Grieb Ranch folks got out the rubber boots last week . . . not because it rained, but because they needed the boots to hold down the drop cloth as they painted the house. Next on the paint gun agenda was Ol’ Red.
Ol’ Red has been a fixture of Grieb Ranch since the 1970’s and has been places that some people only dream of going. It could spin quite a yarn if it were able. The first time Connie drove home from the Santa Maria fair by herself pulling a trailer, it was Ol’ Red that she pulled.
Another memory takes place in the back country off Hwy 166 where Connie was sent to pick up a wild cow. Ol’ Red gave her quite the scare when she ventured down a steep hill the trailer started to pass her. Turns out the trailer brakes weren’t working! Yikes. She had to wait for some cowboys to rope Ol’ Red and keep it in place while someone else drove the truck into a safer place and set the trailer back behind the truck.
Flap, Flap, Flap the sound came from the trailer recently as Connie was hauling heifers from the hills into the lower corral. Connie stopped and checked the trailer and found the tread coming off one of the wheels. She was able to wind the truck and trailer down the hill to the lower corrals still fully loaded with the flap, flap, flap sound continuing. Once on the flat lower section the heifers were unloaded and then began the fun process of changing out the tire in a bit of an unconventional way . . . a tractor was used as a jack! Little P witnessed this tire change and quickly started practicing the method on his own. Ethan was also available to lend a hand and some muscle using the lug wrench to remove the bad tire.
So with a new tire came new paint, but not just paint, Ol’ Red also got new mats on the replaced floor and rust converter as an undercoat. Ol’ Red is still red – quite RED – and shines with its new coat ready to take on new adventures for Grieb Ranch.
