March 10th, 2021
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow forward in whatever way they like. -Lao Tzu
Our plan to be in Branson, Missouri by the end of last month was delayed, so we’re still in Bandera. Our original departure date was February 21st, but while we were putting the last of our things into Felix’s underneath storage area two days prior, we received a call from the park ranger up there informing us that the Visitors Center was not going to be opening until May instead of March, as originally planned. So we extended our stay here by another month while we figured out what to do in the interim; meanwhile, we continued volunteering for Meals on Wheels which the coordinators at the senior center really appreciated since they hadn’t yet found anyone to assume our route.
The plan-demic/scam-demic known as Covid-19 did not dramatically alter life in Bandera thank goodness, and most events proceeded as scheduled. Including RODEO, one of my most favorite things to attend here. Up until recently, all the ones we’d ever been to were of the traditional variety, where riding and roping were highlighted. On Saturday though, we went to our first RANCH rodeo—an all-women’s ranch rodeo, at that—and it was amazing.
A ranch rodeo showcases the working cowboy/cowgirl, and the skills and determination required to work a cattle or horse ranch. Many of the events are team-oriented to reflect the cooperative effort needed to perform ranch duties. There were five teams in Saturday’s competition, some mostly five-member teams with one four-member team. I’d estimate the ladies’ ages ranged from 20’s-40’s.
One event was to simulate the rescue of three ranch hands who’d found themselves in trouble at the far end of the ranch, across the river. The team member on horseback had to gallop from one end of the arena to the other, retrieve/rescue a teammate standing on a barrel by getting her on the horse, and then bring her across the “river,” which was symbolized by a blue tarp. One by one the ranch hands had to be rescued, and the team with the shortest amount of time won the event. The finesse of some of ranch hands to leap from the barrel onto the back of the horse was captivating, and not one missed her mark. It was also entertaining to see if the horses would step on the blue tarp, and thereby “cross the river.” Some did without hesitation, but a couple of them needed a bit of coaxing.
Another event was tie-down roping, in the event a sick or injured calf needed to be caught and immobilized for treatment. Ranch hands pride themselves on how quickly they can rope and tie a calf, and the good ones are fast sprinters as well as experienced horsemen. In this particular rodeo event, a calf was given a head start into the arena, then chased by the horse and rider. The rider needed to lasso the calf, chase it down, wrestle it down to the ground (called “mugging”) and tie three legs a particular way with “piggin sting.” The supposed “injured” calves were determined not to go down without a fight, and it took several team members to bring it down on the ground so it could be tied. The winning time was less than a minute and a half!
While all the rodeo events are fun to watch, mutton busting is my favorite, probably because the riders are just babies, not much older than three or four, and the longest ride is just a few seconds. I don’t know if the little ones who are doing it for the first time have a clue as to what they’re in for, or if they’re scared for life afterwards as a result—but it’s hilarious to watch.
We are planning to leave Bandera next Wednesday, the 17th, and slowly make our way east towards Alabama, where we have reservations at an Army Corps of Engineers park near Tuscaloosa. From there we’ll head north to Kentucky and visit Kate and the kids. During our 2-week visit we’ll get to see half a dozen of Christian County’s baseball games, which I’m really looking forward to! After that, we’ll finally go to Branson where we’ll volunteer for only a month. Wish it could be for longer, but other workampers will replace us, starting in June.
At least, that’s the plan for NOW. We’ve learned that anything can happen, so ‘flexibility’ is the code we live by. I can’t say that we always have a Plan B, but we have made made lemonade out of lemons more than once. Of course, I’ll keep you posted on our whereabouts. Until then, take care, be healthy, and remember to wash your hands!