July 24: Giddy Up

Today's post is dedicated to adventure - I guess I've embraced this adventure attitude. I'm figuring out who I want to be on this trip. I've decided that I don't want to live in one place. I'd like to divide my time throughout a year or maybe two between family, friends, and hopefully, a lover.

Don't Ever Sell Your Saddle

- Unknown

"Don't give up on dreams.

Take time to see 'em through.

There is no magic recipe,

hard work makes 'em come true.

Even when you're struggling,

your friends will stick like flue.

Don't ever sell your saddle,

your dreams won't give up on you."

"I don't wanna be alone forever, but I can be tonight.

I don't wanna be lone forever, but I love a Gypsy Life..."

quotesgram.com

Well I did sleep. I slept the entire day...until Terry woke me up to get ready to go to the rodeo. Terry and Jackie couldn't remember how to get there exactly because the rodeo hadn't been open for more than a year due to COVID. Terry's phone kept telling him that it was 28 miles away and that it would take two hours and forty-five minutes to get there. Every turn he made - he would get rerouted. Finally he discovered that his GPS was in walk mode. We got to the Pond Hill Professional Rodeo in plenty of time. This rodeo is the longest running rodeo in the U.S. and is run by the same family on their fifth generation. We had popcorn, chicken strips, and onion rings. I bought a little cowboy hat for my little Texan, Franklin. I can't wait to see it on him.

The first set of bull riders hung on much longer than the second set. The barrel racing was very exciting. I love to see them ride in and ride out at top speeds. Another event that I found fun to watch was the team calf rope and truck it. Three team members had to separate one of the tagged calves from the herd of twenty, rope it, untag it, get it onto the trailer, put in one of their horses behind it, then all three had to get in the truck and honk the horn. It was entertaining because these were real cattle guys who do this for a living - they weren't rodeo cowboys. All in all the rodeo was a good time. The lines were long, the stands were crowded, the bathrooms were stinky, but the rodeo was fun.