South Dakota, Texas, & Florida

February was a very busy month for me...VERY BUSY!

A couple days after my coronation at the end of January I jetted off for my first big trip!

Now the crazy part about this trip was packing. I am a terrible packer and I think I inherited this trait from my Mom. It seems like for even the smallest trip I can fill the largest suitcase. Now to pack for freezing cold South Dakota and warm humid Texas was a challange! But I succeeded after figuring out what to carry on because it wouldnt get weighed and what to stuff in my checked bag because I couldnt carry it with me. The bad part was my carry-on was SO heavy it was a pain to pack all over the many airports I connected through and of course my gates were always at the other end of the airport!

My first destination: Rapid City, South Dakota

Rodeo: 2009 Black Hills Stock Show

Us girls having fun in the "RODEO ZONE" this was an expo room filled with rodeo action. From autograph signings to mechanical bull & cowboy poetry to big trucks and trailers! This is your state rodeo royalty marking out our saddle stands! Miss Rodeo Alabama-Victoria Jeffcoat, ME, Miss Rodeo Idaho-Freya Ford, and Miss Rodeo Nevada-Anna Bavore.

Miss Rodeo South Dakota! Courtney Smith! One heck of a cowgirl!

This is our locker room...some state Chaps! I figured it would make a pretty neat picture...

I kinda felt like I was in the blazers locker room....just colder :)

Ronald Reagan and I! There are bronzed statues all over downtown South Dakota! Every main street corner has one. From Presidents to local legends.

All of us girls at the old timers breakfast! Miss Teen Rodeo South Dakota, Miss Rodeo Oklahoma, Miss Rodeo Idaho, Miss Rodeo Wyoming, Miss Rodeo South Dakota, ME, Miss Rodeo Alabama.

After a tasty and very filling breakfast, cowboy poetry, and good company

Watch your head! Ready to rodeo South Dakota style! Here we are on the Sutton's horses! What a great herd. Thank you again for the ride!

Runnin' a sponsor flag between events...this little guy reminded me of my little paint at home, Tomahawk. Responsive, fast, and dependable.

Sporting the new socks! FootHuggers! They keep your feet warm and toasty-much needed!

Time for a group photo at Mt. Rushmore! Whew! It was freezing cold and windy. We had to time the picture just right to take our hands off our hats becuase the wind was blowing so hard.

see...Good Bye South Dakota Hello Texas!

My second destination: San Antonio, Texas

Rodeo: 2009 San Antonio Stock Show and RodeoLET'S RODEO SAN ANTONIO

First....Let's watch Taylor Swift play "Tim McGraw"

Our own personal concert. I'm pretty sure she had no idea we were there. Which was good because I think we would have been kicked out :)

ME & My friend Taylor Swift! Oh yeah, Miss Rodeo Montana and Miss Rodeo Texas-they are my friends too :) hehehe

I have to tell this story.

Just before this picture was taken all of us girls were waiting outside her dressing room so we could meet this lovely young lady! We were hoping maybe we could get a picture or two and have her autograph. Well, I am sitting next to Miss Rodeo Texas thinking what in the world am I going to have Taylor sign. My Hat! Good idea, I'll have her sign the inside lining of my hat!

Next thing you know Taylor is walking out of her dressing room out to her tour bus to catch a flight to her next show. Well, she stops and says hello, takes some pictures and autographs a few items. She was so sweet! After Taylor was done with the other girls she turns to me, and I asked if she would please sign the inside LINING (pointing to the inside) of my 20x Resistol Hat. Well she sure did sign it! With bright terquoise Sharpie right on the BRIM........Oh man did my stomach drop or what. My hat! Its ruined! All I could do was smile, say thank you, and put it back on my head. My 400 dollar hat was ruined....Well at least to a rodeo queen who only has one silverbelly hat.

So now my hat is up for sale! It has a celebrity signature! Any takers? :)

Restroom Signs at the San Antonio Spurs Stadium where the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is held. Check out that spur!

Me, Gomer! and Miss Rodeo Texas Avery Gonzales!

This was right after we had the most amazing dish of Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler!

Make a Wish foundation in Texas... This little Gal had cancer and her one wish was to see a rodeo and be a rodeo queen!

Light Show and Pyrotechnics at San Antonio

The River Walk! Miss Rodeo Utah, Texas, Me, and Washington enjoying the weather after a very tasty brunch!

The Alamo!
Good Bye Texas! Hello Florida!

My third destination: Kissimmee, Florida

Rodeo: Osceola County Fair and Silver Spurs Rodeo

Before the weekend of rodeo they had a week long pageant for their Miss and Little Miss!

Florida!

Coming from rainy, cold, grey Oregon when I left and arriving at Sunny warm Florida...It was absolutly terrible...I'm just kidding I loved every ray of sun and warm breeze!

2009 Miss Silver Spurs Pageant... I am always the tallest. Even in Florida!

In between Pageant Performances and picking up incoming royalty at the Airport we did many school visits! MANY! I'm talkin' about 3 schools a day for four days and ten minute visits to 5-10 classrooms! Or an assembly- those were my favorite! In Osceola county they teach the kids for a week about rodeo, then come Friday they have school off for "RODEO DAY" That night they come to the rodeo and all kids get in free with an adult!

There is Oregon...In the way back!

South Dakota, Me, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado

Taking a break outside! Looks like rain! I was telling everyone that grey rainy sky is an every day all month long forcast for Oregon.

Rodeo Time! Our first performance, the first one is always so exciting!

New Mexico, South Dakota, Oregon, Colorado, Alabama

Audra (Miss Rodeo Colorado) and I on our way to go find some gators- and maybe rope one if we are lucky!

14 rodeo queens about to go on airboat rides! Hold on to those hats!

Found myself a gator! He was hungry... But naturally my Crocadille Dundee skills came in and I held him off, so all the other rodeo queens could shop at the gift shop.

Black Waters...they werent joking. Who knows what's under there....

Me and Arkansas- Front row seats were great until we got wet!

Yeah! My new toy! Watch out, here I come to the next rodeo in this thing!

Time to go to Gatorland!

Colorado, Nevada, and I found some great gator claw back scratchers that made awesome gold mining tools!

Gator Wrestling! I wrastled this little guy down so this tourist could hop on and take him for a ride, I told him he had to stay on for eight seconds!
Just kidding...this was a professional Gator wrestler and that's about as close as I got. But I let that Gator know that I just ate Gator tail for lunch. :)

About to do grand entry, New Mexico and I on our stocky Steeds!

This was the biggest turn out they have ever had for visiting out of state royalty! So they had a grand entry showcasing all of the states who attended.

Miss Rodeo America, Illinois, South Dakota, Mississippi, and I just outside the fair!

Time to go to the Beach. Cocoa Beach that is!

This is the first time my feet touched the Atlantic Ocean. It was a little chilly, warm enough to swim in. And not as cold as the Pacific on our shores.

Wyoming! Me! South Dakota! Nebraska!

Ron Jon surf shop!

Virginia, Oregon, Colorado

Armadillo Hunting! Those little guys are super fast...and very hard to catch!

Mmm Florida Oranges! Fresh off the tree what a treat!

This is my very last ride at the Silver Spurs Rodeo! I rode the shortest horse with the longest reins! But I had to...he matched my chaps perfectly... And he was fast!

Whew...I had such a crazy month. 3 states in one month and I was only home for three days! What an expierence though! It seems like no matter where I go I find something special in each state. It could be the weather, the people, the food, the rodeo, each state becomes a favorite! And I am so blessed to come back home to beautiful Oregon and really appreciate all that we have here in the Northwest!

Well, until next time...

See you down the Rodeo Road!