Meandering Around Gateway Park Looking Forward To My First Mountain Bike Trail Workday

On my way to Town Talk today I stopped at Gateway Park to meander through the seldom visited backwoods  zone of this very big, largely undeveloped, city park.

I came upon a plaque today whilst doing my meandering that informed me that Gateway Park opened in 1991. I first visited Gateway Park soon after I arrived in Texas, which would be 7 or 8 years after Gateway Park opened.

I can never remember what year, for sure, my exile in Texas began. Was it December of 1998, or was it December of 1999? One would think I would know this.

At the top of this blog it says I've been exiled in Texas since 1999. I think maybe my thinking that made me think that was I got to Texas about a week before Christmas, I think in the year of 1998, with the new year of 1999 beginning in just 2 weeks, I think that is why I say my exile began in 1999 because that marked the start of my first full year in exile.

Anyway, the first time I visited Gateway Park I entered the park from Beach Street, saw the boardwalk connected to the Trinity River, parked and walked the boardwalk. The Trinity River was running a lot of water at that point in time and in my newbie naivete I figured this was the river's regular state of water flow, with rapids.

The Gateway Park boardwalk was in fine shape the first time I saw it. At that point in time I did not know there was another, even more elaborate boardwalk, further down stream.

Part of the FWMBA Trail Workday Notice

And now, a relatively short time later, both boardwalks are boarded up eyesores with "CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC" signs.

The Gateway Park boardwalks may be rotting eyesores, but other parts of Gateway Park have been worked on, such as the miles of mountain bike trails that now meander through the Gateway Park jungle.

Today I saw a notice on the reader board that provides info about the mountain bike trail, with the notice informing me that there have been 2 Mountain Bike Trail Workdays that I have missed, with another one coming up on the first day of December.

The Trail Workdays are a FWMBA (Fort Worth Mountain Biker's Association) operation. According to the notice, apparently Phase 2 is off to a great start with over 1 mile of pure single track and a completely new 5 mile rideable loop. Lunch and drinks are provided to the workers on the workdays.

I need more specificity as to the exact nature of the food and drinks to properly motivate me to work on a mountain bike trail.

I have no idea if I have biked the mile of pure single track or the new 5 mile loop. I have biked, twice, what I thought was all the mountain bikeable trails that are in Gateway Park. Some of it is a little difficult for my diminished skill level. I easily could have missed a loop or a trail junction.

Town Talk was not its usual busy Saturday self today. I suspect shopper fatigue is the explanation.

Running River Legacy Park Mountain Bike Trails With An Armadillo

Shall I Bike? Or Shall I Hike? Neither. I'll Run.

Today my means of acquiring endorphins from aerobic stimulation was to go running on the mountain bike trails in River Legacy Park.

I am being a bit surprised at how easily and quickly I've transitioned into running after years of only running when circumstances warranted that behavior, circumstances like being chased by a dog, running for cover in a downpour, that type thing.

I have biked the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails dozens of times. I have walked the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails a couple times. Walking these trails seemed to take a long time, likely it seemed that way because my locomotive means on these trails had usually been bi-pedaling.

Well.

Today I was surprised by how quickly I was covering the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails in running mode. It was being fun, but I think I may have overdone it, a bit. So far nothing seems to be sore.

At one point one of my favorite type critters quickly crossed my path. I stopped and grabbed my camera.

The Armadillo is the Official State of Texas Small Mammal. I don't know what the Official State of Texas Large Mammal is. I know I could quickly find out. My guess is that it is the Longhorn.

Just a sec, I'll see....

Yes, the Longhorn is the Official State of Texas Large Mammal.

I don't remember if my old home state had official this that or the other things. If Washington did have an Official State of Washington Large Mammal I would guess it would be the Orca.

Avoiding Fun Town In River Legacy Park While Looking For Herds Of Little Wild Pigs

I was back at River Legacy Park in Arlington, today, to subject myself the the myriad maze of mountain bike trails.

In the picture you are looking at my handlebars looking at the sign pointing the way to Fun Town. That is a red skull and crossbones on the right on the sign. Next to the directional arrow, that points the way to Fun Town, is the word "EXPERT."

In mountain biking terms, to me, the word "expert" means "young daredevil." The entry into Fun Town is a near vertical drop. Not my idea of a fun bike ride.

Today I avoided the perilous juncture that got me way too close to young daredevil territory last Friday.

I am being a bit perplexed about not seeing any wildlife whilst pedaling the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails. I used to see a lot of armadillos, bobcats, snakes and herds of little wild pigs. I may have seen a squirrel today. I heard no birds chirping. Or cicadas. The deep woods was being deadly silent. That just does not seem natural to me.

The River Legacy Mountain Bike Trail Took Me On A Gut Wrenching Roller Coaster Ride Today

Wood Bridge Over Log

I went to River Legacy Park today to get my daily endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation on the River Legacy Park Mountain Bike Trails.

I may have overdone it and got myself way too many endorphins.

Many miles have been added to River Legacy's trails during my sabbatical from biking. I'd discovered some of the new miles of trails on previous visits. I discovered more miles today.

My first unexpected surprise came soon after passing the EKG zone, where the steep hills are out of my skill range. There was a new fork in the trail. I took the new trail. All was going well when I came to a fork in the new trail. One fork was a red arrow, the other blue.

Blue usually means its the wimpy boy route. Red usually means its the manly man route.

I routinely, at my advanced age, take the blue, wimpy boy route.

Well, almost immediately after the I made the choice to go the blue route I could see both routes went up a very steep hill, with the red route being way steeper. I made it part way up the blue route before having to make an emergency evacuation from my bike.

From that point on, for I don't know how long, I was on an up and down roller coaster, which I was able to handle, even with my meager mountain biking skills.

Eventually I was back on familiar trail, soon I came to another junction; take the South Prairie Loop or the Bypass.

New Loop To The Left Bypass To The Right

I opted for the South Prairie Loop, because that is what I've always done, ever since that loop came into existence.

The South Prairie Loop is out of the woods and out in the open.

And then I came to something new on the South Prairie Loop. A bypass, which was the Old South Prairie Loop, or follow the Loop arrow to continue on to the new continuation of the South Prairie Loop.

All was going fine and then the trail became a bit forested, which is not very prairie-like. I soon found myself on another roller coaster ride, with some adventurous twists and turns. Eventually the New South Prairie Loop returned to the Old South Prairie Loop and all was familiar again.

Back on familiar trail I eventually came to what you see in the picture at the top. A wooden bridge over a fallen log. Did I have the technical skills to pedal my bike over a wooden bridge over a fallen tree?

If you guessed yes, you guessed correctly.

I don't know yet know how badly I beat up my delicate body parts today. I'll probably find out tomorrow, with the first clue being waking up sore, barely able to get vertical.

Or I may be just fine. I'd put my betting money on me being just fine tomorrow morning, back in the pool for another hour long swimming bout, just like this morning.

Finding A Green Scum Covered Pond In Gateway Park Wondering About The Man With Music In His Ear

Three days in a row getting my salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation via the mountain bike trails in Gateway Park may be one day too many.

I think I may have overexerted myself. As in there seems to be some soreness that can only be attributed to overexerting.

Yesterday I mentioned the mysteriously disappeared green scum covered pond that had been seen next to a disc golf hole.

Today the green scum covered pond was back next to the disc golf hole, as you can sort of see in the picture.

I have no explanation for the comings and goings of the Gateway Park green scum covered pond. I did run into a muddy section of trail today that had mud clinging to my tires. From whence did this wetness come?

On Saturday I mentioned being buzzed by a copter whilst in Gateway Park. To this buzzing someone named Anonymous had an interesting comment....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Pedaling The Gateway Park Mountain Bike Trail Buzzed By A Copter Before Finding Strawberries":

If the helicopter you noticed was buzzing about in the late afternoon, it was the one looking for a nursing home patient, a woman, 54, with dementia, who wandered into Tandy Hills park and died. The guy who found her is the fellow you have referred to, I believe, as the 'man with music in his ear'.

A fence is sprouting around the nursing home as we speak. Far too little and far too late, I suspect, to influence the massive lawsuit which will undoubtedly be filed. 

I  found a very short article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about woman found dead on the Tandy Hills. This happened on Wednesday. I was buzzed by a copter on Saturday.

I really tire of my age related memory woes. I have no idea what or who Anonymous is referring to regarding the 'man with music in his ear.' Could it be Stenotrophomonas?

Today Mountain Biking In River Legacy Park I Did Not Get Snakebit

I'm copying my favorite Fort Worth blog again today, that being Hometown by Handlebar.

But, once again, my handlebars are nowhere near my hometown. My handlebars are, once again, in Arlington, about 2,000 miles from my old hometown.

What you really can not tell via looking at the picture of my handlebars is that they are on one of the mountain bike trails in River Legacy Park. I'm at a junction in the trail, with a green arrow pointing the way.

The River Legacy Mountain Bike Trail has expanded a lot over the years, with many loops added, and bypasses. The trails have become a bit of a maze.

There are sections of the trail which I do not enter on two wheels, with names like "Fun Town." A name like "Fun Town" makes you think it'd be really fun to ride on. And likely it is, if you are a teenager or in your 20s and impervious to flying over your handlebars.

There are two very extreme sections of the River Legacy Park Mountain Bike Trails. I am drawing a blank on the name of the one that is not "Fun Town." I have neither biked nor walked "Fun Town." I have tried to bike the other extreme section and quickly gave up. I have managed to walk the non "Fun Town" extreme section and managed to get lost. It is a very confusing maze of trails. Steep ups and downs. And water features that you really do not want to end up in.

Speaking of mountain bike trails, which is what I'm doing right now, I heard from someone named Anonymous about getting snakebit whilst walking the Gateway Park Mountain Bike Trail yesterday....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Walking The Gateway Park Mountain Bike Trail Finding Tasty California Peaches": 

You're a lucky man!! I just read in the Startle Gram that there was person bitten by a snake near Gateway Park yesterday!! Could have been you! 

I missed the article about the snake bite in this morning's Startle Gram, also known as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. When I found the article, after reading the comment from Anonymous, I found there was very very little information in the article. I don't even know if the few words amounts to enough words to qualify as an article.

Suffice to say someone reported someone got bit by a snake and after awhile that person was found somewhere near Gateway Park.

I don't believe I have ever seen a snake in Gateway Park.

I have seen many snakes in River Legacy Park. I've had to stop on the mountain bike trail and wait for a big bull snake to move out of my way. I've been stopped by a big snake on the paved trail, stretching clear across the trail. I've been warned about a swarm of copperheads ahead on the mountain bike trail, which I never saw.

Sunday's River Legacy Park Bike Wreck Victim Speaks

On Sunday I blogged about pedaling the mountain bike trail at River Legacy Park and there being a lot of emergency vehicles and rescuers on the scene.

I was barely into the ride when I nearly had a head-on collision with a kid who told me there was a bad bike wreck on the South Loop of the trail.

By the time I got to the South Loop I overheard, but did not see, rescue workers.

The next morning I looked at the online versions of the local newspapers to see if there was a report of the injury. I saw none.

And then last night I heard from the victim, Vasti Fernandes, in a comment to the blogging about the wreck. Actually it was 2 comments. The second gave me her phone number, in case anyone wanted to make a donation to Vasti out during her recovery time.

Below are the two comments combined, verbatim...

Hi Durango.

Last sunday (05/31/2009), i had a accident doing mountain bike at the River Legacy Park, at the South Loop. Me and my family (husband and sons), normally went there every weekend). We love the wild life, we love the park. Unhappy, this weekend i had my injuries. I have broke my dorsal spin in 2 places. I spent a day at the JPS hospital, prays the Lord, my injuries isn't so bad. I must to rest 3 weeks, no moves, no nothing. I just want let the people know, THE SOUTH LOOP GUYS IS SO DANGER. Please, take care, i don't want see other people at the same situation like me.

PLEASE TAKE CARE.

NOTE 100 TO THE RESCUE'S GUYS. 100 to the bikers. Everybody who help me, Thanks and thanks.

If you contact me, my phone number is 682 241 7958, if some people want to do some donation, I'll be so thankfull, because I'll spend more than one month "resting".

Thank you again.

Vasti Fernandes,

---

Does anyone know what a "dorsal spin" is? I knew that South Loop was trouble. I tried it once. I got to the 3rd drop and said to myself, "no way."

I do not like recovering from a bad bike wreck. What ever minor thrill I might get from successfully doing some death defying deed is outweighed by the risk.

Ever since I had a really bad roller blading accident, that left my left cheek bloodied and bruised, I have been risk averse. That one was a long recovery. By cheek I don't mean the one on my face. I'd show you a picture of that injury, but I think I'm banned from nudity on this blogger thing, even if it is a badly bruised butt cheek.

Pedal Pushing

I pedaled the mountain bike trail at River Legacy Park today with Miss Brady. On the way to Arlington, while still in Fort Worth, east Fort Worth, on Meadowbrook Lane, stopped at a light, I looked up and was surprised to see the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the roof support arches clearly visible in the distance. So, apparently the new stadium will be visible from Fort Worth. I'm guessing you'd have to be up in one of the many tall skyscrapers in Dallas to be able to see the Dallas Cowboys Stadium from Dallas. Visible from the ground in Fort Worth, but not in Dallas, I'm assuming. I suppose I should drive over to Dallas to see if I can see the stadium lest I opine something erroneous. But that would be way too much bother so let's just assume you can't see the thing from the ground in Dallas.

Back to pedaling. Went just under 9 miles. It's fun to have someone to bike with. Since I've been in Texas that's been rare. When I first arrived in Texas a fellow Washington transplant known as Big Ed would go biking with me. But there was an incident each and every time, usually a flat tire. On the final bike ride with Big Ed he managed to come up with something quite novel to ruin the bike ride. Somehow while going up a short hill Big Ed got his baggy shorts hooked on one of his pedals. This ripped his shorts off him. He was not wearing underwear. Somehow, using his t-shirt and his ripped shorts, he was able to cover himself up enough to make it back to cover without getting an indecent exposure ticket.

And then there was this Texas native I met years ago, a west Texas boy, born and raised in some town named Bug Butt or something like that, out by Midlands/Odessa. I refer to this person as Gar the Texan. Had not heard from him in awhile, til recently. He's a Libertarian. Ran for Congress on the Libertarian ticket and lost. A couple years ago Gar the Texan married an ex-communist from the former East Germany. She may have been born after East Germany ceased being communist, so maybe she isn't an ex-communist. I'm almost 100% certain she's not a former Nazi.

Anyway, Gar the Texan got a mountain bike and roller blades and hiking boots. He'd never been on a hike before so I drove him to Dinosaur Valley and Turner Falls Park. Hiking he was able to do, for the most part, but biking and blading, not so good. He claimed to have health issues. Slight exertion did seem to quickly leave him wheezing for air and green of color. Which made little sense to me because he appeared to be in good shape, not overweight, except for carrying an excess load of hair on his head due to his unfortunately out of date (since fixed) Billy Ray Cyrus type mullet.

The first time I tried to bike with Gar the Texan was at Lake Grapevine on the Knob Hill Trail. We made it up one slight hill when his Southern Belle Beulah Routine kicked in. He pushed his bike back to my van after he recovered sufficiently to move.

The second bike incident was at Horseshoe Trails, also on Lake Grapevine. Gar the Texan did better this time til he lost control and flew over his handlebars, triggering a Major Beulah Attack. I got him stabilized on a bench and I pedaled back to my van so that I could rescue him and get him to an ER and then Krispy Kreme where he was able to eat enough doughnuts to stabilize his blood sugar.

The third bike attempt also went badly. I figured maybe paved trail would work better, so we parked at the Fort Worth Stockyards and pedaled the Trinity River Trail to downtown Fort Worth's Heritage Park. But I'd forgotten that there is a slight incline to get up to Heritage Park. Gar the Texan pushed his bike up the slight incline and then had a Beulah Attack. Heritage Park commemorates the founding of Fort Worth. Though Gar the Texan is a Texan, hence the name, it was not until he saw Heritage Park and read the signage that he realized Fort Worth had once been an actual fort. When he recovered that time he wanted to go to Hooters. With his health issues I thought Hooters would be way too stimulating so we went to Booger Red's and had Buffalo Butt Beer instead.

I only went roller blading one time with Gar the Texan. That did not go well at all. It was a nice paved trail by his house, smooth, easy to roll on. But he only made it a few wobbly feet before collapsing on a bench in full Beulah Attack Mode. After he recovered he wanted to go to Chili's and consume adult beverages to hasten his full recovery. So we did so and got subjected to listening to his barber discuss her problems with her roommate's love life. As far as I know this roller blading incident is the last time Gar the Texan did anything physical, other than getting married.

Chinese Garlic

I had not been on my bike for a couple weeks, due to cold, not of the viral sort, but of the temp sort, and rain which renders my favorite mountain bike trail a muddy mess. But today I saw by looking at the DORBA website (Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association) that the trails had dried up.

I must digress. Yes there are mountain bike trails in Texas even though there are, for the most part, no mountains. I thought upon moving here that I would be giving up mountain bike riding. Instead I've pedaled thousands of miles on Texas trails. My latest bike odometer is up over 4000 miles. And it's my third odometer since I've been in Texas.

So, with the temps being a bit above freezing when factoring in the wind chill, I layered myself up and ventured off to River Legacy Park in Arlington. This park is really picky about kids having fun making trails for their stunt bikes. Go to the River Legacy page on my Eyes on Texas website and you can read the rude email I got from a park official who somehow thought I was promoting bad behavior.

I got to the park about noon. It was cold and very windy. The trail is one-way, meandering over 3 miles through woods. I usually go a minium of 3 times around, my record is 6. Today I made it one time around. I did not stop due to the cold. I stopped due to it not being fun being all bundled up and overheating. And I wanted to go to Wal-Mart and Chinatown.

Drove to the Ballpark in Arlington Wal-Mart. It sits across from the Dallas Cowboy stadium monstrosity. You can read all about the Dallas Cowboy scandal here. I am up close to the stadium every other week or so. This time I saw they've added a sign bragging about hosting the 2011 Super Bowl. The neighborhood to the south of the stadium is an industrial wasteland adjacent to a ghetto of old small mostly rundown houses. It will be interesting what those attending games think of this when they take in the view from the upper tiers. I don't think the view was taken into consideration when deciding upon a stadium location. There will be no downtown skyline to look at, no distant mountains, no body of water, nothing, unless you enjoy looking at what may be the world's most upscale Super Wal-Mart. It is decorated with giant baseballs, due to also being near the place where the Texas Rangers lose baseball games. Giant footballs have yet to be added to the Wal-Mart. I'm sure it is only a matter of time. They are likely being fabricated even as I type.

It's ironic. The Dallas Cowboys have not played in Dallas for decades. They play in a Dallas suburb called Irving. But at least Irving is in Dallas County. They will soon be playing in another Dallas suburb, that being Arlington. But Arlington is not even in Dallas County, it is in Tarrant County. Fort Worth is the county seat of Tarrant County. Fort Worth sort of feuds with Dallas, with Dallas not seeming to notice or care, as evidenced by Dallas not caring about their new stadium being in Fort Worth's county. Many in Fort Worth will not cross 360. That is a highway that runs north and south, sort of dividing the D/FW Metroplex, as if crossing to the east side of 360 is venturing into enemy territory. One of Fort Worth's most famous citizens, Amon Carter, founder of the Star-Telegram, would resist having to do business in Dallas, and if it could not be helped he would bring a sack lunch so he could avoid leaving even the money it would take to buy lunch behind in the enemy city. I am not making this stuff up. Just go here and read the Wikipedia article about this notoriously odd Fort Worth booster.

I spent 15 minutes at the Stadium Wal-Mart and then drove south to Chinatown. That's an area of Arlington settled by many Vietnamese and Chinese. There are several Asian and Middle Eastern markets. It's a good place to get good produce. Today I wanted garlic and red peppers. And a few other things. When I got to the garlic zone I was perplexed and vexed to see the packaging clearly indicating the garlic was from China. Up til recently I would have thought nothing of this, but now it concerns me.

But the Chinese garlic did not concern me too much I guess, since I've just finished 4 cloves of it with sharp cheese and grapefruit juice whilst sitting here typing. Now, make fun of this behavior all you want, but keep in mind, I've put over 4000 miles on my latest bike odometer. How many have you put on yours?