Who's Buster you ask?
Buster is my dad's half sister's dog. A Scottish Shepard, or something like that. Basically, a big ball of fur, with legs. Quite the dog!!!
When they arrived on scene, Mot and I offered to take him for a walk after their long drive. A group of us headed out to walk around San Jon (which doesn't take long - in 2000 the population was 306...and it's dropped steadily since then).
Somewhere along the walk, Buster found himself some cockle burs.
Actually "found" is a very nice term...meaning covered head to toe!!!!! (ugh!)
It took Nancy, Stan and Mot well over an hour to get the bulk of them out of his fur.
Hello, nice to meet you....sorry about your dog!!!!! (sigh)
Once we hit Amarillo, we ate at Hooters....
(all the businesses in Amarillo had horses outside, painted custom for the company...kinda like the cows in chicago)
....then to a Target (for something to tie my hair back - man it was windy there!!), went to Cavendar's boot store, and finally purchased some sale items at Gander Mtn.
On our way into Amarillo, we passed a billboard on the interstate. Palo Duro Canyon State Park, exit 2 miles.
Hmmmmmm.....wonder what that is??
I pulled out the Blackberry and googled it. After reading a little about the place, we decided...."Heck, why not?" And off we went.
The place was gorgeous!!! Supposedly the 2nd largest (longest? biggest?) canyon in the states...next to the Grand Canyon. I've not been to many canyons, so I can't confirm nor deny that title.
I noticed a cave alongside the road (pictured above)....so we parked and hiked across the canyon and up to it.
You know how the dog found those cockle burs in 3.2 seconds? Well.....the canyon wasn't any more hospitable to us.
As we're walking to the canyon, I hear Mot cussing and slapping his arms and legs. I turn around to see him beating the crap out of himself...basically. He was covered in biting flies.
Not just a few...covered!!!!
I laughed.
Then " &%#*^%#*(&#)^*# "
Something bit my leg.
I looked down....I was covered in them!!!
I screamed like a little girl, swatting at myself....and the air......cussing about how everything there bits, stings, pokes, scratches and hurts!!!!!
Here's Tom swatting some more of those pesky insects!
Once we fully explored the cave (didn't take long, it wasn't too big)....we walked back out of the coolness of the shade, and it was all I could do to not full out run back to the Jeep.
Stupid bugs!!!! :-(
We passed a group (clutch, gaggle, family?) of turkeys along the way.
We have turkeys walking through our neighborhood. I have to stop and wait for the hens and baby chicks to cross the road every morning. Yet seeing turkeys in TX kept our attention for quite some time. We watched them wander up the hill, and out of site.
The Palo Duro was formed by a river...slowly eroding the landscape away. Because of this there are 6 different water crossings you have to traverse throughout your drive around the canyon.
From what they say, it's normally pretty darned dry.
But since grandpa had gotten sick, and then eventually passed....the area has seen record rainfall. His pastor thinks (and I agree) that grandpa put in a new rain order when he made it to the pearly gates.
You see...he loved his lawn...he loved his roses.
This was the man that painted his yard green when they put a water restriction on him.
This was the man that everyone jokes (but are slightly serious) when they say the town will have to redo it's budget for the year. Without grandpa watering his lawn...the utilities income into the town will almost fade away to nothing.
This is the man that keeps a lawn in New Mexico, where it rarely rains. To the point that you can google earth the town...and see one small patch of green in the wide expanse of brown. It's his yard.
So...back to the canyon. All 6 of the crossings had water flowing across them while we were there. One so much that they had it closed off!!!
Anyone who knows Mot, knows that water flowing over the road excited him to no end. He'd sit and wait for vehicles ahead of us to pass and get out of the way.
When it was his turn to cross the water, this was usually our view.
He giggled like a crazy person every time!!!! :-)
11 comments:
Stupid bugs. I hate bugs.
@ Badass - Bugs are like my evil nemesis. They hunt me down, unrelentingly! :-)
Palo Duro Canyon was formed by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of Red River. I'm a little frightened that I remember that piece of info from our visit to the canyon. It is beautiful. I wasn't bothered by bugs when we were there, but at that time it hadn't rained for awhile. Maybe that's why.
Prairie Dog Town Fork of Red River....that's a mouth full!!! :-) :-)
When I say the bugs were bad....I can't emphasize "BAD" enough. :-)
When I say we were covered...I mean a hundred of the little buggers....or maybe a thousand.
bugs love me too...i wonder why some people seem to attract them???? Anyway-the driving through the water looks fun. You are married to a big ole Kid, huh? ;o)
check out my new template on my blog-I think the colors are more calming and whatnot.
A group of turkeys is called a 'rafter'.
I'll have to remember that Palo Duro is the second biggest canyon in the land. That's important, vital info right there.
Almost as important and vital as knowing what a group of turkeys is called.
mjenks - Somehow I knew you'd be able to tell me what it was called. :-) Don't ever stop reading this blog! I'd be lost without you! :-)
A rafter....that's pretty cool. :-)
Girls jump in puddles, boys speed through them. Sugar and spice or snails and puppy dog tails for sure! So what was that little town again...I must google earth it!
They've taken a more recent picture since I'd last looked. I was bummed! It's been so wet this year, he's not the only green patch in town. :-( :-(
San Jon, NM
Caves have wild animals in them, you reckless people. Wheee! Puddles!!
@ Lyvvie - You notice that I had Mot go in first??? (hehehe)
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