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GOSH: It’s a Wrap!

The summer of 2023 has been one for the record books. While early June may have been pleasant, July was a scorcher, with the hottest temperatures recorded globally since 1850, when record-keeping began. August was even worse: it’s the second hottest month recorded in Texas. “It’s been so hot,” says Houston resident Sierra Kerr, “it’s been unmotivating to get out.”

But the record-setting heat didn’t keep Kerr and hundreds of other Texans from participating in our fourth annual Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt. Kerr, who visited all five GOSH locations in the Houston region, is a big fan. “I love that you guys did this,” she says, “and I even pulled up the 2022 version and shared both with all my friends and family. It’s also been cool to give to people that complain there’s not much outdoor space around the city.”

Bryant and Lee Ann Sheppard of Silsbee agree. “We enjoyed the hunt very much,” they said. The Sheppards completed the East Texas region with their granddaughter Nora. “It showed our granddaughter different areas of the great outdoors.”

Two couples, Steve and Naomi Smith of Dickinson and Cyndi and Jimmy Morris of Meridian, earned our grand prizes and the rank of GOSH gurus — visiting all 35 GOSH locations across the state. For both couples, this was their second time earning this designation: the Smiths were GOSH gurus in 2019, the Morrises in 2022.

“We had a great time,” says Cyndi Morris. “The mix of historical sites and parks was terrific. We learned a tremendous amount of Texas history and found the tour guides to be most informative! It was one hot summer, so it was a challenge for sure!”

Thanks to everyone who participated in GOSH 2023, and we hope to see you all again next summer for GOSH 2024 (it’s going to be epic!).