“In the year 1984 I was offered a job as the Western Slope Regional Director for The American Heart Association. For three years prior, I had been travelling around the country, and I decided it was time to settle down. I remembered driving past Parachute a few times and I had heard there was a lot of good housing there that they were practically giving away. So, I bought a car in Fort Collins and drove down here. I ended up finding a three bedroom/ two bathroom fully furnished modular here for only $187 a month, and I took it."
"After getting settled into my new job, I was at a little gift shop downtown and a man named Mike Salinsky said to me ‘you need to meet Lee Hayward. I think you would make an absolutely great couple,” to which I responded ‘eh, I’m not really looking for anybody.’ Of course, about two months later, I heard that Lee Hayward and the 96 Ranch had trail rides. I had always thought I’d like to go on a horseback ride in the mountains, so I called and made an appointment. The day I went to the ranch for my ride, it was a Sunday morning, so I assumed there would be a large group of people going on this horseback ride. However, when I drove up to the 96 Ranch I only saw two horses saddled. So, that’s how it started. Lee and I went out on a ride with just us two. After our ride, he invited me to have breakfast with him. That was the beginning of the greatest love of my life. Lee was some 22 years older than me, but I loved his energy, and most importantly, his love of this area.”
