Twenty Miles of Fence

Blueprint of a Cowboy

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Pub Date 01 Mar 2023 | Archive Date 28 Feb 2023

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Description

Twenty Miles of Fence recounts a decade of transformation when Bob West, a westerner at heart, decided to escape the pretense of his unfulfilling architectural life and to become, quite simply, a cowboy. A cowboy?

That old cliché about biting off more than you can chew fittingly describes the lessons learned when West and his family bought the Devil’s Washtub Ranch in Wyoming. Already owning two horses, housed in a stylish stable on five acres near the yuppie haven of Boulder, Colorado, West soon discovered that ownership of two horses does not equal twenty miles of fence, 3,200 deeded acres, 400 BLM acres, 154 head of black angus, two and a half miles of the North Laramie River—and what would become for him the very best of times. Little did West know how those years would test him, inspire him, and lead him back to his true character.
Twenty Miles of Fence recounts a decade of transformation when Bob West, a westerner at heart, decided to escape the pretense of his unfulfilling architectural life and to become, quite simply, a...

Advance Praise

“You can take an architect out of Boulder, but can you make him a cattle rancher in Wyoming? Twenty Miles of Fence answers that question in gritty, unflinching detail. A searing, adventurous memoir about the cold, hard realities of pursuing the cowboy way.”—Mark Stevens, author of the Allison Coil Mystery series

“If you ever doubt that Wyoming is not for the weak, Twenty Miles of Fence will dispel you of that notion, with writing so vivid you’ll shiver at the January blizzards, smell the fresh-cut summer hay, and hear the river rushing on a cool evening. The reader is treated to an unfiltered look at what real cattle ranching is like, without the romance and legend. Bob West’s transformation from greenhorn to a man in tune with the land and animals shows grit and determination much like the landscape itself. This is a true story of homecoming, an unflinching look at the seemingly insurmountable challenges and the ultimate triumph.”—Shannon Baker, award-winning author of the Kate Fox Mystery series

Twenty Miles of Fence won me over. It is a charming story that is candid and open about the author’s fears, passions, loves, disappointments, and the growing-up lessons that came along the way. It will delight a wide range of readers, including those from the West and far beyond.”—Richard L. Knight, professor emeritus of wildlife conservation at Colorado State University

“Colorado architect Bob West was already half qualified for cowboy life when he bought a Wyoming ranch. He loved vast wild spaces, enjoyed hours on horseback, and had a deep respect for the land, its people, and creatures. The other half—backbreaking labor, a surprising reliance on machinery, gleefully fickle weather, and finances that rarely penciled out—he learned the hard way. Learn he did, and it’s a testament to West’s spirit that he held on. The take on ranch life in Twenty Miles of Fence, written with Janet Fogg, is both unsparing and yet so lyrical as to make readers yearn to give it a try themselves.”—Gwen Florio, author of the award-winning Lola Wicks Mystery series

“You can take an architect out of Boulder, but can you make him a cattle rancher in Wyoming? Twenty Miles of Fence answers that question in gritty, unflinching detail. A searing, adventurous memoir...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781496233578
PRICE $19.95 (USD)
PAGES 224

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Featured Reviews

Many thanks to both Bison Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Twenty Miles of Fence.

Expected publication: March 1st 2023

As another reviewer stated: "You can take an architect out of Boulder, but can you make him a cattle rancher in Wyoming? Twenty Miles of Fence answers that question in gritty, unflinching detail. A searing, adventurous memoir about the cold, hard realities of pursuing the cowboy way.”—Mark Stevens (I couldn't have described it better!)

The writing in Twenty Miles of Fence was so vivid that I felt I had actually stepped into a ranch in Wyoming. I was right there when the author described the extreme hot and/or cold weather. I watched as Mr. West designed the cabin and outbuildings for the ranch. The descriptions were absolutely amazing.

Learning about cattle ranching was fascinating. On the other hand, the graphic descriptions about accidents that happened to the cattle (especially to the calves), the horses, and even the dogs ripped my heart out. I feel like such an idiot for not realizing these things would be a part of cattle ranching! They made me happy to be a vegetarian!

Back to the things I liked the most, it was also fascinating when Mr. West delved into the Native American history of his ranch. It made me wish I could beam myself into the ranch and hunt for artifacts with him!

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The Author is a part of a successful architecture firm in Boulder Colorado. He is getting tired of the mundane of his business and lifestyle and with his wife they decide they want to buy a ranch. Over a 4-year period they burn up a lot of weekends looking for the ideal situation. It was definitely neat to recognize a lot of the towns they visit and mention. They are what longtime ranchers would call wannabe cowboys. Just when they are ready to call it quits, they find the right place, a 3200-acre ranch in Wyoming. Now talk about a contrast in lifestyle when you consider the lifestyle in Boulder Colorado where close to big city and a very liberal society compared a much more conservative country way of life. But hey they are going to weekend cowboys it cannot really be all that hard right? They are riding horse around Boulder, so they got it figured out. They go in thinking that this is going to be fun and not the nightmare it can be with being a money pit and just how hard it is to make money ranching. The author is so incompetent in the beginning that he buys a blind horse. Overtime with help of the former owners and friendly Neighbours they sort of figure it out. This is a pretty good read and for me it does not end like I figured but i would definitely recommend this book if you want to learn what ranch life is like from the viewpoint of a complete novice.

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