DINNER AT THE BAR J RANCH

We decided to visit the Bar J Chuckwagon Ranch for a traditional cowboy supper show experience.  Dick and Sheri, our friends from Wyoming, came along with us on a delightful summer evening.  The Bar J feeds over 750 guests in less than 25 minutes with a meal consisting of meat (steak, pork ribs, BBQ chicken breast, or BBQ beef), baked potato, cowboy beans, chunky applesauce, biscuit, spice cake, and beverage (coffee, lemonade, or ice water).  The meal is  authentic cowboy from the cattle drive days of the early west.  Remember, refrigeration was non-existent back in those days so fresh vegetables including salad fixings were not on the menu. 

If you look closely, you can still see plenty of snow on top of the mountains in the background, even in mid-July.   

This carved arch welcomed us to the eating area.  The singing bears on the roof reminded me of the "Country Bear Jamboree" at Disney.

We were offered biscuit appetizers, made in authentic dutch ovens and served with honey.  The cowboy below is taking some baked biscuits from the large baking dutch oven to a smaller dutch oven used to keep the finished biscuits warm.  Dutch oven baking is done with cast iron "ovens" that are put on a bed of coals with more coals put on top of the lid.  The lids to the left have a ring of coals around the lid.

We wandered the grounds and found this cattle skull among the antiques and other relics.

Paul is seen here sitting in an old-style swing made from wagon wheels.  It would have been "too touristy" to take a photo in front of the bear on the right. 

We then entered the dining hall where old boots and saddles, complete with dust from who knows when, adorn the rafters for decoration.  You can also see the edge of a Texas state flag hanging from the rafters on the right.

 

After the meal, we were entertained by singing cowboys who told the story of the old west with song and humor.  Many of the songs were sung without musical background, and the harmony was much appreciated by the sell-out crowd.  There was also some outstanding fiddling and banjo playing--not because we are judges of music but because the accomplishments and awards of the individual musicians were noted during the introductions.

During the winter, the Bar J Wranglers tour the western U.S. performing shows similar to the show we saw this evening.