Valley Lodge Trail Ride Assoc.

01/24/2026

WARM UP #2 - Round Top, TX

Howdy Trail Riders,

As we continue our planning and preparation for the upcoming 2026 Main Ride into Houston "From The Brazos to the Bayou" to kick off the start of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, we are excited to once again be holding our 2nd Warm Up Ride in Round Top, TX!

We invite you, your family and friends to join us on Saturday February 7 in beautiful Round Top, TX, for a weekend of trail riding and camping fun! We will stage:

Friday Feb. 6- Sunday Feb.8
Round Top Roll-Up RV Park
550 N. Washington St., Round Top, TX 78954

The RV Park is located directly behind the Round Top Dance Hall and 550 Market. There are a limited number of RV/trailer site hook-ups available to be booked on a first-come, first-served basis directly through the RV Park website: https://thestonecellar550.com/rv-park
Use PROMO CODE: VALLEYL when making your reservation for a discount on your second night. VLTRA is not responsible for RV site reservations!

Please note: there is no charge for vehicles/trailers that are not parked in one of the RV sites. All trailers/vehicles parked in a RV hook-up site MUST have a paid reservation for that numbered site or you will be asked to move.

In the Comments below, you will find links to the Registration Form and Liability Release Form needed to sign up for the ride, and as always a current copy of negative Coggins is required on file for each horse/mule on the ride.

VLTRA Membership is not required for this ride. ALL ARE WELCOME!
Registration Deadline: February 1, 2026
Please feel free to reach out to Lisa Emmet or myself with any questions.

We kindly ask that you participate in at least 1 of the 2 Warm-up rides in 2026 in order to be eligible to ride on the Main Ride into Houston. If you have an issue with this requirement, please contact me directly.

FRIENDLY REMINDER: Our electronic payment options have changed, and we are no longer accepting PayPal. The preferred option for making e-payments is Zelle, and we can also accept Credit Card payments (for a small fee) through our new payment website link.

Zelle: Valley Lodge TrailRide Association Inc with email [email protected]

Credit Cards: www.payit2.com/e/2026vlwarmup2

As always, checks and cash are good too!

PLEASE NOTE: The ride fee includes the ride & lunch only. No private beverages are allowed during the ride itself. Our bar trailer will be open and available at our rest stops during the ride and Saturday evening at the RV park. Drink cards will be available for purchase at check in and throughout the day.

Dinner Saturday is “on your own”; however, we will provide and fire up our grill Saturday evening and welcome you to BYOM (Bring Your Own Meat), to cook if you wish. There will also be a table set up for side dishes and desserts, if you would like to bring something to share with the group “potluck” buffet style.

We are looking forward to a weekend of outdoor fun and fellowship with all of our Trail Ride family and friends in Round Top, TX. Hope to see you there!

Please remember to save the dates for our upcoming Main Ride:
February 21st – 28th 2026 – “From The Brazos to the Bayou!” – Simonton, TX to Houston, TX
See y’all down the trail!

Let’s Ride!
Willie Fry

01/21/2026

ALL MY VALLEY LODGE TRAIL RIDERS -

Please comment on this post what HLSR committees you are on.

AND any other additional volunteering you participate with in our communities.

01/12/2026

RESCHEDULED: First WARMUP RIDE now on 1/31

Howdy Trail Riders,
I hope you have all enjoyed a Happy Holiday Season and quality time with your families, friends and loved ones!
Our planning for the upcoming 2026 Trail Ride season is in full swing as we prepare for our big ride into Houston "From the Brazos to the Bayou" to kick off the start of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo!

Thank you to all who came out and joined us for our Fall Ride last October. The weather cooperated and allowed us to have a great ride and a good time!

Our 1st Warm Up Ride is coming up very soon and has been RESCHEDULED to take place now Saturday January 31 at Pecan Acres Ranch in Simonton, TX. We plan to ride out at 10 AM and have lunch and drinks on the trail. Please feel free to reach out to Lisa Emmet or myself with any questions.

AS A REMINDER, we kindly ask that you participate in at least 1 of the 2 Warm-up rides in 2026 in order to be eligible to ride on the Main Ride into Houston. If you have an issue with this requirement, please contact me directly.

PLEASE NOTE: Our electronic payment options have changed, and we are no longer accepting PayPal. The preferred option for making e-payments is Zelle, and we can also accept Credit Card payments through our new payment website link.

Zelle: Valley Lodge TrailRide Association, Inc. with email: [email protected]

Credit Cards: www.payit2.com/e/2026vlwarmup1

As always, we will continue to accept checks and cash.

Remember to save the dates for our other upcoming rides:

2nd Warm-up - Saturday February 7th - Round Top, TX

Main Ride - Saturday February 21st thru 28th - Simonton to Houston

Let’s Ride!
Willie Fry
Trail Boss

11/14/2025

Apparently someone 😉 forgot to share a couple of photos from our fall ride

11/07/2025

SAVE THE DATES 2026

Howdy Trail Riders,

Thank you to all who came out and joined us for our Fall Ride last month. The weather cooperated and allowed us to have a great ride and a good time!

As we move into the holiday season, I know many of us are looking forward to the new year and planning our calendars. I am pleased to announce that we have officially settled on the dates and locations for our 2 Warm-up rides as well as the Main Ride into Houston.

AS A REMINDER, we kindly ask that you participate in at least 1 of the Warm-up rides in order to be eligible to ride on the Main Ride. If you have an issue with this requirement, please contact me directly.

The 2026 Warm-up and Main Ride dates are as follows:

1st Warm-up - Saturday January 24th - Pecan Acres Ranch in Simonton, TX

2nd Warm-up - Saturday February 7th - Round Top, TX

Main Ride - Saturday February 21st thru 28th - Simonton to Houston

Please mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details to come via email, Facebook, and our website, www.VLTRA.com.

Happy Trails,

Willie Fry
Trail Boss

10/25/2025

FALL RIDE SAT AM UPDATE

Good Morning Trail Riders,

We were blessed with some rain early this morning to help settle the dust and green up the grass. It may be a little damp still, but we ARE moving forward with the ride. We are planning to ride out around 10 AM, return for lunch at the barn, and hopefully ride out again after lunch (weather permitting). Looking forward to a great day!

Willie Fry
Trail Boss

10/24/2025

FALL RIDE UPDATE #1

Howdy Trail Riders,
Just wanted to give an update on our Fall Ride plans for this weekend, as I know we are all a little concerned about the weather...

• We WILL be gathering as planned for the ride.

• We WILL NOT cancel nor reschedule the event. Lord knows we need the rain.

• The pasture gate will be unlocked by 12 NOON TODAY. No arrivals prior to 12 noon please.

• Please use common GATE ETIQUETTE … If it is open when you arrive, please leave it open. If it is closed when you arrive, please close AND latch it behind you.

• CHECK-IN will be at 8:30 Saturday (10/25) morning in the front pasture near my trailer by the FLAG POLE. Everyone please check in with Lisa Emmet.

• IF it is safe to do so, we will ride. We will be closely monitoring the weather. Have your slickers ready!

• Our cook team has been very hard at work preparing the food. BOTH meals (lunch and dinner) on Saturday will be served at the BARN.

• The bar is well stocked and will be OPEN for business!

• There will be a COSTUME CONTEST for ALL AGES Saturday evening at the barn.

We are looking forward to a fun-filled weekend, rain or shine, and we hope to see you there!

Willie Fry
Trail Boss

09/26/2025

Incase y’all have not heard… our August and Bree have a turkey in the oven that is due November 25!!!

Please see the registry link below.

https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/breehannah-young-november-2025-katy/62KKNMV7W2KN
o

Looking forward to seeing everyone on our fall ride!

Rachel Cook

It's easy to start your Baby Registry with the Amazon Registry Checklist, plus get a free Welcome Box, 15% discount, free shipping and free 1-year returns.

09/23/2025

FALL RIDE
October 25, 2025

Vacek Ranch
3275 Guyler Rd
Simonton, TX 77476

VLTRA Family and Friends, our Fall Ride is right around the corner. We are planning a wonderful ride. We hope you all can join us.

What you can look forward to:
-Camping out in the pasture with all your VLTRA friends and fellow riders. You are welcome to come out Friday anytime after 12 noon, and stay until Sunday morning.
-A circle ride around the Vacek Ranch with Lunch on the trail and dinner in the barn.
-Costume Contest
-Plus more!!

Please register for the Fall Ride by October 15, 2025.

You may send the documents to [email protected] or mail them to:
Lisa Emmet
118 Colorado Cove
Cedar Creek, TX 78612.

Invite your friends! You do not need to be a member to attend the VLTRA Fall Ride.

See links below to download the Registration and Liability Release Forms

Registration Form Link
https://emszv7nab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001M7Gi1bmBPmn3d2W6ZJINW8hMaUkA1cOYwoMbylUCfi7QnqMoP5Lg3ybtQCjh01eBg_Z705nfaIDLsiN_7OMSZOwnNQbsZgIg7hqsMLPWbomVaHWGH2FwIDJdyAH7G_ZUnVJglrbRJaf2ojIthiccLEKa5hNMOG-Tzqz82lnZAIecgsQA3hr_Ko8_ulAT81YEDifDPxGRW4-dnQAQr9DIWpIqy7R70KW6yAuZkht7uOQ=&c=wB3eOfzkt3JJQQojHN0g44rlHSx3i6M90ISKZfdiBLNKGpZx2QzdsA==&ch=6ExOfnh6aSOcdh0XOepoyTCul25fK9tvHhpwZ-wOu2TBNKUa19TMQQ==

Liability Release Form Link
https://emszv7nab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001M7Gi1bmBPmn3d2W6ZJINW8hMaUkA1cOYwoMbylUCfi7QnqMoP5Lg3ybtQCjh01eBhQcufH6be2Q5VAIxxoMtn_U0px45tJABvDfhAYLtTz_DUyyrv6tEWRB089bIF0dns786y8sJaQweTGLZDFtLriOT8xxvkTod1m_6Dk0nWbXxq2xOqgX_vcgIOomPjbVYE7NWrvrRQCNGOksA21HNqhoZ8egDbh4OnkkrZwHYTDY=&c=wB3eOfzkt3JJQQojHN0g44rlHSx3i6M90ISKZfdiBLNKGpZx2QzdsA==&ch=6ExOfnh6aSOcdh0XOepoyTCul25fK9tvHhpwZ-wOu2TBNKUa19TMQQ==

08/10/2025

Fall Ride - Save the Date!

October 25, 2025
Vacek Ranch
Simonton, TX

06/02/2025

Dear Valley Lodge Family,

I am once again saddened to share with you the news of the passing of past Trail Boss (1972-1979) and undoubtedly our longest ever serving member of the ride, Mac Goldsby.

Mac passed away on Saturday May 31st. Graveside service will be held on Monday, June 9, 2025 at 11:00am at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.
8227 County Road 205 Plantersville, TX 77363

Mac was a founding member and our Chief Historian of the Valley Lodge Trail Ride. He always made sure we had our facts straight about the history of our ride. In fact, a couple of years ago, Mac provided us with his written account of the Valley Lodge Trail Ride Assoc. history. If you have not taken the time to read it, I would highly encourage everyone to do so. See the link below.

I will always cherish the time I was privileged to spend with Mac sitting alongside me while I drove our lead wagon in my younger years. Mac loved history and loved the Valley Lodge Trail Ride. Even in his later years, he was determined to be with the ride every year when we rode out on that Saturday morning to begin our annual trek to the big city.

We ask that you please keep Mac’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Respectfully,
Willie Fry
Trail Boss

VLTRA History by Mac Goldsby:

https://storage.googleapis.com/production-constantcontact-v1-0-7/327/1453327/HnlNx2eu/f3492434eb1f405fa49f7e9167fe45c9?fileName=Mac%20Goldbsys%20History%20Write%20Up%2002-07-23.docx

Obituary for Malcom “Mac” Edward Goldsby

https://www.shmfh.com/m/obituaries/malcom-goldsby/Memories

05/06/2025

Updated with service details

Dear Valley Lodge Family,

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news of the passing of long time Valley Lodge member, Dan Owen.

Dan passed away on Sunday May 4th. His Memorial service will be held this coming Friday, May 9th, at 1:00pm.

Simonton Community Church
9703 FM1489
Simonton, Texas 77476
Phone:(281)346-1221

Immediately after the service, burial will take place in the Churchyard. A small reception for everyone will be held, at the Church, after the burial.

I will always remember Dan for his friendly demeanor and firm handshakes. We ask that you please keep Becky, Thomas, and Dan’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Respectfully,

Willie Fry
Trail Boss

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/houstonchronicle/name/dan-owen-obituary?id=58327445