The life of the lonesome cowboy, 1978

The enduring romance of the Wild West was one thing, the tough conditions faced by ranchers quite anotherThe life of the lonesome cowboy out West is a fantasy for others living in their 'urban Levi-lands of blue denim,' writes Alan Road in the Observer Magazine of 29 January 1978. They long for 'the freedom of the ranch' and eye up the cattlemen and ranch hands of Western Canada, dressed in stetson and 'sweat-stained shirt, jeans, boots, spurs and leather chaps'. They may look like heroes and 'film extras', but the reality, cowpokes working the old Cariboo Trail in British Columbia tell Road, is down and dirty.Poor wages are driving people like Chris 'Cactus' Kind from ranching: '$450 [?225] a month and all the scenery you can look at,' he says bitterly. He's now a guide 'to wealthy Americans who want to hunt Canada's cougars, wild sheep, moose and grizzlies'. After shooting a 600lb bear, one man said, 'Chris, that's the biggest goddammned bullmoose I've ever seen.' Continue reading...