Friday afternoon, August 14, we pulled into camp at the Douglas, Wyoming, KOA. This is one of our favorite overnight stops…if we can get the right camp sight. This time, we were fortunate. Site E2 is a long pull-through that sits near the small dog park and much larger horse corrals and pasture.
We have a nice, grassy, yard; the dogs have horses and bunnies to watch, and we have easy access to a couple of areas where it’s ok to let the dogs off leash to chase balls (and sometimes a bunny! Those wascally wabbits were everywhere!).
The park staff is also very friendly, and they have regular events like “free s’mores” and hamburger suppers for a reasonable price.
This trip we stayed longer than usual. Upon arriving, we found that the Wyoming State Fair was taking place just a couple of miles away. It’s not the State Fair of Texas, you understand. (After all, the entire population of Wyoming is less than 600,000…6,000,000 less than the estimated number of souls in the DFW metroplex alone.) It’s a fun event, though, and we enjoyed our visit.
On Friday evening we opted to skip the rodeo because there was thunder and lightening all around. In fact, we were surprised they were still holding events. The kids didn’t mind the inclement weather; they were having a great time in the “Hamster Balls.”
Hamsters weren't the only critters, though. This zebra and leopard were getting everyone's attention.
On Saturday, we arrived shortly after noon to take in the Draft Horse Competition.
On Saturday, we arrived shortly after noon to take in the Draft Horse Competition.
These magnificent animals are far from the plodding “plow horses” we have all heard about. Descended from the steeds that once carried knights into battle, they are quite spirited. This pair of percherons could high-step with the best, whether pulling a cart or skidding a log,
as could these Belgians.
There were several events, and the horses competed singly and in pairs. I think I enjoyed the log skids best.
This handsome clydesdale was a real show-stopper. He could be on my Budweiser team any time!
And if you had any question about how big these guys really are, here is a photo John took of me saying hello to one of the percherons in the barn. As you can see, my head wouldn't come anywhere close to the top of his back!
We had a great time in Douglas, and hope to plan our trip next year to again take in the State Fair. And I owe John a big Thank You. He was a real trooper. Horses aren't a passion for him, but he stuck with me through the whole afternoon of draft horse events, and I'm grateful for his patience and especially for his company.
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