Cows are a little bit like your mom--and who doesn't like Mom? Cows provide milk, they look creepy if they're too skinny, and they sure do have purty eyes. Chickens, on the other hand, are more like annoying younger siblings; you don't want to think about where they came from, and sometimes you'd like to roast them. In fact, most farm animals, when properly anthropomorphized, can provide hours of entertainment as cartoons or book characters or Chick-fil-A spokes-animals. What do we do in return? Eat them. Milk them. Shave them. Skin them. It's time we gave something back, is it not? The folks at animal protection agency Farm Sanctuary think so, and they've organized this Saturday's Dallas Walk-a-thon in which you, too, can make your appreciation for the farm fauna known to the world. For a $10 registration fee, walkers can take a stroll around town to raise awareness and funding for food animal protection and rescue efforts. The walk starts at 11:30 a.m. at the West End DART Station, Pacific Avenue between Market and Lamar streets. Visit www.farmsanctuary.org. --Andrea Grimes
Equines for Equality
The average rodeo is not much of an educational experience. Bulls kick, horses run and clowns fly, but the history lessons are few and far between. The Cowboys of Color rodeo, on the other hand, is designed to teach its audience a thing or two while they're enjoying the smell of bovines and hay. Started in Dallas, the rodeo tells the long-forgotten story of black, Latino and Native American cowboys in the Old West, filling in the gaps in the rich history of cowboy culture. Besides traditional events such as bull riding and calf roping, the rodeo also features dancers, ladies' sidesaddle teams and other cultural performances. It all goes down at 8 p.m. Saturday at Resistol Arena, 1818 Rodeo Drive, Mesquite. Call 1-800-833-9339 or visit www.cowboysofcolor.org. --Noah W. Bailey
Go for a Spin
Now that Lance Armstrong is retired from cycling, the race is on for America's next premier cyclist to pedal into the racing spotlight. One of the frontrunners is George Hincapie, who's done his own fair share of pedaling around France playing second fiddle to Armstrong. Hincapie has teamed up with the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History for Cycle for Science, in which 40 contributors will accompany the pro cyclist on a 30-mile scenic ride southwest of Fort Worth. Proceeds from the ride benefit the museum's educational programs. All the $2,000 level slots are full, but there are still a few spots left at the $500 level. Cycle for Science starts Friday at 9 a.m. The actual ride isn't open to spectators, but Hincapie will make a public appearance Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Bicycles, Inc., 510 Harwood Road, Bedford. Call 817-255-9300 or visit www.fortworthmuseum.org. --Jay Webb
