Hometown By Handlebar Solves A Fort Worth Mystery While I Walk Around Fosdick Lake In Oakland Park

Durango Texas Fosdick Lake Photo

Last night I got an email from one of my favorite Southern Belles, Miss Connie, asking me if I'd seen what she was showing me in the email, that being the latest posting in the Hometown by Handlebar blog, with the referenced blog post titled Pocket Lakes.

Miss Connie mentioned that she did not remember how she came to find this particular blog, thinking it was either via me, or Facebook.

I told Miss Connie that I also did not remember how I came upon the Hometown by Handlebar blog.

Now here is where this turns disturbing. It was only a week ago, Friday, on May 4, that I blogged about the Hometown by Handlebar blog, after someone named Anonymous had commented on a previous blog post, with that comment containing the link to the Hometown by Handlebar blog.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Making A Prairie Note Of Tandy Hills Prickly Pear Cactus": 

Excellent Fort Worth history website:http://hometownbyhandlebar.com/ Good photography too.

How do I manage to be so senile that I did not remember something from only a week ago? Very disturbing.

When I first mentioned the Hometown by Handlebar blog I agreed with Anonymous's assessment that this blog had good photography. And writing. Much better than mine on both counts.

Hometown by Handlebar Fosdick Lake Photo

The superior photography was confirmed today when I took a photo of the same scene that was at the top of the afore-mentioned Pocket Lakes post.

The Pocket Lakes post solved a mystery that has bum puzzled me for quite some time.

From Hometown by Handlebar...

Fosdick Lake in Oakland Park was named for Edwin E. Fosdick (buried in Greenwood; see inset), who in 1909 bought the land to build a country club. But his seventy-five-member Inverness Club failed. The city took over the property in 1927. The CCC or WPA may have built the stone shelter house.

The signage at the Fosdic Lake location calls the park Oakland Lake Park. Other signage mentions Fosdic Lake. Note the quote from Hometown by Handlebar spells Fosdic with a 'k' on the end. Apparently this is the proper spelling, since that is how the namesake's name is spelled on his tombstone in Greenwood Cemetery, as seen via the above referenced inset.

Methinks Fort Worth needs to fix the park signage, by removing lake from the name. And add the 'k' to Fosdick.

From this day forth, when I go to where I walked today, I will say I walked around Fosdick Lake in Oakland Park.

The 2nd Saturday Of May Thinking About Avoiding Flesh Eating Bacteria In Risky Rivers

Looking at the outer world from the perch of one of my favorite viewing portals it appears the 2nd Saturday of the 5th month of 2012, May Day 12, has dawned with a partly cloudy sky.

A lot of rain poured down yesterday, with heavy downpours after the sun disappeared for the night, along with a lot of lightning strikes and booming thunder.

I won't be going to the Tandy Hills today for my regular Saturday hill hiking.

I will be going swimming this morning.

Speaking of swimming. I got an amusing comment from someone named Anonymous, this morning, on the subject of getting wet in the Trinity River...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Hopefully Rockin' The River Live On The Trinity Is Back Bigger Than Ever With Beer & Free Coolers": 

In your Poop-A-Thon video from last year...were they playing Whiskey River... or Risky River? Neil Young's river song is more appropriate! "Down by the river, I shot my baby". Had to I guess. She was probably foaming at the mouth. 

I had not read, until this morning, the awful details about that girl in Georgia who is fighting for her life after flesh eating bacteria entered her body after being injured by a failed zipline cable. She's already lost one leg, will likely lose her hands. She'd been kayaking down a river when the ziplining across the river took place.

Did the flesh eating bacteria come from the river? Has the Trinity River been tested for flesh eating bacteria? Is there a test for flesh eating bacteria?

I think I will go swimming now in what I hope is a pool free of flesh eating bacteria.

Hopefully Rockin' The River Live On The Trinity Is Back Bigger Than Ever With Beer & Free Coolers

Earlier today I learned I am going Over the Edge with Elsie Hotpepper this coming September. And now this afternoon I've learned I have something else to look forward to.

That being that this summer the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Inner Tube Happy Hour Floats are back bigger than ever.

Meaning this summer the Floating with the Feces starts Thursday, June 7 and every Thursday there after, until August 9, with the exception July 5, when there will be no Feces Floating due to that Thursday being the day after the 4th of July.

This year the TRVB will be providing no free inner tubes. But the TRVB will rent you a tube for $5. Or you can BYOT. You are forbidden to bring your own alcoholic beverage or a cooler to contain alcoholic beverages. But the TRVB will sell you a can of beer for $2.50 and provide you with a free cooler to float your beer in.

I do not know if you have to buy a can of TRVB beer to get a free cooler.

The below specifics were gleaned from the official TRVB Rockin' the River informational page...

Elsie Hotpepper is refusing to put on her bikini and go kayaking with me among the Feces Floaters. Maybe CatsPaw will put on her bikini and go floating with me.

Recently people got sick from e.coli from contact with water in the Oklahoma River. Oklahoma City has banned swimming in the Oklahoma River or any Oklahoma City lake or river.

I know the TRVB makes the Trinity River Feces Floaters sign some sort of waiver before letting a person get  in the river.

But, I can not help but wonder what sort of threat/risk assessment has been done by the TRVB. As in, it is logical that there is a 1 in a certain number of instances, of a person getting in the Trinity River, that they are going to drown, get bit by a water moccasin, bit by an alligator, bit by a gar fish or get deathly sick from e.coli or flesh eating bacteria.

Has the TRVB bought insurance to protect Fort Worth from the inevitable law suit that would arise should someone get hurt or die do to this foolishness?

Fort Worth foolishly lived with the risk of someone drowning in the poorly designed whirlpool in the Fort Worth Water Gardens. Four people died before that engineering mistake was fixed. How much did this cost Fort Worth?

How much will it cost Fort Worth if someone dies while Rockin' the River?

Instead of risking Rockin' the River, why not hold these events in one of Fort Worth's clean water swimming venues.

Oh.

I forgot. There are none.

And that fact is the real problem that should be addressed, rather than Rockin' the River all summer long.

The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle needs to have an adult in charge of the operation, instead of having it operate as the private playground of a corrupt congresswoman's playboy son.

Below is a video I made of my visit, last summer, to the first Rockin' the River, just to get you in the mood to do some Feces Floating in less than a month....

Going Over The Edge In Fort Worth With Elsie Hotpepper

I learned this afternoon that this coming September 15, 2012, Elsie Hotpepper and I will be going Over the Edge in Fort Worth, rappelling down the Pier One Imports Corporate Headquarters building that was taken over by Aubrey McClendon to be used by Chesapeake Energy as the operating center from which to run Chesapeake's shadow government of Fort Worth.

It is 4 months until September. I don't know if, all things currently considered, Chesapeake Energy will still be operating in September.

If you want to rappel down the Chesapeake Energy building you can register here.

There are 4 registration levels. TOP ROPE for $10,000. HIGH FLYER for $6,000. DYNO for $2,500. HANG DOG for $1,000.

The higher the level the more you get for your money. For $10,000 a TOP ROPE gets its organization's logo on all promotional materials, including post event videos, the DFW website, brochures, posters, emails, print ads and e-newsletters. Their logo on the back of all participants t-shirts. Their logo on all event signage. Four people going over the edge. Choice of rappelling time. Choice of your team name. Chance to buy additional rappel spots at a special discount price. A complimentary photo, video and commemorative t-shirt. And recognition in DFWI annual report.

For $1,000 HANG DOG gets one reserved spot to go over the edge, video and commemorative t-shirt.

Clearly TOP ROPE is a much better bargain than HANG DOG.

From the Over the Edge website...

Sign up for "Over the Edge"– and Rappel down a building in Downtown Fort Worth! Get a whole new view of Downtown Fort Worth during this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience big thrills and excitement! If you want to live on the edge, this is your chance! Go as a solo climber, or sign up a representative from your organization. Pool your money and "toss your boss." Or give this unique experience as a gift for the thrill seeker in your life.

Toss your boss? Once in a lifetime opportunity? Didn't Fort Worth's now ex corrupt mayor Mike Moncrief go over the edge last year? Does this once in a lifetime opportunity mean that by next year Chesapeake will likely be defunct, making this coming September your last opportunity to rappel down the building while still owned by Chesapeake?

I am very stodgy about this type thing. To me rappelling down the side of a building sounds like about as much fun as floating in an inner tube in the Trinity River. But, Elsie Hotpeper wants to go over the edge, so I guess I won't be a killjoy about this.

Walking To Pre-Lunch At Sam's Club Before Getting Soaking Wet

Woman Escaping Sam's Club Under Bumbershoot

Today, during my regularly scheduled walking/hiking time, rain was raining down. I was in no mood to shield the rain with a bumbershoot, so I went to Sam's Club and let Sam's roof keep me dry.

At Sam's Club I had a tasty pre-lunch of chicken-fried steak, sausage, kolaches and blueberry muffins. The pre-lunch helped fuel my Sam's walk.

About the time I was ready to leave Sam's, a downpour started pouring down, with extreme velocity, causing an almost concussive effect. A very loud throbbing.

Shoppers trying to escape Sam's waited under cover for the rain to abate. I got tired of waiting for the abating and made a run for it. Got totally soaked, but the running got me some endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

Now, hours later, it is no longer raining, the sky has partly cleared, the temperature is only 68, I've got my windows open, birds are chirping.

And I'm dry.

Changing the subject from being dry to something else.

You know how some old people are set in their ways and get all crotchety when someone does not agree with some foolish thing the old person believes? I've had that type experience today. Only the person with the erroneous beliefs is not all that old. It occurred to me that this person spews what this person thinks in the same manner that a hyper-religious sort proselytizes their beliefs with absolutely no consideration of the possibility that what they believe may not be believed by others. Or just simply wrong.

No, this person I am referring to is not Elsie Hotpepper. She is crotchety though, currently refusing to go kayaking with me in the Trinity River.

May Day 11 Postponing Going To Fort Worth's Trinity Uptown Drive-In Movie Theater

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world on the morning of May Day 11 the sun is not visible due to being shielded from my eyes by a layer of clouds.

There is evidence in the form of puddles that indicates some precipitation precipitated overnight. I did not hear any rain pitter pattering on my windows.

Due to the rain related potential mud issues I won't be doing any hill hiking today on the Tandy Hills. I am not a fan of muddy hiking.

I also won't be doing any swimming this morning because my pool is currently being shocked.

I don't know what my means will be today of acquiring some endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

I learned in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, this morning, that I won't be able to watch a movie at Fort Worth's new Trinity Uptown drive-in movie theater as soon as I thought I would. The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's drive-in movie theater construction it taking longer than originally planned. Apparently problems arose regarding drainage, parking lots and landscaping.

J.D. Granger, he being the genius project engineer behind much of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, is fine with the delay. He just wants the project done right, no matter how long it takes.

When the Trinity Uptown drive-in movie theater opens it will be interesting to see if it will be as huge a success as the Cowtown Wakepark.

Gumpar The Permian Explains What Is Wrong With Getting Married In North Carolina

America has a lot of problems that should be the focus of attention, in my opinion.

Real problems.

Things like veterans of America's many foreign wars ending up homeless after their return home.

I grow real tired of some issues getting demogauged simplistically, usually by Republicans, but sometimes by left leaners.

Demogauging about issues like the supposed scourge of illegal immigrants, the majority of whom come from Mexico, with the problem easily solved by easily granting work visas to Mexicans wanting to do jobs in America that Americans don't want to do.

Another demogauged issue that bugs me is all the brouhahaing over the supposed threat to the sanctity of marriage between a man and woman, by those who think anyone should be able to marry anyone they want to marry.

The idea that this issue is being voted on seems bizarre to me.

I believe the state I was born in, Oregon, and the state I grew up in, Washington, have now made it legal for anyone to marry anyone they want to marry.

Now, while I think this is a ridiculous issue, I totally understand that in a representative democracy that the people can make the majority view the law. Hence around 30 states not taking the more liberal Oregon/Washington view on this issue and voting in various measures to make it the law of a particular state that only a man and woman can get married.

I was going to ignore this subject til I read a blog this morning, the blog of someone I'll call Gumpar the Permian, not wanting to embarrass this individual by using his actual name.

Gumpar the Permian, in a blog post titled "Brainless North Carolinian's" wrote...

Apparently a majority of people voting in North Carolina have agreed they are unable to think for themselves. I could hardly believe it. They have decided that the government should tell them who they can marry. It's incredible! I've heard several people opine that India is bad because they have "arranged" marriages. I assume the marriages are arranged by the children's parents, but I'm not an expert.

Now keep in mind that Gumpar the Permian is an educated in Texas boy who had no history, civics or political science classes, whilst being educated.

I can not help but wonder how a majority of people supporting a measure on a ballot means they are unable to think for themselves? These are dots I can not connect.

And, India is "bad"? Due to arranged marriages? I did not know India was "bad". Did you? And not all marriages in India are arranged marriages. This type thinking is a product of a bad Texas education, it seems to me.

And then there is this from Gumpar the Permian...

However, in North Carolina, it's up to the government to determine who you can marry! Happy days. I guess your parents can still try to arrange it for you, but if the government doesn't agree then it doesn't count. Why oh why oh why? The government has no business dictating matters of love, relationships or marriage. None, zero, zilch. That's a very personal thing. We should not allow the government to tell us what to eat, what to drink, or who to marry.

I don't quite see how Gumpar makes the logic leap where the majority of North Carolinians approving a ballot measure, about what constitutes a marriage, turns into government dictating what North Carolinians can do.

See, if Gumpar the Permian had ever been exposed to something like a civics lesson he might have learned that America's government, at the federal, state and local level is founded on the idea that the government is of the People, for the People and by the People. In a representative democracy the People are the government.

Does this always work out well? No. Sometimes the people support something like banning the sale of adult beverages with a Prohibition Amendment to the Constitution that then ends up getting repealed when the People realize they'd made a big boo boo.

Now my view on this whole marriage thing is that that archaic institution should be abolished.

If marriage was abolished, overnight we'd solve the divorce problem. I can not help but notice that many of the people who whine about the sanctity of traditional marriage, speak from the voice of experience, due to their multiple marriages. People like Rush Limbaugh come to mind.

Then there are those highly publicized travesty marriages between men and women. I'm thinking of Kardashian sham marriages and Brittney Spears type marriage debacles. These type people should be banned from getting married.

And reproducing.

I am all for any government dicates that might put a stop to the Kardashians.

In one more bizarre bit of erroneousness from Gumpar the Permian, Gumpar opines....

There's no need to waste time debating about the merits of gay marriage. If you want to get married, by all means, get married. It doesn't hurt me in any way. However, in North Carolina, you'll need permission from Beverly Purdue, the current governor. The only time she should be involved is if you'd want her blessing to marry one of her sons. Even then, it's just a blessing.

Does Gumpar the Permian actually think the voters of North Carolina approved a ballot measure that gives their governor the duty of passing permission on all North Carolinian marriage proposals?

I really think some people should have to pass some sort of civics test to be allowed to vote.

Hiking The Tandy Hills With Coyote Kill

Tandy Highway

In the picture you are looking north on the Tandy Highway, deep in the shade of the Tandy Forest, today in the noon time frame.

Rain is in the forecast for a couple days, starting tomorrow, so today may be the last time I am able to get hill hiking endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation til North Texas returns to its usual dried out state.

Swimming this morning was very pleasant, partly due to the fact that the air was colder than the water in the pool. Which made the pool feel heated.

Currently clouds are between me and the sun and me doing some poolside lounging in preparation to get sufficiently suntanned so as not to get sunburned when I go swimming with the dolphins on the South Texas Gulf Coast.

Hiking the trails of the Tandy Hills I sure see a lot of signs that there have been a lot of feet trampling on Fort Worth's best prairie. I think this is a very good thing, helping to keep the foliage at bay and not totally overtaking the trails.

Coyote Kill?

Today, the FWISD (Fort Worth Independent School District) orange flags were once again stuck in the ground all over the Tandy Hills

We learned a few days ago the orange flags are directional beacons for herds of Fort Worth school kids being bused in for some healthy prairie time.

I was a bit perplexed by one of the orange flags.

Coyote Kill.

What does that mean, I can not help but wonder? Is it the name of a plant? Or the site of a murder, from whence the corpse has been removed?

Someone, somewhere must have the answer to the Coyote Kill mystery.

May Day 10 Thinking About Rockin' The River In A Kayak With Elsie Hotpepper

The morning of May Day 10 is dawning with a blue sky, as you can see via the view from one of my viewing portals on the outer world. With May having 31 days, by the end of today, almost a third of May will be history.

Time moves ever faster as I get old ever faster.

At this point in history the ground level at my location is only 27 degrees above freezing, heading to a high today of 82.

Yesterday after I mentioned that I had considered kayaking among the floaters in J.D. Granger's upcoming Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats on the feces infested Trinity River someone named Anonymous commented....

"Looks like the stage is up on the river's edge again for the J.D. & Friends Poop O'Matic Float A'Thon."

I did not know the name of the river floating event had been changed to Poop O'Matic Float A'Thon. I guess it's a more fitting name.

Elsie Hotpepper has been suffering with some serious ennui issues of late. Maybe it'd give her something to look forward to if I asked her if she wants to kayak with me at the upcoming Poop O'Matic Float A'Thon.

In the meantime, I think I'll go swimming before it gets any colder.

Biking River Legacy Park Thinking Of Kayaking With The Trinity River Alligators

River Legacy Park Trinity River Kayakers

My physical therapist told me I'm not getting enough exercise, so I decided to bike to the end of the River Legacy Park trails this early evening.

Many other people had the same idea. I don't know how many of those biking, walking, skateboarding, roller blading and kayaking were doing so due to advice from their physical therapist.

Just this afternoon I watched a disturbing video of an alligator attacking a guy in a kayak in a lake in Florida. No alligator harm was done, except for panicking the guy into a profanity spewing reversal of his kayak to escape the marauding reptile.

Just a couple days ago, thanks to an email from one of my favorite Southern Belles, Miss Connie, I learned about a couple locations in the south Dallas zone where large alligators are known to reside. From that same email from Miss Connie I also saw a photo of the biggest alligator gar ever caught in the Trinity River.

I have it on my to-do list to blog about that which Miss Connie led me to see, but I've become a really bad procrastinator, of late.

Since I have been biking the River Legacy trails again, on several occasions, I have seen kayakers exiting or entering the Trinity River from the kayak launch pad that was added a couple years ago. I remember when I saw that kayak launch pad built thinking to myself that this is never going to be used.

Shows what an accurate prognosticator I am.

I have a kayak that I have not kayaked in in years. I had a momentary thought, last summer, to kayak among those enjoying feces infested floating in the Trinity River via J.D. Granger's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats, but I never was sufficiently motivated to go to the bother.

Maybe I'll take my kayak for a spin in the Trinity River in River Legacy Park. I could add this to my exercise regimen.