The
view became even more incredible once I was on horseback
as part of the Prairie Women Adventures run out of Homestead Ranch in Matfield Green. Ginifer Maceau, the ranch's program manager, hosts a group
of women from two days to a week in the ranch bunkhouse. Women who participate
in the program become
part of working cattle ranch, learning how to burn pastures, brand
cattle, spot wildflowers and care for
horses.
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The Homestead Ranch horses relax before we saddle up. RTM Photo/Rachel L. Miller |
"Being a part of the program does
a combination of things for the women," she
informed me. "They're bonding with other women, which is something most of
us don't have a chance
to do, and they get a sense of accomplishment, a real feeling
of 'I did something I didn't know I could do.' It's good for the soul."
The programs (which also include corporate
retreats and youth programs) began
about 10 years ago when Maceau's business partner Jane Koger, who owns the ranch, decided she wanted to share
the beauty of the Flint Hills with others.
"She
was also doing a non-traditional job by working a cattle ranch and wanted to introduce it to other women,"
Maceau said.
Business
has been steadily building since Koger began hosting groups at the Homestead and I can see why. While
I was riding in the open prairie, I felt much
more connected with the land, with every facet of nature and with myself than I have in the longest time.
As I gazed out over the landscape, I forgot about the work that was
waiting for me back home. Once my worries were stripped away
and all I could see for miles was prairie dotted with cattle, something clicked.
And that's when I started thinking
that this is the same view America's pioneers
saw 150 years ago - the tallgrass prairie - a view that has gone virtually unchanged over time. When
I was on that horse, I felt even more in touch
with those who initially explored Kansas as the American frontier and with the
Native Americans who had lived there before it was considered the frontier.
Even
though I was wearing a pair of hiking shoes instead of cowboy boots, a protective helmet in place of a ten-gallon
Stetson and an incredibly goofy smile,
I felt like a cowgirl - a pioneer - a prairie woman.
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The
bar of the Grand Central Hotel's Grand Grill. RTM Photo/Rachel L. Miller |
If you want to do the whole
horseback riding thing during the day in the Flint
Hills and return to a luxurious hotel room and dine in an upscale restaurant, then head out to the Grand Central Hotel in Cottonwood Falls. Built
in 1884, the inn has been in operation as such ever since. The building,
which was restored in 1995, has been given AAA's Four Diamond designation
and is a prime lodging choice for those traveling to the Flint Hills.
Every room has a distinct feel to it, even though each one has the standard amenities of two fluffy bathrobes,
hair dryers, Jacuzzi showers and the
best duvets I've ever seen (or felt). The dinner menu in the inn's restaurant, the Grand Grill, is eclectic,
and I must say (in all honesty) the
best steak I've ever tasted in my life was the perfectly-seasoned filet served at the Grand Grill.
Even though the Grand Central Hotel
started out as a business retreat, "it's a destination," general manager
Suzan Barnes told me. "That is exactly
what we've created here."
In
continuing with the pioneer vibe, later in the day I hopped aboard a covered wagon for a ride across the
prairie. Despite the urge to romanticize the
experience, I must say it wasn't exactly smooth sailing. There were times it was bumpy and others when
it was downright bone-jarring, but I thoroughly
enjoyed it. And after all, prairie women didn't ride inside the covered wagons
(which were packed full of the family's belongings), they walked alongside them.
 |
| The Flint Hills' Overland Train
Tour stops for a break. RTM Photo/Rachel
L. Miller |
The
two companies that provide these rides also offer
overnight stays at their respective campsites, along with delicious pioneer grub and entertainment. Both Country Boys Prairie Adventures (in Newton)
and Flint Hills' Overland Train Tours (in Cassoday) offer educational programs that inform its participants
about the rigors of pioneer life.
But
even cowboys have to have fun, right? I experienced Old West entertainment
at its finest on a cattle ranch located outside of Wichita. The Prairie
Rose Chuckwagon Supper runs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (from January-October)
and includes an all-you-can-eat barbeque meal
(the brisket was mouth-wateringly
tender) and after-dinner entertainment by the Prairie Rose Wranglers.
The
Wranglers, who specialize in three-part vocal harmonies, impressed
me enough to make me feel like I was sitting around a campfire on a summer night after driving cattle
all day (but minus the sweat, exhaustion and sore muscles).
"People
come from all over the world to the Prairie Rose to experience our Western heritage," owner Thomas
Etheredge said. "We offer a wholesome experience that appeals to people
of all ages."
 |
| The Prairie Rose Wranglers perform
for a capacity crowd of 300. RTM Photo/Rachel
L. Miller |
Etheredge
and his wife, who also own the
cattle ranch, found cattle prices so low a few years ago that they were looking for a way to make ends
meet. The couple ended up creating the Prairie
Rose, which now brings tourists out in busloads (literally) and results in a smile on every face of
their 300 dinner guests by the end of the
night (including yet another goofy smile plastered on the face of yours truly). ..)
Like
Etheredge said, the Prairie Rose
is a well-rounded entertainment experience perfect for everyone, even cynical city slickers like me, who
had never before breathed a note of a Roy Rogers tune. Now, I must admit, I'm
hooked on cowboy tunes. I've scoured the Internet for a cowboy radio station,
which I happened to find at bonzaroo.com, so I can listen while I work. If you'd
rather have a CD to pop in your car for the commute to/from work, the Prairie
Rose Wranglers have made three CDs, all of which are for sale on the Prairie Rose
website (see below for link).
If
you decide to visit the Prairie Rose, be sure to make reservations, because, according
to Etheredge, they sell out almost every night. And after having experienced firsthand
the homemade biscuits and brisket (and the entertainment), I can see why.
And
I couldn't have fit in so nicely at the Prairie Rose if I hadn't of purchased
proper western wear (although one is not required to wear western clothing at
the Prairie Rose). The best place in Kansas to start your shopping excursion is Sheplers in Wichita, which claims to be the
world's largest western store. After stepping foot in the enormous store, I found
it hard to imagine a larger western wear retail establishment. Being a city girl,
I know how to shop...but let me tell you, I didn't know where to start. However,
once I did start, I did not stop for quite a while.
And
the compliments I've received on my Sheplers cowboy belt buckle have been numerous.
In fact, just last week I was at a party where someone asked me about where I
had gotten my glorious belt buckle. And as I began telling my story about visiting
Kansas, the person asked, "I think I drove through Kansas once, didn't look
like much. You mean there's actually stuff to see there?"
I
replied, "No. There's not much to just see, but if you're looking
something to really experience, then you should visit Kansas."
That
may sound corny, but I really do believe it. Sure, you can see anything from behind
the glass of a car window...but Kansas has more to offer. Kansas has
a whole other world waiting for those of us who are willing to give it a
chance.
