We drove started our very long drive to Dalhart for the rodeo. EV did not appreciate the first stop very much, but she did approve the second stop at Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Unfortunately due to the very high heat we only went to the visitor centre and admired the views from there. There were multiple warnings signs not to do any bushwalking, so our approach seemed sensible. Despite that we still quite enjoyed the stop.
The trail ride was good fun and we saw a few animals along the way. The trail varied a bit and we rode for quite a while. Afterwards we all got to say good bye to our horses. We were all quite thirsty after so we stopped in at a Buc-ees for a refreshment. Some of the smaller riders may or may not have fallen asleep on the way home.
We drove to a horse ranch where we got to do an afternoon trail ride. The horses were very calm and almost all of the kids got to have their own horse to ride. It took a little while to get everyone situated but we got going eventually. The girls didn't seem to mind though as they got more time patting the horses.
We got to go to a waterpark for a day in the water. MV and SV did a quick warm up ride before heading to a pretty big double tube ride. Some of the other kids took a bit longer to warm up, but warm up they did and they all tried big rides.
There are a number of things that Texas is famous for and we tried a few of them. MV tried a big hair style to look a bit fancy before getting in the pool. We also visited a Buc-ees and had some bbq. The shop was quite the experience. Then we played all sorts of games with family, a good day indeed.
We all went to Medieval Times for a feast and a show. Apparently it has been an institution in Dallas for a long time and a bit of a right of passage. So we all went together to cheer on the knights and their jousting. It was fun to cheer on our champion in the tournament and the kids really enjoyed the spectacle.
The first day in Denton with the cousins from this side of the family was spent doing a few things. Mostly playing in the rooms or in the pool, but lots of playing. Some of the ladies also managed to duck out to get their nails done. They came back very relaxed and looking great.
