Rodeo!

When: June 14, 2007
Where: Livermore, CA
Words: Don't look now, but there are some here.

What can I say? I grew up in a small New England town, and I've lived in some beautiful cities in some far-flung countries, and I've driven all the way across America twice and Texas once—but I'd never seen a rodeo before.

It was like discovering a fully inhabited planet in your backyard, full of people who all know each other and love the same things. Except you don't have any idea what those things are, even when they're right in front of you.

But I'm pretty sure that's a horse:

And I hear these are some tasty corn dogs:

And this is a big ol' plastic beer.

Luckily, I had a guide through the wilderness, a true horsewoman whose mad skills are equaled only by the coolness of her A&M belt.

Back in March, I met Alyssa and Ben and their crew in a bar. That same night, in a different bar, we watched a tiny Asian man with an enormous mullet sing some throat-scratching blues. He was fantastic. So are they.