With the temperature above freezing for the first time in a couple days, I thought it a good idea to venture out and see if I could acquire some endorphins via fast walking. So, I drove to nearby Sikes Lake and saw the paved trail was still covered with ice and snow.
So, that was a no go.
I thought the MSU (Midwestern State University) campus might have ice and snow free sidewalks, so I ventured across the street from Sikes Lake and soon saw the campus did look somewhat walkable.
I parked at the north side of the campus in a parking lot mostly void of ice and snow. I walked west and soon came to the herd of Mavericks you see above, frolicking in the snow.
Leaving the Maverick herd I found myself walking on snow. Doing this seemed not slippery at all.
Until I took a fast fall on the way to the cracked Liberty Bell. The fall happened in an instant, with a hard butt and shoulder landing. There likely will be some bruising. I quickly got back vertical and made my way to that bell.
I have never learned why the MSU campus has a replica of the cracked Liberty Bell. This is the area where way back in December the MSU Fantasy of Lights was located.
Continuing on I soon came to the MSU homage to bike riding. And the Hotter 'N Hell 100.
From this location, back to my vehicle did not seem to present any slipping danger. But, I was ultra cautious nonetheless.
I am going to venture out into it again in a few hours, to go to ALDI, hoping the shelves are no longer bare, such as was the case last Tuesday, before the snow storm arrived...
This final Sunday of the 2020 version of April my bike took me north on the Circle Trail, then west through the Wichita Falls Beverly Hills to the MSU campus before crossing Midwestern Boulevard to ride around Sikes Lake with a lot of other refuge seekers.
The MSU (Midwestern State University) campus is a ghost campus these days, way more so on a Sunday. Thus I roll along locations I normally avoid on campus due to there being way too many students with whom to share a paved path.
Today my bike stopped me at the statue on campus which pays homage to the annual Hotter 'N Hell 100 bike race.
That got me wondering, what with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, has the Hotter 'N Hell 100 been cancelled.
I Googled "Hotter 'N Hell 100 cancelled?" and found no instant answer to that probing question.
So, I clicked on the official Hotter 'N 100 website link and quickly found the following answer regarding this year's biggest annual Wichita Falls event...
Both of us, here at the Hotter’N Hell Hundred office, are well and working remotely to comply with our local government “Shelter in Place” guidelines. Planning continues to progress for the 39th Annual HHH Weekend – August 27 through August 30, 2020! Registrations are currently over 1300 and continuing to grow daily.
We fully expect that by the end of the summer the threat from the virus will have come to conclusion so that we can proceed with our weekend of events. That said, we will be reviewing the situation weekly and may make some adjustments as required for the safety of participants.
Since I have been aboding in Wichita Falls I have only attended the Hotter 'N Hell 100 event at the MPEC (Multi-Purpose Events Center) once. It was a fun thing to attend, way bigger than I expected, with way more to see than I expected.
But, it was so HOT.
If the HNH 100 takes place this year methinks I shall make an effort to attend. Being there when the winner crosses the finish line was way more fun than I thought such a thing would be, followed by seeing 100s of others cross the finish line.
The crossing the finish line thing happens for hours. I think, if I remember right, I watched for about a half hour before I needed to seek shade...
Winter has once again retreated at my location on the planet.
Closing in on 90 degrees mid afternoon on this 7th day of the 2020 version of April.
And, I saw today, whilst rolling my bike's wheels around town, that we do not have to wait for April showers to bring May flowers.
I saw big tulips blooming today, along with my favorite Texas wildflower, the Evening Primrose, pink version.
I do not see many tulips coloring the Texas landscape, nothing like what colors up the Skagit Flats of my old home zone in Washington. But, these tulips today where doing quite well in this inhospitable climate. Huge blooms.
I did no photo documenting of the huge tulips because they were blooming on private property. People can get all worried if they see you taking photos of something on their property, even if you are doing the picture taking from the public street. Best not to risk antagonizing anyone during these troubling times.
Speaking of which. This morning I joined the throngs descending on Walmart soon upon opening.
There are now crowd control barriers like what one experiences waiting to get on what used to be known as an E Ticket ride at Disneyland.
I arrived a half hour after the actual early morning opening, so I did not get the full experience. It was described to me by the guy whose job, it now is, to hold a touch tablet people counting device to track the number entering and leaving the store. He told me the line waiting for the store to open went past the barrier, which extended for at least a couple hundred feet.
I assume the long control line was taking into account the 6 feet distancing rule.
So, I managed to get most of what I was looking for, including two sanitizing products.
And then around noon, with the outer world beginning to get HOT, I went on that aforementioned bike ride where I saw the wildflowers, and that statue you see at the top, which hovers over the MSU ghost university.
The big statue is called Sun Watcher.
Today, unlike yesterday, the Sun Watcher has some actual sun to watch...
When one lives in what used to be one of the locations of the wild, wild west one never knows what historical remnant one might come upon whilst rolling ones bike's wheels around and about.
Today my handlebars came upon the scene you see here.
A pair of exhausted horses laying down, unhitched from their wagon, with no humans anywhere to be seen.
In a few weeks, likely the weekend following Thanksgiving, this pair of horses will be back vertical, hitched to the wagon, with the wagon's wheels mysteriously turning with a buckboard driver holding the reigns attached to the horses.
After I made mention of this early arrival of the Christmas season, local historian, Miss Wood, informed us that this is the norm, for the installation of the MSU Fantasy of Lights to begin well before the lights goes live after Thanksgiving.
Speaking of MSU.
Yesterday I found myself watching college football. The University of Washington Huskies being beat by the Utah Utes was one of the games I watched.
Whilst that game was going on I saw another football game being broadcast by one of the non-major broadcasters. This was a football game broadcast in the primitive pre-HD TV style. That game was the aforementioned MSU, being soundly beaten by something called Tarketon.
Later Saturday, Saturday evening to be precise, I watched the Oregon Ducks soundly beat the USC Trojans. The Ducks play for the University of Oregon. The University of Oregon is located in Eugene. I was born in Eugene. I did not realize til watching that game last night that the Oregon Ducks were headquartered in Eugene.
This sort of indicates how much attention I usually pay to football; college, high school or professional.
I don't even know if my old high school still plays football. I can't remember the last time I read a fuss being made regarding my old high school doing well in football playoffs. The last time I do remember that happening was way back in the last century when my old high school somehow made it to a championship game being played in the now long gone Kingdome in Seattle. I do not remember if my old high school won or lost that championship game. I think I remember watching it in person.
Speaking of Thanksgiving.
This year I am not gonna roast a turkey. Instead I am having a Tequila Turkey Taco Thanksgiving Thursday Party. I am currently taking reservations. There is limited seating available...
Til today it had been a day or two or three since I rolled my newly refurbished bike for a tour around my neighborhood.
Today's bike tour eventually took me to the Midwestern State University, also known as MSU, campus, which is currently crowded with new students.
The start of the new school year is when the campus seems to be the most crowded, soon be thinned by the 2019 versions of Limbaugh and Hannity, not able to pass a college level course, and thus turning into college dropouts.
I digress.
The four horses you see here, splashing though a pond, are Mustangs. My first car was a 65 Mustang Fastback.
Again, I digress.
Mustang is the MSU mascot, so you see various iterations of that particular horse all over Wichita Falls.
The four Mustangs you see splashing above are part of MSU's new Centennial Hall, construction completed yesterday, building dedication scheduled for some time today.
Construction began in December of 2017, completed in less than two years.
Construction of Centennial Hall began over three years after the small town of Fort Worth began trying to build three simple little bridges over dry land, to try and connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.
I assume building a big building is a bit more difficult construction project than building three little bridges over dry land. But, those Fort Worth bridges still are no where near being completed, with the current completion timeline some point in the next decade, if money can be found.
I suspect MSU's Centennial Hall was a fully funded building project before construction began, whilst Fort Worth's hapless project has never been fully funded, waiting for the public works project equivalent of federal food stamps.
Unlike Fort Worth's pitiful bridges this new MSU building, to my eyes, is an interesting, well designed structure. The building seems to pay homage to all the various architectural styles one sees on the MSU campus, from the old to the new, with the part of the new building you see behind the Mustangs, that tall glass wall, being the modern, 2019 style, part of the building.
I also like how Centennial Hall looks different from every angle. Lots of curves, angles and arches. Every color of brick on the MSU campus is incorporated into the various facets of the building.
I strongly suspect no local politician's unqualified son had anything to do with engineering this new MSU building.
This first summer Sunday of 2018 my bike decided to take me on a windy ride north on the Circle Trail, eventually to Hamilton Park, then west through the Wichita Falls version of Beverly Hills, then south to the sprawling campus of MSU (Midwestern State University).
Rolling around the MSU campus on previous occasions I have come upon an art installation. Or two. Or three.
Today I came upon a virtual forest of art installations, installed near something called the Fain Fine Arts Center.
As you can see above, I parked my bike by a giant rusted hammer and then proceeded to walk amongst the rest of the fine rusty art.
I am guessing the above is symbolizing the fact that it is hard to get toothpaste back in the tube once a hard squeeze has released it.
Is the above a rusty Tiki god's lips? Maybe, maybe not.
For some reason there is a lot of Japanese type imagery in Wichita Falls, from pagodas in Lucy Park, to installations covering traffic light controllers in multiple intersection locations. Is this tall piece of rusty fine art a Japanese image? Or Chinese? Or what?
I got myself down to ground level to take the above photo. This looked to be some sort of rusty ball and chain installation in the foreground. Next to a stack of rusty shapes. And a couple non-rusty ceramic looking vases.
This one I may have liked best. Sort of looking like it was a box of glass balancing on a narrow point above a rusty arch.
Earlier this Sunday I have a conversation with Elsie Hotpepper about going running with Elsie and Beto O'Rourke.
I think I enjoyed the walk amongst rusty art more than the early Sunday morning run with Beto O'Rourke...
On this cloudy, almost cold 4th day of June, my bike opted to roll me around Sikes Lake and then to the MSU campus where eventually we stopped at the location you see here.
No, this is not some sort of homage to the Horse of Many Colors in the Wizard of Oz. At least I assume such.
Mustang is the mascot for Midwestern State University. Hence seeing statues of same in various poses, in various colors, all over town.
I believe I previously came upon this particular colorful Mustang at a different location on the MSU campus. Either that or it has a twin.
I do not know the meaning of "MARKET STREET LEARNING COMMONS", that being the sign the Mustang is rearing up at, and pointing to.
Market Street is a grocery store here in Wichita Falls. I first experienced Market Street years ago when one opened in the D/FW town of Colleyville. At that point in time it reminded me of the now defunct Larry's Markets I used to frequent frequently in Washington.
I am not totally, 100% certain, but I think maybe the Market Street grocery store chain began here in Wichita Falls. Market Street has now been taken over by the Safeway/Albertsons growing monopoly.
Is operating a grocery store taught at this MSU Market Street Learning Commons location? Hence the name? Sponsored by the local grocery store? I'm sure someone knows the answer to this probing question.
Before I forget, I must mention, as I rolled around the MSU campus rain began to drip. Fearing getting wet in a downpour I opted to change my biking route and head back home via the fastest route, which meant returning for another roll around Sikes Lake.
By the time I exited the Sikes Lake zone rain was dripping copiously. I made it back to rain-proof shelter before getting totally drenched.
This Memorial Day morning I had myself a memorably long bike ride north, taking my rolling wheels first around Sikes Lake, then to the MSU (Midwestern State University) campus, which is currently abandoned.
And then further north, eventually getting lost on Speedway before finding my way to the Circle Trail via Holliday.
At MSU I stopped the bike at the location you see here. A fountain spewing jets of water.
Refreshing on a HOT day, such as is the case today.
The MSU fountain brought to mind my longtime favorite fountain, that being the fountain known as the International Fountain at the Seattle Center. That fountain came into existence at the Seattle World's Fair, which was known as the Century 21 Exposition. The International Fountain is about 100 times bigger than this fountain I got cooled by today at MSU.
Googling International Fountain Seattle Center brought up multiple websites, including a Wikipedia article about the International Fountain, which included some statistics giving one an idea how big this centerpiece of the Seattle World's Fair is...
56 "Micro shooters" arrayed as a ring buried in the granite blocks of the fountain floor, on the outer perimeter surrounding the dome. These shoot straight up.
77 "Fleur-de-lis" - plate-sized nozzles on the dome, shooting medium-high arcs.
4 "Super shooters" - four nozzles on the top of the dome capable of shooting up to 120 feet (37 m) high. Each "super shooter" peak shot uses 66 US gallons (250 l) and is driven by 120 pounds per square inch (830 kPa) of air pressure.
137 "Mist nozzles", each with an opening the size of a pinhead to generate fog
There is an additional ring of floodlights between the "micro shooters" and the dome.
I do not know if the current iteration of the International Fountain still plays music timed to the fountain spouts. Playing dodge the fountain is a popular pastime for kids of all ages on a hot day at the Seattle Center.
Speaking of the Seattle Center. A couple days ago that location came to my mind for another reason.
The Space Needle.
I was reading an article about the newly re-opened re-modeled observation level atop the Space Needle. In the article I read that the elevator ride to the Space Needle observation deck now cost $26. I found that hard to believe, figuring this must be a mistake.
Trust me on this, even with its new glassed over look a visit to the Space Needle observation deck is not worth $26. If I remember right the last time I was at the top of the Space Needle was with Spencer Jack's dad, Jason, and his uncle, Joey. Both were younger than Spencer Jack is now. I don't remember how much it cost to get on the Space Needle elevator at that point in time. But I doubt it was more than a couple bucks. Maybe five at the most.
What does it cost to ride the Seattle Monorail in 2018? Last time I took that short ride I think it was 50 cents each way.
When the giant observation wheel opened on the Seattle waterfront a couple years ago I recollect reading the fee to ride was $13. That seemed reasonable. But, $26 to ride to the top of the Space Needle? That's ridiculous...
Yesterday early evening I decided to enjoy the mighty fine semi-balmy weather to get myself some fresh air and aerobically induced endorphins via riding my bike on the Circle Trail, eventually ending up circling around Sikes Lake.
Near the north end of the lake I found myself needing to slow down due to a large number of small humans darting about erratically.
When I approached the bridge which crosses over the north end of Sikes Lake I saw that a large assembly of full size humans had assembled.
I quickly determined the assemblage was assembled to listen to music, which started playing soon after I stopped to observe the scene.
Upon arrival back at my abode I consulted the May edition of The HUB of North Texas to learn what I listened to last night was part of the Midwestern State University Live at the Lake Concert Series at Priddy Pavilion, with last night's concert featuring an entity known as the Jay Hollis Band.
The HUB info suggested one bring blankets or lawn chairs. I imagine the blankets were to sit on, not to use to keep warm, since such is not needed in late May at this part of the planet.
I took a photo or two and then switched the camera to video mode to record that which you see below. In the video my pithy commenting alludes to Fort Worth's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube floats in the polluted Trinity River. And those pitiful little bridges Fort Worth can not seem to successfully build over dry land to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.
I think Wichita Falls should dredge the north end of Sikes Lake to make it deeper, then line the bottom with cement. Then hold Rockin' the Lake Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats at their real pavilion with a real bridge over real water.
Saturday I had an interesting run-off voting experience in my current location of Wichita Falls.
With early voting one can vote in any early voting location, so I early vote in what seems a rather odd location, that being inside a mall, in the concourse in front of Penney's in the Sikes Senter mall, which someone unfathomably thought clever to spell center with an "S".
For election day run-off voting one must vote in ones precinct's voting location. For my precinct this was in the Hardin Administration building on the MSU campus. Not hard to locate, once one finds a map of the campus. Driving to that location on Saturday there was only one car parked on the north parking lot. Is this the right location I wondered? Then on the west side parking lot I saw a few more cars. But, no where did I see any "Vote Here" type signs. Or one of those ubiquitous red, white and blue American flags.
I parked and went in the only door which seemed as if it might lead somewhere. I came to a long hall. Down the long hall I saw an elderly lady sitting at a table, still no flag or signage indicating I was in any sort of voting location. I walked to the elderly lady to find I had found the correct location. Soon I had done my duty and voted for the only item on the ballot, Penny Miller for City Council at Large.
Penny Miller lost the run-off election. Most people I vote for lose. I should have voted for Trump.
After voting I told my fellow voters, who I had taken to vote with me, that I wanted to show them something I've seen growing in nearby Hamilton Park, the purpose of which was a mystery to me. A few days prior I had biked by this location to see what looked like a giant slingshot being assembled, with a lot of other material piled up on the parking lot awaiting assemblage.
Above is the photo I took of this Hamilton Park mystery last Saturday.
And now today, four days later, the Wichita Falls Times News Record, (I may have the order of those last three words wrong), had an article explaining what the giant slingshot is going to become.
An "artistic, modern and functional piece of equipment for “Doctor’s Park,” so named for the more than 100 trees planted there donated by the WCMA."
WCMA is the abbreviated version of Wichita County Medical Alliance.
I first saw initial groundwork on this project underway what seems a couple months ago. And now, with construction underway, completion is expected to take a couple weeks.
In addition to an actual project timeline another difference from something being built in Fort Worth was the following sentence...
"The playground is close to the Circle Trail, restrooms and near a large parking lot."
Do you see the item in the above sentence that you would not likely be seeing mention made of in a Fort Worth Star-Telegram about something being built in a Fort Worth park?
If you identified "restrooms" as the item, you are correct. Most Fort Worth city parks do not have modern facilities, no running water, no modern restrooms. Some don't even have that Fort Worth staple of an outhouse.
Shocking, shocking I tell you, for an imaginary world class city like Fort Worth to not have modern facilities in its city parks.
Meanwhile in another town in Texas, Wichita Falls...
I do not remember when I last was in holiday spirit mode so well in advance of the holidays.
I'm done with my Christmas shopping.
And all my Christmas decorating.
And all my Christmas card mailings.
Now, all I have to do is enjoy this latest iteration of the holiday season til it is blessedly over with at the start of yet another new year.
On Friday I rolled my bike's wheels to the MSU (Midwestern State University) campus intending to shoot video whilst riding my bike around the perimeter of Wichita Falls Fantasy of Light Christmas theme park.
On that day the wind which blew all day Saturday had begun to blow. Hence most of the video I took that day was noisy with the wind blowing over my patented pithy commentary.
So, on this almost dead calm, almost windless Sunday, this morning I rolled back to MSU and did two video iterations. I liked the second one best, so that is the one I YouTubed which you can watch and listen to below.
But before we get to that what are we looking at in these two photos, above and below?
Well, in the one at the top, located at the far southeast edge of the Fantasy of Lights, is your basic stereotypical Bethlehem manger scene, with some wise men on camels, a couple sheep, a couple shepherds, and Mary and Joseph in the manger with their newborn. The Joseph figure looks sort of worried and angry. I suspect he had just received word America's modern era Herod had blocked immigrants from migrating from Mary and Joseph's war torn oppressive middle eastern location to the new world of America. And so the desperate young family is stuck their with their baby, awaiting who knows what dire fate at the hands of the infidels from the west.
And then we move on from that poignant scene to the next one.
What appear to be the Village People on a carousel. The explanatory signage accompanying this installation really did not explain much. All that signage says is "NUTCRACKER CAROUSEL Adopted By First Bank".
Nutcracker Carousel? Aren't the Nutcrackers in the Nutcracker ballet production some sort of toy soldier figures? Even more confusing is the Village Person in white on the left. The banner on that Village Person's back says "Texas Nurses".
Before we get to the video from today, the full text of an article in this morning's Wichita Falls Times News Record, or is that Wichita Falls News Times Record? I can never remember. Just a second I will go look...
Oh my, both are wrong. The correct name of the local newspaper is Wichita Falls Times Record News. I don't mean to be rude, which I never am, but that newspaper name is just unnecessarily convoluted, hence my confusion. Why not simply call it the Wichita Falls News and leave it at that? Or Wichita Falls Times? Or Wichita Falls Record?
Almost forgot, here is the blurb from the Times Record News about that which I biked around today...
With the flick of a switch at dusk on Nov. 20, the MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights displays will illuminate the campus of Midwestern State University and Wichita Falls with a festive atmosphere. Almost 40 lighted displays – including Peter Pan, The Three Little Pigs and a robot blowing bubbles – will light the night. This year, guests will get an extra treat. Workers at MSU found a treasure that hasn’t been displayed in 15 years. Hidden in a crawl space of the Hardin Building, a vintage display spells out “Merry Christmas To All” in red and green neon letters. Students at the Carrigan Center transformed the neon letters to LED lights. The lighted animated displays take about 1,300 hours to set up and maintain. Fantasy of Lights receives no state funding or federal grants, but instead relies exclusively on the generous donations and volunteerism of the city of Wichita Falls. To keep the timeless tradition going takes the effort of generous donors like you. The holiday light displays that burn bright on the campus on Taft Boulevard are viewed by approximately 200,000 people every year – at no charge.
Yesterday after I took a Roll Through MSU With Cinderella & Dorothy On The Yellow Brick Road I verbalized being concerned as to the whereabouts of the Tin Man, due to the Tin Man not being with Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow or Toto at the massive MSU (Midwestern State University) Holiday Season Christmas Theme Park.
I have no way of knowing if the Tin Man, as was speculated, had been Flying Monkey-napped by the Wicked Witch of the West, or had simply wandered off, or took a coffee break.
The missing Tin Man worried me almost all night long. So, today I rolled myself back to MSU to find myself relieved to see the Tin Man back with the rest of the gang heading to the Emerald City via the Yellow Brick Road in the Merry Land of Oz in Texas.
If the above were a video you would be seeing the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion in motion mode. The Tin Man slowly swings his ax whilst squeaking, while behind him the Cowardly Lion waves an arm holding a can of tin lubricating grease. The Scarecrow, Dorothy and Toto were also in motion mode in various ways today.
Maybe before this latest iteration of the "Holidays" is mercifully over for another year I will wander through the MSU Christmas Theme Park and take video of all the action.
And in other news, this morning I was pleased to learn I am now the Wichita Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau's Outdoors Adventure Guru. This gets me many perks, including ice water anytime I visit WFC & VB's offices in Ray Clymer Hall at MPEC (Multi-Purpose Event Center) in downtown Wichita Falls.
Best free ice water since the last time I was in South Dakota at Wall Drug....
Saturday and Sunday strong wind blew cold air at my location on the planet. This frigidity had me not wanting to ride my bike or climb a mountain.
And now, on Monday, even though rain is supposedly on the weather menu, there is no wind, dead calm, nothing blowing.
And so, even though the outer world is cloudy and chilled to the middle 50s, with only a little extra layering I was able to take myself on a long roll of my wheels, first to Sikes Lake, eventually to Hamilton Park and the Circle Trail, but before I got there I rolled through MSU (Midwestern State University) and stopped to visit one of the multiple Santas currently holding court over a large assemblage of Christmas Holiday Season type installations still in being installed mode.
Among those installations is the pirate ship you see below.
I am not sure, but I think this pirate ship is Peter Pan themed. The name of the ship is Jolly Roger. A damsel in distress is tied to a mast, looking like she is being tormented by evil eyed pirates, whilst what appears to be Peter Pan is battling what looks to be the sword wielding captain of the ship, looking like Captain Hook, because, well, one arm has a hook instead of a hand at its termination point.
This pirate ship holiday season installation seems to be a bit out of sync with the times. Didn't I recently read that Disneyland has edited The Pirates of the Caribbean to no longer have scary drunken pirates chasing scared wenches?
I have not been to Disneyland since Christmas day of 1994. At that point in time the pirates were still chasing those scared wenches The wench chasing part of the ride was one of my favorite parts, going all the way back to the first time I took the dead men tell no tales boat plunge to enter the mayhem of the Disneyland pirate world.
My mom and dad were along for the ride the first time I experienced Pirates of the Caribbean. Maybe that's why the pirates chasing the wenches did not seem all that frightening. I was more disturbed by It's a Small World and all those singing Precious Moments type figures singing that annoying song over and over and over again.
I just realized, whilst thinking about riding Pirates of the Caribbean with mom and dad, for the first time, decades ago, that the last time I rode a theme park type ride with mom and dad was in November of 1995, at Luxor in Las Vegas. I was staying at Treasure Island, mom and dad were nearing the end of their retirement trek across America. They met up with me. I left who I was with in Vegas to go with mom and dad to Luxor, where we buffeted and then rode the Luxor virtual reality ride which makes one think one is flying to the center of the world in search of an obelisk, or some such thing. Mom was amusing. Sort of terrified. But, she recovered enough to give me a big box of Christmas presents to haul north to distribute.
As for Pirates of the Caribbean. I Googled to find the correct name for the It's a Small World ride and this brought up a YouTube video with the entire Pirates of the Caribbean ride, start to finish. That ride, along with the rest of Disneyland is one of the many reasons I found Six Flags Over Texas so totally lame the first time I visited that theme park.
Take the video ride below, if you've never been to Disneyland and ridden the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The ride starts slow, building drama, stay with it til the first time you hear dead men tell no tales. Then the video goes dark for a bit, not managing to catch the shock of what actually happens, when your boat sort of goes over a waterfall to enter the world of the Pirates of the Caribbean, eventually ending with the pirate Jack Sparrow counting his treasure.
The blurb accompanying the video....
Avast ye land lubbers! Set forth with this HD Front Seat POV on one of the best Dark Rides every created. Disneyland never disappoints and Pirates of the Caribbean is always a crowd pleaser....
Today, this last Sunday of October, the temperature in the outer world was warm enough, unlike the previous couple days, to facilitate a comfortable bike ride without need of excessive insulating material.
So, I rolled my wheels through my Caribbean neighborhood and then left Nassau for a loop around Sikes Lake, before crossing over a not busy Midwestern Boulevard to do some uncongested, mostly student-free, touring of the MSU (Midwestern State University) campus.
I was doing my wheel rolling, having myself a mighty fine time, when suddenly I was startled to see Santa Claus waving at me from a train.
Three days before Halloween, about a month before Thanksgiving, two months before Christmas, and Santa is already doing his business in Wichita Falls.
I stopped, got off my bike, aimed the handlebars at the shameless Santa and photo documented that which I saw.
It was not just Santa and his train. On the grounds all around Santa there were other Christmas displays getting ready for the apparently already beginning Holiday Season.
I remember last year when these things began showing up, with me having no clue what it was, being new to town. Soon to learn this is an annual Holiday Season display. It is quite an elaborate operation. Many of the displays have animated illuminated aspects.
I would imagine setting all this up is quite time consuming, and difficult, hence beginning the process even before Trick or Treating is done for the year.
This next to last Monday of this year's version of July I rolled my bike's wheels north on the Circle Trail to Hamilton Park.
I do not know what Hamilton this park is named after. Alexander, George, or some other Hamilton.
I exited the Circle Trail at the north end of Hamilton Park to pedal through the Wichita Falls version of Beverly Hills. A wonderfully eclectic mix of what I guess one would call mansions, with the architectural styles all over the place, from colonial to modern, with nods to Greece and Rome and Great Britain.
I exited the Wichita Falls version of Beverly Hills to cross Taft Boulevard to the MSU (Midwestern State University) campus.
Soon I found myself in the shadow of something I had not seen before at MSU. The giant statue of an Indian you see here.
The plaque under the Indian indicated his name was "Sunwatcher".
The plaque further informed me that it was "Presented by the MSU Student Association Celebrating the 75th Anniversary October 1997".
Anniversary of what? I don't know. The birth of Sunwatcher? The birth of MSU?
The plaque also informed me that Sunwatcher was sculpted by Jack Stevens.
Jack Stevens?
The old codger on the Tarrant Regional Water District Board? He sculpts?
If so why did America's Biggest Boondoggle not hire him to sculpt that homage to an aluminum trash can the Boondoggle paid a million bucks for? I'm sure Jack Stevens would have given the Boondoggle a discount.
And they could have ended up with something cool looking, like this MSU Sunwatcher sculpture....
