Many people tend to believe that the true American lies within every cowboy that you are able to find on the West. Still, have you ever meet any of those cowboys? Would you really like to make your trip more valuable by meeting some of them? If that's the case, then you definitely need to read the msnbc.com article just below:
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For centuries the brawniest and bravest have been lured to the American West.
Cowboys and their oft-portrayed archenemies, Indians, etched a near mythological landscape into our minds that we have yet to shake. The cacti-studded desert, virgin forest-blanked hills, and jagged mountain peaks sit under an overly spacious sky while plus-sized packs of buffalo and larger-than-life mammals roam the vast emptiness.
A lot has changed since those heady days, but many remnants of this much romanticized culture remain. The question is: Where does one get the best of the West? Where are the dude ranches, verdant national parks, untrammeled deserts, one-horse towns, and, if you’re lucky, a few cowboys?
“Movies have really contributed to our romance of the West,” says David Scott, who, along with his wife, Kay Scott, penned the popular book “The Complete Guide to the National Parks.” “They’ve portrayed these [Westerners] as brave risk-taking people who did things that people today can only dream about.”It’s no surprise that the Scotts’ favorite destinations in the West represent this bucolic, yet sometimes difficult life of yore. The Triangle X Lodge in Wyoming is one of their favorite western destinations list for its uniqueness and its authentic rustic feel. “It’s the only dude ranch in a national park,” says David Scott, referring to Grand Teton National Park. Best of all, guests get their very own horse. “They organize daily itineraries that include you and the horse,” Kay Scott adds. “And then when it’s time dinner time, they ring a bell and you leave your private cabin and everyone eats together.”
Samantha Brown knows a thing or two about capturing the Old West spirit. The host of the popular Travel Channel show, “Passport to Great Weekends,” Brown has criss-crossed the region several times and never fails to come back with a philosophical outlook. “When you travel abroad, it’s easy to look at the U.S. and say you’re such a young country,” says Brown. “But geologically, it’s a billion years old. I just get so much strength from looking at the mountains and trees and the landscape. It’s all so unbelievably overpowering and makes you realize that who we are as Americans goes much farther back than we think.”
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