Stop 1/25

64 pts!

@ Howdy! Welcome to Texas!

Rick O'Shade, a Midnight Happy Dragon, arrived in Lubbock, excited but a little nervous. Texas was so huge! But Kerry had told him the pets here were really friendly, and it was true! He was greeted with smiles, firm pawshakes and an enthusiastic 'Howdy!' on all sides. Everypet seemed so glad to see him!

Stop 2/25

10 pts!

@ Prairie Dog, Lubbock

Rick O'Shade started his trip in Mackenzie Park. He sat by a beautiful lake and became aware of a number of prairie dogs nearby. In the Texan way, several called "Howdy!" and asked where he was from. "I've never seen so many prairie dogs in one place!" marvelled Rick O'Shade.

Stop 3/25

12 pts!

@ Sparrow Duo, Texas

"Lubbock!" Rick O'Shade sighed happily—his first port of call was the Buddy Holly Center. Pausing only to share some seeds and fruit and to have a conversation with some chatty house sparrows, Rick O'Shade made for Crickets Avenue!

Stop 4/25

10 pts!

@ Tortilla Chips, Chili & Salsa

Emerging hungrily from the Buddy Holly Center several hours later, Rick O'Shade headed for a street vendor of tortilla chips and salsa. "This is the official state snack of Texas!" the vendor informed Rick O'Shade, serving him with a large, fragrant helping. "It's deeply rooted in Texas tradition."

Stop 5/25

70 pts!

@ Mama Possum and Brood

Rick O'Shade headed back to Mackenzie Park to wind down after his first full day in Texas! Here he was enchanted to come across a young family of opossums with their proud Mama. Rick O'Shade read a bedtime story to the wide-eyed, appreciative baby opossums and said Goodnight!

Stop 6/25

15 pts!

@ Black Vultures at Sunrise

Rick O'Shade rose at sunrise, wondering what it would be like to tune into 1950s KDAV for some country music. He went for a quick trek round the block and said Howdy! to some black vultures roosting in a tree, who all made friendly hissing noises at him whilst stretching their huge wings.

Stop 7/25

15 pts!

@ Texan Rooftops

Rick O'Shade heard mewing and saw a tiny kitten clinging onto a roof, in danger of sliding off the sloping tiles! "Oh, Joshua, what to do?" Rick O'Shade looked round. That tree! He climbed the tree, carefully moved over onto the roof, just in time to catch the kitten as it slid helplessly down the slope!

Stop 8/25

14 pts!

@ Mockingbird, Texas

Rick O'Shade could hear a blackbird's call, but he could only see a grey bird with a long tail! The bird stopped singing and chuckled. "I'm a mocking-bird," it explained. "I enjoy copying other birds' songs!" The two pets got to know each other. By the time Rick O'Shade left, they were fast friends.

Stop 9/25

12 pts!

@ Black Headed Squirrel, Texas

Texas Hill Country! What an amazing place! Rick O'Shade was enjoying a trip in the woods. On encountering a Southern Fox Squirrel, he shared some fruit with it and enjoyed a chat.

Stop 10/25

15 pts!

@ Texan Spanish Barrel Tile Roof

A group of pets was busy re-roofing a building. They told Rick O'Shade that Aged Mission Clay Spanish Barrel Tile copied an old style. "Can I help?" offered Rick O'Shade. "Yes, but take great care!" warned the forepet. Under supervision, Rick O'Shade proudly laid a new tile, then slid back down to the ground. It had been a bit scary, but fun!

Stop 11/25

10 pts!

@ Riverwalk Waterfall, San Antonio

At the Riverwalk Waterfall, Rick O'Shade saw an elderly squirrel trapped in the water! "I've got a paw stuck between two rocks!" it wailed. Rick O'Shade edged closer to the dripping wet squirrel and freed the imprisoned paw. Then holding onto each other, both pets cautiously moved to the bank.

Stop 12/25

15 pts!

@ Coot, Mitchell Lake, San Antonio

Rick O'Shade got chatting with an American coot at Mitchell Lake and added another friend to his list! The coot was a good swimmer but not so good, Rick O'Shade noted, at taking off for flight! However, once in the air, it could fly as well as any other bird.

Stop 13/25

15 pts!

@ Texas Rose-Bellied Lizard

After his evening meal, Rick O'Shade strolled along a trail in one of San Antonio's parks, and chatted to several small Sceloporus variabilis, or Texas rose-bellied lizards, basking in very relaxed fashion along the way.
"Kerry told me I'd love all these laid-back little lizards!" reflected Rick O'Shade.

Stop 14/25

14 pts!

@ Wild Horses, Texas

Going off the beaten track, Rick O'Shade fell into conversation with a group of wild horses and he learnt that the numbers of their herds were hugely reduced since former centuries. Rick O'Shade had a bareback ride on one horse, which was great fun!

Stop 15/25

10 pts!

@ Black Rodeo Horse

"Can I get you some water?" offered Rick O'Shade, seeing a rodeo horse looking rather hot. The horse gratefully plunged his muzzle deep into the bucket for a welcome cooling drink.

Stop 16/25

15 pts!

@ Sunset on Rodeo

Winding down at the end of the day after the rodeo—what a day of adventure!—Rick O'Shade spent a long time chin-wagging with other pets, and ended by promising to get back in touch with them the next time he was in the area!

Stop 17/25

10 pts!

@ Bovine Contentment

Rick O'Shade made friends with some Texas longhorns and told them about his travels in Europe. He showed them a picture on his phone of a cow in a meadow. "This is Matilde, in Portugal," he said. "She's mighty purty," drawled one of the Texans. "We'll say she's an honorary Texas longhorn!"

Stop 18/25

14 pts!

@ Tex-Mex Chicken Taco

Rick O'Shade had been researching Tex-Mex during his trip. It was so delicious! From his investigations, he learnt it was a cuisine as American as apple pie. Tex-Mex was born in Texas, and was America’s oldest regional cuisine, going back to when the Spanish first colonized Texas in the 1580s.

Stop 19/25

12 pts!

@ Granny's Texan Pecan Pie

As a special treat that night, Rick O'Shade ordered a large slice of pecan pie! It was a Texas pecan pie, so was big, full of luscious goo and fresh, home-grown Texas pecans. Rick O'Shade's waiter informed him that pecan pie was the official State Pie of Texas!

Stop 20/25

75 pts!

@ American Bald Eagle, Houston

Whilst strolling by a river in Houston, Rick O'Shade met a huge bald eagle on the look-out for a meal of fish. "How do you do, sir?" said Rick O'Shade. "I'm honoured to meet the national bird of the USA!" Rick O'Shade and the bald eagle chatted for a while until regretfully Rick O'Shade had to take his leave.

Stop 21/25

12 pts!

@ Coca-Cola Mural, Kilgore, Texas

Rick O'Shade's next stop: Kilgore, near Dallas! He visited the Texas Oil Museum and the Museum of Broadcasting, show-casing the golden age of TV and radio—he even had a go at making a pretend broadcast on camera! To end the day, Rick O'Shade had barbecue at the Country Tavern with some of his new friends.

Stop 22/25

72 pts!

@ Bide-a-Wee-Bench, Fort Worth

In Fort Worth, Rick O'Shade met an elderly Labrador called Gerry outside the old pets' home. "My family are very busy and don't visit very often," quavered Gerry. "It gets a bit lonesome." Rick O'Shade felt very sad for his new friend and spent over an hour listening without interrupting to stories of times past.

Stop 23/25

15 pts!

@ USA

On his last night, Rick O'Shade pondered the meaning of bravery. Courage is a virtue very much valued in American culture. It is doing what one believes to be morally and ethically right without regard to personal safety or gain, or put another way, feeling the fear but doing it anyway—bravery should not be confused with fearlessness.

Stop 24/25

@ Cross at Sunset, Texas

The next day Rick O'Shade took Gerry out. They spent a quiet day touring, and at sunset took in the glories of nature. Rick O'Shade promised to write.
As the end of this part of his Texan trip was near, Kerry gave him a special gift of a handsome Texan cowboy hat!

Stop 25/25

@ Baltimore Oriole

On his final evening, Rick O'Shade met a Baltimore Oriole in the wood. He told the oriole that he'd had an amazing time in Texas! "Hasta la vista!" said the oriole.

Rick O'Shade has enjoyed his tour of Texas, but it is time to go home now! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also enjoy this event!