Naked Hiking Day At Tandy Hills Natural Park

In the blogging previous to this one I blogged about this coming Sunday's Summer Solstice Naked Hiking Day.

There have been articles in various media today about the naked hiking phenomenon.

The New York Times had an article in which a machinist from Warren, PA, Andrew Williams, 28, said, "There's no way to explain it until you experience it. It's not about being lewd and crude and all that. It's just enjoyment."

Well. Now, I have used some basic photo-chopping to fake that I've gone hiking at the Tandy Hills, au naturel, previously, just to amuse myself with the reactions of some. Some did not disappoint.

And then today, with Naked Hiking Day looming 2 days hence, I decided today I was going to see if it actually is true that hiking in the buff is a fun thing.

Now, I've long been a fan of skinnydipping. That just seems natural. One does not wear shoes when one skinnydips. So, there is a basic problem with naked hiking, in that one needs to wear hiking boots.

I got to the Tandy Hills Natural Area around noon. I knew there'd be no one there. This time I was going to test if Naked Hiking is enjoyable. I took along a backpack to carry my water, cameras. And, eventually, shorts.

As soon as I reached the point where I was no longer visible from the road I doffed my shorts and stuck them in the backpack. And then started hiking like I usually do. Only in Naked Hiking mode.

Well. It did not take me long to feel totally ridiculous. I did not see anything remotely enjoyable about it. Yes, it was a bit cooler. But it quickly became apparent that skinnyhiking is not like skinnydipping. I don't worry about going through brushy areas when I'm skinnydipping. I did not like feeling exposed to something poking me.

And then there was the issue of areas being exposed where normally the sun does not shine. I had not thought to sunscreen those areas.

I did maybe a half mile of naked hiking before I decided this was one of the stupider things I've done in awhile. It was not in the slightest enjoyable. I don't know what that Williams guy from Pennsylvania is thinking. From this day forth, when I am hiking, I am keeping my shorts on. My shirt, not so much.

Fathers Day, Summer Solstice & Naked Hiking Day At Tandy Hills Natural Area

That is a photo from the Seattle P-I taken at last year's Fremont Solstice Parade. I really can't imagine a picture like this appearing in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Or the Dallas Morning News.

In a rare confluence of events, Sunday is Fathers Day, the Summer Solstice and Naked Hiking Day.

Naked Hiking Day has grown into a Summer Solstice event in recent years. It is very popular in Europe. And in some parts of America. On Sunday there will be a lot of naked hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Law enforcement authorities say the naked hiking rarely presents a problem due to most of it taking place in remote areas. But you could get a citation if caught clothes-less at the wrong time and place.

One naked hiker said he was inspired to hike, sans clothing, after reading passages from Henry David Thoreau, naturalist John Muir and backpacking guru, Colin Fletcher, that suggest that hiking naked enhances the appreciation of nature.

If you want to ride your bike, naked, in this year's 2009 Fremont Solstice Parade, it begins at noon, on Saturday, June 20. This is the 21st annual celebration of life, art and being naked. The parade starts at N. 36th and Leary Way, then winds through downtown Fremont on the way to a picnic and beer garden at Gas Works Park on Lake Union. I do not know if clothes are required at Gas Works Park.

According to the Fremont Arts Council's website, regarding the Solstice Parade, "In the parade nearly anything goes...just remember Three Rules:

1. No printed words or logos
2. No motor vehicles (except wheelchairs)
3. No animals (except aid animals)

In the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex we have no naked bike riding, that I know of, to celebrate the Summer Solstice. We do have several Naturists & Nudists Camps in the area. Yvonne is taking me to the one in Midlothian.

Here in Fort Worth we do have the Tandy Hills Natural Area, where all things natural are encouraged. I often enjoy a nature hike at the Tandy Hills, getting in touch with my inner Thoreau, feeling one with the flora and fauna of the jungle. It's primal, it's primitive, it's healthy and it's fun. I love nature and being natural.

Tandy Hills Lightning Bug Fire Fly Potential Expedition

I was promised 100 degrees today. I don't like being misled by the weatherman. I get all looking forward to it being HOT and then it's not. As HOT as I expected.

I think I mentioned earlier today that I got up around 3 am. This is making for an interesting day. Around noon I headed to the Tandy Hills Natural Area to be natural for an hour or so.

It was only about 88, the humidity made for a Heat Index of 94. But it was windy. I think a Wind Chill Factor should be figured in to the calculation. Because the wind was making for an almost chilling effect, every once in awhile, when a good gust would hit my drenched in sweat, long-suffering body.

That's the today view of downtown Fort Worth, in the picture above, as seen from the Tandy Hills jungle. I was told today that last night the Tandy Hills jungle came alive with Fireflies. The last time I saw Fireflies was years ago at River Legacy Park, pedaling the paved trail with darkness setting in towards the end, with hundreds of Lightning Bugs lighting the way through the darkness.

The first time I saw Fireflies was at a Concert in the Garden at Fort Worth's Botanic Garden. The theme that night was Star Wars. The flashing bugs darting about fit the theme perfectly.

If I remember, maybe tonight I'll drive back to the Tandy Hills Natural Area and see if I can see some bright bugs and get pictures or maybe video.

Jesus Saves Me Again

I am not the biggest fan of jokes. I really don't like being told a joke and having to pay sufficient attention to give a courtesy laugh when the punch line arrives. I don't mind written jokes nearly as much as spoken ones, because I can read them if I want to, with there being no one requiring a courtesy laugh when I reach the punch line.

Alma, the Songbird of the Texas Gulf Coast, each and every day sends me at least one email joke that I find amusing. Alma has a really good sense of humor.

Below is one of today's amusing Alma jokes....

Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.

Finally fed up, God said, 'THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job.'

So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.

They moused. They faxed. They e-mailed. They e-mailed with attachments. They downloaded. They did spreadsheets. They wrote reports. They created labels and cards. They created charts and graphs. They did some genealogy reports.

They did every job known to man.

Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell.

Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off.

Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.

Jesus just sighed.

Finally the electricity came back on, and Jesus and the Devil restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:

"It's gone! It's all GONE! I lost everything when the power went out!"

Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work.

Satan observed this and became irate.

"Wait!" he screamed. "That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?"

God just shrugged and said............

"JESUS SAVES!"

An Early Morning Texas Tequila Sunrise Swim

I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

I don't think Ben knew what he was talking about.

I went to bed real early last night. I was exhausted. The early to bed thing had me up early, way too early, as in 3 am early.

I got up, got coffee, got on the computer and clacked on the keyboard for awhile. About half past 5, even though it was quite dark outside, I decided to go swimming.

Paddling about in water while the sun gradually turns on the light is a good thing.

The most spectacular sunrise I have ever experienced was at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. A lot of people make sure they get up in time to watch this, cameras ready. It's like a colorful light show as the sun comes over the horizon gradually casting more and more light onto the canyon walls.

So, it isn't even 8 in the morning yet and I feel like I've already had myself a day. Since it is Thursday I guess I'll be hiking around the Tandy Hills when it gets HOT. Which today, supposedly, will be 100 degrees HOT. I'll see if that is still the forecast. Nope. 95 is now the predicted high for today. 98 tomorrow. No 100s in the forecast. For now.

I suspect I will be going to bed early again tonight, and that by the end of this day I will be no healthier, wealthier or wiser than I am right now. Ben Franklin also thought the turkey should be America's national bird, instead of the eagle. Clearly, the man had some clinkers in his thinker.

The Dallas Cowboy Stadium Is Not Open To Former Residents

That's the west side view of the recently opened new Dallas Cowboy Stadium. It does not seem all that long ago that I took photos and video of all the houses and apartment complexes that were destroyed in this, the worst abuse of eminent domain in American history, so that a stadium could get built.

Several of the cases are still in court, with victims fighting to get properly compensated.

I have often mentioned, in this very venue, my thinking that the victims should get invited to some event once the stadium opens. I don't believe Jerry Jones invited any of his victims to the grand opening concert with George Strait and Reba McEntire.

For that opening concert Jerry was charging people $40 to park on the land that used to be owned by others before he took it from them against their will. One of the cases still in court is arguing that the value of the property must be compensated for at whatever that land's greatest value is. Since a $1.1 billion stadium now sits on that land, that becomes the figure used to assign a value to the stolen property.

One thing about the new stadium, that strikes me eye, is the total disconnect between the architect's rendering of what the stadium would look like and the actual finished product. In the drawing the stadium looks to be sitting, like a futuristic spaceship, in a park-like setting. In reality the stadium does look like a futuristic spaceship, but instead of a park-like setting, it sits in run-down industrial, commercial, residential (for the most part) squalor. It is not an attractive setting. It is definitely not like the setting I have ever seen any other major professional sports stadium sit in.

And this morning I was pleased to see I am not alone in my thinking that the victims should have had some gesture made towards them, allowing them into the building that now sits on top of where their homes once stood. A letter to the editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram verbalized the same thought about the victims.

Below is that letter......

A gift to whom?

Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck’s comments in a story regarding the "gift" of a suite from Jerry Jones’ Cowboys to the city said it will be used for "personal use by city officials and city employees."

What crust! It reminds me of the way that gas royalties from city property were swept into a fund, without resident input, only to be doled out through applications by the very people whose idea it was to encapsulate it. (And now the city is crying poor and screaming budget cuts.)

I’ve thought all along that the ’Boys should give the city some seats, maybe four in the end zone, to be distributed lotterylike to the residents who are helping to pay for the stadium, but a suite? How sweet! I still think the seats should be made available to taxpaying residents, with the first ones going to those who were displaced by this project.

At the very least, let’s have an open meeting and input regarding this "gift to the city."

— Jill Wesstrom, Arlington

Texas Air Pollution Alerts And Dangerous Nitrogen Tanks

Every Wednesday on my way back south from Southlake, and Sprouts Farmers Market, I see two Air Pollution Alert signs on the west side of Davis Boulevard. I don't see any Air Pollution Alert signs on the east side when I'm heading north.

What perplexes me is wondering what the purpose of these two signs can possibly be. What is one supposed to do with this alert? Watch out for incoming Air Pollution?

And why are these two Air Pollution Alert signs the only two I've ever seen? These signs are in North Richland Hills. Are they all over North Richland Hills? The only other North Richland Hills road I have driven on lately is North Tarrant Parkway. I saw no Air Pollution Alert signs on that road.

The two Air Pollution Alert signs on Davis Boulevard are within about a half mile, or less of each other. Maybe that stretch of road is extra polluted, thus the signs.

There is another disturbing thing I see each week on Davis Boulevard. It is between the two Air Pollution Alert signs. About 6 feet from the side of the road there is this big metal tank that says "Nitrogen" on it. Above the tank there is a sign that says "Danger."

Today I had resolved that I would get pictures of the Air Pollution Alert sign and the dangerous Nitrogen Tank sitting along side a busy, heavily polluted road. When I saw the Nitrogen Tank up close and personal, I could read what was written below "DANGER"....

FIBER OPTIC CABLE ROUTE
CITIZEN ACCESS TO 911 OR OTHER
EMERGENCY SERVICES MAY BE
INTERRUPTED AND YOU WILL BE
SUBJECT TO CIVIL LIABILITY AND/OR
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IF YOU DIG,
TRENCH OR PUSH PIPE IN THIS
VICINITY BEFORE GETTING PERMISSION

Well, that cleared that up. Near as I could tell, the Nitrogen Tank is being used to help hold up the DANGER sign. Probably because a proper sign hole could not be dug without damaging that fiber optic cable. One would think something could have been found to accomplish this other than a Nitrogen Tank that looks a bit foreboding sitting 6 feet from the curb with a big ol' DANGER sign above it.

So, that's been my exciting day, so far, this fine Wednesday in Texas. Despite forecasts that said otherwise, we will not be hitting 100 today. Maybe tomorrow. At least I will sleep better tonight, now that I've sorted out what that disturbingly dangerous looking Nitrogen Tank is all about. But, then again, I do still have that Air Pollution Alert to worry about. I'll probably sleep anyway.

Texas Miscellaneous Madness

Another goofy day in Road Rage Mad Fort Worth. Up before the crack of dawn, swimming at day break. Computer burnout continued over from yesterday.

I am finding myself learning way more about Texas than I think is healthy. My Regions of Texas Project is wearing me out. I'm learning all sorts of odd things. Like little Midland, Texas is nicknamed "The Tall City" I assume by people who have never seen a tall city. Midland used to brag that their 22 story Wilco Building was the tallest building between Fort Worth and Phoenix. That's like saying that some building in Spokane is the tallest between Seattle and Chicago. Or so it would seem to me.

And then I got one of the more absurd comments in a long time, from what I assume to be either a know-it-all Texan or a Chesapeake Energy shill operating out of Oklahoma City. This comment was in regards to yesterday's blogging about today's EPA meeting at D/FW Airport regarding pollution from cement kilns.

Anonymous said.......

Dude, Seriously, you think that a drill rig that uses 1000 gallons of diesel fuel per day to drill a well is "pumping" out more fumes than all the cars and trucks in the DFW area in one day - You are getting some seriously wrong information. There are over 1 million cars in DFW and all of them are using 1 gallon per day bud... and there are only 72 rigs drilling in Texas as of today. Go ahead and drive your car to a meeting about pollution... That a joke. you are the problem - not the solution.

Apparently the Anonymous dude does not pay a lot of attention to the news. As in last week it was widely reported that Dr. Al Armendariz was right about the Barnett Shale drilling operations contribution to North Texas air pollution.

With the State of Texas agreeing.

As in "State environmental officials say that an SMU researcher (Al Armendariz) was correct: Gas drilling in the Barnett Shale contributes about as much air pollution to the Dallas-Fort Worth area as car and truck traffic."

I'm guessing that Anonymous Dude is one of those Texas Road Ragers that have us being America's second most mad drivers.

I'm hitting the road in a bit, to head north. It being Wednesday I'm likely going to go to Sprouts Farmers Market while I'm out dodging Road Ragers.

Dallas/Fort Worth Drivers 2nd Most Angry Road Ragers

I don't know who did the survey, but the results somehow determined that New York City drivers are the worst Road Ragers in America.

25 Metropolitan areas were surveyed. The #2 location for angry, aggressive, tailgating, horn honking, overreacting, temper losers is my current location of Dallas/Fort Worth.

I have been accosted by a Road Rager or two in Texas. Just a few days ago someone got quite agitated at me because I'd stopped in the middle of an intersection to take a picture of a spouting leak.

If I'd been taken that picture in Baltimore, Sacremento, Pittsburgh, Cleveland or Portland I likely would not have gotten yelled at, due to those towns being the top 5 with the most courteous, considerate drivers.

I don't know what makes these Texans in D/FW so angry. It could have something to do with the heat. We are expected to hit 100 tomorrow.

I'm feeling a bit angry and aggressive today. I have not felt any rage on the road though. I did get a bit agitated at Wal-Mart due to seeing this woman in super short shorts and a top barely covering her top, with a big belly button adorned by a piercing. She was not fat, but she was super homely, with a pimply face and stringy hair. Why does such a person bother to get a belly button pierced? I don't get it.

I'm also agitated due to having been up since 4 am. I was in the pool this morning while it was still dark. That was a bit odd. Then I turned into a webpage making machine again. Then around 8 am I realized I needed to alter every page on my humongous Eyes on Texas website, removing elements that only Internet Explorer displays, which look odd on other browsers.

To make the fix involved 5 changes on each page, with each change involving multiple mouse clicks. I figured I could go through the entire website in 2 hours. I was wrong. It took til past noon. My mouse clicking hand is worn out. If I were to drive anywhere right now the slightest little thing might set me off with an explosion of Texas-worthy Road Rage. I say might, because it's never happened before, no matter how cranky I am.

Downwinders At Risk in Dallas/Fort Worth

It really is a miracle that somehow there are not 100s of us Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplexers dropping dead daily from breathing the air here. We've got Barnett Shale gas drilling operations that apparently spew more bad stuff into the atmosphere than all the vehicular traffic in D/FW.

And then there are the cement kiln spewers that pump bad stuff, like mercury into the air that we breathe, along with a lot of other bad things, like soot and hydrochloric acid.

I know it's short notice, but tomorrow, Wednesday, June 17th, at the Grand Hyatt in DFW International Airport inside Terminal D the Environmental Protection Agency will take public testimony from 10 am til 8 pm. The EPA is working on some new federal rules that might decrease some of the most dangerous types of pollution being spewed by cement plants.

In a surprising twist, the cement industry is lobbying against any new rules that might force them to clean up the air and so they are working hard to thwart President Obama's EPA's first attempt at reigning in some of America's worst polluters.

Go to the Downwinders at Risk website for more information.