Time for San Juan city slickers to get their cowboy on!

It's that time of year again….. when San Juan gets it's cowboy on!  After a week of rodeo festivities around town, Saturday was the first day of the rodeo and I had attended with my “date” who is three-and-a-half years old. (Cannot forget the "and a half"!)  When we arrived at the rodeo (or radio depending on which one of us you were talking to), we had quite a time getting in from Ortega.  There were lines going quite far back as well as for coming down from Ladera.  No signs about the cost of parking, but you get funneled into chutes in the parking lot and charged $5, so I had to scramble at the last moment.  (Not a complaint, just letting you know so that you can have your money ready.)  I could see that even as early as we were, we were going to have to park way down the way in the dirt.  However, I took just enough time to look for the money as when we pulled in.  Just as I pulled through, one of the cars ahead of me was motioned to go another direction.  I took my chances and followed him.  Good thing!  They opened up another line right on the grass strip at the top of the hill.  We have a parking spot with a view under a tree and I thought we are off to a great start.  As you can see from the pictures, it was a nice clear entrance in, but by going out of his way just a little, my nephew was able to make it a bit harder to get in!  I never got the “Family Circle” cartoons where Billy would get called home and he went through the entire neighborhood to walk home from the neighbors.  Now I get it!  My niece walks into places like a normal person, but this one is like a tank going over, under or through any obstacle in the way.  And if there is not an obstacle, he finds one!  After a couple seat changes in the bleachers, we finally got settled in.  For the moment.

The rodeo kicked off with trick riders and all I heard was, "that is so cool, Aunty".  I must say, these three women definitely showed great finesse with all their showmanship… or is that showwomanship… as they rode in standing on a horse, sideways on a horse, going back and forth over the top of a horse, etc.  The one I worried most about was when one of them rode in off the back of a horse.  Her feet were at the back of the saddle and she was leaning backwards over the rump, her hair dangling down by the galloping back hooves.  My nephew thought the lady riding “backwards” was the best and I am afraid he is going to try it next time he is at Zoomars! (Sorry, sis.)

I get the feeling this was the first time my nephew had been in bleachers like this.  By the time the American flag was ridden in, we were already one shoe down.  (Next year Aunty is not taking any kids not wearing tie shoes or boots!)  Luckily we were sitting over the stroller parking area and not where people were walking under the bleachers.  I explained to him the shoe was fine and even pointed out where it was.  I had to grab him a few times as I was afraid he was going to go under the seat and fall through the bleachers himself.  However, after watching the first 10 bronco rides, we were making our way down to find the missing shoe before somebody burst.  And as we did at the entrance, there was an easy way or a hard way over a bunch of poles.  Guess by now I do not have to tell you which path was taken.

After that scavenger hunt was successfully accomplished, my nephew decided we needed to check out the rest of the festivities.  He found a John Deer 4 wheel vehicle that he thinks Papa should buy for him (hint hint for his upcoming birthday, Papa).  There was some fun looking clothing and jewelry tents, an incredible photography tent and some other places such as a homemade candle/soap tent where I thought I could pick up a birthday gift for my mom, but he never slowed down enough for me to take a look.  He did make his way to the belt buckles display at one of the western wear tents, but they were too close to the play zone as he then made a beeline for the bounce houses.  After a few minutes there, he discovered the mechanical bull and over we went.  Although he cheated and used two hands, he stayed on for quite a while.  Course I doubt a real bull, if he started to slide off, would start spinning in another direction like this one did to help him maintain his seat as long as he did.  At the end, he was gentle dumped off onto the pads and he was off and running a couple times around the bull in some sort of victory lap!

I thought it would be a letdown after that, but he could not wait to do the pony rides next.  Scout was a trouper and plodded along with my nephew on his back.  (Had there been one more child in line in front of him, he would have ended up on a pony named after his sister!)  I convinced him the Human Hamster Balls were too old for him, but he discovered you only had to be 3 years old to be eligible for the bungee jump and since he was a whole “and a half” more, I was convinced to let him go.  He had a blast!  Did not like the flipping part of it, just the jumping and boy did he take advantage of it going sky high!  He would still have spent an hour doing that had I let him go again.  After that, we visited one of the kettle corn tents and got a snack before heading back to catch some more cowboy action.  Few more rides and he was done for the day.  Thank goodness others from the Patch were still there so that I was able to catch up on some of the action from home.