The best of Wyoming dude ranches uphold the spirit of the old West where courage, resourcefulness, independence and self-sufficiency were keys to survival and success. Of course there are resorts even in Wyoming where city slickers laze by swimming pools, sport Marlboro hats, rhinestone shirts and glitzy chaps, but there are some places where guests can come to experience the real rather than the make believe of Disneyland. One can still find working, family ranches which raise their cows and horses in remote places and take in guests who are treated like members of the family. These are places where guests can learn to ride western style and work cattle in a meaningful way. They get a taste of what life was really like for those who carved out a living in the old West of Owen Wister and Remington. Those who care can still get some of the flavor of adventure and independence by visiting a dude ranch and living it themselves. It is difficult to find any other way of understanding the reality of this way of life. Good books and movies can help, but they are not the same as the thrill of riding a galloping horse after runaway cows, breathing the dust of the trail and feeling the ache of tired muscles. You don’t get this from a computer game where falling from a horse doesn’t cause any bruises except to the ego.