ride, was watching all
of us try and mount the horses! But, we all did it!
I guess I should say we
were lucky … Myself, Nancy & Charlie were the first three riders …
Rick and
Donna were further back and they said they “ate dust” the entire ride! Those
horses are very sure footed, but then they follow the same trail day after day!
The first views of the canyon were priceless!
One of our cowboys, rode along the rim while standing on the
back of his horse!
After we turned from the rim, we ran into a herd of cows and
a babbling brook. Another of the cowboy ranch hands had his horse gallop
through the brook.
The trip back to the corral was just as breathtaking as the
trip to the rim, except we were able to see another tour … the ATV / UTV tour.
The noise did not bother the cows or the horses!
The total ride was 90 minutes … I think that was enough time
on the back of the horse! They offer a 3-hour trip down into the canyon, but 3
hours on the back of the horse is probably 90 minutes too long!
On Sunday night, we attended Ebenezer’s Barn & Grill, a Cowboy
Dinner Show. We enjoyed an evening of old fashioned western fun, music and
great cowboy food in the heart of Bryce Canyon City! We pre-selected our meals;
we had the choice of pulled pork BBQ plate, chicken, salmon or steak. Never
being sure of salmon, I selected the steak, as did Charlie. All the meals
included cowboy beans, real mashed potatoes, coleslaw, biscuit, dessert and
beverages. We were seated at tables of 8 in the first three rows.
Before the
show, we had the opportunity to talk to some of the entertainers. One of them
looked very familiar, the more I looked at him, the more I knew we had seen him
somewhere before. Later in the show, we learned that he is a bus driver for the
Bryce Canyon shuttle. He was our bus driver into the canyon that day! A couple
of the entertainers also had skills as “cowboys” and those skills were
demonstrated before the meal. There was some trick roping, whip cracking and a
few jokes!
After our delicious meal, the Bar G Wranglers provided great western
entertainment. The group all played and sang and offered excellent harmony.
They each sang two songs, from modern songs to country classics.
I will blog about all we did at Bryce Canyon in another blog
… stay tuned!
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