Katacha Díaz is a Peruvian American writer.

Wanderlust and love of travel have taken her all over the world to gather material for her stories.

Recent work in Freshwater Literary Journal, Galway Review, 10 By 10 Flash Fiction, ZiN Daily, Amsterdam Quarterly, Big Windows Review, Anak Sastra, and Visual Verse. Katacha lives in the Pacific Northwest, near the mouth of the Columbia River.

Saddle Up!

By Katacha Díaz

On a weekend getaway from the bustling city, three amigas traveled to
a Southwest guest ranch, a perfect destination off the beaten path, for the
Big Apple thrillseekers!

They hired Levi West, a tall, hunky cowboy guide for an Old West riding
adventure in the foothills of the coral-hued Sandia Mountains of New Mexico,
and they saddled up and were ready to ride.

No dull, sidesaddle, nose-to-tail rides for these city cowgirls. They traveled
down dusty zigzag trails, dodging yucca and prickly pear, loose rocks and
tumbleweed.

The amigas quickly fell into line when they heard Levi shout, “WHOA!
WHOA! Y’all wash up while I mosey out yonder to rustle us up with some grub
from the chuckwagon.” The spicy buffalo green chile stew with cactus tortillas
hit the spot, but they politely declined second helpings of the smoked
rattlesnake jerky.

Back on the winding trail, while taking in the desert mountain scenery, they
stopped to watch a band of wild Spanish mustangs nibbling on grasses. These
urban cowgirls seized the moment! Sitting high on their Arabian trail riding
partners, dressed in brand-new Western wear, they struck a pose and smiled
for a group selfie.

“OK! It’s time we move on out,” said Levi West, the hunky cowboy guide
extraordinaire, as he tipped his Stetson straw hat.

The rugged, picturesque Land of Enchantment was both sublime and
exciting. It was an ideal getaway, for the three amigas to saddle up, get in touch
with nature and recalibrate.

“End”

“Saddle Up!” by Katacha Díaz. First published in Freshwater Literary Journal, 2023, p. 31.