| In February 2007, two boys (ages 9 and 11) and their | | | | for night. Also, these horizontal stoplights kept |
| father took a road trip to Texas for their first hunt | | | | popping up in all the small towns along highway 87. |
| together. The boys had known about the trip for | | | | They boys just could not see what the deal was |
| months and were ready to slay every animal that | | | | with sideways stoplights. There was a large cannon in |
| stepped in their path. This was not just an ordinary | | | | the town square in Brady, TX, which is the |
| hunting trip for a father and two of his sons, but a | | | | geographical center of Texas. Of course, they had to |
| time spent together that would help guide the young | | | | stop and take several pictures of the boys shooting |
| boys to the road to manhood - their first kill, first | | | | the cannon and imagining all the explosions of the |
| skins and first feast. Days prior to the trip, dad and | | | | Alamo battle (the Alamo was the first stop the next |
| the boys practiced throwing knives and hatchets at | | | | day). After the minor battle, they headed south. |
| wood targets at their Colorado home. Throwing | | | | It was getting dark, so the boys took a short nap |
| knives and hatchets would be one of the most fun | | | | while dad listened to his favorite CDs, one of many |
| parts of the trip. | | | | peaceful times he would experience on this |
| It started at 4:30 a.m., because the trip to Texas | | | | “hunt.” As they drove through Fredricksburg, |
| started in Colorado, and it was going to be a long | | | | dad almost asked for directions, but manhood |
| road trip to San Antonio. The Suburban was already | | | | prevailed and he eventually found the way to San |
| packed the night before and all the food for the trip | | | | Antonio. |
| was put in coolers and bags for lunch, but we | | | | They reached San Antonio at 8: 30 p.m. (after the |
| started eating as soon as we hit the road. | | | | time change), and checked into the hotel. Even |
| The excitement was enough to propel them to | | | | though it was early February, the hotel had an |
| Texas and the boys encouraged dad to go faster | | | | outdoor pool so dad and the boys decided to check |
| because the cops were not out so early in the | | | | it out. Without checking the temperature, they all |
| morning. As the sun rose from the east, the boys | | | | decided to count to three and then jump in. All the |
| looked at the map to see how much farther they | | | | dad could remember was, “it can’t be that |
| had to go. Only three hours into the trip and the | | | | cold.” They got to three and once they hit the |
| question, “How much longer?” echoed | | | | water, it was like a turbo-charged boat to get to the |
| through the vehicle. Since it only took two hours to | | | | edge and then out. Dad expected all the lights in the |
| get to New Mexico, Texas should be around the | | | | hotel to turn on after he and the boys yelled at the |
| corner, right? | | | | top of their lungs to fight off the frigid cold water. It |
| During the trip, the boys looked for anything unusual | | | | felt like the polar bear club. |
| or cool. While driving in New Mexico, the boys saw a | | | | Now, you would think once was enough, but this trip |
| convoy of army vehicles heading north, an inactive | | | | was going to be an adventure, and |
| volcano, horizontal stoplights, and windmills. Now | | | | “adventure” means risk. Dad and the boys |
| these windmills were electrical generators, not just | | | | repeated the 1….2…….3 count and then another |
| the little farm windmills. They started counting the | | | | jump into the ice bucket, just not once, but ten |
| number of windmills and lost track after 100. It was | | | | more times. A quick run to the hotel room and then |
| amazing to see so many of them. It seemed like | | | | to bed for another adventure that awaited them the |
| they never stopped. | | | | next day. They had no idea what was ahead, but, |
| In Texas, the boys noticed there are two different | | | | they new it would be new, exciting, and somewhat |
| posted speed limits, one for the day and the other | | | | dangerous. |