This past weekend had Gabby, Sally, Diana Vega and I going to the rodeo. We were all excited and took the threat of showers in stride. We parked free at the Hermann Park and then rode Metro rail for 2 bucks. This was a lot better than taking the bus like we have done in years past. There is a small parking lot to the right of the fountains and we just pulled right in there, walked about 100 yards to the station and we were on our way.
This is the 4th year of Gabby and Diana going together. They have been friends a long time and they absolutely have a blast getting on the rides and seeing all the pretty lights. This was Diana's first time on train and so we all thought we would ride it all the way downtown on the way back if there was time.
Right off the bat, the girls got on the Techo Dip (Sally's Tejano Dip) which was a ride with arms on it that bounced everyone up and down. Sounds lame but it was pretty cool. Sally and I laughed at her pronounciation of "Techo". It was written (or painted) in a funny script so it was hard to read. Gabby and I rode the "Hi-Miler" - a itty-bitty roller coaster that was just as scary as any of the bigger roller coasters. It was rickity and metal and clangy and shook a lot as the cars went around through the dips. It was a lot of fun and of course, I screamed like a little girl. Ha,ha. Gabby and I were just rolling and having fun. Gabby and Sally got on their spinning roller coaster which they really loved. This is the roller coaster that has two seats facing forward and two facing backwards and the car seats rotate so that sometimes you are going forward, backward, and sideways through the track. Gabby and Sally LOVED that one.
The last ride that Gabby and I got on was called "Zero G" -- I remember it from high school as "The Roundup". Basically, it's another "rickety" ride that you stand up in, and there is a little dinky strap that is in front of you. Of what use it is I don't know. The ride then starts to spin you around and around..faster and faster...and you start to feel like a sock in the washer during spin cycle. Tighter and tighter we are pressed against the wall and then....wrrrrrr....the darn thing starts tilting. Ayeeee! We start looking like a rolling quarter and I see the ground come up and go down up and down -- round and round. I look over at Gabby and she has a big o' grin and she's trying to climb up the wall. Get DOWN ARE YOU CRAZY! ha,ha. She can't go anywhere even if she wanted to...centrifugal force is pushing some serious Gs. Me? I'm thinking...this is adjusting my back just fine... As soon as we start getting into hyperspace speed, the ride starts slowing down and we feel the gentle push of the ride starting to tilt back down...hssss...there goes the hydraulic lifts...sqeeeeak, sequeeak, the brakes are being applied. Aaah...the ride is over. Now, I can fix my hear...wipe off my drool....and look "cool" getting off the ride. The things Dads do.
After eating our way through the food tents - and they stretched a LONG way... Gabby and Diane gobbled down (groan) a turkey leg. Sally had a fajita on a steak and I had a chopped baker. We also ate some funnel cakes, fried Oreos (don't ask), and darn - I didn't get my roasted corn. Just as well I guess. We also made our way to the trade area where the vendors were. Boots, hats, vests, and "horned" furniture could be yours. Hmm...not my tastes. I bought Gabby and Dianna some sand sculptures. The ones where you fill a bottle (in this case a horse head) with sand of different, brightly colored sand. Gabby had purple and pink and Dianna had tan and brown. Both of their new treasures received a fur hat. I put the year on Gabby's so she can remember it.
We left the rodeo carnival about 10pm and the kids were still kinda peppy. They were still interested in riding towards downtown but we decided otherwise after looking at the number of stops (12) to make towards downtown and then 12 back. Nah. Too late. We got the kids in the Lexus (Thanks Uncle Oscar) and they were passed out a few minutes later.
Such a nice time at the Rodeo and I'm sure they were dreaming of riding even more rides.
