Texan Edge

Charles Goodnight's Winter Drive

Tweed Scott Season 1 Episode 80

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Description:
In this powerful Texas tale, Tweed Scott shares a lesson in courage drawn straight from the open range. When a brutal cold front swept across the Llano Estacado, legendary cattleman Charles Goodnight faced a choice—turn back or push through. His answer became timeless wisdom: “Courage ain’t about comfort. It’s about commitment.” In this episode of The Texan Edge, Tweed reminds us that grit isn’t about the weather or the odds—it’s about showing up, holding your line, and keeping the herd moving no matter how rough the trail gets. 

Show Notes: 

  • Theme: True grit and perseverance in tough times
  • Listener Shout-Out: Larry Haney in Cushing, Oklahoma — proof that The Texan Edge spirit knows no borders!
  • The story of Charles Goodnight, legendary Texas cowboy and cattleman
  • Setting: The frozen, wind-swept Llano Estacado during a brutal winter cattle drive
  • The moment of truth: a young hand ready to quit and Goodnight’s timeless reply — “Courage ain’t about comfort. It’s about commitment.”
  • Reflection: How that cowboy wisdom still applies to modern life and personal struggles
  • Key takeaway: When the cold winds of life hit, don’t stop—keep your herd moving. The warmth will return.
  • Closing line: “Ride tall. Stay steady. And we’ll see you Monday.”

 

This isn't just a podcast, it's a Texas state of mind.

SPEAKER_00:

Hi there, it's Tweet Scott again with the Texan Edge. Here's a heartfelt shout out to Larry Haney in Cushing, Oklahoma. That's right, I said Oklahoma. Hey, everyone's welcome here. Today's story is about true grit, a Texas trail story that carries wisdom for today. If you've been around Texas for say the maybe more than a week, you've heard of Charles Goodnight, cowboy, cattleman, and all-round symbol of Texas tenacity. But there's one story about him that doesn't always make the textbooks. It happened on a winter cattle drive across Yano Estacado, that big, flat, wind-bitten stretch of West Texas that'll make you question your life's choices about five minutes in. A coal front had blown through, and temperatures dropped so low that even the cattle's breath hung in the air like smoke. Most men would have turned back. But Goodnight, he didn't believe in turning back. He figured the herd needed feeding, and the buyers were waiting, and the job had to get done. So he pushed on, through sleet, through wind, through nights so cold you could hear the saddle leather creak. One night a young hen finally said, Mr. Goodnight, we can't make it. The weather's too bad. Goodnight looked at him right in the eye and said, Son, courage ain't about comfort. It's about commitment. Then he climbed back on his horse and kept riding, and sure enough, they made it. Now that's just not cowboy talk. That is life advice. We all hit cold stretches when the things don't go right for us, you know, when plants freeze up and when the wind's in our face. But that's when you find out who you really are. You keep the herd moving, even if you can't see the trail. So if you're facing your own winter right about now, well, take a page from good night, bundle up, hold your line, and keep going. The warmth will come back soon enough. This is the Texan Edge. Ride tall. Stay steady, and we'll see you Monday.