[A/S] Salt Grass trailride

["Tom Patterson" <pattersontom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

     My wife Marilyn and I drove out to Cat Spring, Texas yesterday to visit
with Jim Whitworth at the site where the Salt Grass trailride was forming up
for their 51st annual trailride into Houston, as part of the starting
festivities for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  Ebert Steel, who was
also planning to visit, had to unfortunately cancel, due to health problems.
     This trailride is the oldest of about 14 trailrides which originate in
different locations around the Houston area, and make their way toward the
city in the week prior to the start of the rodeo.  It is a huge event!  The
pictures that I took cannot possibly convey how many people, wagons, horses
and trailers make up the ride, but there are a bunch -- and this is only one
of the many rides.  It covered quite a number of acres on the Wittenburg
ranch outside of Cat Spring.
      It was a pleasure meeting with Jim Whitworth, who was a most gracious
host.  He took the time to fill us in on the history, and what all goes on
during the ride.  We were introduced to quite a number of the members, and
taken around to see the various groups and their setups and sites.  Jim
invited us for supper at his group's campsite, but we had to regretfully
decline due to other plans that we had previously made in Houston.  What a
shame!  These folks eat well!
      The weather was overcast in the upper 50's while we were there, but no
rain.
      I have posted some of the pictures that I took on my personal website
at http://home.mindspring.com/~pattersontom/.  They are in the Trailride
folder.  Click on any of the pictures to see a larger image.  The first
three pictures show Jim's Airstream.  Jim is in the next two pictures.
      For those who may not have already seen them, I also have some
pictures on this website that I took at Hunter's farm near Knoxville last
summer, before she sold the place and went back to fulltiming.  They are in
the Hunter's Farm folder.

-Tom