Birthday, Dust & a Very Windy Stampede Sunday

Sunday was birthday day! The birthday boy woke up ready to celebrate 62, although there wasn't much time for celebrating first thing. Coffee was made for the four of us, and once again S was off to the production meeting.

Matt and Shaina headed back to the ranch to shower, toss hay to the horses, and let them out before returning to the campground. Today Matt was taking my place helping with gate duties and getting his own up-close-and-personal experience of the Strathmore Stampede. I even found him a shirt in his size so he could match the rest of us. They returned with iced coffees just in time for all of us to head over around noon. Thanks!

Renn getting ready for rodeo

Shaina and I managed to secure seats with a blanket up top in the rush seating. It seemed like a good plan until we realized we were sitting directly in front of the speaker—which we already knew Rennie was not going to enjoy.

The fellas headed off to their gate duties while we ran back to pick up the Boysis family after the barrel racing. We left Nathan and Kaylin to enjoy their seats while Shaina, Renn, and I tried to find a spot on the other side where we could sit in the shade for a bit. K and N popped over as we eventually headed over to the fairgrounds.

New cowgirl boots!!

Gate workers working hard

We snuck up the cattle pens to say Happy birthday to Grandpa and look at the calves

And what a windy day it was.

The wind was relentless, whipping dust everywhere—into our eyes, our mouths, our clothes and pretty much every other place dust could possibly find its way. It made for a pretty miserable afternoon and had everyone squinting and wiping their faces.

After the rodeo, we made a quick stop at the trailer before heading over to get things set up for Running with the Bulls. Renn and I put Peppa on the TV for a wind reprieve. Renn stayed with Shaina while she did some computer work and K & N went for food.

Britt was back to join us, and seems we had considerably more help today. We didn't have the seats on the panels that gave us such a good upper view of the chaos, but tonight's run wasn't quite as eventful as the night before. Still, there was plenty to watch and enough excitement to keep everyone entertained.

My video of the volunteers singing happy birthday was more the ground :)

We did a quick takedown afterward, and Kaylin and Nathan decided to head back to the ranch to try to get Renn into bed after she had been awake for much of the night.

Meanwhile, the wind continued to build. It picked up ferociously and brought the temperature down enough that enjoying a birthday beverage while watching the chuckwagons became less celebration and more endurance test.

S was on duty keeping an eye on anyone standing in the timed event area, where the large Jumbotron could potentially cause some serious chaos if the wind managed to get the better of it. After the third heat, we'd had enough. We all piled into the Ranger and headed back to the trailer.

The wind only seemed to get worse, making the planned hotdog barbecue impossible. So much for the birthday supper! B headed off to feed the horses while Shaina and Matt stayed behind for a birthday visit.

Inside the trailer, we improvised with chips, salsa, almonds, and beverages while we waited out the weather. Then, as if right on cue, our good neighbour Brian showed up with trays of food for everyone to enjoy. He has a pretty amazing habit of appearing with food exactly when a group of hungry rodeo workers needs it most.

And there was birthday cake—or at least the rodeo version of it: two-bite brownies. Good enough for 62!

Eventually, Shaina gave Darren and Sharon a ride home and then headed back to the ranch after 10.

It certainly wasn't the birthday Sunday we might have planned. The wind blew away the barbecue, filled the air with dust, and made sitting outside downright miserable. But there was good food, good friends, family, a few birthday drinks, and another day surrounded by the people who make these Stampede weekends so special.

And really, after 62 years, S has probably learned that birthdays don't always go according to plan. Sometimes the best ones are the ones you simply make work.