Austin, TX

Gambler Days Friday: Austin defeated in close match; rider lands on head in scary fall

Published

2 years ago

August 24, 2024

Gambler Days Friday: Austin defeated in close match; rider lands on head in scary fall

Alex Lowe
| Special to Austin American-Statesman

The New York Mavericks rode Friday night into Moody Center and stunned the host Austin Gamblers, scoring a 173-88.5 victory on the opening night of Gambler Days weekend. Also, rider had to be taken away on a stretcher after a scary fall.

Mavericks anchor Mauricio Gulla Moreira took the mount on the team’s final ride needing a score to keep his team in the hunt. Moreira did just that, lasting for the full 8 seconds aboard Triple Aught, good for 86.25 points, leaving it to Gamblers ace Jose Vitor Leme to try and save the game for the home team.

Needing a score of 84.75 for the win, the defending two-time league MVP came up short, lasting just 4.29 seconds aboard Haymaker. Leme’s quick exit left the crowd in a hushed silence as the suddenly hot Mavericks improved to 5-7 on the season, after an 0-4 start. The Gamblers lost for the third time in four outings and now stand at 6-6.

The game closed out four exciting matchups on the evening and pitted the host and two-time regular season champion Gamblers against an upstart first-year expansion team. Hudson Bolton, 18, led off for the visitors and turned in a qualified ride aboard Barracuda that gave the Mavericks 86.75 points right out of the chute.

“To kick it off for my team with a leadoff score was a pretty good feeling,” said Bolton, the overall third pick in the 2024 PBR draft. “It doesn’t get much better than that, coming in here as the underdog and getting booed and being able to contribute to the win in this atmosphere. It is a lot of fun.”

Dalton Kasel (from Muleshoe) answered for the Gamblers with a qualified ride aboard Ridin Salty, good for 88.5 points, which gave Austin the lead. But the bulls took charge from there.

Maverick riders Leonardo Castro, Davi Henrique de Lima and Braidy Randolph (from Stephenville) all failed to cover their bulls in the two through four spots.

The Gamblers had chances to pull away, but Kaique “Iceman” Pacheco was bucked from Constant Payne in 4.57 seconds. Rockdale’s Ezekiel Mitchell was in trouble from the start aboard Mama’s Boy as the bull’s initial kick pushed him off center and he ended up in the dirt after 3.34 seconds.

Ramon de Lima still could have salted away the win for Austin but came up just short of a qualified ride, lasting just 7.80 seconds aboard Locomotive, setting the scene for the eventful showdown between rookie and superstar in the final ride.

Texas Ratter rider Brady Oleson was hurt in a frightening scene Friday. He was tossed from Fast Flow and landed on his head and Oleson tried to rise, he fell back to the ground. Oleson was taken from the arena via stretcher. There were no immediate updates available on his condition. The Outlaws improved to 8-4 while the still struggling Rattlers dropped to 4-8.

In the first game of the night, the Florida Freedom defeated 2022 league champion Nashville Stampede 177-86.5. Florida got scoring rides from Alex Cerqueira (89.75) aboard The Kraken and Elizmar Jeremias (87.25) aboard Black Gold.

Veteran Silvano Alves rescued the Stampede from being shut out with a qualified ride aboard Coco (86.5). The win raised Florida’s record to 5-7. Nashville fell to 7-6 . Florida phenom John Crimber, (Decatur) the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft was jettisoned by Bangarang in 3.11 seconds.

A thrilling second game went to the Oklahoma Wildcatters in a 180-178.25 come-from-behind win over the Arizona Ridge Riders. No. 4 rider Josh Frost turned in what proved to be the winning ride when he bested Gaucho for 87.5 points. Oklahoma improved to 5-6-1 on the season. With the loss, Arizona fell to 4-8.

Cassio Dias came through for the Kansas City Outlaws in the third match with a 90-point ride to defeat the Texas Rattlers 178.5-174.5. Dias took to his bull, Boujee Boy, needing 86.25 points to overtake the Rattlers. Dias turned in a masterful performance and was in complete control.

Still, the Outlaws had to see if Texas Rattler closer João Ricardo Vieira could produce a qualified ride that would have given the defending champs the win. Vieira was no match for his bull, Stryker, getting bucked off in just 2.32 seconds.

The opening night of Gambler Days weekend featured a pregame concert by musical artist Shaboozey. The Gamblers face defending league champ and current cellar dweller, Texas Rattlers on Saturday second night of Gambler Days weekend. The match will be important for the in state rivals as each looks to right their seasons.

Texas has struggled throughout the schedule while the Gamblers are looking for consistent scoring in the middle of their lineup.

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Austin, TX

Texas’ Gorgeous State Park Northwest Of Austin Is A Rustic Haven With Caves And A Stunning Waterfall – Islands

Published

7 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Texas’ Gorgeous State Park Northwest Of Austin Is A Rustic Haven With Caves And A Stunning Waterfall – Islands

Billy McDonald/Shutterstock

The landscapes around Austin are a natural wonderland for outdoor adventures, from diving into pristine swimming holes to kayaking on the beautiful lakes of the Texas Hill Country. But one destination northwest of the city is a particularly gorgeous escape. Colorado Bend State Park, about two hours away by car, is home to ethereal caves and a 70-foot spring-fed waterfall.

The 5,300-acre park has 35 miles of hiking trails, including one that leads to the park’s most famous feature, Gorman Falls. The rugged 3-mile round-trip hike is considered moderately challenging to difficult, with steep, rocky sections, slippery areas, and little shade from the sun. The trek is worth it for the chance to view the cascades, towering high above the river and fed by a mineral-rich spring. “The falls were beautiful, natural, and peaceful!” said one hiker on AllTrails. If you’re interested in other nearby adventures, be sure to check out all the breathtaking waterfall destinations tourists can find in Austin.

Sometimes the water at Gorman Falls is rushing, and other times the waterfalls are quieter, according to traveler reviews. “This is a beautiful trickling fall that is right out of a storybook about fairies,” said one review on Google. Many agreed that the hike itself isn’t easy. “Very rocky and challenging but worth the effort,” commented another. Several people mentioned that the trail may not be appropriate for beginners, kids, or dogs, that it gets very busy on weekends, and that it’s important to bring more water than you think you’ll need.

Plan an escape to Colorado Bend State Park

Gorman Falls Trail and the Colorado River at Colorado Bend State Park

David Wayne Radzieta/Shutterstock

Another of the park’s key attractions is its system of underground caves, which visitors can explore on a guided tour with Nichols Outdoor Adventures. The intermediate-level Adventure Tour ($25 per person), billed as “an introduction to what Texas caving is all about,” is a 1.5-hour excursion that takes participants deep underground to crawl through cavernous passageways. “It was a fabulous experience,” said one recent guest on TripAdvisor. “[The guide] did a great job of explaining the topography, how the caves were formed, and answering any and all questions throughout the tour.” The activity is only for travelers ages 8 and up, and though long pants, headlamps, and closed-toe shoes are required, helmets and knee pads are provided. You can book your tour online.

Whether you’re touring the caves or hiking to waterfalls, you’ll need to pay a day-use fee ($5 per person) to access Colorado Bend State Park. It’s smart to reserve your pass online, since the park has a limited capacity and often fills up. If you’re hoping to camp in the park, you’ll want to make arrangements even further in advance. Simple campsites (without hookups) start at $10 per night, while larger group sites start at around $35.

Colorado Bend State Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It’s less than a two-hour drive from Austin’s international airport. If you love Colorado Bend, consider a detour to the secluded Inks Lake State Park, an idyllic getaway with shady trails and peaceful waters.

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Austin, TX

Sunday storms expected in Austin. Here’s how long rough weather could last.

Published

19 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Sunday storms expected in Austin. Here’s how long rough weather could last.

While we saw severe weather across parts of the state on Saturday, the bulk of the action happened in North Texas but don’t let your guard down yet. That system will influence our weather in Central Texas throughout much of next week, bringing daily chances for rain and thunderstorms.

Saturday’s cold front has stalled across South Texas, and the next weather feature to watch is a closed system of low atmospheric pressure lingering near the Baja California coast. That system will send several atmospheric disturbances into Texas that will keep rain chances high across the region.

Overcast skies, spotty showers, light north winds, and cooler temperatures will welcome us Sunday morning. Temperatures will be in the middle and upper 50s through mid-morning and then climb about 10 to 15 degrees by the afternoon. Afternoon temperatures will remain closer to climatological normals for early March, in the upper 60s and low 70s.

While we do expect to see some thunderstorms across the region at times on Sunday, severe weather is not on the menu. Rain chances are about 50% with rainfall totals between a half-inch to an inch.

The comfortable temperatures and north winds will not hang around long once low pressure develops to our north and opens the door to winds from a more southerly direction by Monday. We’ll have a small rain chance, about 30% to 40%, on Monday with a few afternoon thunderstorms possible. Temperatures will be warm, though, with the morning near 60s degrees and the afternoon reaching the low 80s.

Rain chances look to ramp up again from Tuesday through Thursday with the potential for some strong and severe thunderstorms.

“For now, it looks like late Tuesday into Wednesday will be favored as a closed low (pressure system) moves across West Texas into Central Texas,” the National Weather Service wrote in a forecast bulletin. “We will likely see some changes in the path of this upper low, but the current latitude looks favorable for a line of convection (storm activity) along a Pacific cold front to accompany the passage of this system.”

“The latest guidance shows a 60 to 90% chance of at least 1 inch of rain for most of our area with a 40 to 60% chance of at least 2 inches for areas north of I-10,” the weather service said. “There is a potential for multiple inches across some areas.”

Once this storm heads east by Thursday afternoon, cooler and drier weather will filter in with temperatures closer to our March normals of 50 degrees and 71 degrees.

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Austin, TX

Austin weather: Cold front, storm risk to roll in mid-afternoon

Published

1 day ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Austin weather: Cold front, storm risk to roll in mid-afternoon

AUSTIN, Texas – It’s cold front day and storm day! The front is slowing down and not entering Central Texas until the afternoon during the warmest part of the day.

Austin weather risk

This will make the atmosphere unstable and more likely to generate isolated severe storms. The main concern will be with 1 to 2″ diameter hail.

Also a high risk of lightning and moderate chance of heavy rain with the highest flood threat staying in East Texas. Damaging wind and tornado risk remains very low. The first round of storms will happen by early to mid afternoon.

Risk for Saturday night

The second round will occur late tonight and into early Sunday. For now, a half to one inch of rain is likely for much of the area, with isolated spots getting over an inch.