How to Celebrate Roy Rogers Day

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

November 5 is Roy Rogers Day. It marks the birthday of Leonard Franklin Slye who grew up to be Rootin' Tootin' Roy Rogers. The cowboy star was a singer with the Sons of the Pioneers and an actor in almost 100 films. Roy and his wife, Dale Evans, appeared on television in the popular Roy Rogers Show. Take a few moments to celebrate Roy Rogers Day with these tips.

Instructions

1. Tour the Roy Rogers Museum in Branson, Missouri. A statue of Trigger, the faithful palomino, is rearing at the entrance to greet visitors. Inside, guests find memorabilia from the movie and TV days as well as Roy and Dale's rodeo and safari days. The Roy Rogers Bunkhouse offers nightly rental cabins decorated in Western theme and four-poster beds. You can send home postcards of your sleep-over there.

2. Watch a Roy Rogers movie or a TV show marathon. Go back to the days when cowboys wore white hats, good bested evil and the cowboy had the best horse and got the girl at the end. Dale Evans wrote "Happy Trails," the theme song for their television show. Roy said, “Cowboys weren't allowed to kiss girls in pictures, so one time I gave Dale a little peck on the forehead and we got a ton of letters to leave that mushy stuff out. So I had to kiss Trigger instead.”

3. 

   Sing along with the old Sons of the Pioneers. "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds" and "Cool Water" are good ride-along tunes. Look for the names Leonard Slye, Dick Weston and Roy Rogers on the CDs. These are the names Roy Rogers used in the years he worked with the group.

4. Travel to Apple Valley, California, home of the Roy Rogers Ranch. Donate to the Happy Trails Foundation in Apple Valley set up by the King of the Cowboys to help abused children. Visit the Rogers' gravesite. The couple chose a 30 by 40 foot garden area with a pond, small waterfall, and room for family members to join them. Roy joked, “When my time comes, just skin me and put me up there on Trigger, just as though nothing had ever changed.”

5. Live by the Roy Rogers Riders Club Rules:Remember to be neat and clean, courteous and polite.Obey your parents, and protect the weak. Be brave. Study hard. Be kind to animals. Eat all your food and do not waste any. Love God and respect the flag and this country. Happy Trails.

Tips & Warnings

• Ride off to visit a fair, rodeo or Wild West show.

• Name your dog Bullet.

Resources

• Roy Rogers Museum