Gemini Rising

50 STB - Hunting Longhorns - Texas

We stayed overnight in Dallas where Spooky Kooky Krista was born and she showed us the sights. I’ve only been to Texas once and saw the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, Texas. There’s a lot to do and see in Dallas. I think Spooky Kooky Krista would have liked us to stay longer but Maid of the Mist Most Macabre said we had a schedule to keep so we got on the Party Bus and off we went. It took a good day to get to Uncertain, Texas and Caddo Lake.

{user:elusive4lyn|} signed us up for the scavenger hunt. I’d never done one before so that sounded like it would be fun. We paired up 2 to a Kayak.

A Warped Witch I Be and WakeUpAndLive~gummy worms BOO
Reluctant Halloweenist and Giant Phantom Jelly
SpookyBee and Morticia Wednesday Megan Rose
Spooky Kooky Krista and Maid of the Mist Most Macabre
Which left AmyJo-Zombie hours by herself. So she put a bungee cord on her $50.00 Nalgene she bought in Hawaii so she wouldn’t loose it and we were off.

We took the Old Folks Paddling Trail. The hunt? We had to find a Texas Longhorns Football in the middle of the swamp.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/boating/paddling-trails/pineywoods/old-folks-playground/

The clues came in on our phones and then disappeared, so we had to pay attention. Giant Phantom Jelly had no idea what a Texas Longhorn was so WakeUpAndLive~gummy worms BOO showed her a video.

Needless to say, everyone has their own style in paddling a kayak. Coordination was not our strong suit. Morticia Wednesday Megan Rose wanted to know if there were crocodiles. No one knew. AmyJo-Zombie hours was glad there weren’t any rattlesnakes or scorpions though. We saw these white lotus and water lilies. Our next clue was at Starr Ranch. We paddled over there and pitched our kayaks. Reluctant Halloweenist tore up the ranch looking for the clue but sweet little Spooky Kooky Krista found it hanging from one of the swamp trees. The woodpeckers were everywhere. We got back in the boats and paddled. Next stop was Swamp-Ass rock where we found another clue.

We kept kayaking and kayaking and finally saw our Longhorns helmet – on a small raft attached to a swamp bush. Maid of the Mist Most Macabre , action junkie that she was, wanted to kayak right up to swamp bush and grab the helmet, but Reluctant Halloweenist said there might be crocodiles. Morticia Wednesday Megan Rose said if there were crocodiles she would pet them. Someone had to get the helmet. AmyJo-Zombie hours volunteered. She kayaked right over to that swamp bush and raft. Just as she was reaching for the helmet a crocodile came out of nowhere and snapped at her. Her Nalgene bottle flew up in the air and she almost lost it, but it hit the croc in the head and he moped off. She lunged for the helmet and threw it at A Warped Witch I Be who caught it.

Turns out the prize was a meeting with Pierce Bronson. Giant Phantom Jelly was thrilled. I was kinda hoping for Patrick Duffy, but hey it’s Texas. ANYTHING can happen, right?