Florida!!!!

My second out of state trip was to the warm and tropical state of Florida! Talk about an adventure. I landed in 70 degree weather which was quite a heat wave compared to my negative 15 at home. The first night I was there we went hog hunting which is definitely something I had never done before. This trip there were about 18 state queens and we were all shown a great time. They use dogs to hunt the hogs and it was very interesting to see. They put GPS on the dogs and when we hear that they have a hog we go running after them. The first one we heard led us waste deep in swamp water. Of course we weren't really thinking and all just went for it. After sitting there in the water our minds started to get the best of us and we all started getting a little nervous, they told us anywhere there's water there's bound to be a gator! Luckily we made it all out alive and captured 2 hogs! They don't kill the hogs but take them home fatten them up and then eventually sell them.

While in Florida we got to do school visits, go to the beach, meet the Kissimmee Sheriff and see the K9 unit at work. We also got to go air boating another activity I had never done before. We ending up seeing a ton of huge gators and one really up close. That is definitely a lake I won't be swimming in! We also got to eat some very interesting food while in Florida, I tried gator tail, flounder, fried green tomatoes, and catfish. All were actually pretty good, tasted like chicken!

There was also a rodeo in Kissimmee, we didn't just go down for vacation! There were three nights of the Silver Spur rodeo and we got to ride in every night of the rodeo and then sign autographs after. I ran out the second night! I got to stay with the Hall family, Miss Rodeo Florida 2010 Heather Hall's parents and Jourdon's new rommie. I couldn't have asked for a better family and really appreciate all they did for Miss Rodeo Tennessee, Miss Brezzy and I. The last day of the rodeo we also helped put on a Special Rodeo and it was amazing and I am very honored to have gotten to be a part of that. Overall my trip to Florida was a BLAST!!!! I was sad to come home to freezing cold weather, but you have to love Montana weather!

Until next time,

Lorissa Harris

MRM11'