Blog 3 of July

Come Hell or High Water!!!! That's the theme this year for the Calgary Stampede - and how appropriate is that.  Well on that note, we ventured out to the grounds yesterday. (ok technically it was last night)  Bill had 4 VIP invitations to the Infield to watch the Chucks and the Grandstand show. Patrick has a friend visiting with us from the B.C. interior, so Elliot, Patrick, Bill and myself took advantage of the tickets.  The rain started just as we were leaving the house around 6:00 pm.  By the time we got downtown, it was a torrential downpour.  A short cab ride to the Stampede grounds (and our only chance of being dry) and we finally found our seats in the infield.  I was pretty sure the races were going to be cancelled by the look of the track.  It was interesting to watch how this group of cowboys determined if the races would go on.  First a few cowboys came onto the field to walk around and check out a few large puddles - they actually walked around through the water and mud.  Then a few more cowboys (or maybe they were the same cowboys) came out on horseback and walked the horses through the puddles.  I think it was then determined the field was safe, so out came the tractors (I'm pretty sure these were different cowboys) and they raked and evened the the dirt/mud.  After a 30 minute delay the Chuck wagon races got under way.

Bill suggested we sit in the back row so that when the wagons were behind us, we could stand up and watch them.  On a normal day, this would have been a great idea.  On this rainy day, we were already a little cold and wet and after the 5th or 6th race, I was too cold and uncomfortable to stand up.

  I was also amazed on how well the Stampede folks and their volunteers had cleaned up the grounds.  There was a small blip in the "evening" and understandably it was unavoidable.  During the flooding, the underground tunnel from the grandstand to the infield had been affected and the tunnel was determined unsafe. So when we entered the infield for the races, we were basically trapped there from 7:30 - until 10:00ish, or when the races were over.  Obviously it would be too dangerous to cross the tracks.  When the races were over, there was a bit of a delay because they had to pull the Grandstand stage into place.  But the real fun was getting back across the track.  Now when we arrived the track was wet, but when the races were over, the track was a mud bog.  I'm glad we weren't the first people in line, because at least we got to follow in people's footsteps.  Not that this helped.  My riding boots (and thank goodness I had to good sense to wear them) were covered in mud up past the soul by about an inch or inch and a half.  There were a lot of ladies who had worn sandals or flip flops and like the wagons, you couldn't tell the color of their shoes.    So finally we were high and dry and did I mention the rain had stopped by then.  Now it was time for the grandstand show.  And what a grandstand show it was.  I won't put any spoiler alerts up, but I was a little teary eyed at the end, and the fireworks were the best I have ever seen.

A short trek back to Bill's car downtown (we walked this time because there was no rain) and an even shorter drive home, and I think everyone was ready for bed.  The guys hosed off their runners and put them on the boot dryer.  

Hopefully I will get a chance to look around down at the grounds next weekend.  Please rain gods, take a holiday.

Stacey