Montana brings "Ride For America" to Wyoming

On a crisp, clear morning Ð weather much the same as on the morning of September 11 Ð sixteen Montana cowboys and cowgirls prepared for their last day of a journey that began as an idea but has turned into a movement. In the shadow of the Big Horn Mountains, horses were walked off trailers parked along US Highway 90, bridles and saddles were checked, and last minute logistics were ironed out. As decisions were made about who'd ride which horse and who'd drive the support vehicles, Don Compton, organizer of "Montana Rides for America", was approached by a woman who'd been watching the activity.

Over the previous 27 days, Compton and his riders received some $20,000 in contributions for the World Trade Center victims. Rider Jay Dean said he was amazed by the response.

"It's been a real good experience," Dean commented. "I just love it. Ah, I'm just really impressed with the salt-of-the-earth people we meet here in Montana. They're just great. The way they pull up and hand us money.

"Even on the run - we've picked up five dollars one time going fifty miles and hour," he added with a chuckle.

Extra horses were brought along for anyone like me who might show up without a mount. Compton watched as I placed my East coast body carefully into the saddle.

"This is Ghost Rider," he bellowed.

"Oh, good," I replied. "That's a good horse to give me. The last time we saw him he was on Ghost Rider, riding off into the hills!" We all laughed at that image.

Compton is riding Cisco and carrying the beautiful saddlebags he received from the Canadians who started the Ride for America. When he met them at the border he was only planning to thank them for what they'd done. Compton said he had no idea he'd decide to continue the ride across Montana until the moment he was given the bags, which had been used to hold the money the Canadians collected along their journey.

"Only nice thing that they said was that these are personal bags for Don Compton," the burly rancher said with a smile. "How nice, I thought."

I asked if he had any idea at that moment what would follow the acceptance of those bags.

" No, I did not know what was gonna follow behind with this thing," he replied, laughing.

What followed behind the gift of the saddlebags was a 600-plus mile journey across Montana's often rugged terrain, averaging more than 20 miles a day, in all kinds of weather. But Compton isn't complaining - his heart's in it as much as those who began what is rapidly becoming an epic Western saga. The idea for the Ride For America began on September 13, when Canadian rancher Debbie Hampton, of Alberta, was watching T.V.

"I had the t.v. on," she recalled. "I was listening to the reports coming in from the States and a young man had just gotten up and was telling his story and asking if anyone had seen his wife...she had been working in the Trade Center. And...their anniversary was the same day as ours. And it...I just stopped what I was doing, listened and I guess it was that report that triggered our ride. I just felt that we had to do something."

What she and her husband, Gregg, did was immediately begin making phone calls to friends and family suggesting a fund-raising ride to the U.S. border.. By the time the group reached its destination, 135 miles and $50,000 later, it had more than doubled in size from 23 riders to 57. More than 100 American riders were waiting to greet them, a gathering organized by Compton's wife, Pat, a member of the Blackfeet Indian tribe. She said when she received word of the Canadians' approach, she called cowboy friends as well as the Blackfeet tribal chairman.

"You know, I said this is a great thing that the Canadians are doing for America and we should show our appreciation," she explained. "When we met just before the border, there was a hundred an twenty riders from America, and the Blackfeet came and the chairman came in his full dress and some other councilmen and it was great. When they got to the border, they sang the Star Spangled Banner, it was like...it made everybody cry. I mean it was just so emotional. And when you see a hundred and twenty riders coming from the south and fifty...fifty-some riders coming from the north...and they meet right at the border. It was kind of like back in the Old West. I mean....it was quite emotional."

Riding South along Highway 90, Compton agreed with his wife.

"Just imagine a hundred and twenty horseback riders, wagons and teams," he commented enthusiastically. "It was just absolutely fantastic. And everybody supports this ride, not everybody can go on it. But all through the weeks that we've been doing this, people come and ride a couple of hours, a couple of days or one day with us, so we've had a lot of support riding, too."

As the Montana Ride for America nears the Wyoming border, the sound of small talk is interspersed with laughter and songs like "Back In The Saddle Again". Some of the original riders are still with the group and express everyone's feelings as their journey reaches the end of the trail. Canadians Ray Watier and June Burrows are glad they took part in both the Canadian and American efforts but said they were sorry to see it end.

"It's kind of depressing," Watier said mournfully. "You know, you feel like you'd like to keep going but, you know, you gotta go home, go back to work."

Fellow Alberta resident June Burrows agrees with him and goes one step further. "I'd like to keep going. I'd like to keep riding all the way to New York. But I can't because I have to take care of my own family at home."

At the border, the riders are met by 20 Wyoming cowboys and cowgirls who will carry on the Ride For America across their state. They're led by Lee Yake, who explains why he and the other Wyoming riders are continuing the journey.

"There's too much pain in what's happened," he observed. "This won't get rid of it, but maybe it'll at least let the people in New York understand that we are behind 'em and for 'em and with 'em."

After a short prayer by Pastor Charles Gifford, the saddlebags, along with the flags of Canada, Montana and the Blackfeet tribe symbolically change hands and then the Wyoming riders start their own long journey, the sound of horses' hooves on pavement fading off in the distance. They hope the ride will continue through South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and across the country until it reaches New York City - where the flags, the sentiments and the money will be turned over to the Red Cross.

"Not only is it the Wyoming way, the Canadian way, the Montana, way, the American way," Gifford advised all the riders, "Hey friends...this is God's way. And what you're doing is a good thing."

The Wyoming Ride For America has stopped for the winter. Anyone interested in taking part in the Wyoming Ride when it resumes in April, or for assistance in establishing a Ride For America in their own state should contact Diana Volk at volk@fiberpipe.net.

Jim Kent is a freelance writer and radio journalist who's work is regularly featured in News from Indian Country and American Indian Review and on National Native News Radio, Voice Of America Radio. He may be contacted at: kentvfte@gwtc.net.

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