Why, Oh Why?

Today marks the beginning of the rodeo season here in San Antonio. For those of you who are not from Texas, rodeos are a big, big deal in the Lone Star State. But I guarantee, they are nothing like you are envisioning.

In the defense of Hollywood, there are hundreds of small-town, small-circuit rodeos around Texas that fit the bill of what is portrayed in the movies: small, outdoor arenas with hour after hour bucking broncos and injured cowboys.

But around the major metropolitan areas, namely Houston and San Antonio (Dallas is more well-known for the State Fair each fall), Rodeos are major tourist attractions and huge draws for the locals.

San Antonio's rodeo is much like Houston's, only on a smaller scale. They both last just under three weeks and take up the largest arenas in town (her in town, it's at the AT&T Center where the San Antonio Spurs play). Along with the usual rodeo events like calf-roping, bucking broncos, barrel racing and calf scrambles, there is also a huge midway with hundreds of "lose your money quickly" games and lots of thrill rides. Of course, there are dozens of booths selling Armadillo Eggs (deep-fried jalapeno peppers, stuffed with cheese), funnel cakes, King Henry VIII-style turkey legs and so on and so forth...

There are also a number of other areas around the grounds of the actual indoor rodeo competition -- a pavilion dedicated to all-things Texan, a marketplace where local vendors sell everything from hand-made saddles to jewelry to clothing for your pets. There are demonstration areas where you can sample foods from the different eras of the Old West, an arena for live stock auctions and, of course, rows and rows horses, cattle, poultry and assorted livestock just waiting to be sold or have a prize pinned on them.

Probably the most surprising thing about these large-scale Texas rodeos is what happens after the competitions are done and after you've toured the grounds and sampled their offerings. Every night, at 8:00, a major headlining act takes the stage in the middle of the competition arena and puts on a full concert. When I was a kid, it was the likes of Crystal Gayle, the Judds, the Oak Ridge Boys and George Strait. These days it's Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Gretchen Wilson and a few surprises like Lynard Skynard and the Jonas Brothers. It's quite a sight to behold because where else, other than Texas, can you buy a bull, eat a funnel cake, ride a Tilt-a-Whirl, try on clothes, get yourself a new cowboy hat, see professional cowboys rope calves and then see a classic rock band perform -- all on the same 50 acres? It truly is a fun time!

But now, onto the topic of this post...

Unique to the San Antonio rodeo is an event that I just can't figure out. Every year, to kick off the rodeo season, the city hosts the Cowboy Breakfast. This is a huge, free event that is open to the public. It's always on a weekday and starts, of course, at 5:00 a.m. Otherwise, it would be called "Cowboy Brunch."

Anyway, this isn't just a grub-fest, but an event with multiple stages of live entertainment, and even an after-party that begins at 9:00 a.m.! Apparently, it's a lot of fun.

But something else that's apparent is the time of year: January.

I understand the allure of free food and fun, but thousands upon thousands of people get up at 4:00 a.m. to make it to this event. They brave what are almost always icy conditions, bitterly cold wind and miles of traffic just so they can get their biscuits-and-gravy, breakfast tacos, menudo and bratwursts. Then, after stuffing themselves with coronary event-inducing foods (most of which are delicious, I admit), they go work an eight-hour day.

Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture? Thanks, but no. I'll stay warmly in my bed and watch the news coverage from the comfort of my couch. The Cowboy Breakfast takes place tomorrow morning. And you can bet that rain, sleet and freezing rain are in the forecast.

Why, oh why? I just don't understand, but more power to those who are braver than I.

Let's Rodeo San Antonio!