SPECIAL TO THE PVT Larry Hughes Jr. does the cooking during a recent event hosted by the Short Branch Saloon in Crystal. Reservations for dinner are necessary for the Friday event. Advertisement

Kathy Bragg, owner of Miss Kathy's Short Branch Saloon in Crystal, is finally getting a little recognition and an opportunity to participate in this year's Pony Express from the Chamber of Commerce -- and it all started over meat loaf.

Bragg became upset when someone directly associated with the Chamber office began praising the meat loaf of another local restaurant at a public venue.

After all, her specialty at the Short Branch is "Loosey's Meatloaf," and the recipe for it was published in a national magazine in 2001.

Deciding to make a point, she visited the Chamber of Commerce office with her "renowned" meat loaf in hand and after offering a sample to the office staff, Bragg suggested they show some support to chamber members vs. non-chamber members when handing out accolades, or send someone to the "other" restaurant to "sign them up."

Bragg has been a member of the Chamber since 2004, four years after she bought the Short Branch Saloon.

Bragg said, "Don't you know the (Pony Express) chairmen, Doug (Shaw) and Jim (Hannah) came to see me the very next day and asked me if I'd like to participate. I told him it took long enough for them to ask and yes, I would."

Usually, the event starts with a kick-off party at a casino with a lot of fanfare, food, music and fun. This year will be the same, just a different version. The party, dubbed "Cowboy Cookout" will be at the Short Branch Saloon, and it starts at 5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 28.

The general idea is to party the old fashioned way; the way the cowboys did it. "I'm excited to be doing this", Bragg said. "It'll be a great way to have some fun without it costing a bunch of money. How novel is that?"

Bragg is hosting a celebration consisting of the simple things in life; good conversation, good food, good music and fun ... just like the good old days.

Games like chicken bingo, tug-o-war and musical chairs are on the improvised schedule of entertainment, and a local gunfighters club might just "create trouble" and stage a shootout.

Different people will be cooking steaks over outdoor grills. Party-goers are asked to bring musical instruments for entertainment and a sing-a-long around the fire pit in the patio. Dancing is encouraged.

Reservations are absolutely necessary for dinner. "I can't emphasize the need for a reservation (to eat) enough," Bragg stated. "I'm only feeding those who let me know. They have to remember I'm out here in the middle of nowhere and Albertson's isn't across the street." Besides steaks in Bragg's special marinade and then grilled, meals include Short Branch camp beans, salad and garlic bread served from the buffet for $15. Chicken enchiladas or meat loaf topped with chili verde is the alternative option and the cost for either of those is $6.

After dinner, there will be the Silver Dollar Auction, something not unusual for the Short Branch. Patrons will purchase Short Branch silver dollars, get a numbered paddle and bid on items like $25 gift certificates from the Bass Pro Shops, a battery powered screwdriver, hats, T-shirts, bottles of wine in wine holders and the list goes on.

"It's all simple, silly stuff but it's a lot of fun," Bragg said. "And it's not expensive fun. Folks are only allowed to buy $20 worth of silver dollars."

Spending the night is an option. Although all six of the Short Branch rooms have been reserved, tents and RVs are welcome. Arrangements have been made with the community park for tent campers, RV and horse trailer parking.

The Pony Express trail ride leaves the Short Branch at 8 a.m., so Bragg is offering breakfast for the riders, sightseers and those who spent the previous night. "I'll make something like sausage gravy and biscuits and whatever else I feel like cooking," Bragg said. Breakfast starts at 6 a.m. Saturday morning and the cost is $6.

For the most part, Bragg runs the Short Branch alone. When asked if she was stressing over hosting an event like the kickoff party, Bragg said, "Oh, heavens no. I stress when I'm hosting the "Bordello Run." There were 1,168 people here last year for that and I really was busy." The Short Branch is often involved in fundraising events like poker runs.

The Short Branch Saloon is located two miles off Highway 160 between Highway 95 and Pahrump. The food is good, the hospitality outstanding and guests are made to feel the most welcome they will ever be anywhere.

To make reservations and get more information, call 775-372-1717 after 10 a.m. The Short Branch is closed on Thursdays, but would be diners may leave a message reserving a choice of dinner entrée for the Friday event.