MY LARGE TEXAS ADVENTURE!

Everything IS Bigger In TEXAS When I was a Journalism major and hack on "The Captain's Log" at college, I had to interview one of the theatre students after a dance. Her "quote" was that she had a "large time" at the event, That sums up my trip to Texas. A "Large Time"! I was attending the American Buss Association's 2007 Marketplace. An entire week of appointments, networking events and sightseeing tours that bring operators and suppliers face to face. It is always a lot of work- and as you will see by the pics - A LARGE TIME! Open bars, amazing adventures and great friends that often are seeing each other only once yearly. I have made some amazing friends through this show - and it is always great to pick up where we left off and dance off the stress of the week, which we all prepare for literally for months. Opening night was "Texan Idol" at the Gaylord Texan's "Glass Cactus" nightclub. They put on a fun variety show. Here is my friend Emily (to my left w/ glasses on) - we travel together several; times annually on business - she has become a great friend. The chick on my right is Melissa ("Mel") from the Norfolk CVB. She is one crazy broad. Love her - lol. http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/aba1.jpg Here Mel decided to get into the Texas spirit by Riding me like a bronco on the dance floor: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/aba3.jpg I attribute this move not to any attraction on her part, but rather to the two hours of open bar that preceeded the mount. Plus I know her boyfriend. LOL Oh! Meet another "Becker" - She is a belly dancer in her free time and also happily involved with her body-builder husband. In case my wife sees this- want to emphasize how innocent the multitude of pics are of me with attractive wimmin-folk: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/aba2.jpg Our own "Night in the Museum" was called "Matisse and Martinis" - Three Museums open for us with fabulous food and martinis.. I met up with these hot babes: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DAVIDEgyption.jpg and was turned into a Warhol print: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidWARHOL-1.jpg The next night we went to the Fort Worth Stockyards. So cool, and so little time! Here is my friend Vickie with me at Billy Bob's - the worlds largest honkey talk (capacity 6,000!): http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidVickBillyBobs.jpg Vickie is as genteel a Southern lady as you will "evah" meet. She works for the Museum of the Confederacy and is genteel as they come. Also a world-class friend. The "BEST" Sight-seeing tour was one I totally lucked into. My buddy John, who works for Pamplin Park got a last minute seat on the tour of the local ball parks. I was going to the wax museum. Then I ran into Emily, who asked me to please turn in her tour ticket since she was too tired to go out. As luck would have it - it was for the stadium tour - so I turned in the wax museum ticket instead. Turned out to be a GREAT move on my part. Ameriquest Field was very cool . We got to hang in the dugout of the Texas Rangers, see the press room just hours after Sammy Sosa was introduced as a new player, tour the owner's box and meet a player. Then as we left they handed us peanuts and cracker jacks and then on the bus we received a bag of goodies including a ball cap! THEN...On to the home of the Dallas Cowboys...we got to run through the tunnel and were greeted by four Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders while being filmed on the jumbo-tron...then pose on the star on the fifty yard line and pose for pics w the cheerleaders. THEN they took us to the players game day locker room, where their personal chef was cooking us a feast. The cheerleaders circulated with 8X10 color glossies of the 2007 Cheer Squad and autographed them for us. On the bus were leather bags with the star logo embroidered on it and filled with player guides, media guides, t-shirts, sticker, etc. AMAZING. Here is my pic w/ two cheerleaders from later that evening at a Dallas event: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DAVIDDALLASCHEER-3.jpg At the same event, Emily & John & I had some fun: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidEmJohnTexas-1.jpg Then I had way too much to drink and got overly brave: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidTexasBULL-1.jpg More proof that the amazing elixir cologne from Abercrombie & Fitch actually works. Meet Anna from CT. Beautiful, sweet and an amazing dance partner: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidAnnaTexas.jpg So here is how it works - the state that hosts the ABA Marketplace two years from now hosts the closing lunch and also has mucho booth presence on the Marketplace floor. Charlotte, NC is hosting in 2009, and they have been chosen as the home of the new Nascar Hall of Fame. So naturally- they made me into a Nascar star! http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidNascar1-1.jpg http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidNASCAR2-1.jpg Charlotte also boasts some type of white water rafting training experience, so Vickie, Emily & I "tried" that on for size! http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidEmVickRAFT-1.jpg And the site of NEXT YEAR's Marketplace hosts the closing dinner - always a fancy sit down event. As it turns out- Virginia Beach, VA is hosting in 2008. Soo...not only do I NOT get to travel to a new out of state city..I am ON the friggin' committee and will have to bust ass all year! However - I am excited about getting to spend more time over the next year with my fellow tourism buds! Here are some closing night pix: Me and Emily: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidEmSplashBash1.jpg Me & Anna again - she can't get enough of my elixir! http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidAnnaSplashBash.jpg Me & Abby from Norfolk http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/DavidAbbySplashBash.jpg And the Richmond, VA gang's last pic together in Texas: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i34/wlsdavid/RichmondCrewSplashBash.jpg We'll always have TEXAS - a "large" time!!

David They are some funny photos. I just love the rafting pic; you in the tie really makes it believeable! As a Virginia Beach gal, I welcome you to our great city. Thanks for sharing your adventure! Jennifer

Well we can see how hard you have been working on your social life!! Looks lke it was very successful too! Glad that you had such a wonderful time - Texas is always fun! Pics are fantastic!! Jackie

I so miss Texas-Yee-Haw. Glad you had a blast in the everything is bigger state. Next time you have to hang out in houston and south texas.