Stop 1/25

63 pts!

@ Howdy! Welcome to Texas!

Leah, a Stardust Unicorn, arrived in Lubbock, excited but a little nervous. Texas was so huge! But Kerry had told her the pets here were really friendly, and it was true! She was greeted with smiles, firm pawshakes and an enthusiastic 'Howdy!' on all sides. Everypet seemed so glad to see her!

Stop 2/25

13 pts!

@ Prairie Dog, Lubbock

Leah started her trip in Mackenzie Park. She 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 she was from. "I've never seen so many prairie dogs in one place!" marvelled Leah.

Stop 3/25

10 pts!

@ Sparrow Duo, Texas

"Lubbock!" Leah sighed happily—her 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, Leah made for Crickets Avenue!

Stop 4/25

14 pts!

@ Tortilla Chips, Chili & Salsa

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

Stop 5/25

68 pts!

@ Mama Possum and Brood

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

Stop 6/25

14 pts!

@ Black Vultures at Sunrise

Leah rose at sunrise, wondering what it would be like to tune into 1950s KDAV for some country music. She 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 her whilst stretching their huge wings.

Stop 7/25

15 pts!

@ Texan Rooftops

Leah heard mewing and saw a tiny kitten clinging onto a roof, in danger of sliding off the sloping tiles! "Oh, Joshua, what to do?" Leah looked round. That tree! She 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

12 pts!

@ Mockingbird, Texas

Leah could hear a blackbird's call, but she 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 Leah left, they were fast friends.

Stop 9/25

10 pts!

@ Black Headed Squirrel, Texas

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

Stop 10/25

13 pts!

@ Texan Spanish Barrel Tile Roof

A group of pets was busy re-roofing a building. They told Leah that Aged Mission Clay Spanish Barrel Tile copied an old style. "Can I help?" offered Leah. "Yes, but take great care!" warned the forepet. Under supervision, Leah 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, Leah saw an elderly squirrel trapped in the water! "I've got a paw stuck between two rocks!" it wailed. Leah 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

11 pts!

@ Coot, Mitchell Lake, San Antonio

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

Stop 13/25

11 pts!

@ Texas Rose-Bellied Lizard

After her evening meal, Leah 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 Leah.

Stop 14/25

15 pts!

@ Wild Horses, Texas

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

Stop 15/25

13 pts!

@ Black Rodeo Horse

"Can I get you some water?" offered Leah, 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

14 pts!

@ Sunset on Rodeo

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

Stop 17/25

14 pts!

@ Bovine Contentment

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

Stop 18/25

12 pts!

@ Tex-Mex Chicken Taco

Leah had been researching Tex-Mex during her trip. It was so delicious! From her investigations, she 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, Leah 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. Leah's waiter informed her that pecan pie was the official State Pie of Texas!

Stop 20/25

73 pts!

@ American Bald Eagle, Houston

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

Stop 21/25

10 pts!

@ Coca-Cola Mural, Kilgore, Texas

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

Stop 22/25

64 pts!

@ Bide-a-Wee-Bench, Fort Worth

In Fort Worth, Leah 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." Leah felt very sad for her new friend and spent over an hour listening without interrupting to stories of times past.