Richard Martin
Thirty-five square dancers, all members of the SaddleBrooke Ranch Rancheros and the SaddleBrooke Squares, enjoyed dining and dancing at the Chaparral (D&D at C) on Jan. 2.
Why did we go there, you ask? Well, square dancing has always been associated with the romanticized image of the American cowboy, and the Cadillac Chaparral Restaurant offers a great cowboy ambiance. As a matter of fact, statuettes of the Lone Ranger, Tonto, John Wayne, and Hopalong Cassidy (along with Topper) were there to watch us square dance. (Many of our younger dancers asked, “Who was that masked man?”)
In my chat with the Lone Ranger, I asked him why he was so upset with Tonto, and he told me it was because he finally learned what Kemosabe really meant. (Readers, if you don’t get that one, just ask your gray-haired friends to explain it to you.)
Nancy, the owner of the Chaparral, is great, as she always welcomes us with open arms and clears a large area in her cowboy steakhouse and saloon for us to square dance. What made our square dance even more fun was we got to “strut our stuff” in front of her regular Sunday night customers. After we completed each square dance tip, their applause was deafening! (Well maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit, but one or two people did clap.)
Most of us also arrived early to partake in one of Nancy’s famous cowboy dinners. The food was delicious, and most of us ordered the best ribs to be found anywhere in the Tucson area.
Are you looking for ways to stay mentally and physically active, make new friends, and have your picture taken with The Duke, Hoppy, or Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s faithful Native American companion? If yes, check out the SaddleBrooke Ranch Rancheros or SaddleBrooke Squares on the internet.
Nancy has also hosted other SaddleBrooke clubs at her unique restaurant located 10 miles west of Oracle Junction on Arizona State Route 79. If your club might be interested in having lunch or dinner there, give her a call. Just tell her Clayton Moore sent you her way.