The Trail of Billy's Last Ride- 2004
All photos by Ken Sweetser

The life and death of Billy the the Kid has been a source of fascination for more than 123 years. His brazen escape from the Lincoln County jail and his subsequent ride to Fort Sumner where he was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, is the basis of a week-long re-enactment that takes place every April in Lincoln, New Mexico. For information about the 2005 event, contact: Wally Roberts, Trail Ride coordinator: Wally@HighCountryTrailRides.com at (505) 392-1224  or cell; (505) 441-1229 

Home Jim Etter poses for the camera before beginning the arduous journey.	The faces have been hidden to protect the identities of the innocent.	Which way do we go, Rex?
Someone has to keep an eye out!	The riders hang it up and call it day at the first overnight campsite. A view of Sierra Blanca Mountain standing on the front porch of Camp Lone Tree.	A tuckered-out ride participant enjoys a siesta at Richards Ranch before heading out on the trail again.
Who said food isn't a good attractant? The riders come in for lunch hosted by Richards Ranch.		OK, guys, the idea is to put the horses IN the horse trailer. This is just one of cowboy taxis along the trail...provided courtesy of the Baxter Boys.
Bill Neal (left) and Tommy Lochridge (right), Red Boot Ranch, pose for the camera.	Dead tree trunk at Los Tables site in Lincoln County. This is the place where Billy the Kid stopped and removed his shackles after his infamous escape from the Lincoln County jail in Lincoln (Lincoln is just over the mountain in the background).	One of the orphaned deer I saw along the way. These deer were tame as they had been raised by the owner of the ranch we stayed at that night.
Hey, guys, you might want to read the book "The Proper Care and Feeding of Your Pet Deer."	The stock dog at the Merritt Ranch does a good job at keeping the animals and guests in line.	Wally Roberts, our resident chuckwagon chef, rings the dinner bell.

The sun comes up over the fence at the Merritt Ranch on an unusually cold early May morning.

Ed Grant (left) enjoys breakfast and tries to get warm by the campfire. The unidentified person on the right is just wanting that first cup of morning joe.	Hey, got milk? Wally Roberts' chuckwagon is set up for breakfast.   Seconds, anyone?	Try walking a mile in this horse's shoes! One of the riders takes time out to put a new shoe on his horse.   Yvonne Borish, from Prescott, Arizona brushes up on her horse grooming skills.
Looking north from the Overton Guest Ranch in DeBaca County.	Clock at Overton Guest Ranch in DeBaca County	On the inside looking out...the logo of the Overton Guest Ranch is etched in the glass on the front door of the main house. The main house is more than 100 years old.
Ken pets one of the orphaned bottle-fed deer at Overton Guest Ranch. How many can state they've pet a wild deer?		OK, what do you have for me to eat? Veggies? Candy? Yogurt? Guess I need to read the book "The Proper Care and Feeding of Your Pet Deer" myself.
	Here they come...the riders arrive at Overton Guest Ranch for dinner, a hot shower, and a soft bed. It's funny how we take the later two for granted...until we've spent the night on the cold hard ground out in the open.	Looking east down the driveway at the Overton Guest Ranch. The faint spot above is the moon...not an unidentified flying object headed for the alien convention in Roswell.
Trailriders Ed Grant (left) and Rusty May (right) pose for the camera.	Charlie Overton and sidekick demonstrate their musical abilities for the group after enjoying dinner at the Overton Ranch.	OK, Jim, do we like to have our picture taken, or what?
Yvonne Borish and fellow trailrider, Dean Baxter, enjoy a chat over the campfire.	Wally Roberts' sidekick helps out with preparing a chuckwagon breakfast for the crew.	A few of the guys have a chat before heading out on that day's leg of the journey.
Rex Buchman, up at at ‘em.	A gate to greener pastures?	An old tombstone found on the property at one of the overnight campsites.
	Aint I cute? Aw shucks!	Evening at the OK Corral.
Time to feed and water the horses before bedding down for the night.	The sun sets on the long and dusty trail ahead.	Almost there. The trailriders skirt and then enter the Pecos River before heading underneath the U.S. 60 bridge near Fort Sumner and on to Rex Buchman's house for a steak dinner. Hey, does anyone know how deep that water is?
It doesn't appear to be too deep.	OK, I guess you're right.	Anyone up for a catching a fish in the Pecos River?

Night comes and all is well on the western front....and to all, a goodnight.         Home / Back to top