Sunday 3rd September 2000

AMARILLO


Just starting our 2nd week, time going nice and slowly, just how we needed it to. It was a little cooler this morning, temp around 80 to 85° at about 8.40am. Started today by visiting the laundry room, putting in the washing and then going for breakfast, can’t eat too much today as still full from last night, we had fresh doughnuts, apple/orange juice and coffee.

After completing the washing (the first opportunity we'd had to wash some smalls or bigs in my case!), we made our way to a small town called Canyon and then onto The Canyon, this would give us an insight into things yet to be seen. We drove around the Canyon road, but found it difficult to understand why the Visitors Centre was closed, especially as this was Labour Day weekend. (Labour Day is a United States Federal Holiday and always taken the first Monday in September so getting name of Labour Day weekend).

After leaving The Canyon we drove to a place called Old Tascosa, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch being our venue for the afternoon. It originally was used as a place for wayward boys, but now takes girls and even whole families and now is used as a refuge while parent’s sort out their problems. It looks a fantastic place and some of them have been there for years, it looks like they get a fantastic education. Every year they have an Annual 2 day Rodeo performed by all the boys and girls, the oldest being about 17 to the youngest being about 5 years of age. It was very hot there with a hot breeze blowing: the temp must have reached about 100°.

We had a brilliant afternoon, the kids were great, even the drink and popcorn sellers were kids from the ranch, their manners were impeccable and everyone was very supportive. The afternoon started by the youngest children coming out on the backs of large sheep, jumping around the arena until unseated, great sight. Then as the animals got bigger so did the child until the 17 year olds lads were coming out on young bulls. Some of the girls completed some horse races, weaving around sticks and barrels, Rob and Ken found this section very enjoyable, as they were the older girls with all the right gear on, even down to the cowgirl hats. At the end of each session there was prize giving and all the contestants would be driven round the arena in a large cart showing off their medals. It was a brilliant afternoon, the entertainment value was fantastic, but it was so hot we were glad to get back into the van for the long drive home.

We returned to the Hotel, hot, tired and weary and couldn’t get in the swimming pool quick enough, very refreshing swim and just what we needed to wake us all up. We returned to our rooms and Bev tripped up the stairs. For dinner this evening we drove into Amarillo and after driving around for a while decided to go to The Olive Garden restaurant in the centre of Amarillo, great meal, bit expensive for what is was but later found out it is part of a chain, so not quite authentic America from what we were used to.


On our return to the Hotel, Ken & Bev decided that they wanted to go on a shopping trip to the local Wal-Mart, so they dropped Rob & I off as we were all shopped out and they went shopping while we went to the bar for a long cool beer. We noticed there was rather a lot of noise from the restaurant and gathered that someone was attempting to eat the 72oz steak. We did not stay to see how long it took him or if he finished it as he had only just started and this was around 9.30pm by then.

We returned to our room to find that my swimsuit had been stolen from the balcony where it had been hung to dry, the towel was still there, but after a long look around, no swimsuit. Good job I had packed my spare one or we would have to have gone back to the Wal-Mart were Ken & Bev had shopped until they dropped that night.



TRAVELLED TODAY 200 MILES