Cody – Thursday, July 17

Today we sampled the old and new west by hanging around Cody, WY. We hit the tourist shops, lunched at a local diner, watched a gunfight (of sorts), and took in the Cody Stampede Rodeo (voted best large outdoor PRCA rodeo).

The rodeo was the high point for me. You gotta admire the culture that starts its event with a Johnny Cash poem about the flag, the national anthem, and a prayer to God for safety for the competitors and the animals alike. Laura was the only one of us who had seen a rodeo before, and I think we all agreed it was a hoot! As with other things I’ve mentioned here, you can see these things in video, but it’s not the same as being there. On the way in, the kids tried their hand at lassoing a “sheep.” During the rodeo, it was striking to see the bucking broncos, the races, the young and old alike trying their best. I think my younger kids really enjoyed the Calf Scramble were they call down all the kids 12 and under (about 300 kids) to swarm and chase two calves with ribbons tied to their tails. The first two kids to bring ribbons to the rodeo clown got prizes.

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