Cowboy rode south from Yellow Jacket figuring to cover the trip to Cortez in a day. He had a meeting with a rich landowner, Benjamin. R. Starr, from Denver who might loan Cowboy the money to buy a ranch in the Mancos Valley. This could be the big break Cowboy was waiting for. Cowboy pushed his horse Rocky hard down the well-worn trail he always took to make the trip. Mr. Starr said he was leaving for Denver on the next stagecoach.
As Cowboy’s horse topped a rise, there was no solid earth on the other side. A recent storm had cut a gully three feet deep. The horse pitched forward throwing Cowboy to the ground hard. Rocky rolled over and twice as he hit a large rock. When Rocky got to his feet, he had a severe limp. Cowboy’s ribs were not doing so well either as the pain set in. After accessing the situation, Cowboy knew he and Rocky were going to have to walk the rest of the way to Cortez.. And he might arrive too late to meet with Mr. Starr and he would miss his big chance to settle down, get married, and start a family.
After walking the rest of the day, Cowboy was astonished to find a small lush grass pasture that grew from the recent rains. Cowboy decided to dry camp for the night and let Rocky feed for a while. The next day Cowboy walked into Cortez like a beaten man. Just then a man sporting spectacles, a fancy cigar, and a new Stetson shouted out to Cowboy. As Cowboy drew near the man thrust out his hand and
said “You must be Cowboy? I am Benjamin Starr, You look as if you had a hard ride? I have been waiting on you” Cowboy told of his trip and Mr. Starr was impressed. “A young Cowboy like you is the kind of man that I want as a business partner. Son, you got gumption. I think we can do business.”
You need tweezers or needle nose pliers to access the log. And the location is brushy.
Cowboy's Benjamin R. Starr
| Difficulty: 
| Terrain: 
5 
1