Post by Chicago Jake on Mar 16, 2008 20:19:04 GMT -6
Saturday, March 15, 2008.
Beware the ides of March!!
My old college buddy, Michael, lives in Houston and works in the space industry. As a transplanted midwesterner, he embraces all things Texan, to the extent of even adopting the hat and boots. He invited a bunch of us to come down for "Rodeo Houston" this year. Myself and two other friends took the challenge.
"Rodeo Houston" is not what I expected. I was imagining something on the order of a county fair; some small corrals, where you could lean up on the wooden fence, chew on a long stem of grass, smell the cowshit, and watch the events up close and personal. No such thing.
The events were conducted in a huge stadium, where I believe the local pro sports teams play. We had nose-bleed seats, and could barely see the action on the field. Fortunately, I had brought my dSLR with long lens, and managed to snag some shots.
Here is an overview of the stadium from our seats near the top:
Unlike what I had imagined, there were not numerous areas to stroll about. Nope, it was virtually all conducted there in the stadium, one event after another. First there was calf roping. Then bronco riding. Then more calf roping. Then more bronco riding. Then more calf roping. At this point, I sort of lost track. Anyway, here is one of many shots I took of the bronco riding. There have got to be easier ways to make a living!
Through my long lens, the view wasn't too bad. But to the unaided eye, you had a better chance of seeing the action on the big screen "Jumbo Tron" TVs or whatever they call them:
After they had finished several hours of abusing the animals, the real cowboys left and some Country singer took the stage. I'd never heard of him, but he sure had the teenieboppers screaming. His name was Brad Parsley or Brad Pasty or something like that. He was okay, I guess, but I'm no connoisseur of that sort of music. Sorry, no pics of him.
Anyway, we snuck out while Brad was doing his yee-haw thing, and went to the livestock pavilion. This was more like it. I managed to get up close and personal to some interesting critters. Here is a real-live Longhorn steer (I guess that's what you call them). You could hang a hammock between the tips of those damn horns:
The first-prize-winning steer, by the way, brought a price of $300,000! I don't know what the fuck you are supposed to do with a $300,000 steer, but I'm guessing you don't just toss him on the barbecue!
We visited several other Houston-area cultural institutions, mostly bars. Okay, they were ALL bars. Eventually we ended up back at Michael's house where we cooked (what else?) steaks on the grill, washed down with many bottles of Shiner Bock.
By the by, interesting piece of trivia. My friend Micheal learned the hard way that you do NOT fly the Texas state flag upside down! It should fly like this:
with the red on the bottom, not on the top! Otherwise, he says, you risk having your ass kicked. Clearly, he was not acquainted with Tex's avatar.
So, bottom line: Rodeo was kind of a bust for this city boy, but the folks who live in Houston are all nice, friendly, and just plain good people. And their women-folk look mighty fine in denim miniskirts and cowboy boots. Big-up to them!........Jake
Beware the ides of March!!
My old college buddy, Michael, lives in Houston and works in the space industry. As a transplanted midwesterner, he embraces all things Texan, to the extent of even adopting the hat and boots. He invited a bunch of us to come down for "Rodeo Houston" this year. Myself and two other friends took the challenge.
"Rodeo Houston" is not what I expected. I was imagining something on the order of a county fair; some small corrals, where you could lean up on the wooden fence, chew on a long stem of grass, smell the cowshit, and watch the events up close and personal. No such thing.
The events were conducted in a huge stadium, where I believe the local pro sports teams play. We had nose-bleed seats, and could barely see the action on the field. Fortunately, I had brought my dSLR with long lens, and managed to snag some shots.
Here is an overview of the stadium from our seats near the top:
Unlike what I had imagined, there were not numerous areas to stroll about. Nope, it was virtually all conducted there in the stadium, one event after another. First there was calf roping. Then bronco riding. Then more calf roping. Then more bronco riding. Then more calf roping. At this point, I sort of lost track. Anyway, here is one of many shots I took of the bronco riding. There have got to be easier ways to make a living!
Through my long lens, the view wasn't too bad. But to the unaided eye, you had a better chance of seeing the action on the big screen "Jumbo Tron" TVs or whatever they call them:
After they had finished several hours of abusing the animals, the real cowboys left and some Country singer took the stage. I'd never heard of him, but he sure had the teenieboppers screaming. His name was Brad Parsley or Brad Pasty or something like that. He was okay, I guess, but I'm no connoisseur of that sort of music. Sorry, no pics of him.
Anyway, we snuck out while Brad was doing his yee-haw thing, and went to the livestock pavilion. This was more like it. I managed to get up close and personal to some interesting critters. Here is a real-live Longhorn steer (I guess that's what you call them). You could hang a hammock between the tips of those damn horns:
The first-prize-winning steer, by the way, brought a price of $300,000! I don't know what the fuck you are supposed to do with a $300,000 steer, but I'm guessing you don't just toss him on the barbecue!
We visited several other Houston-area cultural institutions, mostly bars. Okay, they were ALL bars. Eventually we ended up back at Michael's house where we cooked (what else?) steaks on the grill, washed down with many bottles of Shiner Bock.
By the by, interesting piece of trivia. My friend Micheal learned the hard way that you do NOT fly the Texas state flag upside down! It should fly like this:
with the red on the bottom, not on the top! Otherwise, he says, you risk having your ass kicked. Clearly, he was not acquainted with Tex's avatar.
So, bottom line: Rodeo was kind of a bust for this city boy, but the folks who live in Houston are all nice, friendly, and just plain good people. And their women-folk look mighty fine in denim miniskirts and cowboy boots. Big-up to them!........Jake
