|
James Hamilton, M. D.
I assume that the vast majority of us, along with our families, were fans of several '50's and '60's TV westerns since they ruled the evening airwaves during those years. Mostly they were morality shows with the good guys always winning and the heroes never looking disheveled, even after a long, hard ride across the dusty plains. Although many were filmed on a set they were interspersed with stock footage of some spectacular scenery from out west. And I feel it was that landscape that attracted me most to those shows and, perhaps, influenced my decision to move to Colorado.
The cowboy shows of recent decades have concentrated on movies (Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott are great in these as is Willie Nelson) and mini-series (Lonesome Dove for instance) as opposed to weekly TV serials. But these have been few and far between and that is a shame, in my opinion. However, they are probably more realistic both in their costumes (dusty boots and hats, sweaty shirts and neckerchiefs, etc.) and their stories. What has even gotten better is the scenery since many parts are filmed on location.
When my wife and I moved out here in 1976 the cowboy culture was very much alive and well with many western wear stores and tourist attractions that centered on life in the "old west". One of my favorites was the Flying W Ranch, very close to our house, which was approached by way of a dirt road and where, after crossing several cattle guards, you could attend an authentic outdoor chuck wagon dinner, cooked by ranch hands and served on tin plates along with really hot coffee in tin cups (carry them back to your picnic table with a handkerchief!). The cowboys who served you would then complete the evening with a stage show of western songs under the stars and surrounded by red rock monoliths. A lot of the ranch was sold in the 1980's and the Mountain Shadows subdivision with hundreds of homes was developed in it's place. About 200 acres remained for the dinners and shows but were destroyed when the Waldo Canyon Wildfire crested the foothills in 2012 and burned the old buildings, stage and shops to the ground. The Wolfe family (The "W" in Flying W) has been working hard to restore this treasure and hopes to reopen this year.
Many of the western wear shops have closed and been replaced by the usual urban renewal type stores that are popular with millennials. Seldom do I see people on the street attired in true western duds. There are still a few cowboy themed events in the city - Pikes Peak Rodeo, July Street Breakfast - but today's younger residents are more interested in jogging in spandex to Starbucks for a latte while texting on their cellphones than eating beef and beans under the stars and listening to old cowboy songs.
The beautiful landscape and scenic vistas remain and that, in itself, is what is most intriguing about the West. The cowboys of yesteryear and the Indians appreciated that more than anything else. And so do I.
Now, if I just can avoid chancing upon those illegal cannabis farms in the national forests....
Oh, and by the way, the one piece of western wear I still own and use is my leather vest:
Jim
|
