The Lazy F Guest Ranch - Old Chisholm Trail Drivers Trail Ride Pictures and Videos

LAZY F GUEST RANCH

Old Chisholm Trail Drivers Trail Ride Pictures and Videos of guests, friends and kids

Horseback Riding on the way to the Annual San Antonio Rodeo

Trail Riding Pictures with local cowboys, ranchers, kids and their friends
to provide memories for a lifetime of good times on the trail

Clay Allen

P.O. Box 9

Smiley, Texas 78159

Annual Old Chisholm Trail Ride to the San Antonio Rodeo

"OLD CHISHOLM TRAIL DRIVERS"
TRAIL RIDE PICTURES 2010

WELL ... Shut my Mouth!!! We had three guests from England show up on their motorcycles. They had gotten lost looking for James Dean and wound up at the Lazy F for the last day of Trail Ride. Got off their motorcycles and got on my horses. After Trail Ride, they stayed for the rodeo and riding on the ranch. How cool is that!!

Just because most of the pictures are my kids, don't think this ride is
not for adults too. You ride with the local cowboys and ranching families.
It is Texas, you will be welcome and more so if you come from Overseas.
Sadly, last year and this year, the economy has been a disaster for
vacation businesses like ours and major events, like the Old Chisholm
Trail Ride. When income is uncertain, the last dollar spent is for fun.
Fortunately, for my daughter, Sydney, and her friends, the smiles on their
faces and the laughter I hear, are much more important to me than the dollars
I might spend on myself. My fun, at this point in my life, comes from their fun... I might also add this is true when I have guests having fun.

The Old Chisholm Trail Ride is the "Event of the Year" for my daughter, Sydney, and her friends ... and, in fact, most of the ranching and horse loving adults and their families in the area. The "bottom line" is ... what would you rather your kids be doing on the weekend than riding horses outdoors with their friends. There is a constant shifting and mixing of adults and kids who ride up and down the line as they see friends or friends with friends... What Dad or Mom wouldn't get up at 5 AM to get their kids ready for this ... I have a book and a warm truck and all the time in the world to watch kids play... and I have a guest ranch so anyone can come and ride and play with them and the local cowboys and ranching families.

On Wednesday evening, 3 Feb 2010, three(3) guests from the UK drove up on their motorcycles ready to trail ride on horses. Phil, Lucy and Steve. Thursday, 4 Feb (yesterday) was the last day of Trail Ride... raining cold miserable... it must be trail riding weather. It rained all day Wednesday, all night and, as it turned out, all day Thursday. Yee Haa!	Lucy flew in from the UK yesterday afternoon and now, at 0545 hrs she is saddling her horse for trail ride. (36 F / 2 C) and raining
Phil has ridden his BMW Motorcycle all over the world but has only ridden a horse twice before ... now he will ride one 8 hours. Steve is waiting for Lucy to saddle his horse... a woman's work is never done.	How cool is this!! Phil has been on my horse, Martha Stewart, for all of 4 minutes. They are late catching up with the trail riders. I tell my daughter, Sydney, to hurry so she takes off running. Martha, with Phil clinging desperately to the reins, suddenly discovers that Martha DOES NOT like being behind.. SHE is the lead horse .. and Phil ... is along for the ride ... a FAST ride ... which, he survived!!
Sound Truck and Riders pulling into C&F Company for breakfast compliments of the China Grove Texas Lions Club.	Martha wants to lead ... from the fast lane with the 18 wheeler .. which Katey is watching anxiously .. Phil appears unaware of what Martha is thinking of doing.
Katey Sydney and John enjoy great breakfast by China Grove Lions Club	Steve Lucy and Phil have hot coffee compliments of the China Grove Lions Club
Steve Lucy Phil .. Margie our neighbor ... and me (Clay) at China Grove Lions Club breakfast.	Phil Steve Lucy pouring rain - NO HATS!!!
Sydney and Katey dressed for pouring rain and COLD	Phil and Martha Stewart at the end of Trail Ride
Sydney gets a Rose for End of Trail Ride	Cold, wet and tired we loaded up the horses and headed back to the ranch, with a stop at a Texas BBQ place to get a very late lunch. Just time to change and back in the car and BACK to San Antonio for the EXTREME BULLS (all bull riding) at the San Antonio Rodeo. Home by midnight and out like a light... up at 7 ready to ride on the ranch. This is almost like work ... not a vacation. We rode all morning and went to eat at the White Leghorn Cafe about 7 miles from the ranch. Then we went to the ghost town of Cheapside and then back for more riding. The sun came out about 2 PM and it was a beautiful day.. until the sun went down and then it was "sit by the fire" time. Hamburgers cooked on a mesquite fire in the living room ... a couple of cold beers and tomorrow (late) is another day of riding, shooting, barrel raceing and then 3 PM and BACK to San Antonio for horse exhibits and 7:30 PM rodeo sitting with all the Old Chisholm Trail Riders.
We were joined today (Friday 5 Feb) by our new guest and friend, Jim, from Chicago... Up on a horse and off we go!!	Lucy and Sox ... smallest rider / smallest horse / deepest water Friday 5 Feb 2010 On the ranch
Cody and Big Tex brave the raging river, quicksand and alligators. Notice the brown and black wolf on the bank waiting to pounce.	Margie and Tumble Bug
Steve on Booger ... Booger is so big Steve didn't need to put his feet up.	John and Geronomo ... and the wolf waiting for his second meal

Monday 1 February 2010 Day #3 Nixon to Stockdale Stockdale is 16 miles from Nixon so it will be an easy day. The trail riders go by the Elementary School for the kids to see. It is so fun to see their faces. Then lunch in Pandora, Texas and on to camp in Stockdale.	Lazy F kids unloading horses in the morning at the Nixon, Texas Livestock Show Barn (36 F / 2 C) and raining
Nixon-Smiley Elementary Kids out of class to see riders	Cross Country Queen Katey parades past kids
John Randi and Sydney leaving the school. Notice Ginger, Sydney's horse, is wearing a crown. She is a true Queen of Horses - Then she kicked the rider's horse behind her. Now she is Queen B====	Sound Truck passing School Kids. The Old Chisholm Sound Truck plays music and makes announcements the entire ride.
Covered Wagon passes School Kids	The Pony Cart is the kids favorite
Lunch break in Pandora, Texas	Pandora is all but abandoned now. Once it had a train station, 500 residents, 2 banks, 3 hotels. When the railroad closed, it was "gone with the wind." Pandora got the name when the railroad asked for the name of the town to be built here. It started a range war between 3 ranching famiies. Several people were killed and the railroad said they would call it Pandora's Box but there was a Texas town by that name so they just called it Pandora.
Sydney and Randi decided they would get crowns and call themselves the Queen and Princess of the Lazy F Ranch. The horses wound up wearing the crowns later in the ride. (in Nixon at start)	Aunt Dixell and Sydney at lunch in Pandora.
Jacob riding 12 Pack	L-R Randi and Sydney with a MUSTARD SANDWICH??!!
Sydney and Randi - End of the day in Stockdale	The Nixon-Smiley CISD give students the option of taking a Field Day (excused absence) for Trail Ride. The school agreed that a day spent riding with friends was certainly a good official school function. There are still 3 more days on the trail but the girls have school, thus ends another Trail Ride... On Thursday night, I have tickets for all of us to attend the first rodeo performance and concert in San Antonio. If, by chance, the cold and rain made the girls sick, they might have to stay home on Thursday to recover their health. Even so, it is hard to believe another Trail Ride is half over. Time flies when you are having fun. The girls are looking forward to the start of Rodeo in San Antonio .. not so much rodeo as a chance to use their Mega Passes. These are special picture ID's, worn on chains around the neck, that allow them on any of the carnival rides free at any time as often as they want.

Sunday 31 January 2010 Day #2 Westhoff to Nixon Westhoff is only 7 miles from the ranch so easy morning trailer ride and kids sleep later (yeaa) but not Dad (booo)	L-R John Sydney Taylor Ham Sunday must be Westhoff!!
I brave the cold on trusty Martha Stewart	Sydney should know better than to fall REALLY asleep around us
Sydney knows how to stay warm - now it is Dad's turn	Jessica is the Old Chisholm Trail Drivers Queen
Katey (Syd's Friend) is the Cross Country Trail Riders Queen	Riders crossing bridge at the Lazy F

Trail Ride Began Today Saturday 30 January 2010 Day #1 Cuero to Westhoff	L-R Jacob Taylor Ham Sydney John trail ride time!!
Cold (34 F / 1 C) and Windy - It must be trail ride time Front to Back - Taylor Sydney John	Friends riding horses w friends - how neat!!
John and Geronomo	Pulling into the first long rest stop Dad better have a warm truck (Clue-Dad is IN the warm truck) AT LEAST IT IS NOT RAINING!!!!! MUCH warmer tomorrow!! Dad gets to ride!!
What would we do without Roger helping organize everything.	And "Fast" Lane and Sonny cooking Cajun food for Supper and driving back and forth with "forgotten" items
And Ethan AKA "Shaggy" riding my horse Martha Stewart (her name is Martha and I bought her from the Stewarts)	Ethan is our local rodeo star who dropped by to ride on the Trail Ride ... by popular demand (Ethan said) of all the girls on the Trail Ride Notice his cartoon look-a-like with girlfriends - On Sunday 31 Jan 2010 Ethan will hold an autograph signing ... One lucky girl can hold Martha Stewart

Pictures from 2009

The Old Chisholm Trail Ride is the high point of the year for my 16 year old daughter, Sydney, and her friends. And a lifetime experience for our guests ... then there is RODEO in San Antonio for 2 weeks at the end of the ride. The Lazy F Guest Ranch provides the Old Chisholm Trail Ride pictures and videos. These pictures and videos are lifetime reminders of fun had by all. I always remind parents to take lots of pictures and videos of their kids growing up because it happens so fast.	Our friends from Cripple Creek Cattle Company
The Sound Truck and the most essential "Potty Wagon" lead the ride.. playing Country Music the entire way plus a few well chosen remarks by Mr Whitehead the MC.	Wagons up front and leading the ride.
When the weather is nice... why not!?

Cuero to San Antonio (90+ miles)
Updated 3 February 2010

Clay Allen

P.O. Box 9

Smiley, Texas 78159

Make your reservations WAY in advance - 20% Non Refundable Deposit

RETURN LINKS (Back to Where You Came From)

Old Chisholm Trail Ride (web page)

Lazy F Guest Ranch (main page)