Checking Out Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park Artworks & Bridges

Gooseneck of Mallard Cove Park

Around noon I had to deliver some paperwork to an office in what is called the Grammercy Building, located along the frontage road which runs east of I-820 from John T. White to Randol Mill Road.

Since I was in the neighborhood, after the paperwork delivery, I opted to head east on Randol Mill Road to Mallard Cove Park, for the first time since the park was flooded a month, or so, ago.

The beautiful work of art you see here must have been installed since my last visit, or maybe I simply did not notice it before. I do not know what the work of art is called.

Gooseneck, maybe?

Judging by the fact that Fort Worth spent about a million bucks on a piece of structural art which looks like a garbage can, or the ruins of a water tower, I'm guessing this substantial looking Mallard Cove Park Gooseneck work of sculptural art cost likely somewhere in the couple hundred thousand zone.

Continuing on past the Gooseneck I eventually came across a bride over Mallard Cove.

I do not know how much this feat of bridge engineering cost or how long it took to build. I don't even know if it was built over water, or built during a drought when Mallard Cove shrinks to puddle size. I do know that there was no Star-Telegram article touting the appearance of the piers which support this Mallard Cove bridge.

Walking with the Mallard Cove ducks did not last long. Too cold, despite multiple layers of outerwear, including an ear covering thing I have used whilst skiing. I fear it will be another year before I feel the outer world heated to above 70.....

Rainy Walmart Drive With Mom To A Mallard Cove Mystery

When I was a young lad I recollect on days like this my mom would sing a song part of which went something like "rain rain go away, come again another day..."

Since Thanksgiving Texas has been reminding me of what a Washington winter can be like. Day after day after day after day after day of rain.

And cold.

But there is one HUGE difference. When the rain in Washington finally stops and the sky is once again blue you look in just about any direction and you see these things called mountains, snow-capped, this time of year. If the sky ever turns blue again, at my current location, no matter which direction I look I will not be seeing any snow-capped mountains.

I tried going jogging this morning. That did not go well after a downpour started getting me extra wet. About an hour before noon I texted my mom and dad to ask "Are you kids home and by the phone?" My dad texted back with a "Yes".

So, I called and asked mom if she wanted to ride to Walmart with me in the rain. Mom was onboard for the Walmart trip.

I got gas a couple days ago but it was not convenient to call my mom, like I usually do, when I get gas, to tell mom how much it cost. That and usually also mentioning the temperature.

After I finished my walk around Walmart I returned to Mallard Cove Park for the third day in a row. I figured the flood would be flooding much higher, what with a lot of rain continuing to fall.

Instead, when Mallard Cove came in to view I was surprised to see the water had receded quite a distance. Today's photo through the rain spattered windshield sort of shows you the Mallard Cove reduction, compared to the photos from Friday and Saturday.

Why has the river level gone down whilst rain still falls in copious amounts?

If this were in the aforementioned Washington, in my old home zone of the Skagit Valley, when the flooding Skagit River suddenly drops it means only one thing. A dike downstream has broken.

I remember a flood event back in the early 1990s. The storm that sank one of the Lake Washington floating bridges. Downtown Mount Vernon was in major emergency mode. An army of locals poured into downtown to help sandbag, along with a couple hundred servicemen from the Whidbey Island Naval Station. Or was it the National Guard?

I remember I was at home, about midnight, watching the flood news on TV, when the coverage went live to Mount Vernon, where the KING 5 news guy was making it sound like hundreds of people were making their way to downtown to save the library.

It was about a three mile drive from my abode to downtown Mount Vernon. About 15 minutes after hearing the library was in danger I was parking on a hill above downtown and making my way to the library.

Where I learned the library was not in actual immediate danger, but was ground zero for sand bag filling operations, I was told they had plenty of sandbaggers, but able bodied sorts were needed on the revetment (think dike with a parking lot on top) to help build a sand bag wall.

Soon I  found myself in a bucket  brigade type operation. This went on for a couple hours til about a 5 foot wall extended the length of downtown.

The river was predicted to crest around noon, if I remember right. It was expected to topple over the sandbag wall, by a slight amount, hopefully not enough to flood downtown Mount Vernon, which is sort of like New Orleans, as in below the river level when it is in flood mode.

So, before the expected crest I made my way to downtown Mount Vernon again, along with a lot of other people. We were kept a distance away, safe from a catastrophic flood wall failure. We watched as the river rose higher and higher, reaching to the top of the sandbag wall, then starting to go over the wall in spots.

Then, suddenly the water level dropped by a foot, or more.

What happened? No one knew. Soon emergency sirens were wailing. Helicopters were in the air.

I do not remember how long it was before it was known that the dike had broken downriver a couple miles, about a 200 foot breech in the dike that protected Fir Island from a flooding Skagit River.

When the Skagit River reaches Fir Island it splits into two forks, the north and the south forks of the Skagit River. The west side of Fir Island is a body of water known as Skagit Bay, which is part of another body of water known as Puget Sound.

Those reading this who live in the environs of Fort Worth, Fir Island is a real island, surrounded on all sides by moving water. There are two bridges that cross the Skagit River on to Fir Island. Both built in well under four years, and both built over a wide deep river, not dry land.

Those reading this who do not live in the environs of Fort Worth, who are wondering why I am explaining Fir Island's island status and bridges, well, here in Fort Worth we have this pseudo public works project which has been boondoggling along for almost all of this century, with very little to show for the effort.

This project has gone by many names. Currently it is the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island Vision.

Known by many as America's Biggest Boondoggle.

Over a year ago The Boondoggle had a big celebration to celebrate the supposed start of construction on its three simple little bridges being built over dry land to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

A month or so ago The Boondoggle launched a publicity propaganda burst to proudly share the news that wooden forms were able to be seen being constructed at the location where the only one of the three bridges is currently sort of under construction.

I think I got off subject.

So, the breech in the Fir Island dike caused the Skagit River to flood Fir Island, doing a lot of damage.

When the river receded the dike was quickly repaired. Then, two weeks later, another storm caused another flood. The sandbag wall was still in place. Once again the river rose to a level which was going to top the sandbag wall and once again the Fir Island dike broke. This time not as catastrophically, because the damage  had already been done two weeks previous.

So, what caused the water level in Mallard Cove to drop since yesterday? I drove no further east, on Randol Mill Road, than Mallard Cove. That road is a bit of a pot holed bump fest to drive on any old time. With the flooding driving that road becomes a bit treacherous, what with flooding creeks rushing water over the road and deep puddles.

The sky is actually looking brighter right now than it has in days. Is the gray coming to an end? Will blue sky return tomorrow with clear views of the gorgeous surrounding landscape....

Running Like An Old Man While Looking Like An Old Lady At Mallard Cove Park

I know, I said I was done with the selfie thing, but I found this cool setting on the phone that makes the selfie taker look like an old lady. So, I had to try that and must say I was impressed with how well the "Look Like An Old Lady" scene setting works.

This selfie was taken under the shade of a big oak tree in Mallard Cove Park.

I was at Mallard Cove Park to participate in my new running pastime.

The recent return to hill hiking on the Tandy Hills has had me surprised at how much easier the hill hiking has become. I think this is due to the post morning swim habit I have had for months now of doing a lot of slow deep knee bends, as in 100, give or take a bend or two.

I first realized I had developed an extra spring in my step last  week when running up and down the stairs at Oakland Lake Park.

Years ago I was a regular jogger. I would run for miles. It took me awhile  to get to the point where I could go for miles. But, that all ended in early 1985. I was pretty much off the exercise wagon til I took up mountain biking in 1994.

I have not fallen off the wagon ever since.

Recently I have been impressed with this guy named Mr. Spiffy. Mr. Spiffy is a runner and a biker. Mr. Spiffy posts his run and biking info on Facebook. Last weekend Mr. Spiffy successfully completed the Wichita Falls Hotter Than  Hell One Hundred. As in Mr. Spiffy rolled his bike's wheel's for 100 miles in the HOT Texas August heat.

Now, Mr. Spiffy is younger than me. He looks to be, at the oldest, 39, so I don't think it realistic for me to aspire to a Mr. Spiffy level of running or biking, but I think it is realistic to try to return to enjoying running.

My first return to running attempt happened on Wednesday, running with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Village Creek in Arlington.

It did not go well.

I felt like a plodding walrus.

If I remember right the only person I mentioned this to was Elsie Hotpepper, who did not seem too sympathetic to my plodding walrus plight, simply asking me why I felt like a plodding walrus.

How does one explain why one felt like a plodding walrus? This seemed to require no explanation.

So, remembering my long ago experience with getting in running mode, I knew it got better with each subsequent attempt.

Which is why I went to Mallard Cove Park today.

Where I did not feel like a plodding walrus. I ran twice around the paved trail. Running in bursts, then walking, which, from past experience, for me, is the fastest way to get in shape for running a longer distance.

With today's running I can see where this is far more aerobic than riding my bike usually is, unless I'm going up a steep hill or a challenging section of mountain bike trail. Running is way more aerobic than I ever manage whilst swimming.

So, I was rather pleased with how good I felt after running today, as opposed to how I felt on Wednesday.

The Indian Ghosts Close Village Creek Due To Flooding While Mallard Cove Dries Up

This afternoon I heard the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area calling me.

So, I rolled my motorized wheels to Arlington to find the Natural Historical Area closed due to flooding.

That surprised me since it has not rained, as far as I know, since Bill visited on Wednesday.

I did not feel like rolling on to one of Arlington's other parks where I take my handlebars, like River Legacy or Veterans Park.

So, I dejectedly turned around and headed home.

I got to Cooks Lane and then it occurred to me to continue north on Cooks Lane, past John T. White Road, to Randol Mill Road to take a left to check out Mallard Cove Park to see if it was a muddy mess from being flooded.

Well.

I got to the Mallard Cove Park parking lot, got out, walked til I had a view of the paved trails and was surprised to see no indication that this place had been recently inundated with water. I figured when the water receded there would be mud, litter, logs, all sorts of a mess.

But, if I have not seen it flooded, today I would not have thought anything at all unusual had happened here. The grass was recently mowed. Everything looked clean as new.

Below is the picture I took from the same vantage point as the picture above. You can see the bench above under water in the picture below...

You can see mud in the lower left of the above picture. Where did all that mud go? You can see other pictures of what a flooded Mallard Cove Park looked like in the blogging titled Mallard Cove Park Is Underwater With Some Mysterious Bubbles Burbling along with video of the burbling.

All in all I ended up having myself a mighty fine time rolling my wheels around Mallard Cove, even though there were no Indian Ghosts making their presence known...

Mallard Cove Park Is Underwater With Some Mysterious Bubbles Burbling

A few days ago I blogged A New Cove Has Been Added To Mallard Cove Park.

Today I returned to Mallard Cove Park to find a river now runs through it.

A noticeable current was flowing along, moving debris with the flow, no litter, just river flotsam, like twigs and such.

The noticeable current surprised me, what with the current location being a bit distant from where the Trinity River flows by the north end of the park.

When I got to the edge of the flood I saw something a bit disturbing.

Bubbles burbling to the surface.

Natural gas pipelines run under this park, with multiple signs pointing out that fact. A fellow flood watcher walked up and I pointed her towards the burbles with her initial reaction being the same as mine.

A gas leak.

Eventually a less excitable type walked up and opined that the burbles were likely coming from a deep air pocket of the sort snakes live in.

I'm sticking with gas leak.

The leak was to the right of the view you see here, looking at a forlorn park bench currently mostly submerged.

I took some video of the flood and the burbling leak. You can watch that below.

Below are a pair of flood watchers who are near the aforementioned burbling.

Leaving Mallard Cove Park I continued east on Randol Mill Road, past the flooded Mary Kelleher farm, to find the road flooded and closed just past the River Bottom Bar. I turned around and headed back to Cooks Lane to head to high country and ALDI, where I got myself some Texas sweet onions, among other things.

Below is the aforementioned video....

A New Cove Has Been Added To Mallard Cove Park

This morning I took the backroad way to Sam's Club, a route which takes me by Mallard Cove Park.

I was curious if the almost non-stop deluging had flooded Mallard Cove Park with Trinity River mud.

Well, as you can see, via the one and only picture I took of Mallard Cove Park today, there is no readily seen mud.

However, Mallard Cove has greatly expanded, with an even bigger "cove" across the paved trail from the original Mallard Cove.

Everywhere I drove this morning I saw a lot of water standing around doing nothing but waiting to cause trouble when more water arrives.

Getting Sunburned Rolling My Wheels In Mallard Cove Park

What with the temperature today being in the 70s for the first time in what seems like years, I decided to roll my mechanized wheels to Mallard Cove Park to roll my non-mechanized wheels on a bike ride with (virtually) Mallard Cove Park neighbor, Mary K.

Those would be my handlebars  looking at a FORT WORTH bench with Mallard Cove a short distance away.

Til today I had not been on my bike since some time before February 9. I know this because on that date I had a hit the brakes incident in west Fort Worth which caused the bike to slide out of its usual position. Today was the first time I have unlocked the bike from its security cable since that unfortunate braking incident.

The fact that it has been so long since I have taken my handlebars anywhere is yet one more indicator of how quickly time flies.

And now, in only four days, Friday March 20 to be precise, the Vernal Equinox arrives and with it the arrival of Spring. I am likely being too optimistic, but I think that the icy winter nuisance is now done for the year.

With Spring scheduled to soon arrive shouldn't wildflowers be beginning to make their annual appearance? Along with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings?

I probably should have slathered on sunscreen today....

Today I Avoided Being Mugged By Visiting The Indian Ghosts With No Running Water In Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area

Shortly after 11 this morning I exited my abode to drive to Mallard Cove Park to visit the ducks and roll my bike wheels at high speed for enough miles to get myself a good dose of aerobic stimulation and the resulting endorphins.

On my way to the ducks, heading east on Randol Mill Road, a couple Fort Worth cops passed me at high speed, without their sirens blaring. I've watched enough cop shows to know this means they are trying to intercept a crime in progress and don't want the perps to know they are on their way.

The cops continued east as I headed north on the dead end road that ends at the entry to Mallard Cove Park.

The Mallard Cove Park parking lot is a bit isolated. I have seldom seen any other vehicles there. As I was about to unlock my bike a beat up car drove to the dead end and then turned into the parking lot. The two males in the beat up car did not look like they were there to get any exercise.

The driver backed his car into a parking spot, the position one assumes if one wants to get away as quickly as possible. I could see the pair in the car were watching me. I decided it was not a good idea to get my bike out of the vehicle and put my wallet, phone and camera in the bike bag in front of prying eyes.

I decided I'd opt to be cautious and quickly made my exit, heading to the location I'd been on Sunday, Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area, which is about three miles from the duck zone.

So, that would be a photo of a Village Creek Natural Historical Area location you see above. One of the multiple areas in this park with multiple picnic tables and a big elevated fire pit.

In all the years I have been visiting the Indian Ghosts who haunt their former Village Creek home I have never seen anyone picnicking at the above location. I have never seen any of the fire pits burning anything.

So, why is this picnic area so seldom used I am sure you are asking yourself? Well, I really don't know the answer, for sure, but I can speculate.

Do you like taking your kids to a park for a picnic when the park has no running water or restroom facilities?

I don't have any kids, but I know I don't like taking myself to a park for a picnic when the park has no running water. The lack of restrooms is less bothersome to me.

Unlike Fort Worth's, most of Arlington's parks, which I have visited, do have running water and restrooms, if they have picnic tables.

In other parts of America do the states mandate that parks must have modern amenities, for health and sanitation reasons?

Texas does excellent freeway rest areas, clearly indicating Texas is not behind the rest of America in that amenity.

Parks in Texas towns like Grapevine and Southlake and Keller and others have modern amenities.

It seems to me that it is just common sense if you are going to have picnic tables in a park, with fire pits, that you should have modern amenities, like running water.

Unless ones goal is to go for an undeveloped third world type experience in ones parks....

Today I Kept Out Of A Dangerous Construction Area In Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park

Today I decided to be a rebel and not roll my wheels at their regular Saturday location in Fort Worth's Gateway Park, followed by a bout of Town Talk treasure hunting.

Instead I rolled my wheels in Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park followed by what passes for treasure hunting in the nearby Super Walmart.

I am not a fan of seeing DANGER CONSTRUCTION KEEP OUT signs in parks I visit.

Actually I don't think I remember ever seeing such a DANGER sign before in a park I visit.

Why is there no explanation as to what is being constructed? And why it is dangerous?

Is Fort Worth building a picnic pavilion in its newest park?

Restroom facilities?

Likely no on the restroom facilities idea. Most Fort Worth parks lack modern amenities, like restrooms and running water.

Outhouses are usually available though, but not the cool high tech type ones you find on the Dallas Cowboy Stadium parking lots....

Not Rolling Over A Mallard Cove Cactus Patch While Texting About West Texas Roughnecks With The Queen Of Wink

Today I decided to use my motorized vehicular transport device to take my non-motorized transport device to Mallard Cove Park to roll my two in-line wheels for a few miles.

In the picture, as you can see, my handlebars have screeched to a halt before running into a huge cactus patch.

My handlebars, well, actually it is the brakes and the wheels which do the screeching, screeched to a halt multiple times today, pretty much every time I came to a sit down shade opportunity.

Multiple times my phone made its incoming text message noise, hence the use of the sit down shade opportunities, in order to get my phone out of its safe keeping container, that being the black bag you see attached to the handlebars.

The multiple text messages were from the Queen of Wink regarding a Gar the Texan-like West Texas Neanderthal who had been engaging in a one-sided sinkhole-like Facebook debate over the history of fracking.

I say one-sided debate because I think it was only the West Texas Neanderthal who was in the debate, with the Queen of Wink and me having realized we were not qualified to engage in this debate, due to the fact that we are not beer swilling, tobacco chewing, gun toting, rough neck workers in the oil drilling industry.

Anyway, this brief respite from the HEAT is being mighty fine. Only 71 degrees this morning when I went swimming. This made the pool seem disturbingly as if it was a heated pool. Currently, coming up on the middle of the afternoon, the air outside is only 88 degrees. This cool state is scheduled to disappear tomorrow, with incoming humidity delivered by potentially heavy rain. And thunder booms.

Rolling My Wheels To Survey Tree Damage In Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park

On Sunday during the course of my 1st Annual Mallard Cove Park Father's Day bike ride I stopped and took a picture of a tree which I used for illustrative purposes on my 1st Annual Mallard Cove Park Father's Day bike ride.

Today I returned to Mallard Cove Park to roll my bike's wheels and found that half the aforementioned tree is missing, with part of what was formerly vertical now laying on the ground.

I've been seeing a lot of tree damage of late, well, isolated tree damage, as in on Wednesday in Gateway Park and now, today, in Mallard Cove Park. I have not made note of any extreme windiness.

Changing the subject from rolling my wheels past mutilated trees to something else.

What with day after day being heated into the 90 zone each morning the water in the pool is just a little bit less refreshing than it was the morning before. Summer starts up tomorrow with the annual moment when the sun reaches its zenith and then begins its long retreat back to winter.

100 degree days will likely soon arrive, followed by the water in the pool being as warm as the air and thus no longer refreshing.

It's a hellish time of the year......

The First Annual Fort Worth Father's Day Mallard Cove Park Bike Ride Confusing My Brother

Today was the day of my First Annual Father's Day bike ride on the paved trails of Mallard Cove Park, located on the wild and rugged east side of the Texas town of Fort Worth.

In the picture you are looking at one of many big trees which rise from the open prairie of Mallard Cove Park.

That line of trees you see behind the big tree line the south bank of the Trinity River as it scenically passes Mallard Cove Park.

For some unfathomable reason all access from Mallard Cove Park to the Trinity River has been blocked. So, I am no longer able to roll my wheels out of the park to take pictures of big piles of discarded tires, abandoned beds and vehicles rusting in the middle of the Trinity River.

With access to the Trinity River blocked I had only Mallard Cove Park to look at and find odd stuff which seems out of place. Such as that which you see below.

Since I last visited Mallard Cove Park a giant white straw has been inserted into Mallard Cove. My limited imagination could imagine no possible explanation for this unnatural insertion.

After I had had enough of riding my bike I sat at a picnic table under the Mallard Cove Park Gazebo and text messaged "Happy Father's Day" to most of the dad's entered into my phone, including my dad and my brother.

I'd not called my brother in a long time. A really long time.

Within less than a minute after sending out the Happy Father's Day text messages the phone twice made its incoming text message noise.

The first one was from my dad, simply saying "Thank you".

The second was from my brother, simply saying, "Thanks who is this I don't know this number or area code Go Hawks".

My brother is very avant garde with his punctuation.

I replied back saying, "This is your big brother, calling from Fort Worth, Texas. Are the Seahawks already playing football again?"

I have received no subsequent message from my brother, so I don't know if the Seahawks are back playing football. Seems like only yesterday Seattle won the Super Bowl. Is it already time for them to start making that happen again.........?

Risking Rolling My Wheels Over Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park's High Pressure Natural Gas Pipeline

Last night we were warned that the temperature could possibly dip to the freezing zone.

I was under blankets last night for the first time in awhile, but, when I woke up my temperature monitoring devices this morning, I saw that the pre-dawn temperature was several  degrees above freezing.

Yet somehow this morning there appeared to be frost on the roof that I gaze upon during my regularly scheduled hot tub hydrotherapy session.

Due to that predicted freeze I did not think I'd be in the once again cool pool this morning. But, after getting too hot in the hot tub I thought I'd take a quick cooling dip. And found the water in the pool was way less cool than the air.

Around noon I drove to the post office to mail a letter to the IRS in Austin. Then I headed south to Mallard Cove Park to roll my bike's wheels. That would be Mallard Cove you are looking at above, with the coolest looking rock picnic table I've ever seen, in the foreground.

In the picture on the right you are looking at my handlebars pointing at one of the many natural gas pipeline warning posts stuck in the ground in this particular park.

Last Wednesday I rolled my wheels around Mallard Cove and blogged about it, and asked a question about the Fort Worth signature benches installed in this park.

That question generated an interesting blog comment from someone named Dub Kennedy...

Dub Kennedy has left a new comment on your post "Rolling My New Tires To Fort Worth's Mallard Cove":

"I have never seen anyone sitting on one of these benches. How much do they cost, I can not help but wonder?"

I'm guessing that Chesapeake or some other energy company picked up the tab for this park.

I have little doubt that natural gas pipelines run underneath this so-called park. I say so-called because a parcel of land with nothing more than concrete trails doesn't make a park in my opinion. 

Another so-called park similar to Mallard Cove park was built near the Rockwood golf course in northwest Fort Worth and was paid for by natural gas producers. I know for certain that at least one gas pipeline runs under that park.

Well, Dub is correct, in that there is a Chesapeake installation just outside the west end of this "park", along with 18 or 19 GAS WARNING posts stuck in the ground  inside the park, marking a pipeline route. Plus one HUGE curved pipe stuck in a cement block, which I assume is gas related.

Below is a closeup view of the warning post my bike's handlebars are pointing towards.

I can read the words "HIGH PRESSURE" near the top of the GAS WARNING post. Is this non-odorized highly pressured gas?

Dub says a parcel of land with some paved trails does not a park make.

I agree with Dub that a parcel of land with some paved trails does not make a park, but, in addition to the paved trails Mallard Cove Park has those aforementioned benches, plus the also aforementioned rock picnic table, plus the never before mentioned gazebo-like covered picnic table structure, plus wide expanses of grassy weeds, which are infrequently mowed and some rather stately old big trees.

And giant prickly pear cacti, as in the biggest patches of prickly pear cactus I've ever seen. Not that I've done all that much prickly pear cactus hunting....

Rolling My New Tires To Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park

Today I rolled my mechanized wheels to the park closest to my abode, that being Mallard Cove Park, to roll my non-mechanized wheels on this beautiful spring day in Texas.

Yesterday and today's main theme has been tire woes.

A few days after I last rolled my bike wheels in Gateway Park I saw that the front tire had lost some air. This was the tire that still had an auto-seal inner tube in it.

About a year ago, at the same park was at today, I rolled that same front tire over a mesquite thorn, saw the puncture happen, quickly pulled out the thorn, and then, not trusting the auto-seal thing, figured the tire would quickly go flat. But, it stayed inflated.

So, yesterday I pulled my bike from its resting place and found the tiny thorn that had punctured the front flat tire. Then pumped the tire back to full. And then pedaled the tire for a few minutes. Today that tire remained inflated, so I'm thinking the self sealing thing is continuing to work on that tire.

Now my other tire woe.

Yesterday when I went to drive to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area, as I opened the door I looked down to see the driver's side front tire looking dire. I was in no mood for a repeat of the flat tire trauma that transpired back in the winter of 2008. Six years later and it was time to replace the front tires again.

This morning I took the bad wheels and the vehicle they roll under to Discount Tires and got new rollers. Discount Tires is walking distance from my abode. So is Firestone. I don't like Firestone. Discount Tires has always been a good experience.

So, I am back at 100% in the tire department  on all counts.

Now, back to Mallard Cove Park. Today I startled a flock of ducks. I do not know if they were Mallards.

See that bench, above, that my handlebars are pointing at? There are seven of these benches along the paved trail in Mallard Cove Park, including three in the "traffic" circle that roundsabout at the location you are looking at in the picture.

These benches boldly spell out "FORT WORTH" on the bench back. Along with the symbol of Fort Worth, that being Longhorn horns.

I have never seen  anyone sitting on one of these benches. How much do they cost, I can not help but wonder?

Rolling Around Mallard Cove Before Maxine Got Me Thinking About Stehekin

Apparently yesterday I over exerted somehow, rendering my abdominal zone sore, feeling as if I've done a few thousand sit ups.

Since I don't do sit ups, that is not the explanation for the sore abdominal zone. I suspect this may be a swimming injury.

Even though my core is sore I decided it might have a salubrious effect to roll my non-motorized wheels on pavement.

So, I rolled my motorized wheels to Mallard Cove Park to roll around Mary Kelleher's neighborhood for an hour or so.

As you can see via the view over my handlebars, Mallard Cove Park has plenty of paved trails to roll on.

Earlier today Elsie Hotpepper asked me if I was aware that Palestine has a Hotpepper Festival. I knew that Elsie was very popular with Middle Eastern sorts, but I had no idea there was a festival dedicated to her.

I was about to hit the publish button on this blogging when I saw incoming email from Maxine, which turned out to be an extremely good, detailed description of this year's Stehekin hiking adventure. It has been over 15 years since I had myself a Stehekin hiking adventure.

Realizing that it has been over 15 years since I have had myself a Stehekin hiking adventure has me feeling very melancholy. And homesick....

Having A Really Fine Time Rolling Over A Thorn At Mallard Cove Park

In the picture you are looking at my bike's handlebars looking at one of the entry points to Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park.

As you can see the usual blue sky which hovers above my location on the planet is currently being blocked by a lot of gray clouds.

Thunderstorms are in the forecast. Currently I have heard no booming.

My pedaling at Mallard Cove Park was uneventful except for one event.

I rolled over a thorn.

The thorn was stuck to a stick. I think it may have been a mesquite branch. I quickly pulled out the thorn. It had penetrated deep into my front inner tube.

My inner tubes have self sealing slime inside them.

I continued rolling a couple more miles, to no noticeable air leakage. By the time I made it back to my abode the tire still felt fully inflated.

But, I will not be totally shocked tomorrow to find my front tire flat.

All this self sealing slime talk has me being hungry. I  must put an end to my current starvation. Lunch will likely accomplish that goal.

Not Seeing Beautiful Downtown Fort Worth From The Tandy Hills While Walking To Albertsons With Prickly Pear Cactus

It seems like weeks since I last availed myself of the scenic beauty of the Tandy Hills and its view of the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth from high atop Mount Tandy.

Today, with the sun being a bit blocked by clouds and the temperature a relatively chilly 86, I thought I might have myself a really fine time doing some Tandy Hills hill hiking.

But, I was not in the mood to drive anywhere.

That and I overdid either bike riding, yesterday, or swimming, prior to yesterday's bike riding.

Whatever the cause, my legs were feeling as if they had had plenty of exercise.

So, no, that is not a Prickly Pear Cactus patch growing on the Tandy Hills that you see above. It is a Prickly Pear Cactus patch I came upon in Mallard Cove Park on Wednesday.

Today, rather than driving anywhere to get more sore hiking or biking, I walked up the hill to my local Albertsons to get myself this week's ink edition of DFW.com.

This morning, when I was in the pool a little past the arrival of the sun, the sky was mostly blue. During the course of my time in the pool clouds began to slowly turn the sky from blue to gray.

Thunderstorms and rain are in the forecast today.

By the time I was out of the pool and hanging my swimming suit on the drying clothesline a few drops were falling from the sky.

The wet drops falling from the sky did not drop long enough to damp up the outer world at my location.

I suspect before today is done I will be seeing some extreme dampness and hear some extreme thunder booming.

Today I Found Myself A Cabin To Move To In Fort Worth's Mallard Cove Park

As is the norm, I did not feel as if an hour or more of barely post dawn swimming gave me a sufficient dose of much needed endorphins which I acquire via vigorous aerobic stimulation, in a variety of formats, throughout the day.

So, around noon I decided to visit Mary Kelleher's neighborhood to roll my wheels in the Mallard Cover Park zone.

On my previous times rolling on the paved trails in Mallard Cove Park I have exited the park to the west to do some off road exploring.

This time, instead of rolling west off the paved trail, I rolled east. I was barely off the paved trail when I came upon the post-modern styled cabin-like structure you see above.

I saw no evidence of this cabin being inhabited, not by human or any other critter or varmint.

Biking Mallard Cove Park Finding A Giant Pipe Bed & Tires

By the time the noon time of the day arrived I felt as if I needed an additional endorphin boost to the one I got early this morning via swimming for an hour.

I did not feel like driving very far, so I drove to the park closest to my abode, that being Mallard Cove Park, to pedal my bike.

I rolled a couple times around the paved trails and then exited the park to the wild zone.

The wild zone to the west of Mallard Cove Park sort of spooks me. As in, I get nervous that suddenly a scary human is going to pop out  from behind a tree.

Or be hiding somewhere, like when I looked inside the giant pipe you see above, I thought it might be someone's bedroom or a home for snakes.

As can see, there were no humans or snakes in the pipe.

This wild zone seems to be a bit of a dumping zone. Why would someone leave a giant piece of pipe laying in the woods?

Or the mattress with matching box spring you see below. The mattress appeared to be fairly new.

Maybe someone was camping at this location, hauled in a mattress for a comfortable night's sleep and then decided it was too much bother to haul the mattress back home. Or left it for the sleeping comfort of others.

And then there were the tires. What is it with Fort Worth and its multiple tire graveyards?

I saw the above tires from the same location I found the giant pipe, with that giant pipe laying about 20 feet from the cliff's edge. There are more than a dozen tires strewn on this particular Trinity River sandbar.

How do tires get to these type locations? Do tires float? Are tires recyclable?

All in all, I had myself a really fine time rolling around Mallard Cove Park, getting just the right amount of endorphins to have myself feeling real good.

A Wreck On The Way To Mallard Cove With A Scary Cliff Above An Upside Down Car In The Trinity River

I came upon the disturbing scene you see on the left on my way to Mallard Cove Park to pedal my handlebars.

When I took a turn to the right to head east on Randol Mill Road I saw the road blocked by a firetruck, police cars, emergency vehicles and a lot of flashing lights on the west side of where Randol Mill crosses I-820.

One lane was getting through to the east. As I waited for the light to turn green I snapped the picture. Though I thought not at first, the guy on the ground was still alive. I saw an EMT guy talking to him and then changing his focus to another injured guy, on a stretcher, being moved to an ambulance.

The light turned green and I proceeded on to Mallard Cove Park.

The paved trails at Mallard Cove Park are fine for a couple loops. But then I exit the park zone to explore via beat up old access roads. At one point I came to the view you see below.

A narrow trail came to its end. I could see the view you see above. I assumed the Trinity River was  flowing towards me. But then I slowly stepped to the edge of the precipice to see I was wrong in my assumption.

Due to my bad photography skills I was not able to accurately capture how high the above cliff is. Or how fast the Trinity River was flowing, making rapids. As I walked towards the precipice I thought the Trinity River was flowing towards me and that when I got to the edge of the cliff I would see the river continuing on to my right, heading east. Instead I got to the cliff's edge and looked down to be very startled to see the river directly below me and flowing in the opposite direction I assumed it was flowing.

It took me awhile to figure out that the Trinity River was making a big oxbow turn at this location, with the turn having the river head back west before making another turn to the east. I need to look at Google Earth to see how the  river manages to do this at this location.

And then from the same view there was something disturbing in the middle of the river.

The disturbing thing in the middle of the river appeared to be an upside down vehicle, sort of a continuation of today's car wreck theme. And also continuing with today's car wreck theme, sort of, is the scene I came upon below.

Dozens of abandoned tires of various sizes. Why do people dispose of tires in this manner in so many locations I come upon in the D/FW Metro Zone? This tire collection is located a short distance west of the western boundary of Mallard Cove Park.

UPDATE: Just as I thought it might, Google Earth solved the mystery of how it was I was confused by the direction the Trinity River was flowing today. As you can see the river takes an Oxbow turn at the location I saw it whilst standing atop a cliff, heads west, before turning back east to continue its journey to the Gulf of Mexico.