Microsoft OneDrive Memory Takes Me Back To Mountain Biking In Texas

Arriving in my email this morning is another Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I actually remember.

Though, not on this day, it being a January day. January is not a warm month. 

I appear to be sweating in this selfie photo taken with my antique, long gone, Casio digital camera.

I don't think I have done any sweating in Texas in January, especially at the location of this photo.

With that location being the mountain bike trail that begins in Rockledge Park on Lake Grapevine, in the town of Grapevine.

I have not been on a mountain bike trail since moving to my current Wichita Falls location.

When I moved to Texas I thought my mountain biking days were behind me, what with Texas being a bit scarce in the mountain department.

I soon learned I was once again erroneous.

A couple months after moving to Texas I took a long drive to far east Texas, known as the Piney Woods Region. I was quite surprised to see that the Piney Woods Region looked a lot like the forested zones of Western Washington.

I drove in a park called Tyler State Park. This is a big park. I soon was seeing people on mountain bikes.

And then I came to a big parking lot, located where there were multiple trailheads for multiple mountain bike trails.

I was looking at a big sign with a map of the trails. A couple other guys were also looking at the map. I remarked to them that I was surprised to find mountain bike trails of this quality in Texas, that I thought I was not going to be mountain biking in Texas due to the lack of mountains.

One of the guys asked where I was from. I told him. He then asked where I was located in Texas. Haslet, said I, a tiny suburb of Fort Worth.

Fort Worth? Says the guy. So, you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Well, there are many real good mountain bike trails right in the Metroplex, some of the best you can find anywhere. The guy told me to go to a Bicycle Inc. store where I could get a map showing where all the trails are in D/FW.

I did so, the following week, and was amazed to see the number of mountain bike trails in D/FW. Over the years I think I biked each of them, at least once. And some dozens upon dozens of times, like the Rockledge and Horseshoe Trails on Lake Grapevine.

Another favorite was what are known as the DORBA trails in Cedar Hills State Park. Great biking and hiking trails are in that huge park.

Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association is where that DORBA name comes from. There are three loops to the DORBA trail in Cedar Hills State Park, with the third loop labeled as EXTREME.

Because it was not easy. I only biked the EXTREME trail once. On that EXTREME trail I had my one and only in the wild rattlesnake encounter in Texas. A big rattler, off the side of the trail. I heard it shaking its rattle before I saw the snake curled up, ready to strike.

The week previous to that rattlesnake encounter I'd been to the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup, so the rattle noise was fresh in my memory. I think I almost overdosed on adrenalin when I passed that snake, and soon thereafter the trail entered a sort of marsh-like, tall grass section, which greatly heightened my snake anxiety.

But, I saw no additional reptiles that day.

Fort Worth has a couple mountain bike trails. The Gateway Park mountain bike trail was close to my abode, so I biked that one frequently. The Gateway Park trail is a fun one. It has a sort of roller coaster feel to it, in places.

Arlington's River Legacy Park has miles upon miles of mountain bike trails, some marked difficult, which were too difficult for me to master.

In River Legacy Park I had multiple snake encounters, but never with a rattlesnake. Several copperheads, though. And bobcats. Lots of bobcats. And armadillos. Including baby armadillos, If memory serves me accurately I think I put at least one photo of baby armadillos on the River Legacy Park webpage I made years ago.

All this mountain bike talk and remembering how much fun I had in those various D/FW parks, it is making me a bit nostalgic. 

There is a mountain bike trail here in Wichita Falls. I have hiked part of it, accessed by crossing the suspension bridge in Lucy Park. Soon after crossing that suspension bridge one comes to a section of the mountain bike trail called Alligator Alley.

When one Googles Wee-Chi-Tah Mountain Bike Trail in Wichita Falls one finds a lot of websites with information about this trail, including a Facebook page.

A short description of the Wee-Chi-Tah Trail from one of those aforementioned webpages...

"Explore this 12-mile loop in Wichita Falls along the Wichita River. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. This is a popular trail for mountain biking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime".

I think when Spring arrives I may take up bike riding again, maybe even braving Alligator Alley and the rest of the Wee-Chi-Tah Mountain Bike Trail...

Mountain Biking River Legacy Park Thinking About Captain Andy's Fort Worth Bridge Revelations

Yesterday, if I remember correctly, I mentioned that if my hands were not rendered sore by yesterday's first bike ride in almost two years, that today I would likely find myself pedaling my wheels in Arlington's River Legacy Park.

And so I did.

Those are my handlebars aimed at the River Legacy Park Mountain Bike Trail Information sign. You can sort of see, via the map, the amazing maze of trails, which over time had become my favorite in the D/FW zone.

The drive from Wichita Falls to the D/FW Metro Mess seemed to go way quicker than has been the norm, what with my recent bouts of extremely long driving bouts, including Saturday's, which was somewhere around 800 miles before I decided to give it a rest somewhere west of Abilene.

Today being back in the D/FW zone after, so soon being in the Phoenix zone for a couple weeks, I was immediately struck by how incredibly shabby much of the D/FW zone looks. The lack of landscaping and sidewalks is appalling. Do not enough D/FW  locals lay their eyes on more, well, uh, modern locations in America, to realize how, well, third worldly much of their world looks?

A couple days ago I was driving Miss Daisy, also known as my mom, in a new developing area of the Phoenix suburb of Chandler. I made mention of the fact that the roads, landscaping and sidewalks were already installed, ahead of the incoming development. My mom, whose vision renders the world difficult to see, sees how things get done in her location, and said this is how they build things here.

"Infrastructure first."

My semi-blind mom sees the world more clearly than most Texans.

As witness my exit from D/FW last month when I was stuck in a traffic nightmare largely caused by the inept, incompetent, irresponsible out of control development in North Fort Worth, where malls, and housing developments have been built before adequately roads were built. Let alone sidewalks. Or landscaping.

How does one part of America become so backward when other parts of America are not?

I have been a bit overwhelmed of late. So, I have not gotten around to blogging about the latest iteration of America's Biggest Boondoggle's bridge fiasco. You know, those bridges of dubious design intended to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

Part of what is known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, overseen by Congresswoman Kay Granger's inept son who has overseen an ongoing embarrassment which would be a HUGE embarrassment in a normal location in America. But is just, apparently, the Fort Worth Way of operating.

I think it was on Sunday, maybe Monday, Captain Andy sent me multiple photos documenting the current state of the TRCCUPID Vision's bridge boondoggle. Elsie  Hotpepper pointed me to an amazingly embarrassing article which contained some of the stupidest J.D. Granger quotes yet.

But, I have not found the time to blog about this and share Captain Andy's photos. Maybe I will do this tomorrow....

Not Gone Fishing In Arlington's River Legacy Park With No Elsie Hotpepper

Early this morning I headed east to the left heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, a little town named Euless.

When I was finished with Euless I headed slightly northwest to a town named Hurst to make an attempt to remove Elsie Hotpepper from her weekday incarceration location so that Elsie Hotpepper could take me out to the Vietnamese Pho lunch she had promised she would take me to.

However, Elsie Hotpepper could not be located. No one knew to where Elsie Hotpepper had escaped her incarceration.

So, I aborted the search for Elsie Hotpepper and headed back southeast, to Arlington, to River Legacy Park for some nature communing.

Above you are looking at the River Legacy Park bridge which connects the south half of River Legacy Park to the north part.

This signature feat of bridge engineering was built in far less than four years. And built over the sometimes raging, temperamental waters of the Trinity River.

I walked out on the bridge and looked east to see the bucolic scene you see below.  A pair of fisher people fishing in the pristine fish laden waters of the Trinity River.

A short distance upstream I saw another couple of anglers, and I somehow managed to snap a photo right when it appears the anglers had angled a big fish.

After I had enough with the fish watching I continued on to the scenic overlook which looks over Mirror Pond to Mount Arlington.

I assume Mount Arlington is the tallest man made mountain currently being made in the D/FW metro zone.

Mount Arlington is way taller than my neighborhood mountain, Mount Wichita.

I saw multiple pieces of heavy equipment working to add more height to the ever growing Mount Arlington.

I have no idea what the end game is with Mount Arlington. Artificial snow with chair lifts taking skiers to the summit? Mountain bike trails on a semi-real mountain? A resort hotel atop the mountain with a commanding view of the entire D/FW Metroplex?

Only time will tell. But whatever Mount Arlington turns out to be I suspect it will be finished well before Fort Worth's Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, more commonly known  as America's Biggest Boondoggle is anything anyone can see...

Mountain Passing With Spencer Jack On The Trinity River

Well. I have had myself a day. It started around midnight when suddenly my horizontal slumber device went into total systems failure mode.

I will spare relaying the gory details.

Suffice to say by the time the sun began to leave today I had already installed a new bed.

I suppose you are wondering what that Winter Wonderland is that you are looking at here.

I'll get to that.

But first I need mention that after a night of extremely troubled sleeping woes I may have been a bit unrested, but reliable person that I am, I stayed with an agreed plan to act as chauffeur for a driving challenged individual, ferrying said individual to various locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington Metropolitan Mess.

During the course of transiting from Wichita Falls to D/FW I did not pass through the scenic Winter Wonderland you see above. I'll get to that later.

But first the, uh, scenic wonder I saw up close today in Arlington.

The Trinity River looking clearer and cleaner than I have ever seen it look. The river was flowing with an almost inviting shade of green which I might have been tempted to get wet in if the temperature had been much higher than today's rather warm 80s.

Above you are looking at the River Legacy Park trail bridge across the Trinity, which connects the south and north sides of the park.

A few hours later I was leaving the D/FW mess when my phone made its incoming text message noise, whilst I was getting gassed in Decatur. Among that which was coming was the picture you see at the top.

Today, apparently, judging by the photo evidence, Spencer Jack took his dad over Stevens Pass to Eastern Washington, to the Alpine tourist town of Leavenworth, and then over another mountain pass named Blewett, to go to Ellensburg, home to Central Washington University, where I and Spencer Jack's dad, and his mom, matriculated.

That is Stevens Pass I believe we are looking at above, well, not the actual pass, which is the summit, but a look at the road one drives when one crosses Stevens Pass. This is extremely adventurous driving in winter. Avalanches are known to be quite a problem.

Then again, I may be wrong, that may be a look at Snoqulamie Pass, also known as Interstate 90. If that is the case, Spencer Jack went to Central before driving over Blewetts Pass to Leavenworth, and then possibly returning home over Stevens Pass. Going west over Stevens Pass in winter can be a bit scary. There is this section on the west side of the pass that can show up in my nightmares, even though I have not driven it this century.

In the next photo Spencer Jack is in Leavenworth. This I know without a doubt.

Leavenworth is a themed tourist town the likes of which one will not find in the state I am currently in.

Texas.

Due, partly, to the absence of these things called snow covered mountains.

Leavenworth is fun year around. I think the last time I was in Leavenworth was in 2001, August of.

Leavenworth in winter is a special type of fun. Miles of cross country ski trails are in the town. I remember one October, late in the last century, Spencer Jack's Favorite Uncle Joey and I somehow ended up in Leavenworth late on a Saturday night during Octoberfest. It was memorable.

And then we come to my Alma Mater. Central Washington University.

I wonder if the Walnut North Apartments still exist. Those were my abode during my time at CWU.

Spencer Jack is already looking like he is ready for college.

It is currently early in the evening. I am extremely tired. That new bed is looking inviting. I am almost 100% certain it will survive tonight without catastrophic failure. Then again, I have been known to be wrong a time or two....

Stalled Drive By Arlington's Dallas Cowboy Stadium Waiting For Elsie Hotpepper

This last day of August, was the day of my regularly scheduled return to the Dallas/Fort Worth zone to buy a couple dozens bagels at WinCo, among many other things.

My first stop was at a Doctor in Euless, then it was south on Collin Street, where eventually I found myself stuck in traffic, stuck due to the chronic Arlington, Texas problem of a train rolling through town, stopping the traffic flow til the train has rolled on by.

Is there any other American city the size of Arlington which has itself cut in two by train tracks with only a couple overpasses, or underpasses in the entire town?

I think it'd been over a year since I'd seen the Dallas Cowboy stadium up close, not since I had the extremely exciting experience of watching the USA team play some other country in something called the World Cup.

I'd forgotten what an enormous monstrosity this stadium is. And how out of sync it looks with that which surrounds much of it. I would have thought by now some of the slum aspects would have been replaced by new development. But today I still saw pawn shops and run down looking motels and other eyesores.

Arlington does so much so well, like the town's parks, but in other things Arlington is a bit of a dud, such as in the public transportation realm. And cohesive development around a major development, like a HUMONGOUS football stadium.

I saw that which you see below on the east side of Collin Street on the south side of the stadium.

Still pushing the delusion that the Dallas Cowboys are America's Team, With that delusion apparently based on the Dallas Cowboys having had a few winning seasons at some point way back in the previous century.

Recently I saw, I think on Facebook, a graphic representing some scientific study showing who the majority in each state thought of as "their" football team.

Only one state thought of the Dallas Cowboys as "their" football team.

Texas.

All of the Pacific Northwest, plus, oddly, New  York, thought of the Seattle Seahawks as "their" football team.

I can't remember the favorites of the other states, but if memory is partly serving me right, the Green Bay Packer was consider "their" football team by more state than any other.

Methinks it is time for the Dallas Cowboys to hang up that America's Team nonsense.

After I was done with what I was doing in south Arlington I headed back north, stopping in River Legacy Park, where I called my mom and dad. Bad connection. That call did not last long.

I thought Elsie Hotpepper was going to meet me today, but the Hotpepper failed to show up.

The drive forth and back from D/FW today was extremely pleasant. Noticeable road improvements on I-287.

Bridge Over Wichita Falls Sikes Lake Bayou With Pokemon Zombies

Those familiar with River Legacy Park in the Texas town of Arlington might think, in the photo, we are on the River Legacy Park bridge across the Trinity River, connecting the south side of the park to the north.

Those familiar thinkers would be thinking wrong.

What you are looking at here is the bayou at the southwest end of Sikes Lake in the beautiful Texas town of Wichita Falls.

To take the picture of the bayou we are standing on one of the two Sikes Lake signature bridges built over water by experienced bridge building engineers of the sort Fort Worth's infamous Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island Vision Boondoggle desperately needs to find in order to get The Boondoggle's bridges back in construction mode.

Even before the Pokemon Go madness and its hordes of Zombies came to be, Sikes Lake always has a lot of people enjoying the outdoors. Today that number was bigger than the norm. Along with the usual Pokemon Go Getters an event at the museum had its parking lot full.

Judging from all the parental units, with kids, I assumed some sort of Children's Event was afoot.

In the background, under the tree, are a couple of the aforementioned Pokemon Go Zombies staring at their phones. If I remember right I've shared a photo previously of this location with Pokemon Go Zombies under that same tree.

In the foreground that is not a Pokemon, superimposed on my phone's photo, screen capping me capturing a Pokemon. I don't have that app, or want it. I am assuming figuring it out would tax my limited figuring things out ability.

Walking around the lake was a bit taxing today.Why? I don't know. But, even though the trail runs over mostly flat ground, after a mile or two I felt like I was on mile ten of a twenty mile hike.

This may be an age related malady.....

In Arlington Today At Mount Viridian Causing Elsie Hotpepper To Laugh Out Loud

No, that is not Mount Wichita in Wichita Falls you are looking at here, with trucks hauling in fresh dirt to add to the mountain's elevation.

What you are looking at here is Mount Viridian, in Arlington, as viewed from River Legacy Park.

I was in River Legacy Park gazing at Mount Viridian today during one of multiple stops during my once a month return to the Dallas/ Fort Worth zone.

I was done mountain gazing and sitting at a picnic table in the shade when I woke up my phone to see I had not un-muted it and that I had a few of those text message type messages.

One was from Elsie Hotpepper telling me that this morning I had caused her a rare outbreak of laughing out loud.

I texted back asking what was laughable. And that I was currently in Arlington looking at Mount Viridian.

Elsie Hotpepper texted back making several inquiries about various issues including the perplexing question of asking why I was at the DUMP and asking why she was not informed I was going to be in town so that a lunch could be scheduled..

I texted Elsie back that if she ever read my blog she would have read I was heading to D/FW on Wednesday.

Elsie then made up some convoluted excuse about not being able to read lately.

I don't like going to lunch, anyway, but, I do do coffee.

I think the last time I went to lunch was way back in February with Elsie Hotpepper and Mary K. I ended up having a severe choking bout. It was traumatic. I have yet to fully recover.

Village Creek Was In Flood Mode So I Visited The Trinity River Flooding At River Legacy Park

A year ago, on a Saturday, I would likely have gone hiking the Tandy Hills, or biking Gateway Park, followed by some Town Talk treasure hunting.

Today is Saturday and hiking the Tandy Hills, biking Gateway Park or treasure hunting at Town Talk did not cross my mind.

The hiking or biking would not be doable at either location today due to the recent deluging.

And I have sort of given up on going to Town Talk, what with the treasure hunting turning not so fruitful after a new owner took over.

I have myself a mighty fine time swimming this morning. By the noon time frame I felt like doing some jogging. I figured the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area might like some company.

That and I needed to go to ALDI.

Well, I got to the VCHNA entry to see the CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING gate blocking entry. I thought that might be the case today, what with that aforementioned recent deluging.

So, I decided to head further east in Arlington, to River Legacy Park, where I found a lot of water creating obstacles and a lot of people making their way around the water obstacles.

Above, that would be the high water of the Trinity River you see behind me. The river level appeared to be rising. I thought this due to seeing no muddy signs of it having retreated from a high mark.

Years ago I biked to the far east end of the River Legacy Park paved trail with the river unexpectedly rapidly rising. By the time I got back to the final bridge crossing, the river had flooded about six inches over the bridge deck. Park workers had blocked entry to the bridge at the exit end.  I told them there were a few people behind me. I asked if it seemed a good idea for me to pedal back and tell them to hurry. I was told that would probably be a good idea. And so I did so.

I wonder if there was anything good to be found at Town Talk today. I think my final straw with Town Talk was when I bought three cases of what I thought was yogurt. Each with coconut. Like peach coconut yogurt, strawberry coconut yogurt, blackberry coconut yogurt. I like coconut and thought this would be some tasty yogurt.

Turns out it was pseudo yogurt made out of coconut milk! Pretty much inedible and thick as a brick, and not in a good Greek yogurt thick way.

A Postponed Airport Pickup Had Me Seeing New Scenery In Arlington's River Legacy Park

Last night I thought a change of plans had me driving to the airport this morning to pick up Miss Puerto Rico. By morning that plan had changed. More on that later.

I had myself a mighty stressful morning, so by the time the noon timeframe arrived I was in the mood for a relaxing contemplative walk. But, was in no mood to walk with Arlington's Village Creek Indian Ghosts.

Instead I went to Arlington's River Legacy Park, where the ghost haunting is kept to a minimum.

I'd not been to River Legacy Park since the Thanksgiving Flood. More on that later. But first I must mention that which you see above.

The River Legacy Park Pavilion.

This morning Elsie Hotpepper pointed me to an article about America's Biggest Boondoggle's V Piers being almost ready for their closeup with cement. Seems like it's been months since a fuss was made over those silly V Piers' wooden forms appearing, providing evidence that after a decade or so in the making something was rising from the ground due to the efforts of J.D. Granger and the slow motion Trinity River Vision Project.

I don't remember if it was in that article to which Elsie Hotpepper pointed me, or somewhere else, but somewhere this morning I read mention made of Panther Island and Panther Island Pavilion.

Panther Island is what The Boondoggle calls the imaginary island The Boondoggle is going to connect the Fort Worth mainland to, via those three bridges being built over dry land, currently consisting of some wooden V Pier forms.

So, today when I saw the River Legacy Park Pavilion I thought I should take a photo of it for those who don't know what an actual pavilion looks like. Have you seen anything like this in the area The Boondoggle refers to as Panther Island Pavilion? You know, where The Boondoggle has its Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats when the e.coli level is low enough to make floating in the Trinity River semi-safe.

Back to River Legacy Park and the Thanksgiving Flood. I visited River Legacy Park soon after the floods of last spring. No damage in evidence after that flood. Today I walked a few miles, from the south side of the Trinity River to the north side. I saw views of the river I'd never seen, in all the years I've enjoyed this park.

I soon realized what had caused the new views.

The Thanksgiving Flood tore away at the river's banks, causing big chunks of earth, with trees and shrubs and other foliage, to break away and fall into the river, bringing the brink closer to the paved trail and opening up expansive views, such as above.

Above you can see some of the yellow mesh fencing which has been put in place as a temporary barrier to keep people from falling over the new brink.

When I got to the bridge which takes walkers, jogger, bikers and bladers across the Trinity to the north side I could tell the river had risen high enough to deposit mud on the bridge. I believe this is the first time that has happened since that bridge opened earlier this century.

The flood left some damage in its wake, but, overall, I think Mother Nature has made some major improvements in the River Legacy Park scenic experience.

Changing the subject from Mother Nature to aborted trips to the airport.

I went to bed thinking Miss Puerto Rico was leaving the island around 4 this morning, arriving in Fort Lauderdale around 7,  and being back at D/FW around half past 9.

By morning my phone had multiple confusing messages. One of those messages said "come get me, i miss my babies."

Huh?

Did that mean Miss PR was already back in Texas, waiting at the airport? I checked the flight status online. Nothing had changed. Arrival in D/FW still when I expected.

But, then I was getting more confusing text messages, arriving while Miss Puerto Rico was  supposedly in the air, unable to use her phone. Several confusions later I figured out she was still in Florida. More messages later I learned that the plane got in from Aguadilla, PR too late for those on board to catch the flight leaving for Texas.

So, Miss Puerto Rico has been stuck in Florida since this morning. The next flight out is half past 8, arrival at D/FW a little before 11 tonight.

Weeks ago when Miss Puerto Rico told me she'd booked a flight on Spirit Airlines I reminded her of how upset she'd been at her previous experience with that airline, where she vowed to never fly them again. Maybe after this experience the lesson will remain learned.

After Walking Around Fort Worth's Fosdick Lake A Surprise Was Found On Randol Mill Road

I had myself a mighty fine jog around the neighborhood early this morning of the second day of 2016.

Around noon I headed west to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake. Which would make that Fosdick Lake, looking cold, that you see here.

On the way to Fosdick Lake I was convinced to make an increasingly rare Town Talk visit, post the walk around the lake.

My route from Fosdick Lake to Town Talk today was via heading north on Oakland, then west on Randol Mill Road. When Randol Mill Road and the Chesapeake Energy wasteland came into view I was surprised by what my eyes were seeing.

New paved trail.

When I reached Randol Mill Road and took a left I quickly came upon another surprise. A big new parking lot, with picnic tables and access to the new paved trail.

I pulled into the new parking lot, parked and exited my vehicle to do some photo documenting.

You can see just a slice of the new paved trail at the edge of the parking lot.

Another view, looking west, again with a slice of the paved trail visible. But what is the structure made of big bricks? Let's look on the other side.

And what do we find? An enclosure for an outhouse, looking a lot like the outhouse enclosures located at America's Biggest Boondoggle's location called Panther Island Pavilion, where there is no island or pavilion, but there are some  mighty fine outhouses, along with a couple outdoor showers to wash off the dirty Trinity River water after one is done rockin' the river.

If I remember right, a few TRV Boondoggle quarterly updates ago mention was made of plans to expand the Trinity Trail east, to Quanah Parker Park. This new paved trail does that. This is a real good thing. If this is a product of America's Biggest Boondoggle it is the first thing I am aware of that The Boondoggle has done which I think it a good thing.

I also saw new paved trail leading out of Gateway Park, heading towards the new paved trail heading in from  the east. I assume the existing bridge across the Trinity River will become the bridge for the new paved trail. The bridge for the new road has made a lot of progress since I saw it during the Thanksgiving floods.

Looking at the rapid progress of the road and bridge and paved trail building I'm guessing by Spring this should be just about finished. At that point in time I will be able to park at the Quanah Parker Park parking lot and roll my bike wheels over paved, car-free trail all the way to downtown Fort Worth and beyond, or to the Fort Worth Stockyards.

Years ago, back when the River Legacy Park paved trail was extended almost all the way to 360 there was talk at the time of that paved trail being extended east to connect to the Dallas Trinity Trail. Methinks doing so would be a HUGE asset to the D/FW zone. If a paved trail connection were also made from Quanah Parker Park, east to River Legacy Park, one would be able to bike from Fort Worth to Dallas.

Who has not dreamed of doing such? Well, probably not many. But, with some amenities along the route, such as one finds along Seattle's Burke-Gilman Trail, paved Trinity Trails between Fort Worth and Dallas could become a popular attraction.

A Soaking River Legacy Rain Caused Me To Run A Couple Miles At High Speed

Due to the recent deluging I did not think the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area would be accessible today due to that area likely being closed due to a flooding Village Creek.

It'd been a couple months since I visited Arlington's River Legacy Park. I believe it was way back in July, when I rolled my bike's wheels from River Legacy to Viridian.

I did not know that rain was on the menu for today. When I reached the location you see in the two photos I was about two miles from where my mechanized motoring device was parked. By the time I got to the north side of the bridge rain began to fall in copious amounts.

In the above photo we are in the middle of the bridge you saw at the top, looking west at a muddy body of water known as the Trinity River.

My newly developed ability to run came in handy today as I ran back from whence I came. By the time I reached my vehicular destination I was pretty much soaking wet. I do not remember the last time I got myself soaking wet in a rainstorm.

The complete rebuild of the north side entry to River Legacy Park, a project which began back in July, is  nowhere near completed. This surprised me. I thought it was just a repaving project, but it appears to be much more than that. The River Legacy Park upgrade appears to be a much better organized effort than the mess I saw yesterday at Fort Worth's Gateway Park, where America's Biggest Boondoggle is currently working some of its slow motion construction magic.

Lunch bell just sounded. Must consume food now....

Euless Doctor Appointment Takes Me To Palm Treed Viridian Beach Volleyball Court

Today was the day of my regularly scheduled monthly doctor appointment in Euless.

The doctor's workshop is near Collins Street. Driving south on Collins Street soon takes one to the north entry to River Legacy Park, which was closed today, and likely for several days, due to the road and parking lot surface being upgraded.

So, I continued south, took a right on Green Oaks Boulevard and continued west til I got to the south entry to River Legacy Park.

Arlington seems to have the highly evolved good habit of constantly improving its parks. If River Legacy Park is not the best park in the entire D/FW Metroplex, I wish someone would point me to the park that is.

Today I rolled my bike wheels back across the Trinity River to the north side of River Legacy Park with the intention to take my handlebars to the Viridian development, if Lake Viridian had receded enough from last month's flooded state, to allow trail access from River Legacy to Viridian.

I think my last roll through Viridian was about two years ago. There were only a couple dozens homes built at that point in time. The development did not seem all that appealing, what with the high expectations of all that was proposed for the Viridian development before the Great Recession grounded the project to a halt.

Well, from what I saw today one would think the Great Recession is ancient history.

The paved trails along the lake have been expanded since my last visit. A school has been built. A sprawling club house, with swimming pools, has been added, part of which you see above, looking over my handlebars at a sandy white beach volleyball court surrounded by palm trees.

The landscaping at Viridian is impressive. I am a fan of a well landscaped landscape.

For quite a distance Collins Street has received the Viridian treatment, creating an aesthetically pleasing landscaped boulevard of the sort one sees in towns like, I don't  know, Phoenix, Tacoma, Mount Vernon, Los Angeles, and others.

Fort Worth should send a task force to Arlington to see what an improvement, aesthetically speaking, a well landscaped road can be, free of weeds and litter.

Check out the I-35 exits to Fort Worth's #1 tourist attraction, the Fort Worth Stockyards, and imagine those exits with the Arlington landscape treatment, rather than their current eyesore state of being a littered, weedy mess....

A Doctor Visit Had Me Rolling My Wheels In River Legacy Park Along A Still Flooding Trinity River

A doctor appointment had me in Euless this morning. The location of that appointment was a short distance from Collins Road. A short distance south on Collins Road, from that location, takes one to the Collins Road entry to River Legacy Park.

So, since I was in the neighborhood, I decided to roll my bike wheels on a few miles of the River Legacy Park paved trails.

That is the Trinity River my handlebars are looking at. Well, actually the handlebars are on the bridge that crosses Hurricane Creek, so that would be Hurricane Creek and the flooding Trinity River you are looking at.

In the River Legacy Park zone there are two creeks, Hurricane and Boyd Branch, which serve during a flood as escape valves, with the Trinity rushing in at high speed, filling multiple flood control basins that look like lakes, particularly now that they have been filled up. The Trinity has now receded enough that water is flowing back into the river from Hurricane Creek, instead of vice versa. I have seen this going both ways at the point in the process where Hurricane Creek becomes a roaring rapids.

Below is a look at one of the lakes filled by Boyd Branch. This one is the last one you come to before you reach the 7 miles end of the trail mark.

Above, on side of the lake opposite the handlebars you can see a little spot of white rising above the green. That would be the Dallas Cowboy Stadium.

I came upon two instances of the sign you see below, posted beside the trail.

The signs inform that the trail is closed ahead, that a better safer trail is being built due to erosion repairs.

Well, the trail was not closed at any point. I already mentioned I made it to the 7 mile end point. I saw no signs of any trail erosion. The paved trail appeared. to me, to be in great shape.

At the 5 mile point I came upon that which you see below, newly installed since last I rolled on this trail.

A bike repair station! On the left, attached to cords, are a  selection of various tools one might need to make a bike repair. The sign on the tool holder has one of those smart phone code deals which told you to scan it to get bike repair instructions. On the right is an extremely solid bike tire pump, with a gauge.

My worst flat tire experience ever occurred near this repair station. It was miles of walking the bike back to civilization. Walking when the air was heated to over 100. I don't think this bike repair station would have been of any use to me on that occasion.

As I drove into the Viridian development zone on Collins I was amazed at how much this has grown since I was last at this location. The landscaping along the road is impressive.

About a year ago I biked into the Viridian development. That was not possible today, not from the River Legacy Park trail. You can see why below.

I wonder if Viridian is going ahead with their original plan to turn the lake you see here into a public access beach type deal. Years ago I was told that that was the plan, back before Viridian was put on hold due to the Great Recession.

I had two snake encounters today. The first encounter was with a big snake. This gave me a good dose of adrenalin. The second snake was a little one.

A surprising number people where enjoying rolling their wheels. Many of them appeared nearing what one might characterize as elderly. I know I hope to be an 80 year old biker one day.....

A River Legacy Trinity River Walk On A Freshly Painted Boardwalk While In Fort Worth...

Today I needed a mouse. I targeted Target as the location to get a mouse.

Target is near where the Indian Ghosts haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area, so I figured after getting a mouse I'd go have myself a mighty fine time walking with my favorite ghosts.

Well, that plan went awry when I got to the Historical Area's parking lot to find it blocked, with the blocking gate telling me the park was closed due to flooding.

I then decided to drive a few more miles east and go walking in River Legacy Park, a location I don't think I had been to, this year, til today.

What you are looking at above is the Trinity River, flowing with a lot of water, with my river viewing vantage point provided by the River Legacy Park Boardwalk Overlook.

Arlington seems to maintain Boardwalks a bit better than Fort Worth maintains their Gateway Park Boardwalks, what with the River Legacy Park Boardwalk not being boarded up, not falling apart. And looking as if it has recently received a fresh coat of paint.

New signage has been installed at the trail head of the, currently closed, River Legacy Park mountain bike trail. There are three iterations of that which you see above. There's the big version you see here, in the parking lot, with two smaller versions, one at the entry to the mountain bike trail, one at the hiker's entry.

Very well done signage, showing all 12 miles plus of trail. The old sign was outdated, showing only the original few miles.

Arlington's River Legacy Park is, by far, the best park I've found in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

On Saturday I found rather bizarre signage in Fort Worth's Gateway Park, with that signage put up by America's Biggest Boondoggle.

I blogged about that signage in Finding Imaginative Sign Progress By America's Biggest Boondoggle On Saturday Gateway Park Bike Ride.

On that Gateway Park sign America's Biggest  Boondoggle, also known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island Vision Boondoggle, tells the gullible The Boondoggle is launching projects which will turn Gateway into a "world class park" by adding some new restrooms and some other things, like benches and security lighting.

How it that Arlington builds what would seem to me to be what must be considered "world class parks" without putting up signs telling their park's many visitor that Arlington is turning a park into a "world class park"?

Would a world class city actually ever refer to anything about their town as "world class"?

It seems to me to be sort of, well, classless, to do so. That and tacky. And embarrassing.

Particularly when it is blatant propaganda puffery and not even remotely true....

The Last Day Of August Biking In Arlington With The River Legacy Park Crowd

On this last day of August I decided I'd not been riding my bike enough, so I rolled my motorized transport device to Arlington, to River Legacy Park, to roll my non-motorized wheels on the River Legacy mountain bike trails.

Along with a lot of other wheel rollers and hikers.

In the picture my handlebars are in a quandary, trying to decide whether to go north on the relatively boring North Loop, or take the North Loop Bypass to the right. My handlebars opted for the bypass, the decision made when a group of four slowpokes arrived and took the North Loop option.

Soon after you roll past the River Legacy trail head you come to one of the more difficult ups and downs on the trails.

Today a family consisting of a mom and dad and three young kids had that first up and down congested. I waited about five minutes for the trail to clear. As I waited I was thinking to myself that these trails are not really kid friendly. That first up and down required the bikes to be walked up and down by the parental units, whilst the kids walked. This did not bode well for the rest of their bike ride, what with there being a lot of ups and downs.

About a half hour later I was zipping along, fast and suddenly the aforementioned family was coming at me, going the wrong way on the one-way trail. I slammed the brakes. I told the dad they were going the wrong direction. The dad asked how to get back to the parking lot. I did not know how to give exact directions from that location. And the dad was very impatient. I asked what trail they'd just been on, to which the dad replied "can't you just tell us how to get out of here?"

Well. I pointed north and said I think that trail will take you to a straight trail that will take you to the paved trail. He said thanks and zipped off, leaving the wife and kids behind. I elaborated on the directions, as best I could, to the wife. I assume they made it out and are not still rolling around, lost. I suppose I could have lead them out of there, but I found the dad sort of annoying and I knew it would be a very slow operation. That and I was having myself a mighty fine time.

This was not the first time I've come upon someone lost and confused on the River Legacy trails. Previous times I've been able to easily point the lost party in the right direction.

With the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails being so popular methinks maybe some new signage needs to be added to the already excellent signage. Maybe arrows at each junction pointing the way back to the trailhead.

Changing the subject to something else.

I'm feeling a bit Rip Van Winklish, what with August zipping by so fast, with September starting up tomorrow, also likely zipping by fast. And then it will be October with the dreaded, by me, Holiday Season, starting up and in another blink of the eye it will by Happy New Year, it's 2015.

By the way, I've already got all my Christmas shopping done.....

Sunday Wheel Rolling River Legacy Park With Fun Town Slow Pokes & Turtle Traffic Jams

I biked Arlington's River Legacy Park's mountain bike trails today, along with a lot of other wheel rollers.

In the picture on the left I have stopped for a hydration break at a trail junction. Usually at this location I opt to go left on the North Loop. Today I opted to take the bypass to the right.

Rather than riding all the loops today I decided to bypass the loops that are not all that much fun and re-loop the loops that are fun.

In the open zone of the Prairie Loop, where the trail is not very treacherous, I steered single-handed for a short distance whilst my other hand held the camera. In the video I mention having spent some time stuck behind a slow poke. At the point where the video ends a trio of new slow pokes passed me as I put the camera back in its protective cover.

The lack of rain has large sections of the trails cracking into pieces.  Those pieces make for an increased chance of suddenly losing control. It has been awhile since I've had a bike wreck. I'm due for one.

I had no problems today with a speed demon coming up behind me. Today I had multiple incidents where I found myself behind a slow poke, or a group of slow pokes, like the aforementioned trio consisting of two guys and a girl. I was an unnoticed 4th for quite some time,  listening to them chatter. Then one of them noticed me, apologized for holding me up and let me by.

About a mile later I was at the entry to Fun Town, contemplating the fact that I have yet to find the courage to enter  Fun Town, even after I was told by a pair of reliable sources that Fun Town really is a fun town, and without expert level difficulty, for the most part. It is the red arrow, meaning experts only, entry option to Fun Town which causes me hesitation. It is virtually vertical.

So, I'm standing there, hydrating and thinking about my Fun Town cowardice when suddenly the aforementioned trio of slow pokes showed up, rolling fast, with the two guys zipping down that vertical Fun Town entry, whilst the girl opted for the more sedate blue arrow entry.

Even with a demonstration of Fun Town's doability, I still opted out and continued on my way.

A couple miles later I was zipping along at high speed, made a tight corner, than had to slam the brakes. A dad with three kids were blocking the trail. The dad apologized for blocking the trail. I asked what they were looking at, which had one of the kids  moving out of the way of a BIG turtle, so I could see it.

Soon additional bikers showed up and halted. What's going on one asked. I said we have a wildlife in danger situation with a HUGE reptile blocking the trail. And none of us is brave enough to lift the turtle off the trail and send it on its way back towards the river.

So, this very muscular, heavily tattooed lady in colorful mountain bike regalia said something like clear the way, I'll take care of the problem. She proceeded to pick up the turtle and not too gently send it on its way.

All in all I had myself a mighty fine time rolling my wheels today....

A 4th Of July Mountain Bike Ride In Arlington's River Legacy Park With No Bobcats

A year ago today I drove to downtown Arlington to watch Arlington's 4th of July Parade.

A year ago seems so recent I really could not muster the desire to drive to downtown Arlington to stand in the sweltering heat to watch a parade roll by today.

Instead I drove to Arlington to River Legacy Park and rolled my wheels, along with a lot of other wheel rollers, on a multiple miles of mountain bike trails.

In the noon time frame most of the River Legacy Park picnic tables were in 4th of July picnic mode. Multiple smoke sources had the air smelling mighty fine.

In the picture above my handlebars are stopped at the location where years ago I had my first bobcat encounter. I can not remember when last I had a bobcat encounter in River Legacy Park. Or any D/FW park.

Where have all the bobcats gone? That sounds like the start to a folk song.

I am being very traditional with my 4th of July vittles today. Hotdogs on the grill, pizza in the oven, beer in the refrigerator.

And mangoes.....

The Last Day Of June Rolling My Wheels In River Legacy Park With A Large Number Of Fellow Semi Plus-Sized Bikers

I don't remember when I last rolled my wheels to the east end of the paved trail in Arlington's River Legacy Park, but it had been awhile.

As you can see, to the right of my handlebars, rescue signage has been added of the same sort which is now on the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails.

Every quarter mile there is a 911 sign, with the paved trail identifier of "RL" and the mile, which is "7" at the trail's end.

Arlington seems to have River Legacy Park in a constant state of improvement. I wish Fort Worth would expend the same type effort on Gateway Park. Or Oakland Lake Park. Or Quanah Parker Park.

However, some of the changes I saw today whilst rolling on the River Legacy paved  trail were not exactly improvements, such as that which you see below.

A wide swatch of trees has been removed since I was last at this location, with a new power line installed, crossing the paved trail.

I was surprised by the number of fellow bikers I saw today pedaling the paved trail. There were a lot of vehicles in the mountain bike trail parking lot, causing me to assume there were a lot of bikers rolling on those trails.

The majority of those I saw biking the paved trail today were of the slightly plus-sized sort, with more of the males being plus-sized sorts than the females.

When I first discovered River Legacy Park, back late in the last century, I remember being surprised at how few people were using this park. At that point in time I did not know that River Legacy Park was a new park.

The number of people I see now, a decade and a half later, getting exercise, having a mighty fine time in River Legacy Park, and the large number who seem to be a bit plus-sized and exercising, well, methinks Texas, well, maybe not all of Texas, but certainly the Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington zone of Texas, is getting in better shape.

I suppose this explains why Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington don't show up so frequently, anymore, on those list type deals of the Most Obese City type.

Rolling Past Fun Town On Arlington's River Legacy Park Mountain Bike Trail

Water had almost been fully re-installed in my swimming pool by this morning's regularly scheduled pool dip.

To be totally topped off the pool still had about a foot to go at that point in time, but the deep end was sufficiently deep to facilitate the acquisition of some much needed endorphins from stimulating aerobic activity.

It has been awhile since I have rolled my mechanized wheels to Arlington to roll my non-mechanized wheels on the River Legacy Park mountain bike trail, so I decided to do so today.

Several weeks ago I whined about the lack of directional signage pointing the way on Fort Worth's Gateway Park's mountain bike trails. A couple days after I whined some directional signage showed up, but not nearly as copious as the directional signage that points the way on River Legacy  Park's much more convoluted maze of  trail loops.

Above you are looking at my handlebars looking at the signage for Fun Town, plus some directional signage.

To the left, not caught on camera, is another directional sign, with that sign having two arrows, both pointing left and down, with the down part indicating a drop-off. One of  those arrows is red, indicating experts only should think about taking that option. The blue arrow points to a slightly less scary drop-off that reaches the same spot as the scarier drop-off.

That is the scary, experts only, drop-off  you see above. The picture does not do this drop-off justice. That and you aren't seeing the steep uphill that comes after the drop-off

I opted to avoid rolling over anything scary and continued on past Fun Town without indulging in that particular fun.

The subject of Fun Town came up weeks ago in Gateway Park. I'd had a going the wrong way incident with a couple of bikers. I got them turned around and led them back to where they needed to be. This was the incident which prompted me to whine about the lack of directional signage on Gateway Park's mountain bike trails, with me having no way of knowing such signage was in the works and about to be installed a few days later.

The couple of bikers I got turned around and I stopped to chat when we reached the location where I could point them in the right direction. The lady of the pair asked me if there were any difficult areas on the trail. I asked what she considered difficult. She asked if I had pedaled the River Legacy Park trails. I indicated  I had. She then said something like, "You know that steep drop-off you come to shortly after leaving the parking lot, and then the next drop-off that follows that, followed by more ups and downs? That I consider difficult."

To which I pointed to a spot on the trail and said she would not want to go past that point, because it gets a bit challenging, more so than that first challenging section in River Legacy Park.

And then, for some reason, I brought up the scary sections of the River Legacy Park trails, that being the EKG and Fun Town loops.

Well.

She then told me they rode Fun Town all the time. And that it is a lot of fun! I incredulously then asked if they actually went down that first steep drop-off with the experts only warning, to be told, no, they avoid that part.

So, I guess I am going to have to give Fun Town a try. And get there by pedaling the paved trail to its end, because if I get to Fun Talk by the mountain bike trail by the time I get there I would have already pedaled several miles.

Staying Out Of Fun Town In River Legacy Park Along With A Lot Of Spring Breaking School Kids

I have not yet adjusted to the return of Daylight Savings Time.

This morning I was vertical well before 6am, well before the sun arrived. Soon after the sun arrived I ventured into the outer world to have my regularly scheduled hot tub hydrotherapy session.

Before 11 this morning I took off to River Legacy Park and a couple other destinations. Just a regular day, and yet I somehow am an hour later than is the Standard Time norm.

Very perplexing.

Due to children getting a temporary Spring Break break from their school incarceration, River Legacy Park was very busy today. I've never seen so many kids having fun playing on the River Legacy jungle tree house installation as were having a mighty fine time today.

The mountain bike trail also had an inordinate number of people walking the trails, with kids. Plus a lot of guys, like me, biking the trails, with no kids.

In the picture above my handlebars are aimed at the sign which points the way to FUN TOWN. An arrow does the pointing, with the word "EXPERT" to the right of the arrow. A red skull and crossbones on the sign gives further warning of the danger that lies ahead in FUN TOWN.

I stay out of FUN TOWN, because I am no expert when it comes to navigating treacherous mountain bike trails of the steep, almost vertical, drop sort.

Currently the outer world at my location is one degree shy of 80. Seems like just a day or two ago we were freezing. North Texas needs to import an ocean to help moderate these tiresome wild temperature swings.

I am trying to get myself physically fit. A daunting challenge at my advanced age. I think tomorrow I may haul my carcass over the Tandy Hills again.