Road Trip, Rabbits, and Guinea Pigs

Longview, TX (Eastern Texas)

The Maude Cobb Convention Center in Longview TX

Morning dog walk

This morning we got up and went to the closest dog park for their 7am opening.  Bonnie Wenk Park is just a few miles from where we are staying.  It has a large dog park, trails to walk on, and Lacrosse Fields.  Francis ran around and met some dogs and then we walked a loop in the park to see birds before it got too hot.

McKinney Lacrosse

Nice wide shaded walks

The dog park was really nice and had some good shade

After the dog walk we headed home and began packing for our overnight trip in Eastern Texas.  We are headed to Longview, TX to attend The Southern Roots Rabbit and Cavy Show with Sharon (Donna's sister) and Erika (our niece).  Oh and Cavy is the fancy work for Guinea pig.

Texas Road Trip

We hit the road at around 1pm.  We were not taking a direct route because we wanted to pick up a few counties along the way.  The drive was easy for us, but there was a fire on the other side of the highway at some point and traffic was blocked on the westbound lanes for miles.  There was even a rest stop to explore along the way.  We picked up new counties and new TX, US, and Interstate Highways.  There was also a picnic stop that we passed by that had picnic tables themed like old Oil Derricks.  Sadly I don't have a photo of those.

Still somewhat Texas themed

Just bathrooms and a bit of information.  This stop was nothing like our stops between Amarillo and McKinney.

Longview, TX

We arrived in Longview just after 4pm and let ourselves into the Airbnb.  After sitting  for a bit we got Francis situated and then headed to The Maude Cobb Convention Center.  The show started at 5pm so we got there a little after.  We walked around and saw all of the rabbits and guinea pigs and then hung out with Erika and Sharon and watched them show their animals.  It was fun seeing everyone carrying around rabbits and Guinea pigs lovingly. I saw a gal with a hoodie and she had put her Guinea pig in her hoodie on her shoulder.  It was very cute.  I even saw both men and women carrying around 2 Guinea pigs, one on each side of their chest.  When I looked at the parking lot, I noticed plates from all over the region and counted 5 states (not including our WA plates).

About an hour in we went and picked up dinner for us all and brought it back.  We had a combination of food from Sonic Burger and a place called Panda Korea.  After eating we walked around the grounds more and then headed back to the Airbnb.

When Sharon saw this photo she said it was the first time she had seen rabbits for meat this in your face at a show.

They sell off their non-show quality pigs as pets. 

We have wheels so we don't have to eat at the food truck

The convention center had nice art all around

Eastern Texas has a lot more trees than Western Texas

Hank has some great photos of Eastern Texas

Nail clipping just before showing

Sharon prepping to show

Donna caught this good photo of me.  Notice the bug bite on my arm.  I have a lot of those.

Sonic Burger

Erika and Sharon being judged!

More judging

A back view and a front view

Some of the rabbits had pinecones for a treat and a toy in one

My Texas Style Korean Bim Bap

Raffle Prizes

Win a survival blade or a Latte kitchen art 

Some children got to go home with pets

The cages for rabbit judging were bigger and there were more of them.  Rabbits outnumber Guinea pigs by 20 to 1

A much different show next weekend

STOP THE BLEEDING!

Now Sharon is a writer.  She is transcribing the judge's comments.

Mr. Toothers doing his thing

All of the awards!

Including the Junior Class

Donna petting one of Erika's pet pigs

Salad noms

After the show we headed back to the Airbnb and checked on Francis and then took a nice long walk at dusk.  It is about 3 degrees cooler out this way.

We can't get away from Pickle Ball.  Everyone loves it (it was invented near where we were living in WA)

There was a nice Disc Golf course

The round part of the sign says, "Longview The Real East Texas".

If you didn't read about our Collin McKinney learnings yesterday you can check them out here.