Our weekend in Buena Vista, CO

Wow!! What a neat little town we found.  We enjoy taking off on the weekends and traveling Colorado to see what this great state has to offer.  Oh Boy, do we find the strangest things.  On this weekend camping trip we found a small town call Buena Vista.  The city was hosting their annual "Gold Rush Days".  Sounded fun enough, we booked a campsite and off we went.  This little town is known for their "Burro Races".  The whole little festival was centered around this race weekend.  For those of you who might ask, 'What's a burro' don't feel bad I did the same.  Of course Johnny knew exactly what a Burro was, being from a farming family.  So for those of us who do not know, let me explain.  A Burro is a DONKEY, and come to find out a mule is different from a Donkey and a horse is the mother or father of one of them, but one of them can't have babies and I still don't understand where the jackass comes into the whole picture. 

But anyway, in Burro races a human runs along side the burro.  The Burro must be loaded down with all it's mining equipment.  In this race the Burro and it's runner must run a 13 mile track through the mountains and back into town.  The first one across the finish line is crowned the Winner!

Bryson, Heston and Johnny all got to try a short Burro Race.  No Donkey Winners in our family!!

For once I'm glad we were losers!!

Pretty interesting, uh? I know you all are dieing to book a flight out to see this one of a kind race.

But the festivities did not just stop here.  Oh no! Keep reading to find out what other exciting races where held at the "Gold Rush Days" festival.

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So here is the other race this little city is known for, Toilet Seat Race.  Yes you heard or read that correctly, Toilet Seat Race. I never knew seating on a toilet seat could be so difficult.  But let me tell you, this crappy race was harder than it looks.  So here is the whole idea to the race.  You seat on this toilet seat which has been rigged with 3 wheels.  You are handed 2 plungers and expected to ride the seats across the finish line using the plungers as paddles. 

So here in the pictures Heston and Bryson start the race.  Ready for the 'I got to go' signal.  Heston has the 'runs' down the middle lane.  But Bryson just keeps getting 'dumped' off his seat, he seems to be 'backed up' at the starting line so Johnny rushes out to help out.  Heston on the other hand 'wipes' out the competition and finishes the first race ahead of the 'pile' of kids 'behind' him.  When all heats are finished Heston is crowned the second place winner and handed a silver plunger~we are so proud of our little racer for taking the 'plung' and being a winner in his first Toilet Seat Race.  He has a bright future. His new moto,

"When you got to go, you got to go !!!!!"

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Buenu Visita also conducted an old west costume contest.  Bryson wanted to dress like a cowboy.

So here in our bested dressed cowboy!!

Here he stops this girl from robbing the train.  Way to go Sheriff Bryson.

You saved the city once again. 

 Now could you track down the person who stole the toilet paper, the toilet seat race needs a few squares.

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The day was filled with all kinds of fun and interesting activities.  Here the boys get to try out a Surfin' Kayak.  This is an outdoor adventure that some here in Colorado like to ride down the  rapids of the Arkansas River.  Here on this mild creek the boys had no trouble gliding along. 

Fun, new adventure everywhere we go.(but nothing tops the Toilet Seat Race)

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Since it is Gold Rush Days, there was a panning adventure. We were able to pan for gold and gems.  We all left with a handful of colorful gems. 

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Oh, can't leave out the magic show.  Fun, Fun, Fun, Fun!

Fun at the campground

Out in nature doing some Geocaching!! We found the cache!

Happy Birthday Bryson !!

On August 5 Bryson turned 8 years old.  He wanted to go to Chuck e Cheese for his big day and all he wanted was an Ipod touch.  Well that's not all he wanted he had a whole big list.  So with birthday cash and some money he had saved he was able to get an Ipod touch.  Here are pictures from his day.  Happy Birthday Bryson!!

Heston bought Bryson a Club Penguin Membership Card!

(which was also on the list)

Cheyenne WY Rodeo

So it's called "Daddy of 'em all"!!!

The city of Cheyenne in Wyoming holds the world's largest out door rodeo.

The event last a total of 10 days.  The festivities include parade, gun show,  old western town and even an Indian Village. 

This parade had the most horses than we have ever seen in one place.  There was horse after horse, the cities "Misses" even ride horses.  After seeing this parade I think the states population of horses is more than it's human population.

This horse had toe polish on.  The polish even matched it's leg warmers.

:-)

So with all the horses, someone has to clean up the poooo.

So this parade shows off the power of their street sweeper.

And you can't forget the tractors.  They had one from each year that tractors were made.  I only posted these two.  A John Deere for Pa and a Pink John Deere for Mawmaw.

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Here we are at the gun show! Heston got caught!!

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So, you know how Georgia has painted bulldogs all over the city... and Anderson has painted fish.... well Cheyenne has painted boots.

Heston Bull riding! Cowboy want-a-be!!

Cheyenne has lots of statues.  Here Bryson is with a buck'in horse. 

The bull rider statue is in memory of Lane Frost.  Watch the movie '8 seconds'.   Lane was killed here at Cheyenne when he was poked in the back by a bull. Just a note, he stayed on his 8 seconds.

Here we are down on the ring.  We were able to take a tour of the chutes, where we got up close to the bulls, horses and cowboys.

Love the Indians. 

Here the boys pose with bull riders and a horse.

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Yea !! The rodeo !!!

The boys get to see and get an autograph from the bull rider winner of the Cheyenne Rodeo, Wesley Silcox. 

We had a great weekend in Cheyenne WY.  It was a cowboy kinda weekend.

We saw lots of horses, boots, cowboy hats and everyone in

Cheyenne wears BIG belt buckles.