With My Sister-In-Law Shopping In Wichita Falls

Text message, yesterday, on the final day of August, from my all-time favorite sister-in-law, David, Theo and Ruby's mama, Kristin, with the text message saying...

Wichita Falls is a shopping mecca in the book I am reading!

The above is a phone photo Kristin included with the text message, snapped from the book she is reading, which makes mention of the Wichita Falls shopping mecca.

This book is set back in the previous century. At some point in time, back last century, I believe Dillard's and Penney's were located in downtown Wichita Falls.

When a mall was built, near where I live in Wichita Falls, opening a few decades ago, called Sikes Senter, Dillard's and Penny's moved to the mall.

Dillard's left Sikes Senter back during COVID. Or was it before that? Penney's is currently in the final stages of closing and leaving Sikes Senter.

Wichita Falls is quite a glitzy town. Recently a Hawaiian cuisine restaurant called Hawaiian Brothers opened. I don't think spam is on the menu, but all the Hawaiian plates include macaroni salad, which is Hawaiian Island standard fare. I've learned that from Magnum P.I. and Hawaii 5-0.

Wichita Falls has famously showed up in a movie a time or two. Have you watched The Last Picture Show? The movie which made Cybil Shepherd and Jeff Bridges stars.

In that movie Cybil gets talked into going to a pool party at a house in Wichita Falls. The pool is not an outdoor pool. The pool party was a skinny dipping party, in which Cybil eventually, famously, got the courage to participate. 

Last Picture Show is set in Archer City, a town about 20 miles south of where I am sitting right now. The kids drove to the big city for the pool party, which took place in a house a short distance north of my abode, in the neighborhood I refer to as the Beverly Hills of Wichita Falls.

The Last Picture Show was one of author Larry McMurty's works. The story was inspired by his experiences growing up in Archer City, apparently including going to wild pool parties in Wichita Falls.

I have been in Wichita Falls several years now and have yet to be invited to a skinny-dipping pool party...

Two Girls In Bikinis Frolic In Wichita Falls

 

Saw that which you see here, this morning, via a Wichita Falls radio station's website.

I found it a bit disturbing that a pair of girls in bikinis would get into the murky water below the manmade Wichita Falls.

I have always thought the water was way deeper than as indicated by the knee deep water the two girls are standing in.

I also always assumed there was a pump in the pool which re-circulated water to the top of the falls.

From the 1023 The Bull website article about this swimming incident...

Official Rules for The Falls in Wichita Falls

It shall be unlawful for any person to swim or bathe in any ornamental water fountains, ponds, streams or lakes situated in any city parks within the city, except Lake Wichita and the areas of Lake Arrowhead which are not designated as a no swimming area by subsection.

The girls were filmed during their falls frolic, for a TikTok video.

The girls claim they barely got their feet wet and did not get totally in the water, which does look way too shallow to enable swimming, despite what the title to this article says....

Wichita Falls Is A Surprisingly Cool Town Despite Being HOT

Yesterday I came upon an article which named 5 surprisingly cool towns where you can buy a home for $150K or less.

The towns were Little Rock, Arkansas, Rockford, Illinois, Syracuse, New York, Topeka, Kansas and the cool town I currently live in...

Wichita Falls, Texas

What follows is the blurb in the article about Wichita Falls...

Home prices in Texas spiked 23.3% in the last year, making many cities unaffordable if you’re working with a $150,000 budget. Not Wichita Falls, however, which was an oil boomtown in the early 20th century. Named after a historic waterfall that was washed away by a flood in the 19th century — and replaced by a 54-foot-long manmade cascade in 1989 — the city is about halfway between Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. Wichita Falls has plenty of local attractions, including the River Bend Nature Center, which houses a butterfly conservatory; and more than 40 parks. There’s also the Kemp Center for the Arts, which showcases symphony and ballet performances, as well as art exhibitions. The town has two live theater troupes — Backdoor Theatre and the Wichita Theatre Performing Arts Center — and a ballet school, the Wichita Falls Ballet Theatre. For less than $150,000, you can buy a newly renovated 3-bedroom, 1200-square-foot home in the city. Along with excellent Tex-Mex, the city also offers quality steaks from nearby cattle farms at restaurants like McBride’s Steak House. One of the main downsides is that Wichita Falls is hot in the summer; temperatures in the city climbed above 100 degrees for 100 days in 2011, a Texas state record.

________________________

More than 40 parks? I must do some park searching, because I have not visited anywhere near that many parks in this town.

Even though I've not been to anywhere near that many parks here, I have wondered if Wichita Falls has more acreage devoted to parkland than any other town in America. Because this town does have several large parks. Lucy Park and Lake Wichita Park come to mind.

I have not heard of any plans to have a city wide celebration celebrating Wichita Falls being a cool town with affordable housing. I suspect such will not occur.

Early on in my experience of finding myself appalled by another Texas town, called Fort Worth, there was an amusingly embarrassing incident where Fort Worth did have a city wide celebration over such a thing.

A Washington, D.C. lobbying group promoting the concept of towns having what are known as Urban Villages named Fort Worth one of America's Top Ten Most Livable Cities With Urban Villages.

Fort Worth city officials acted like a homely girl waking up one morning to find herself in the Top Ten in the Miss America pageant, actually breathlessly asking how long this honor was good for. To be told, ten years.

I suspect Fort Worth was the only town, so enamored of this imaginary honor, that it was asked how long the honor was good for.

During the time this was happening I found myself up north, in Tacoma, a town with actual Urban Villages, which also was in the Top Ten of this D.C. lobbying group's bogus list.

At that point in time, whilst in Tacoma, I found myself visiting Tacoma's Deputy Mayor. He was driving me around town in his Prius. He had recently been to DFW and asked how I could stand living where there was no scenery, asking me this as we were looking directly at Mount Rainier. I replied that the wildflowers are scenic.

I then asked if Tacoma had itself a citywide celebration when Tacoma got that Most Livable Urban Village accolade. 

The Deputy Mayor replied that no, there was no celebration. We politely thanked them, and that was it.

When I told the Deputy Mayor Fort Worth had a citywide celebration he thought I was joking, and didn't believe me til I showed him my blog posts documenting the ridiculousness. 

I remember him asking me if Fort Worth actually had any Urban Villages, to which I told him not of the Tacoma sort, nothing like Old Town or Proctor, but Fort Worth does have a somewhat Urban Village in what is known as the Magnolia neighborhood.

Fort Worth's ten years of being a Top Ten Most Livable Urban Village city must be about up.

I wonder if the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island Riverwalk District Vision will one day be known as an Urban Village? More likely it will one day be known as a vast wasteland which once was one of America's Top Ten Boondoggles...

Chilly Fall Walk To Wichita Falls Waterfall

The outer world was chilled to 50 degrees when I left my abode this morning. With the windchill factor making those 50 degrees feel somewhere in the 40s. 

I left my abode to drive an elderly gentlemen to his pharmacist to pick up some prescriptions. 

After that I asked the elderly gentlemen if there was anything else he would like to do. It's been awhile since I've walked to the Wichita Falls waterfall, said he. But, that's a bit of an incline to get to the falls, no matter which access point you use, are you sure you are up to such a challenge, asked I?

Yes, was the reply.

And that is why you are seeing a photo of the Wichita Falls waterfall on this second day of the 2021 version of November.

From the Circle Trail a serpentine brick paved trail takes you to the top of the falls. 

The steepness of the trail to the the top of the falls was too much for the elderly gentleman, so he opted out and just meandered slow motion down the Circle Trail, whilst I went to the top of the falls.

Above I am at the top of the waterfall. That person you see below the waterfall is not the aforementioned elderly gentleman.

So that has been my thrilling excitement for today. Doing something I've done many times previous...

Elderly Return To Original Wichita Falls

This morning I was tasked with driving a senior citizen to one of his drug suppliers on the east side of town.

The location of the drug supplier is about a block south of O'Reilly Park.

At the west side of O'Reilly Park one finds the original falls on the Big Wichita River for which the city was named.

So, this particular senior citizen had never seen the original falls for which Wichita Falls was named, so after acquiring the drugs I drove to the O'Reilly Park parking lot to walk to Wichita Falls.

It is the Circle Trail one walks on to get to the falls. One begins hearing the roar of the falls before one sees the falls.

Yes, that which you see above is Wichita Falls. The river is running low enough to produce what look to be minor rapids at the location of the long ago, washed out by a flood, original Wichita Falls waterfall.

See that bridge crossing the river at the top left of the picture? Let's take a closer look.

I have no clue as to the purpose of this giant rock wall which is part of the bridge. This is a long abandoned bridge. There is a historical marker at the entry to the bridge explaining why it is historical. There is no easy way to get from the Circle Trail up to that historical marker.

I know I blogged about this bridge and the nearby Wee-Chi-Tah statue. I shall see if I can find those blog posts.

Okay, found them. 

Walking Over The Wichita River On The Old Ohio Street Bridge takes you over the bridge, via video. And finds that aforementioned historical marker.

Waist Deep Comanche River Crossing Gives Texas Town Its Name takes you to the Wee-Chi-Tah statue.

And that has been my thrilling day so far, that and earlier today having someone tell me she had been tasked with being a Mata Hari... 

Driving To Lucy Park Without Elsie Hotpepper To Bike To Wichita Falls

Elsie Hotpepper called last night when I was not available to talk to. So, this morning I called the Hotpepper back to ask if she wanted to ride to Lucy Park with me. But, Elsie was not available, so I drove alone to Lucy Park to take my backup bike on a ride.

Above you can see the bike has arrived at Wichita Falls.

Wichita Falls, the waterfall, is not in Lucy Park. One rides the Circle Trail out of Lucy Park and in about a half a mile one comes to Wichita Falls, the waterfall, not the town. Both Lucy Park and Wichita Falls, the waterfall, are in Wichita Falls, the town. So is the Circle Trail.

I rolled my wheels all the way to O'Reilly Park, which is a short distance from the actual location of where there used to be, way back in the 1880s, an actual waterfall with a drop of a couple feet. And it is that long gone slight waterfall from which the town, Wichita Falls, gets its name.

A century later locals got tired of tourists asking where the waterfall was. So, a fake waterfall was created, which is what you see above.

The town I lived in before Wichita Falls, Fort Worth, had a similar problem.

Fort Worth does not attract many tourists, but those who do visit the town might ask where the fort is, to learn there is no fort in Fort Worth.

I was among those visitors who was perplexed by signs pointing to Sundance Square.

I, and many others, asked, where is Sundance Square? The parking lots by the trail drive mural was the usual answer. The actual answer, I eventually learned, was that Sundance Square was the name given to a multi block development scheme, with none of the schemers realizing, apparently, that calling this Sundance Square was not a good idea. Eventually, after a couple decades of confusing the town's few visitors, downtown Fort Worth turned those parking lots into a little town square, calling it Sundance Square Plaza.

Currently Fort Worth is confusing its few visitors who see signage with Panther Island on it. There is no island. 

Anyway, back to the bike ride. On the way back to Lucy Park I rolled through the MPEC (Multi-Purpose Events Center). I stopped to take the picture you see below.

This pedestrian bridge takes you across the Wichita River. Above, we are heading back to the Circle Trail after crossing the river to where the agricultural building is located, which is part of MPEC. I think this is where farm animals can be exhibited. And other things. Such as I went to a Christmas oriented craft show type deal which was mighty fun. 

You can not see much of it, but to the left of the handlebars, on the other side of the bridge, is MPEC's sports type building, where things like hockey take place. To the right is an exhibition hall.

I should return and photo document all of MPEC.

An interesting thing I saw today at MPEC was flags of different nations. For a couple seconds I wondered why I was seeing the Canadian flag. And then I remembered Sheppard Air Force Base is a NATO training location...

Living In The 19th Cheapest City In America

Via a link I saw on Facebook today to a Kiplinger article titled The 25 Cheapest U.S. Cities to Live In I learned I am currently living in the 19th cheapest city to live in in the U.S.

Clicking the link, and perusing the article, I learned Wichita Falls isn't the cheapest town in Texas in which to live. Several were cheaper, such as Amarillo. 

The photo representing Wichita Falls in this article, is a downtown scene. The library which I frequently frequent is a couple blocks to the right. 

Three paragraphs of descriptive text from the article seem to succinctly sum up Wichita Falls...

The largest employer in Wichita Falls is the United States Air Force, with Sheppard Air Force Base located just a short drive from downtown. But this city situated 140 miles northwest of Dallas claims other distinctions, too.

Wichita Falls is home to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum, boasts the "world's littlest skyscraper" and allows servicemen and civilians alike to really stretch their paychecks. Housing costs, for example, run more than 20% below the national average. Groceries, health care and transportation costs also are lower than the national average.

Just be forewarned that this North Texas city gets H-O-T in summer, with average highs of 97 degrees in July. Utilities tend to cost about 10% more than the national average.

I learned today that this Texas HOT issue is straining the power grid, with today's HEAT possibly causing blackouts. If we lose power when the temperature is super HOT, and the interior space turns miserable, do we escape to the Comfort Inn like last winter when we went sub-zero, with zero power?

Regarding the cost of things like groceries, well, it certainly is way cheaper than what I experience when I return to Washington. But, many a time when I have been in Arizona the last few years I've made note of the fact that grocery products, such as produce, are cheaper than I find in Texas.

Filling the gas tank is way cheaper here than Arizona, and way way cheaper than a tank fill in Washington.

The air conditioner seems to be running a lot. I guess I will do my conservation part by turning the temperature up a couple degrees...

Biking The Lucy Park Tall Grass On Way To Original Wichita Falls

Feeling the need for green shade my mechanized motion device drove me and my bike back to Lucy Park, again.

The unpaved loop, part of which you see above, is a bit rough, but enjoyable, except for a muddy section or two.

That and being wary of the possibility a snake might suddenly appear.

This late into Spring it seems surprising the green has not turned more brown. That and I wondered if the tall grass, at least six feet tall, is of the sort which used to cover the open prairie, back when buffalo roamed free.

Last Sunday I also rolled my bike's wheels at this location. And just as I did on Sunday, I left Lucy Park via the Circle Trail to find that Wichita Falls was turned off, not falling any water.

Well, today, five days later, the falls is still turned off, and just like on Sunday, there were multiple groups of tourist types following the signs pointing the direction to the falls. 

But, unlike last Sunday, I continued on past the turned off Wichita Falls, and rolled all the way to the original natural, not artificial, Wichita Falls.

The sign the handlebars are pointing towards says "THE ORIGINAL FALLS ON THE BIG WICHITA RIVER FOR WHICH THE CITY WAS NAMED."

The sign is a bit misleading, making one think there is still a waterfall to be seen. But, that original waterfall was wiped out by a flood way back in the 1880s, or 90s. And even when it did exist the waterfall was only a short drop, something like five feet. 

Methinks signage should be added to the currently dry Wichita Falls, informing people that a short distance further on the Circle Trail will take you to the original falls. Well, the location of the original.

Talking With Linda Lou On A Wichita Falls Bench With No Hot Water

At around 2:40 this final Wednesday afternoon of the February version of 2021 I dropped off the patient known as DB at one of the clinics at which he has appointments with doctors.

I had previously scheduled a 3 o'clock phone consult with the Mount Vernonite known as Linda Lou.

Wichita Falls is a short distance from the location of DB's doctor appointment, and so I parked my vehicle and walked to the top of the falls, to sit on that bench you see above, above the falls, and called Linda Lou.

I did not long remain on that bench talking to Linda Lou, because wind was blowing waterfall mist in my direction. I stood up, looked at the view you see above, and walked to another bench.

Soon after standing up my belt buckle decided to unbuckle. This immediately put my cargo shorts in danger of dropping to my ankles. I had to ask Linda Lou to excuse me for a moment while I secured my shorts and belt.

It seems so odd how quickly we went from living in the Arctic to being back in the semi-tropics. Yesterday the temperature got into the 80s.

A week ago today I was escaping from a Comfort Inn, on ice covered roads, hoping the power would stay on and I could remain in my abode. 

Well, the power has stayed on, but I still do not have hot water coming out of faucets. The natural gas pipeline is the problem. There has been a lot of digging going on, I assume looking for the leaks. Why would a deep freeze cause problems with underground natural gas pipelines? I have heard no explanation for this.

Hiking The Dry Falls Of Wichita Falls

Today marks the second time I have successfully used the un-patented Elsie Hotpepper Selfie phone app. I was at the location you see photo documented above due to dropping off a patient at a clinic on the north side of Highway 287. South of that location is the Falls of Wichita Falls, so I walked the Circle Trail under Highway 287, which quickly takes one to the location of the Falls which Wichita Falls is not named after.

Several days ago whilst driving south from nearby Oklahoma I noticed the Falls of Wichita Falls were currently in Dry Falls mode.

Such was still the case today.

It seems, to me, just a bit ironic, that a fake falls built so the locals could finally have an answer for incoming visitors who ask where is the location of the falls this town is named after, that this falls is turned off, and into a dry falls, for long lengths of time.

This seems to happen frequently.

Thus seeming to negate the purpose of having a fake falls to point to when someone asks where are the Falls of Wichita Falls.

One would think that it might have been worth it to make the original design such that the falls falling was not dependent on factors, such as the Wichita River into which the falls falls, running a bit high and dirty, necessitating turning off the Falls..

Anyway, I had myself a mighty fine brisk chilly walk today in the zone of the Wichita Falls Dry Falls.

 Above you are looking at the bricked serpentine trail switchbacking to the summit of the currently dry Falls at Wichita Falls.

And here we are are at the summit of those currently dry falls, looking north, at the traffic on Highway 287 with people in vehicles driving by wondering why no water falls from Wichita Falls...

Hot Humid 2nd October Saturday With Wichita Water Falling

 

I really think I am beginning to go COVID stir crazy. I have not been further than 40 miles from my abode since last March. I do not remember any period in my existence of such a length with going so few miles from my home location.

On Facebook of late I am seeing plans being made for my high school class to have a reunion next summer. I don't see that happening. And I sure don't see myself attending, for a variety of reasons. I do see myself being in Washington next summer, should this COVID nightmare abate sufficiently.

So, today, feeling that stir crazy feeling, I decided to take that long five mile drive north, to Lucy Park, to hike along the Wichita River to the iconic symbol of Wichita Falls.

As you can see, above, I was not alone in deciding to do this today, such as there is that lady you see, taking pics with her phone. I do not know if she had yet noticed the other group getting into position to take some adventurous selfie photos.

The sign says "WALKING OFF PAVED TRAILS AND STEPS BY THE FALLS IS PROHIBITED".

I suspect that group you see being scofflaws did not see the sign. The sign is not positioned in a location where every Falls visitor can not help but see it.

Continuing on I opted to take the brick paved trail which serpentines to the top of the falls and the cemetery source from which it flows.

On the way to the top of the Falls I had another view of the group taking closeup selfies at the edge of the Falls.

Another view, this time from the lookout looking out over the top of the Falls. As you can see the selfie takers are not really getting too close to falling over the Falls. Hence, limited danger.

A final view, this time from the lookout which looks over the biggest fall of the Falls. That group you see at the bottom of the Falls are not being scofflaws, they are on one of the approved paved trails.

And that was my excitement for the day. That and going to Walmart, where I got a pork roast I will grill on the smokeless grill tomorrow, along with okra.

Speaking of COVID. And who isn't? Wichita County has had a record number of new cases four days in a row. I may be off on the number by a case or two, but Tuesday there were 61, Wednesday 67, Thursday 82 and Friday 103, with two deaths.

It is getting worse fast at this location. Or so it seems...

Shady Beach Walk To Wichita Falls

On this second Wednesday of the 2020 version of June, what with the outer world breezy and relatively chilly, as in barely in the 80s, I thought a shady walk along the Wichita River, with Wichita Falls as the destination, seemed as if it would be a mighty fine thing to do.

And so it was.

In the first instance of today's photo documenting we are looking north on a Wichita River beach. This is not a wide beach. And not a sandy beach. This beach is more like it is made of hardened adobe.

Today when I left the Circle Trail to walk on the above beach it crossed my mind as to how different I am now than I was when I first began experiencing Texas. Back then walking on a riverside location like this would have, well, un-nerved me. I would have been all worried that a big snake or alligator or tarantula or some other scary critter would attack me.

Since such has never happened in all the years I have been exploring the wild zones of Texas it amused me today to realize how wigged out a location such as this would have made me at another point in time.

About a half mile from the beach location I made it to Wichita Falls. This is a pleasant walk, mostly in the cooling shade of big treees.

One never knows if the falls will be turned on, or not, til one hears the roar of the falling water. As can see, today the falls are turned on.

The above closeup look at the upper falls is what one comes to when one climbs those steps you saw in the previous photo.

After going up one side of the falls I went up the other side, via the serpentine brick trail which leads to a couple overlooks looking over the falls.

The above is the view from above the falls, looking down at the Circle Trail bridge over the falls.

Today I am using the new version of Google's Blogger app. I do not like it. Although there have been improvements since I first tried it. By the end of the month this new app becomes the default, with the option of reverting to the original version.

The older I get the more I like things to stay the same, or at least be an obvious improvement when there is a change. Does this mean I am becoming conservative? What a shuddering thought....

Wichita Falls Coronavirus Lockdown Ends Lucy Park Swinging

On this, the final Sunday of the 2020 version of March, I opted to return to where I had had myself a Lucy Park Enchanted Forest Mud Bath a couple days ago, to roll my still mud coated bike on a ride through the tulips and other colorful flowers, whilst avoiding any mud traps.

In the first photo you are looking at my bike's handlebars aimed at the Lucy Park Pagoda, and some of those aforementioned colorful flowers.

And behind the Pagoda you are seeing part of the also aforementioned Lucy Park Enchanted Forest.

I do not know why Wichita Falls has so many Japanese inspired Pagoda type structures. I have asked a local or two or three if they could explain, to no avail.

On Friday the local Wichita Falls government put the town on a shelter in place type lockdown, with multiple caveats, such as one could leave ones shelter is one needed groceries, or to take a walk in a park, or on the Circle Trail.

However, judging by the sudden drop in the number of park visitors, and Circle Trail users, as witnessed by my eyes, we went from I had never seen the Sikes Lake trail with so many people on it, as I did on Thursday, and then on Saturday, the day after the local lockdown, Sikes Lake was a virtual ghost town during the same time frame as the previous visit.

Same thing with Lucy Park today. Ghost town. But on Friday, before the lockdown went into effect later on that day, Lucy Park was busy.

And since that local lockdown edict the Lucy Park playground equipment sports a new feature, which you see photo documented below.

Caution tape has been wrapped around all the Lucy Park slides and swings, keeping the little playground players from playing too close to each other whilst sliding down a slide, or swinging on a swing.

When I was a kid I really can not imagine yellow caution tape keeping me and my siblings from doing some sliding or swinging.

Then again, when I was a kid we never had anything remotely as scary as something like the Coronavirus Pandemic happening whilst America was being lead by someone the majority of Americans have realized is an ignorant moron, to put it as mildly as possible.

Scary times.

Enjoying The Dry Falls Of Wichita Falls With Linda Lou

Two days in a row, for the first time in weeks, I managed to go on a bike ride.

Yesterday's ride was chilly, requiring full coverage. Today's bike ride was not chilly, requiring limited coverage.

Two days from now the temperature prediction is somewhere in the 90s.

Today's bike ride started in Lucy Park. I rolled my wheels on the Circle Trail from Lucy Park to the Dry Falls of Wichita Falls.

When a lot of rain falls, causing the Wichita River to rise, Wichita Falls is turned off, rendering it the Dry Falls of Wichita Falls.

It seems just a little ironic, to me, that after a century of visitors to Wichita Falls asking where the falls was that the locals decided to have a fake falls built, so as to have an answer to that probing question. But then did not deem it necessary to have the fake falls engineered in a way which allowed the falls to fall all the time.

I have been in towns in the Valley of the Sun desert zone of Arizona where there are multiple fake waterfalls, which I never saw turned off, even when the desert goes into flash flood mode.

Other than that problem with going dry way too frequently the fake Wichita Falls is a well designed installation, looking almost natural, until it goes dry, or when one hikes the trail to the top of the falls to see that the falls has no source of the creek or river sort, but instead mysteriously flows out of the edge of a massive cemetery.

My primary medical care professional, Nurse Linda Lou, called whilst I was rolling alongside the
Wichita River. It was not convenient to answer the phone at that point in time. I suspect Linda Lou was calling to verbalize about our Dear Leader's latest Coronavirus briefing embarrassments. That seems to happen daily nowadays...

Follow The Sign To Find Wichita Falls

A couple days ago I visited Lucy Park for the first time in a long time, what with the nearby Wichita Bluff Nature Area being my usual current go to place for some hill hiking or biking.

On that recent visit to Lucy Park I came upon the new sign you see here. I thought it to be a good addition.

Directing the direction challenged in the correct direction to find the infamous Wichita Falls.

My first visit to Lucy Park, soon after arrival in my new location, I found my way to Lucy Park. It was a hot April Saturday. And on that day Lucy Park was packed. Lots of people. Had to hunt for a parking place. I remember thinking, wow, this is a popular park.

Well.

I don't know what was special about that first visit to Lucy Park, but I have never seen that park so packed with people ever again.

And on that day whilst walking on what I did not know then was the Circle Trail, I came upon an informational booth of the nearby Texas Visitors Center, which I also did not know, then, was nearby, immediately across the, also nearby, Wichita River.

The friendly lady who wo-manned the Texas Visitors Center booth was willing to answer my questions. Such as are there any parks with hills nearby? And how do you get to the Falls from here?

She directed me to follow the Circle Trail alongside the river and in less than a mile I would come to Wichita Falls.

I remember at the time it seemed to take a long long walk to get to the Falls. And now I've done that distance so many times it seems a short distance.

And now these new signs have been added to make it easy for anyone to find the Falls, without needing to ask directions from a local...

Going Around In Circles In Chilly Wichita Falls

March seems to be in roar in like a lion mode at my location in North Texas.

If all goes to current plan I will be in Arizona til the day the winter of 2019 ends, with the eagerly anticipated spring arriving the next day.

I am hoping March will be in lamb mode by the time I get back to Texas.

I do not recollect ever being so offput by offputting weather any year previous, as I have been this year.

Tomorrow, that being the first Sunday of March, possible snow is on the menu. Along with a wind chill nearing zero.

Arizona is going to feel so HOT. I hope.

So, early this morning when I looked out my kitchen window, whilst pouring coffee, I was surprised to see groups of people running and walking on the Circle Trail, heading south towards Lake Wichita.

Such a sight would be unusual on a pleasantly warmed morning, and so seemed extremely unusual considering the current drizzly chill.

And then I saw a group of three who appeared to be attired as Indians. Of the Native American sort, not of the nation of India sort. One was in a robe which reached the ground, all three were carrying what looked to be sticks covered with feathers.

A short while later I looked out the window again and saw a group of two with one carrying a sign, upside down, the message on which I was not able to read.

All quite mysterious.

Then, around 11 this morning, I decided to layer on the outer wear and make my way to the Circle Trail. When I reached the Circle Trail I headed north and soon came upon a chalked message on the cement informing me I needed a green bracelet.

Soon after that I came to the message you see above telling me to "KEEP GOING".

I followed the instruction to keep going, and then after I kept going for a couple hundred feet I came upon the perplexing instruction you see below.

I did as instructed, turned around and headed south, awaiting further instructions which I expected to see after passing the sign which had told me to keep going.

It was just too much for me to process, what with the Circle Trail basically having me going in circles, and so I made my way back to the relatively warm comfort of my interior space...

No More Wine Drinking Cart Driving At My Favorite Wichita Falls Walmart

Of late, at least once a week, as I pull out of the carport, I call my mom to ask if she would like to ride with me to Walmart.

Mom always says sure, and then asks what the weather is doing. I then tell mom something like its almost freezing and windy, so bundle up warm.

So, mom is regularly reminded of a Wichita Falls Walmart.

And then this week my favorite Wichita Falls Walmart made the national, and maybe, international news.

Which had mom asking me, the last time she rode with me to Walmart, if I knew that lady who got banned from Walmart for riding around the store on an electric cart drinking wine from a Pringles can.

I told mom I was not aware of knowing this particular wine drinking lady. And that the interesting characters I encounter at this Walmart are one of the reasons I find going there to be entertaining.

The news stories about this woman getting banned from Walmart are not excessively detailed. Usually pretty much nothing more than the headline. I thought those who do not have access to the Wichita Falls news might find the story, as covered in the Wichita Falls Times News Record, to be interesting, and maybe slightly amusing....

Wichita Falls PD: Woman riding cart drinking wine from Pringles can barred from Walmart

Wichita Falls police received a rather unique call Friday morning involving a woman drinking wine in a Walmart parking lot.

Employees requested officers to ban a woman from the local Walmart store after she reportedly had been drinking wine from a Pringles can for several hours while riding on an electric cart.

The incident began shortly after 9 a.m. Friday when officers responded to a call to check on a suspicious person in the parking lot of Walmart, 2700 Central East Fwy.

Officer Jeff Hughes, a WFPD spokesperson, said police were told by dispatchers that they were looking for a woman wearing a blue jacket and black pants.

The woman was reportedly riding on an electric shopping cart more commonly used for people with physical limitations. Officers were also told she was drinking wine from a Pringle's can.

Hughes said the reporting party said the suspect had been riding around in the store's parking lot since 6:30 a.m. while drinking the alcoholic beverage.

When officers arrived, they found the woman in a nearby restaurant, at which point she was notified that she had been barred from the Walmart location.

_______________

As you see, even in the local news, the details are minimal. Such as, how does one drink wine from a Pringles can? Are those potato chip cans watertight?  And what was this woman's blood alcohol level after riding around for hours drinking wine from that Pringles can? And was she arrested and charged with a DUI, in addition to being banned from Walmart?

Mom and I have not been to Walmart since the Pringle wine drinking incident. Maybe we'll go there later today. Likely not though. Too cold out there currently for mom's and my delicate nature...

Wichita Falls Lucy Park Flood Gone But Not Forgotten

Last Sunday I found myself Checking Out Wichita Falls Lucy Park Flood.

A week later, on this first Sunday of the new year of 2019, what with the outer world temperature predicted to possibly get as high as 70, I opted to return to Lucy Park to check out the park's current status.

Well.

Driving into Lucy Park one would never guess that a week prior doing such was impossible, what with the Wichita River flooded up to the entry to the park.

Today the Wichita River is still running high, but leaving Lucy Park dry, except for a few ponds which have not yet evaporated.

I parked at the parking lot by the swimming pool and log cabin. There was no indication the flood had reached either. I then walked towards the Lucy Park Pagoda. En route I walked over some paved trails on which flood residue of the sticks, leaves and mud sort remained.

The Pagoda was untouched by the flood. But, in the photo you can see the area which flooded behind the Pagoda. Speaking of that Pagoda, can anyone tell me what the deal is with Wichita Falls and all the Japanese Pagodas in various forms ones sees around town?

Last week after I blogged about the Lucy Park flood I posted the blogging on the Wichita Falls Rants and Raves Facebook page, asking if this was the worse Lucy Park flood ever. And asked if the suspension bridge over the Wichita River survives such a flooding inundation.

Well, that Rants and Raves post generated dozens of informative comments, from which I learned there has been far worse flooding of the Wichita River. And that the suspension bridge always survives.

I confirmed the suspension bridge survival by crossing it. I had to make my way past the geezer who seemed to be fishing for something, and then cross a lot of flood residue piled up on the bridge deck. Crossing this was a bit unsettling. As there are some gaps in the planks one walks across on. Having those planks covered with mud rendered them disguised and not revealing any potential gaps.

But, turned out I have no reason to worry. I made it easily back and forth across the bridge. I did find the swaying more unsettling than the norm, what with the river still running high. That fisherman fishing for who knows what was also a bit unsettling.

Eventually during the course of my walkabout Lucy Park I did come to some areas where the flood was more evident.

Such as that which you see above. It appears flood debris shoved one of the park's swinging benches off its connection to the ground, pushing it up against some tree trunks.

All in all I had myself a mighty fine walkabout Lucy Park today, and was surprised by how little muddy residue was left behind when the Wichita River retreated.

Flooding Return To Wichita Falls Freshly Appalled By Bad DFW Urban Planning

I headed southeast to the D/FW zone around eight this morning, via a northern route which does not give me a good look at Holliday Creek.

Returning to Wichita Falls this afternoon via a route which takes me directly over Holliday Creek I saw more water running rapid in that creek than I had ever seen previously.

I guess it takes a day or two for the downpours to drain their way into Holliday Creek and then on to the Wichita River.

So, after putting items in need of refrigeration in the refrigerator I got back in my motorized conveyance device and drove to Lake Wichita to see the water spilling over the Lake Wichita Dam spillway.

I had not heard such a cacophony of water roaring since the last time I was at Snoqualmie Falls during a flood, back in my old home state of Washington, back at some point in time late in the last century.

Unlike Snoqualmie Falls the ground was not shaking from the force of the water. However, like Snoqualmie Falls, eventually I did get hit by some misting, though not at the drenching level one experiences at Snoqualmie Falls when it is in full fall mode.

The view you see above is from atop the dam, looking over the spillway at flooded Holliday Creek.

The Holliday Creek floodway seems well designed to move a lot of flood water without creating any problems.

Good urban planning, well, actually the lack of good urban planning, came to mind today as I entered Fort Worth via 287 and saw the mess of new houses crammed together in the area I moved to when first in Texas.

That first location in Texas was the Fort Worth suburb of Haslet, on a road then called Hicks. Later changed to Bonds Ranch Road when a housing development named Bonds Ranch came to be several miles to the west. I have never known why this caused a name change, which I found inconvenient, rendering my address wrong on checks and my driver's license.

At that point in time, at the start of this century, Haslet was a remote rural zone. This vexed me upon arrival. I had never lived out in the country before. It seemed a vexing distance just to get to a grocery store. And the puny skyline of downtown Fort Worth stuck up way in the distance to the south.

The Haslet side of Hicks Road was out of the Fort Worth zone of madness. Fort Worth was on the south side of Hicks Road. Back when I lived there the Fort Worth side of Hicks Road was made up of ranches with big acreage. As far as one could see one saw fields of green, with that aforementioned pitiful Fort Worth skyline way in the distance.

And now, not that many years later, that which was open ranch land may now be the world's best example of bad, maybe non-existent, urban planning.

Before permitting the construction of what appears to be thousands of homes the roads were not upgraded, not added to. Drainage was not installed to facilitate the moving of water which now had nowhere to drain into the ground, due to the ground being covered with homes and driveways and side streets.

Ever since I have been going regularly to Arizona, to the Phoenix zone, I return freshly appalled at the bad urban planning of Fort Worth, and well, other towns in the D/FW Metroplex.

Like today, I turned from Western Center Boulevard, south on to the Denton Highway, also known as, I think, 377, in Haltom City.

For over a year now, every time I make this turn onto that Haltom City road, Arizona Avenue, Alma School Road, Dobson Road, and other roads in Arizona come to mind. Those roads in Arizona are multi-laned roads, like that road in Haltom City.

But the Arizona roads are landscaped, with wide sidewalks on both sides of the road. A landscaped median. Aesthetically pleasing lighting and signage. The roads newly paved, no potholes, no big cracks, no weeds, no feeling like one has suddenly exited America to a third world country.

That lack of good road lighting really vexed me on December 17 when I drove the Haltom City section of the Denton Highway after dark. The road poorly lit, poorly marked. Dangerous.

But, it is the bad urban planning in Fort Worth that is really appalling, and I would think may rise to the level of some sort of criminal irresponsibility. What with people drowning in Fort Worth flash floods due to un-mitigated construction messing up Mother Nature and causing flooding, sometimes in flash mode, with deadly results.

Anyway, it seems so odd how some locations in Texas seem to be modern American towns, with urban planning of the sort one associates with a modern American town. Wichita Falls falls into that modern American town category, or so it seems, in many ways, while Fort Worth is a Texas location that does not quite keep up with that modern American town concept, in so many ways.

For example, I have never seen an outhouse in a Wichita Falls city park. Are there any Fort Worth city parks which do not have at least one outhouse?

This outhouse measurement is just one example of what I mean by that modern American town concept. Modern American towns do not have outhouses in their city parks. This is sort of an easy fix, and a easy indicator of a town's level of development. Or so it would seem, and one very glaring example of very bad urban planning...

Alamogordo Si Senor Big Ed First Visit To Modern America In 16 Years Interview

The few who read this blog have read mention made of the fact that in October Big Ed returned to Modern America for the first time in 16 years.

That journey to Modern America began four Sundays ago.

For 16 years Big Ed has only been in Texas, with the one exception being a short excursion into Oklahoma.

Big Ed's last look at Modern America was a two week stay in Seattle, way back in 2002.

Big Ed has been to areas of Texas which are sort of like Modern America. Such as Austin, and Southlake and a couple other Dallas/Fort Worth suburbs. But most of those 16 years of exile from Modern America have been spent in Fort Worth, which most definitely is a town that bears little resemblance to Modern America.

An overnight stay in Alamogordo, New Mexico, on the way back to Texas, found Big Ed and me in a New Mexico Mexican restaurant called CJ's Si Senor. The motel manager recommended Si Senor whilst I was checking in. Years ago one of the best New Mexico Mexican restaurant experiences ever happened in Taos, at a restaurant called Fred's, which was recommended by that motel's manager whilst checking in.

Si Senor was good, but it was no Fred's.

At Si Senor I had the Chile Relleno platter, whilst Big Ed had the Mucha Macho Grande Platter. That may not be the precise name.

While waiting for the delivery of the Chile Relleno platter and the Mucha Macho platter I interviewed Big Ed about his impressions of his first trip to Modern America in 16 years.

What follows is the edited transcript of that interview....

Me: So, what did you think about seeing Modern America for the first time in 16 years?

Big Ed: I think I may have been experiencing culture shock.

Me: How so?

Big Ed: Well, No matter where we went I saw no litter. I do not think I saw a single piece of litter the entire time I was out of Texas.

Me: Yeah, I've previously made note of the same thing. I remember thinking such when driving back, solo, to Washington, and when I got to Colorado thinking everything looked new, clean and litter free.

Big Ed: On the drive to Arizona, somewhere west of Paducah, Texas, on Highway 70 we were behind a pickup which had litter blowing out of its bed. How many times have I joked that this is the Texas litter disposal method? I can't imagine someone doing such a thing in what you call Modern America.

Me: Well, I did see some litter floating in Elliot Bay, by the aquarium, the last time I walked the Seattle waterfront.

Big Ed: Probably was dropped by a visiting Texan.

Me: Does the word "landscaping" cause you to have anything to say.

Big Ed: I'd forgotten how Modern America cares about how their town's look. You don't see abandoned buildings in a rundown condition, like I see in Texas in towns like Fort Worth and Wichita Falls. And the streets are landscaped. With sidewalks. The freeways are landscaped. The overall look makes it like you're in some sort of park. Sidewalks on both sides of wide boulevards, with wide landscaped medians between the sidewalks and roads. Can you imagine an Arizona freeway exit to a tourist attraction being a littered weed covered mess like the freeway exits to the Fort Worth Stockyards? No, that just would not happen in Modern America.

Me: You are forgetting when my brother drove us to see that Copper Mine by Superior and the rundown borderline ghost towns along the road there and beyond.

Big Ed: Yeah, but there was a reason. Those towns were well past their heyday. They were not big cities, like Fort Worth, or even Wichita Falls, towns with multiple abandoned building eyesores of the sort towns in Modern America do not tolerate.

Me: Well, you know, Texas is all about freedom. You can not tell someone to tear down their abandoned eyesore building. Or to pick up their litter.

Big Ed: Yeah, the concept of freedom in Texas, well, with way too many Texans, is way too restrictive. Arizona was the first time I experienced liquor sold in grocery stores since the last time I was in California. And now such is pretty universal on the west coast, I think. I've not been there, but I've heard reports. That and marijuana is legal. Unlike Texas. Freedom in Texas has a lot of restrictions.

Me: I don't remember if I pointed out any of the Arizona medicinal marijuana dispensaries when we were in Arizona. Washington now has pot stores, like little Starbucks kiosks. You've not seen that either. You really need to return to Modern America more often. It broadens your thinking as to what is possible.

Big Ed: Correct me if I am wrong. But were you not a bit appalled at what you saw your most recent visit to the Washington version of Modern America.

Me: That is true. The growth in the Puget Sound zone has created traffic woes of the likes I never previously experienced. Five hours to get from Tacoma to Birch Bay by the Canadian border. The homeless camps along the freeway as you drive through Seattle. All the construction cranes in Seattle. Seeing a skyline greatly altered from the last time I saw it in 2008. The skyline of sleepy Fort Worth has pretty much not changed the entire time I have looked at it. Stuck in neutral all of this century.

Big Ed: You forget, they did build that weird looking convention center hotel.

Me: Yeah, that did add greatly to the stunning skyline of downtown Fort Worth. What other culture shock type reactions did you have being back in Modern America?

Big Ed: Well, you made mention of it and I thought you were exaggerating. But, after spending so many years seeing so many BIG Texans it really does look like someone has let the air out of people when you see most people not being plus sized.

Me: I remember the first time I had that reaction. It was flying back to Washington. I got picked up at the airport and brought to downtown Seattle before being brought to where I was staying in Kent. We went to a gallery in Pioneer Square to deliver some goods. The streets were teeming with people. And I remarked to the gallery owner that it looked like someone had let the air out of the people.

Big Ed: And in a similar vein, in Arizona I don't recollect seeing any people dressed like those in those "People of Walmart" photos you see on Facebook. And way fewer tattoos and weird body piercing. It's like the hinterland misinterprets what's trendy on the coasts and goes overboard with it.

Me: I have had a similar reaction each time I am back in Arizona, and particularly when I am back in Washington. Like the last time, August of 2017, David, Theo and Ruby picked me up at Sea-Tac and to wait out the I-5 traffic we went to a restaurant as Southcenter, then walked the mall. Pretty much everyone I saw looked stylish, non-slobbish.

Big Ed: It is probably in bad taste to make such observations.

Me: Yeah, but it is true, so what you gonna do? Pretend your eyes don't see what they see?

Big Ed: Another thing which I found interesting was how the urban planning in the Phoenix area is ahead of development. Time and time again we came upon developments being readied for new homes or apartments, with the infrastructure in place, the roads, the utilities, the sidewalks, the landscaping.

Me: Well, it helps that they have a nice flat desert to work with.

Big Ed: And Chandler, where we spent most of our time. Population around a quarter million, compared to Fort Worth's population of almost a million. Chandler's boulevards and parks and shopping areas were all efficiently planned and good looking. Chandler has what? Six public swimming  pools, of the big waterpark sort? Fort Worth closed all its public pools. And all the Chandler parks we went to were so well designed. And all with modern facilities.  Unlike the outhouse norm of Fort Worth. And all the paved trails all over the towns of the Phoenix area, some along side canals, with lighting for after dark biking or running.

Me: It does seems odd that areas of America can be so different.

Big Ed: The massive Intel complex was another eye opener. I remember when Fort Worth tried to land that, using all sorts of incentives, including building a new overpass over I-35 to connect to the land Intel might build on. This was across the street from where I was located at the time, in Haslet. Seeing Chandler, how could any sane person in Fort Worth think any corporation would choose to locate to Fort Worth when a town like Chandler was an option? And now, all these years later, that land where Intel was gonna build in Fort Worth is filled in with hundreds, maybe thousands of houses, all built without upgrading the road system to handle the traffic increase. Totally the opposite of how Arizona and Modern America seems to operate. And all that un-mitigated development, without proper drainage is one of the causes for massive flooding in creeks downstream in towns like Haltom City.

Me: That Intel development caused Chandler to boom, attracting other high tech stuff to locate alongside Intel on Dobson Boulevard. And massive residential developments built as a result of Intel coming to town. I don't get why Fort Worth thinks it can ever attract any big deal unless the town cleans itself up and modernizes. Don't see that happening. Too corrupt, too backwards. And then there is Chandler's neighbor, Tempe, which in recent years has seen multiple corporations relocate their headquarters to that booming college town.

Big Ed: Tempe was cool. I wouldn't mind living there. And another thing, about Chandler. so many water features for a town in the desert. So many beautiful grotto-like lakes and canals with homes and apartment complexes on the waterfronts. And so many waterfalls, all over Chandler. City planners in Wichita Falls need to visit Chandler and get inspired to install waterfalls all over Wichita Falls of the sort you see in Chandler.

Me: Wichita Falls city planners, and maybe Fort Worth's, if such exist, would get some good ideas by visiting the towns which make up the Phoenix metro area. Like historic downtown Gilbert. Wichita Falls could emulate downtown Gilbert in the Wichita Falls downtown, making for a vibrant place people would wanna hang out in.

Big Ed: Don't see that happening. Wichita Falls, and Fort Worth, and much of Texas suffers from, I dunno how to say it other than say it suffers from too much of a Republican mentality. Backwards, non-progressive and lacking in imagination.

Me: Here comes dinner. Time to shut up and eat....