Hiking The Frozen Tandy Hills Finding A Vandalized Hoodoo While Elsie Hotpepper Shivers

In the picture you are standing on the Tandy Escarpment, above Tandy Falls, looking at a frozen Lake Tandy, on this extremely cold First Monday of 2014.

Tandy Falls is currently being Dry Tandy Falls, so I did not get to see the frozen waterfall I was hoping to find today.

Today I was also distressed to discover that the Tandy Hills Hoodoo that I found resurrected on Saturday has once again been destroyed.

Why does this cycle of Hoodoo violence continue on the Tandy Hills?

The air was heated to around 20 degrees when I parked myself on the summit of Mount Tandy. A semi-strong breeze was blowing, adding to the chill. I had six layers on my upper half, plus a ski mask and two pairs of gloves. My lower half only had long pants with no underlying long johns. I was a bit cold til I ran myself up the hill that leads west from Tandy Falls to the currently destroyed Tandy Hills Hoodoo.

By the time I got to the top of that first hill, from that point on, I had myself a mighty fine time hiking the Tandy Hills on the coldest day I have ever done this particular activity.

I just remembered that somewhere in this abode I have the outerwear one wears when one goes skiing, as in insulated pants and a ski jacket. I'm thinking these would prove to be a bit too warm for doing frigid Tandy Hills hiking., but I think I should locate my ski-wear anyway, what with reports of power outages, such outerwear might be useful.

Being prepared for no electricity crossed my mind a minute or two ago after reading an incoming email from Elsie Hotpepper in which she informed me she is currently shivering in an un-heated space that is barely 50 degrees.

I currently do not know why Elsie Hotpepper is currently stuck in an un-heated space. Did the power go out?

A Post-Christmas Pre-New Year's Tandy HIlls Hike Pondering Generating Electricity From Tandy Falls

Today I felt the need for some extreme aerobicizing.

Fast hiking on the Tandy Hills is my nearest location where I can get myself some extreme aerobicizing, and so it was to the Tandy Hills I motored myself today for the first time since last Saturday's deluge.

I was last on the Tandy Hills several days after the Great North Texas Ice Storm of 2013. At that point in time the Tandy Highway was muddier than I like my hiking to be.

Today the Tandy Hills were even muddier than my previous visit. So I avoided the Tandy Highway, except for a short distance at the north end,  en route to the Tandy Escarpment from which Tandy Falls falls.

Today Tandy Falls was dropping a lot of water, as you can see photo documented above. Viewing all that hydro power had me wondering if there has ever been any consideration of adding a generator at this location. I suspect not.

I came upon two fellow hikers today, both with two dogs. Human sightings are quite rare on the Tandy Hills. Two sightings in one day are even rarer.

I feel a lot better after getting myself some endorphins.

Swimming in the hot tub just does not do it for me, aerobically-wise, like hill hiking does. I did have one real quick bout in the cool pool this morning when I got too hot in the hot tub. A real quick bout in the cool pool was quite stimulating, so much so that I did not need a second round of stimulation.

I enjoyed hiking the Tandy Hills so much today I think I may go for a repeat tomorrow, before my regularly scheduled Saturday visit to Town Talk, weather permitting...

Flooding Tandy Creek Roars Over Tandy Falls Bringing Tears To The Fort Worth Water Whisperer's Eyes

GIANT Tandy Tire Surviving Latest Tandy Creek Flood

On my way to the Tandy Hills today, a location I had not been to for several days, I came upon a road construction detour on Meadowbrook Drive. The detour pointed me to take a left on to Sargent Street.

On the road ahead of me I saw water. By the time I got to the next detour sign, telling me to take a right to head back to Meadowbrook, I was seeing a lot of water.

As in a flood of water was rushing down the road. A Fort Worth water crew appeared to be working near the McDonald's on Lancaster and Sargent. I don't know if that was from whence the gusher flooded.

As I continued on to View Street, to park to hike the Tandy Hills, I saw many scenes of water backing up. In one house's driveway the water was so deep I don't know if it was possible to get to the car parked in the driveway.

I got to my parking location on View Street and proceeded to walk in to the Natural Area on the main trail that runs from View Street. For today's hiking I'd planned to walk to the end of the entry trail, then head down the hill to Tandy Falls, cross the falls, then walk Tandy Highway and take the right turn that heads back up the hills.

Well.

I could not get across Tandy Falls today. I'd never seen so much water roaring over the falls. Usually I am at this location days after a rain, with the falls greatly diminished.

So, I took some pictures and video and heading back up the trail I had just come down. I decided my flood altered route would take me back to the Tandy Highway from another direction, to see how bad Tandy Creek was flooding across the Tandy Highway.

That particular creek crossing is where the GIANT Tandy Tire #1 currently rests. As you can see in the above picture and the below video, today's flood has not move the Tandy Tire or the baseball cap that sits upon it.

Fort Worth's Lawn Whisperer must be in a very foul mood this Saturday what with all the water being wasted  today, being flushed through the Tandy Hills. How many Barnett Shale Natural Gas wells could have been fracked with the water being wasted today? Appalling.

Tandy Falls Was Roaring Today While The Grass Whisperer Weeps

As you can see in the picture, Tandy Creek was roaring over Tandy Falls today.

Tandy Falls had returned to being a dry falls soon after the deluge of almost 2 weeks ago.

From forensic evidence, gathered at the scene, it appeared that a large volume of water had rushed down Tandy Creek. It was easy to see the muddy high water mark.

That this had been a large release of water was confirmed later on today's hike when I came to the point where I cross Tandy Creek over the washed out dirt bridge on the Tandy Highway.

I had to hop boulders to cross the dirt bridge due to the dirt being muddy due to the flood. The flood had to have occurred not long before my arrival, due to the level of wetness. Temperatures in the 90 to 100 range tend to have a rapid drying effect on anything wet.

We seem to leak a lot of water in these parts.

Ironically, on the way to the Tandy Hills, of late, I drive by a billboard that has the "Grass Whisperer" whispering that over watering your lawn may not only be wasting water, it may be killing your grass. Or something like that.

As long as I'm on the subject of water I'll stay there.

I had myself a good swim this morning. This is the last time you will be reading me saying that for awhile.

I knew something was not right with the way the water was circulating. This was confirmed later with the discovery that the pump is not producing sufficient pressure to force the water through the filter.

I have no clue what it will take to fix the swimming pool this time.

Tandy Falls Is Almost Dried Up After Yesterday's Futile Fort Worth City-Wide Vote

In the picture you are looking at an aerial view of the currently trickling Tandy Falls, today around noon.

Today I decided that the next time we get rain in downpour mode I am going to go to the Tandy Hills with an umbrella, wearing shoes that I don't care if they get covered with mud, and hike in to Tandy Falls to see what it looks like in flash flood mode.

It was another unusually cool day for May today, in the 60s, which made for pleasant hiking. Due to my Vitamin D deficiency I hike with as much skin exposed as possible. I think I mentioned yesterday I am rather pale compared to how tanned I am, usually, by this point in time.

I have heard from a couple of political pundits regarding yesterday's Fort Worth election.

Steve A opined, "If I lived in Fort Worth, I'd sooner crawl over broken glass than vote for Lane. I think if he becomes mayor, you'll soon be missing Mike..."

While Gail Galtex said, "I like Jim and his cowboy hat now. On a positive note, the anti-establishment got 29% of the vote. Jim Lane should figure out how to reach this group and may get them by default anyway."

I'm thinking it is real odd that Texas has elections where all you vote for is the mayor and your city council person. Elections cost a lot of money to hold. Fort Worth is supposedly low on money. How much was wasted on this most recent exercise in futility?

Why not just automatically install as mayor the Oligarchy's pick? How much money did Cathy Hirt and Dan Barrett spend in their futile effort? Jim Lane's effort is not yet futile. He is the FWRO's #2 choice.

It is time to quit thinking about these serious matters and go have lunch.

Fort Worth's Tandy Falls Roars While Elsie Hotpepper Wants Me To Go Bar Crawling

That is the Tandy River roaring over Tandy Falls today, in the heart of the Tandy Hills Natural Area. I think this may be the most water I've seen flowing over Fort Worth's Niagara.

It is a semi-warm Friday, in the 60s, and very windy. Wildfire danger is in the air, I mean, wind, according to the National Weather Service. So, I'll be real careful if I do any smoking outdoors.

Speaking of my health issues. I have recovered from my nearly broken ankle, that nearly had me crippled, due to a bad fall a couple days ago. Thanks for all the words of encouragement that helped me remain strong during this difficult time.

What am I saying? There were no words of encouragement during my most recent difficult time. Heartless, uncaring, be ye.

Elsie Hotpepper read about those busybodies busying themselves with great concern about me being a housebound shut-in who does not get out much. And so, Elsie wants me to go bar crawling with her on Saturday.

I told Elsie bar crawling is not something on my to do list, but she is very insistent.

To shut her up I agreed to Elsie's bar crawling proposal.

By Saturday morning I'm counting on Elsie forgetting, which is her usual pattern. My fall back position is to not answer my phone if Elsie calls tomorrow. No way am I going bar crawling with that Hotpepper woman. I'm not even sure I know what bar crawling is, besides knowing it is something I intuitively do not think sounds fun.

I probably should try and be more open-minded about these type things.