Dog Show 2004

Dog Show 2004 / GoodG Home / Trip Index

Rhodesian Ridgeback specialty show was held at the Southfork Ranch in Parker near Dallas, Texas, September 18-24, 2004. Daughter Vicky, 2 of her dogs, and her children (Lucas, 5 years old; Isabella, 2 years old, and Amy, 9 months old) came from Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. Daughter Valerie was performing in an opera in Austin and arrived mid-week with her wire-haired fox terrier Peri. I drove from Ocala, FL, camping at a couple of Coast to Coast RV parks and a state park before arriving at Collin Park near Wylie, about 15 miles from the dog show.
After Hurricane Charley on Friday the 13th in August, and Hurricane Frances on Sunday, September 5, which damaged my carport and roof, I decided to leave two days earlier since Ivan was the next hurricane predicted for this area.

Stayed at two Coast to Coast campgrounds that were getting ready for the next hurricane and most activities were postponed, but they allowed me to camp overnight on my way to Texas. The traffic was heavy due to the evacuation of New Orleans, but I travelled on some of the back roads with the help of deLorme GPS. I heard that all hotels/motels were booked as far north as Memphis.

boats prepared for hurricane at King Lake
Holley-King Lakes Resort, DeFuniak Springs, FL

boats in storage at Jellystone
Jellystone Park, Robert, LA

After driving with the mass evacuation, stayed 3 nights at Lake Bistineau State Park near Shreveport, Louisiana, but the lake had been drained for maintenance and weed control. The park has many miles of canoe trails, but it was interesting to walk over the dry and sometimes muddy lake bed to photograph plants and birds.

drained lake
high and dry cypress

camping at Lake Bistineau
camping at Collin Park

My reservations at Collin Park on Lake Lavon were for September 18-24, at $15.00 per night, total $90.00. The park had originally been operated by the Corps of Engineers and had much access to Lake Levon. The camping end of the park had a large marina. At the other end was a restaurant, swimming beach, another marina, and playground. There was not much shade, but each campsite had a shelter over the picnic table. I rigged up a blue tarp for more shade over the wading pool. Vicky and the kids and dogs slept in a tent. Val, Peri, and I used the Westy.

tarp awning on Westy
obedience trials in Southfork Hotel

Obedience trials were held at the Southfork Hotel in Plano. The Southfork Ranch was the location of the TV series "Dallas."

Vicky waiting in hall at Southfork Hotel
agility class in front of Ewing mansion

Since the swimming beach was a lengthy bicycle ride away, we used a wading pool at our campsite for the children and Peri to use to cool off during the hot weather.

Peri in wading pool
Peri in kid's lounge chair

Peri in crate
Peri and Amy

Peri resting
T resting

Bike riding at Collins Lake
Isabella with violin

coursing
coursing

Vicky and T
Peri and Val

Valerie and Vicky
Peri on guard

We left the dog show after the coursing trials separately in 3 vehicles, each of us got lost driving through construction in Dallas, and eventually we all arrived separately at the beautiful home of Larry's mother in Waco quite late. In Dallas, a speck of mud landed on my Earthmate receiver and I lost GPS contact so I had quite a time trying to locate the house. Now I make sure the windshield is cleared off.

Westy parked on street in Waco
Peri and Tyeni in Austin

We spent a few days in Austin visiting Val and Larry and their extensive gardens.

Val, Peri, Peri II, and Lucas
Lucas and Peri

Peri by pond in Austin
Peri and Tyeni by pond

Vicky and kids by pond
Tyeni and Peri playing tug-of-war

After leaving Austin with two vehicles, we arrived at Abita Springs after dark. The GPS was working this time, but I missed the turn off the road and got completely lost in the dark, so Vicky led me back to the resort. The next day we enjoyed hiking the trails and swimming before we left for Florida. Arrived at Sunset King late, but the children got a chance to swim before it got too dark.

campsite in Abita Springs RV Resort, LA
Vicky and kids in resort wading pool

camping at Sunset King
camping at Sunset King

after a late swim at Sunset King
kids' breakfast pancakes at resort restaurant

camping at Sunset-King
bike riding on Greenways Trail in Ocala

loading up after bike ride
at Crescent Beach

Crescent Beach is one of the few beaches in Florida that allows dogs. Vicky had 4-wheel drive in her truck and was able to get through the sand that the recent storms had deposited on the approaches. There was a great deal of construction repairing damaged beach accesses.

playing in the surf off Crescent Beach
Butterfly Rainforest in Gainesville