bigmacbear (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bigmacbear) wrote2026-03-14 11:59 pm
bigmacbear) wrote2026-03-14 11:59 pm
Texas Bear Round-up 30, Day 3 of 4
SATURDAY
I woke up needing to use the bathroom about ten minutes to seven, so I shut off my alarm and prepared for the day. I hadn't received a response from Chuck regarding breakfast, so Gary suggested we wait until nine or when they were ready, whichever was earlier. While waiting to hear back, I had a nice online chat with Zach and we had the WFAA morning news on in background. Chuck got back to me and we rescheduled for the next day, and we went downstairs to breakfast about nine.
Marc and his boy (Dakota, from Minneapolis) stopped by our table. After breakfast we returned to the room to make sure we hadn't left the do-not-disturb sign out, then went outside on the third-floor pool deck to take pictures before visiting the registration desk where some vintage run T-shirts were on sale. Gary returned our purchases to the room while, after observing the Vendor Maul wasn't open for another hour, I headed for the lobby and sat with Honey Bucket and Ben/Bardic from Bluesky. Gary joined us after finding the sign completely missing and obtaining a new one from housekeeping. I had a nice chat with David from Kent, Ohio.
About quarter after 11, I went to the Vendor Maul and tried on some leather shorts, finding I needed to go one size up from my jeans, but not two. I made a note to return after the tour to purchase them and perhaps a bar vest for Gary to take advantage of a special offer for buying tops and bottoms together. 😉 I returned upstairs and got to introduce Ben to Gary before we checked in for the tour. Jimmy came over and chatted with us while we were waiting.
We boarded the coach and were introduced to our guide, Ellen. At the first stop, the stampede sculpture garden, we met Anurag from San Marcos, TX. The next stop was at the Dallas Farmers Market. We had a quart each of Arnold Palmer at ? Sweet Tea cart outside, then went inside so I could use the bathroom and grab a sushi roll, which sufficed for lunch after the breakfast buffet. Waiting for the bus, we met Johnny? who has a buddy David in Everett who needs info about bear events in town. I suggested the Everett Bears Group on Facebook. Next we crossed the Trinity River for a photo opportunity, drove around Deep Ellum (the name is an extended "Elm"), and made another stop by the former School Book Depository and walked over to the Kennedy assassination historic park by Dealey Plaza (on the infamous grassy knoll). After that, we circled around a couple of blocks including the Old Red Museum and the Kennedy memorial before returning to the hotel at four.
As soon as we left the bus, we went on a mission back to the leather shop in the vendor maul, Wolfstryker Leather from Philadelphia, where I purchased the shorts I'd selected in the morning along with a bar vest for Gary. That settled, I made a pit stop before we returned to the room to recharge briefly and prepare for dinner. I wore my new shorts with my star harness to hold them up, and Gary wore his new vest. As we approached the dinner buffet, we walked under an inflatable bear daddy, whose huge anatomy shocked a family who happened upon it. We sat in the back, house right of the stage. Most of the folks at our table were local except for the fellow across from me who was from Minneapolis. The contest ran long. Rosebear from Portland won Mr. TBRU. Kenny didn't win any title. We ended up skipping the Coco Peru show.
From the contest we returned to the room to recharge our phones and begin packing up, including our dirty laundry and leather goods. Gary fell asleep during the World Baseball Classic game on the TV. I caught up on my journal and asked Gary if he wanted to make an appearance downstairs. He decided to go back to sleep, half-watching the baseball game, and I headed for the hospitality suite about ten after ten.
Justin, who I met at the waterpark excursion last time, approached me in the bar queue and we exchanged a hug. Ben/Bardic and Oren came by the table where I was sitting. Another turn in the drinks queue and Alex from SSBS adjusted my suspenders. When I finished those drinks, Gary texted me that he was preparing for bed. I decided I was done with the drinks queue, so I caught up with David from Chicago and made my way to the exit. At the door, Anurag asked why I was leaving so soon. I stopped to chat with G-Bear and a nice young lady took our picture together, then got her friend to take another photo of us with her in the middle. Robert from Beareoke met me at registration and took a selfie with me before hugs and parting ways. I rode the elevator with Matthew and another bear. When I arrived at the room, I prepared for bed and turned in about 12:30 while Gary watched TV. I set an alarm for 6:45.
I woke up needing to use the bathroom about ten minutes to seven, so I shut off my alarm and prepared for the day. I hadn't received a response from Chuck regarding breakfast, so Gary suggested we wait until nine or when they were ready, whichever was earlier. While waiting to hear back, I had a nice online chat with Zach and we had the WFAA morning news on in background. Chuck got back to me and we rescheduled for the next day, and we went downstairs to breakfast about nine.
Marc and his boy (Dakota, from Minneapolis) stopped by our table. After breakfast we returned to the room to make sure we hadn't left the do-not-disturb sign out, then went outside on the third-floor pool deck to take pictures before visiting the registration desk where some vintage run T-shirts were on sale. Gary returned our purchases to the room while, after observing the Vendor Maul wasn't open for another hour, I headed for the lobby and sat with Honey Bucket and Ben/Bardic from Bluesky. Gary joined us after finding the sign completely missing and obtaining a new one from housekeeping. I had a nice chat with David from Kent, Ohio.
About quarter after 11, I went to the Vendor Maul and tried on some leather shorts, finding I needed to go one size up from my jeans, but not two. I made a note to return after the tour to purchase them and perhaps a bar vest for Gary to take advantage of a special offer for buying tops and bottoms together. 😉 I returned upstairs and got to introduce Ben to Gary before we checked in for the tour. Jimmy came over and chatted with us while we were waiting.
We boarded the coach and were introduced to our guide, Ellen. At the first stop, the stampede sculpture garden, we met Anurag from San Marcos, TX. The next stop was at the Dallas Farmers Market. We had a quart each of Arnold Palmer at ? Sweet Tea cart outside, then went inside so I could use the bathroom and grab a sushi roll, which sufficed for lunch after the breakfast buffet. Waiting for the bus, we met Johnny? who has a buddy David in Everett who needs info about bear events in town. I suggested the Everett Bears Group on Facebook. Next we crossed the Trinity River for a photo opportunity, drove around Deep Ellum (the name is an extended "Elm"), and made another stop by the former School Book Depository and walked over to the Kennedy assassination historic park by Dealey Plaza (on the infamous grassy knoll). After that, we circled around a couple of blocks including the Old Red Museum and the Kennedy memorial before returning to the hotel at four.
As soon as we left the bus, we went on a mission back to the leather shop in the vendor maul, Wolfstryker Leather from Philadelphia, where I purchased the shorts I'd selected in the morning along with a bar vest for Gary. That settled, I made a pit stop before we returned to the room to recharge briefly and prepare for dinner. I wore my new shorts with my star harness to hold them up, and Gary wore his new vest. As we approached the dinner buffet, we walked under an inflatable bear daddy, whose huge anatomy shocked a family who happened upon it. We sat in the back, house right of the stage. Most of the folks at our table were local except for the fellow across from me who was from Minneapolis. The contest ran long. Rosebear from Portland won Mr. TBRU. Kenny didn't win any title. We ended up skipping the Coco Peru show.
From the contest we returned to the room to recharge our phones and begin packing up, including our dirty laundry and leather goods. Gary fell asleep during the World Baseball Classic game on the TV. I caught up on my journal and asked Gary if he wanted to make an appearance downstairs. He decided to go back to sleep, half-watching the baseball game, and I headed for the hospitality suite about ten after ten.
Justin, who I met at the waterpark excursion last time, approached me in the bar queue and we exchanged a hug. Ben/Bardic and Oren came by the table where I was sitting. Another turn in the drinks queue and Alex from SSBS adjusted my suspenders. When I finished those drinks, Gary texted me that he was preparing for bed. I decided I was done with the drinks queue, so I caught up with David from Chicago and made my way to the exit. At the door, Anurag asked why I was leaving so soon. I stopped to chat with G-Bear and a nice young lady took our picture together, then got her friend to take another photo of us with her in the middle. Robert from Beareoke met me at registration and took a selfie with me before hugs and parting ways. I rode the elevator with Matthew and another bear. When I arrived at the room, I prepared for bed and turned in about 12:30 while Gary watched TV. I set an alarm for 6:45.