With Mom & Dad At Riscky's BBQ In The Stockyards Watching The Fort Worth Herd

I came upon that which you see above a couple days ago whilst looking at webpages I'd not looked at in a long time. That is my mom, on the right, looking at my dad, on the left, trying to take a picture of the Fort Worth Herd ambling their way through the Fort Worth Stockyards.

Our herd viewing vantage point was from the outdoor patio at Riscky's BBQ where we were having the all you can eat ribs along with other Texas delicacies.

The webpage on which my mom and dad appear is titled FORT WORTH HERD IN THE STOCKYARDS. On that webpage there is a link to another webpage, with that one titled FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS VIDEO on which, if I remember right, if you watch the video, and pay close attention, you may see Elsie Hotpepper.

The above photo was taken during mom and dad's first visit to visit me in Texas. I believe this was in late October or early November. I know the year was 2001, shortly after 9/11.

Also anchoring the time frame in my memory is I remember driving mom and dad south on I-820 when something came up in the conversation which had me picking up my phone and calling my sister's number in Arizona.

My favorite nephew Jeremy answered.

Jeremy was 14 or 15 at that point in time. Jeremy was home alone and being a bit nervous. It was from Jeremy we learned that America had begun its bombing of the Al Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan. This was Jeremy's first experience where he was old enough to understand what was happening when America was starting up one of its ubiquitous wars, hence the being a bit nervous.

Seems like only yesterday, but that phone call to Jeremy took place almost 14 years ago.

The last time mom and dad visited me in Texas was in January of 2009. On their first visit, mom could still see. On the last visit mom's macular degeneration had rendered seeing very problematic.

I called mom and dad on Saturday and learned my dad is about to get a pacemaker installed. I don't think mom and dad will be taking any more roadtrips to Texas. I probably should be taking myself on a roadtrip to Arizona....

Perplexed By Caution In Fort Worth's Gateway Park Before Town Talking

With the temperature nearing 100 it was HOT enough today for me to return to Gateway Park to roll my wheels on the mountain bike trails for the first time since we got rained on and muddied here in usually quite dry North Texas.

On Thursday when I drove past Riscky's BBQ in the Fort Worth Stockyards I saw that misters had been added to the outdoor eating zone.

I don't think I've been to Riscky's BBQ in the Stockyards since way back in January of 2009, with my mom and dad. My parental units thought it too cold at that point in time to eat our ribs in Riscky's outdoor eating zone.

Today I was thinking a mister or two along the Gateway Park mountain bike trail would be a good  thing.

In the photo my handlebars are at my favorite Saturday pre-Town Talk photo op location, perched perilously at the edge of a cliff above the beautiful green Trinity River. At this location the trail takes a right, away from the cliff. But there is no directional signage pointing the way. Today I saw a lot of tire tracks not taking the right, instead rolling their wheels along the edge of the cliff. I imagine this has resulted in a temporarily terrorized biker or two.

I found a spot to stick my bike off that trail and got out my camera to take a video walk along the cliff's edge. You can watch that below if you don't suffer from acrophobia.

I saw something else today which puzzled me. That which puzzled me you can see below.

In the area pictured above in the past couple months the brush along the cliff's edge was removed, for the most part, and the mountain bike trail was moved away from the cliff about 30 feet. At this location the mountain bike trail was not at the cliff's edge, like the location of my favorite photo op.

The yellow caution tape cautioning people to be cautious extended a much longer distance than what you see in the picture. So, why the caution tape at this location?  Did someone walk off the edge of the cliff?

It's a bit perplexing.

After having myself a mighty fine time in Mother Nature's natural sauna I was off to Town Talk where I found big packs of all natural chicken legs, pineapples, romaine lettuce, pomegranate ginseng soda, brown rice, flour tortillas, extra sharp white cheddar cheese, cherries from my old home state, Wenatchee Washington, to be precise, and other stuff I am not remembering right now.

The 2nd Friday Of March Dawns Cold In Texas With Thoughts Of Bingo & BBQ

The temperature differential between the inner and outer world at my location on the planet is causing the view from my primary viewing portal on the world to be a bit steamy on this 2nd Friday of the 3rd month of 2012.

It is currently only 39 degrees with the sun only a few minutes into its daily heating duty.

39 degrees is 30 degrees colder than yester morning.

I do not believe I will attempt swimming this morning.

The weather predictors are predicting that precipitation is going to precipitate on North Texas again today. I prefer it when the weather predictors predict no precipitation precipitating.

Tonight is a Paradise Center Camp Bowie Bingo Night. I may be confusing reality with a dream, but I think Riscky's BBQ is somehow involved with the Bingoing.

I have not had a Riscky's BBQ rib since my mom and dad were here the first week of 2009.

I wish I could say I am going swimming now, but I strongly feel I can't.

The Queen of Wink, Princess Annie, Steve Doeung & Me Taking Stock In The Fort Worth Stockyards

That is the Queen of Wink moseying along the boardwalk that hovers above the actual Stockyards at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

The Queen & Annie & I went to the Stockyards after the Steve Doeung vs. Chesapeake Energy day in court was done, well, done for today. It's not over, for good, yet.

During the proceedings on the courthouse steps this tall blonde lady seemed to be being consulted by various people. At one point she was introduced as Electra.

When the court session was over, Electra came over to me and handed me a slip of paper. She told me "that's my number, call me when you decide where you're having lunch."

It was very mysterious. In the picture, where the Queen is walking on the boardwalk, she is talking to Steve Doeung. He was about to be interviewed by some TV news people. But he wanted to meet up with us at the Stockyards.

I figured the Love Shack would be a good place. So, I called the number Electra gave me, she answered, all I said was "Love Shack at 11, or so." She said, "I'll be there."

I thought we'd pretty much have the Stockyards to ourselves, it being Thursday, and not tourist season. But like I've long said, it's always busy in the Stockyards. And so it was today. Hundreds, maybe thousands of school kids. You don't see any of the little darlings in the picture of the boardwalk, but, just minutes before, we had to wait in a long line while the little darlings went, one by one, through the turnstile.

When we first got to the Stockyards, Annie and the Queen thought doing the Cowtown Maze looked fun. Along with dozens of the aforementioned darlings. I opted out and chose, instead, to observe from the Observation platform.

If you are a The Amazing Race viewer, the Cowtown Maze was a Roadblock on the final leg of Season 5.

Cowtown Maze Rats have to find 4 letters and get their race card punched to successfully complete the maze. Annie and the Queen were not good maze rats. Eventually the proprietor had to help the pair get past a few confusions. It was pretty amusing to watch.

Eventually they found the exit. Eventually.

And then it was on to explore the Fort Worth Stockyards, including Saunders Park, walking under Exchange Street, alongside the Venice canal like feature that few see.

At one point we were in Booger Red's Saloon, where Annie plopped herself on a saddle stool underneath the big buffalo butt that's stuck on the wall. The bartender told Annie he would need to see some I.D. Annie said, "Just give me a shot of sarsaparilla, barkeep."

Moving on, it was time to head to the Love Shack for lunch. But it was also almost time for the Fort Worth Herd to make one of their 2 daily cattle drives. The cattle drive does not drive by the Love Shack.

So, we decided to head to Riscky's BBQ, which the Longhorns do drive by. I called Electra to inform her of the change. The Queen called Steve.

We sat at the outdoor zone of Riscky's. As we pondered what we wanted, water arrived. The Queen deemed her glass of water not fit to consume, due to the presence of a lemon slice and too much ice. The thoroughly chagrined waitress bowed humbly and begged the Queen's pardon.

Later Annie objected to the fat content of her pork ribs. Immediately a less fat beef rib was delivered. A special take home glass of Dr Pepper was delivered to Annie, along with a special container for dog bones. And when the Queen complained of chilly hands, the waitress brought a glass filled with hot water, so that the Queen could warm herself.

I tell you, when you hang with royalty you get treated royally.

At some point the Fort Worth Herd drove by. A large crowd assembled to watch.

After we had finished our vittles, Steve Doeung showed up. We had a real nice talk. I tell you, this is one smart guy. I zone out after about a half hour of smart talk. This guy had already been doing more smart talk than I do in a week, whilst in court this morning, and he still had energy for more smart talk with me and the Queen. Mostly I listened while the Queen and Steve were interesting to listen to.

The Queen wanted to be on the road, heading back to her Wink Kingdom, by 1. That didn't happen, but I did manage to lead her to I-30 and head the Queen of Wink and Annie back west, about a half hour after the preferred start time.

Electra never showed up. She did call twice. I did not hear my phone ring. Nor did anyone else.