Elsie Hotpepper's Artist's Rendering Of Rockin' The Trinity River With Pigs

Elsie Hotpepper sent me the above, minutes ago, telling me it is an artist's abstract rendering of the Last Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Float of the Year.

Is that the title of this beautiful piece of art?

Last Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Float of the Year.

That is a very long title.

I know slides down the Trinity River levees were part of this year's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle 4th of July Pproduction.

Along with the spectacular setting on fire of sections of the levees for the pyrotechnic entertainment of the assembled masses.

I have no idea what this artist is trying to represent by having a bunch of pigs wallowing in the Trinity River.

Very perplexing.

Today It Was Not Too HOT To Have Myself A Fine Mountain Biking Time In Gateway Park With A Giant Turtle

With the temperature predicted to hit a high of 105 with possibly a record breaking high of one degree more and with the humidity causing the air to feel 5 degrees HOTTER, I thought going on a bike ride sounded like a good idea.

Over an hour in the pool, starting at the crack of dawn, really does not give as good an endorphin boost as one might hope it would.

Even though the outer world is a little HOT, the Gateway Park mountain bike trails are mostly under the cover of big shading trees, thus making for a not too HOT time.

Til one stops to get oneself some hydration.

The last time I pedaled the Gateway Park mountain bike trails I noticed that at a point where the trail sign pointed right, bike tire tracks continued left.

And so today I ignored the sign pointing right and went left to discover new trail has been punched through the underbrush to get around an area of trail which had been damaged by the flooding remnants of Hurricane Hermine, rendering what remained of the old trail to be a bit treacherous, with not enough treachery to make hiking the damaged trail dangerous, but with enough treachery to render biking it an invite to take a flying leap off the side of a cliff  into a green river.

In the picture above those are my handlebars looking at the damaged trail which runs along side the top of a cliff with the Trinity River flowing slowly below. The new bypass trail is to the right of my handlebars.

Looking over the edge of the cliff I saw a HUGE turtle floating on the surface, with its head stuck out of the water. I was able to make one snap of the camera before the turtle dived.

Speaking of critters floating in the Trinity River,  I believe tomorrow, Thursday, August 8, marks the end of this year's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Music Extravaganzas.

The extremely HOT temperature and the extremely inviting crystal clear water of the Trinity River should make for a possibly record breaking crowd tomorrow, floating around a non-existent island, listening to music emanating from a non-existent pavilion.

With beer.

Homesick With Spencer Jack Taking Pictures Of Volcanoes

I am being inundated with pictures from Washington that are making me a bit homesick.

On Monday it was a picture from Maxine that had me blogging Leaving Mountain-Free Texas To Hike With Maxine In The Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness.

My one and only time hiking in the Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness I had an up close encounter with a really big bear. It may have been a Grizzly. I have not had a single bear encounter in Texas, that I can recollect.

This morning it was my great nephew, Spencer Jack, who sent me pictures that made me a bit homesick.

That is one of the pictures you are looking at here, which is a picture of Spencer Jack's favorite girl friend, Brittney, taking a picture of Spencer Jack taking a picture of the Mount Baker volcano.

Spencer Jack took his dad and Brittney to the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to walk across Upper Baker Dam and to go swimming in Baker Lake.

Regarding swimming in Baker Lake, Spencer Jack's dad reported...

The water was so incredibly clear. And I expected it to be much colder than it actually was. But an unusually warm summer made for a pleasant swimming outing.

I blogged the rest of Spencer Jack's Upper Baker Dam pictures on my Washington blog in a blogging titled Walking Across Upper Baker Dam With Spencer Jack.

I think I will book a flight north so I can go hiking with Spencer Jack in the North Cascades before the snow arrives in a couple months. 

Due To Wind I Did Not Have A HOT Walk Around Fosdick Lake Today

On the left you are looking at the August 6 noon view of Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park with the humid air heated to 96 degrees, with that humidity making that HOT air really feel like 102.

Supposedly.

But, a strong wind was blowing across the lake, which had the air not feeling even remotely close to 102.

I don't think the weather condition informers factor in the wind chill when the heat index is calculated.

In other words, I had myself a quite pleasant walk around Fosdick Lake today.

Whilst I walked I called my mom and dad to wish them a Happy 63rd Anniversary. I got the answering machine.

When I arrived at Fosdick Lake the ducks were no where to be seen. I was concerned. However, eventually I found the ducks at the south end of the lake, the opposite location from where the photo was taken atop Fosdick Dam.

The ducks were cooling off in the water, under the shade of a waterside tree.

I said hello to the ducks. But, they ignored me.

Usually I get a quack or two....

The Queen Of Wink Is Tempting Me To Fly To Midland & Drive To Taos

To the left you are looking at the Lumina Sculpture Garden, near the Mabel Dodge home, in Taos, New Mexico.

Taos is one of my favorite places I have ever visited. The Taos Pueblo, alone, would have made this one of my favorite places I have ever visited. Add the actual Taos town to the Taos Pueblo and you have a magical location on the planet.

I have only been to Taos once. A planned one day stay turned in to three, because I was having myself such a mighty fine time.

Last night I got myself a very tempting invitation from the Queen of Wink to fly to Midland, where the Queen would meet me and then we'd proceed to take a Roadtrip to Taos.

It is widely known that there are few things I like better than a Durango Roadtrip.

Hence the feeling tempted.

The Queen of Wink is planning on roughing it in her personal version of an RV. Electricity will be required to run the essentially needed Keurig coffee maker.

Apparently a lack of water has the bears in the Taos zone a bit riled up and aggressively visiting potential sources of that which they need.

My one and only time in Taos I stayed at a motel about a block south of the Taos downtown. It has been at least 2 decades since I have camped.

The closest I have come to camping in the past 2 decades were two Lake Powell Houseboat floats. The houseboats have beds with thin mattresses, but that still felt like roughing it.

I just remembered. I have gone camping since I have been in Texas. There was a weekend at my former Texas abode where I felt the need to escape. So, I drove to Dinosaur Valley State Park and camped for 3 or 4 days. I had a thick mattress on the floor of the van, so I had none of the aching experiences I had on a Lake Powell Houseboat or the last time I went tent camping. That being at Alta State Park in Eastern Washington, where I learned I was no longer able to sleep on the ground with only a sleeping bag as a cushion.

Now, I am off to see if there are any planes available flying to Midland.....

Happy 63rd Wedding Anniversary To My Favorite Mom & Dad

Dad & Mom With Uncle Mooch

UPDATE: Oops. My mom and dad called to day to wish me a Happy Birthday and to tell me this year was their 62nd Anniversary, not 63rd. Have I mentioned before that simple math confuses me?

Today is my mom and dad's 63rd Wedding Anniversary.

Today is also the 69th Anniversary of the first time an atom bomb was used as a weapon of mass destruction, with the destruction of Hiroshima helping finally bring an end to World War II.

I am not totally certain, but I believe when my mom and dad got married my dad had already joined, or had been drafted, into the army.

This was during the Korean War.

Dad did not get sent to Korea. He was sent to Europe.

France specifically.

I have never heard dad say much about his time in France. Except for not wanting to return. And that the French public restrooms were not of American quality.

When dad returned stateside, mom met him in New York City. I do not know how mom got to New York City. Bus or train? I know she did not fly, because my mom does not like to get in an airplane.

I know mom and dad wandered around New York City, seeing the sights. At one point they were wanting to see the Empire State Building and take the elevator to the top. They could not find the building. Finally they got up the courage to ask where the Empire State Building was. And were a little embarrassed to learn that it was the building they'd been standing under, as they walked around the block looking for it.

I do not know if my mom and dad bought it in New York City, but somewhere on the east coast a car was purchased. It was in that car my mom and dad took their first tour of America, making a long return to the far northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest, to the town of Lynden, from whence they came.

If I remember correctly, when mom and dad left New York City they headed south, down the eastern seaboard, to Florida, then west across the South.

I do not know if they passed through Texas at that point in time. I suspect not, as they gave no indication of having been here before, way back then, when they visited me here, in October of 2001. Mom and dad did pass through Texas during their post-retirement RV trip across America in 1995.

Another thing I do remember being told about mom and dad's 1950s trip across America was their journey into California's Death Valley. They'd heard one needed to bring plenty to drink. In their youthful innocence, mom and dad thought that meant they needed to bring beer to Death Valley. Mom and dad have never been alcohol consumers, not then, not now, never.

But, mom and dad bought beer as their form of the needed Death Valley hydration. When they got to the HOT part of Death Valley their vehicle started overheating. Nowadays one is advised to turn off a vehicle's A/C when entering Death Valley's heat, so as not to overheat the engine. Back then, vehicular A/C had not yet been invented.

As I remember the story, when mom and dad overheated they opened bottles of beer, with both spitting out the vile liquid, due to its disgusting taste.

I do not know, and have never asked, if it was beer mom and dad poured into their vehicle's overheated cooling system.

Mom and dad got married on August 6. Their eldest was born on August 11.

Years later.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

Leaving Mountain-Free Texas To Hike With Maxine In The Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness

In the picture you are in the Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on the west slope of the North Cascades, a few miles northeast of my old home zone in Mount Vernon, Washington.

Very specifically, you are looking at Watson and Anderson Lakes, with one lake up close and one in the distance.

Maxine sent me this picture today. Maxine hiked to this location over the weekend. Maxine has visited me at my location in Texas. Maxine knows how scenery deprived my location in Texas is.

I don't think Maxine sent me this picture to make me homesick, but that has been the result.

In 6 days it will be exactly 5 years since I have hiked in an actual mountain zone. That mountain would be Mount Rainier.

One of the very first times I hiked in the Cascade Mountains was with Maxine.

Me, Maxine and Miss Mac.

That hike was up the south slope of Mount Baker. Mount Baker is one of Washington's 5 active volcanoes.

I don't know how many active volcanoes there are in Texas. Most likely none. Seems like there'd be some, what with all the underground explosive material in the form of oil and shale.

I Came Upon A Mutant Neon Petunia Today On My Walking Tour Of My Favorite Industrial Wasteland

Today, with the Heat Index approaching 100, before noon, I opted out of driving anywhere for my daily walking, hiking or biking powered salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation and instead decided this was a good day to take a walking tour of the Industrial Wasteland that is the place I call home.

If I were typing this in Microsoft's Word, rather than Google's Blogger, I would be being informed that the above paragraph is one monster of a run-on sentence.

I do have a great affection for run-on sentences.

As I walked through my favorite Industrial Wasteland I came upon the un-naturally colored wildflower you see above. The picture does not do justice to how brightly neon this flower looked. Is this some sort of mutant petunia wildflower? I've not seen  this particular bloom before, not that I can recall.

Speaking of getting aerobic stimulation. I have increased my morning pool time to around an hour. I hit the water soon after the sun arrives.

The extra aerobic stimulation seems to help with my ability to concentrate on altering webpages without HTML code getting on my nerves, too much.

To take a break from the hours of webpage altering I've made two new blogs in the past 24 hours. I don't know if anything will come of them. One is called Durango World. Very clever title. The other one is called Durango Tech No.

The theme of Durango Tech No, put real simply, is my phone is not smart, my only tablet is made of paper, I used to be an early technology adopter, but now I lag way behind.

As for Durango World. Well, there are times there are subjects that I feel like commenting on, but which don't seem to fit any of my existing blogs.

Like it crossed my mind the other day that Vladimir Putin exhibits an extreme case of Little Man Syndrome, a trait he shares with one of his predecessors, Joe Stalin.

And then there's that whole royal baby thing that irritates me.

And closing dozens of embassies, basically giving the terrorists a victory without firing a shot.

What is really irritating me right now is I am hungry. That irritation will be alleviated by lunch. Which today is BBQ chicken on Poblano Betard bread. With cole slaw.

Today I Decided To Bike Through Viridian Rather Than The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle

I don't remember when it was I was last at Arlington's River Legacy Park, but I am fairly certain today was the first time I've been at this location this summer.

Due to it currently being the HOT time of the year the snake warning signs are up. Along with a new sign I've not seen before, as in "ATTENTION: We share the park with bobcats and other wildlife. Please use caution while in the park."

It has been years since I've had a bobcat encounter in River Legacy Park. I have had a bobcat encounter this summer in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

This morning I read that Tarrant County and the D/FW  Metroplex zone has been experiencing a home buying boom, with there being more people wanting to buy than the supply of homes available to buy.

The Formerly Blocked Trail To Viridian

Reading about the home buying boom caused me to wonder how much the Viridian development adjacent to River Legacy Park was booming. I last saw the Viridian development after reading that homes were now being built on the long stalled project. That was, maybe, 6 months ago, maybe longer, that I pedaled to check on Viridian.

Several years ago a paved trail was installed (and blocked) that led from the Gateway Park trail to Viridian. Today I was pleased to find that this trail is no longer blocked and one can now bike the trail to Viridian.

The paved trail entry to Viridian is quite welcoming. The entry is well landscaped. The completed parts of the Viridian development are all well landscaped.

A Viridian art installation overlooking one of the Viridian development's lakes. Is the above lake Lake Viridian? I have no idea. I do know that years ago, before the 2008 economic collapse that brought the Viridian development to a stall, I talked to a guy who was surveying the border with River Legacy Park and he told me the lake you see above was going to be developed into a public use swimming lake with a beach.

Today I saw no signs of a beach being installed around "Lake Viridian" but I did see plenty of landscaping around the lake. In the above photo my handlebars are on a bridge overlooking the lake.

Looking at "Lake Viridian" had me wondering how this lake compares in size to the shrinking proposed Pond Granger that is part of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle? In the middle of "Lake Viridian" there is a small island. Unlike the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle imaginary island, Viridian could actually name an actual island, Panther Island. Then put a pavilion on it and call it Panther Island Pavilion and Viridian would have created something that the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle only pretends to have created.

Above is another view of "Lake Viridian" and the paved trails one can use to bike the lake. Or if one is walking there are plenty of benches on which to have oneself a sit down.

Unlike the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, Viridian is a private development. When first announced, sometime around the time the Dallas Cowboy stadium started getting constructed, the plans were quite elaborate, including restaurants, retail and an island with very expensive homes. Prior to the 2008 financial meltdown a lot of infrastructure work had been done. And then, after the meltdown, work on the Viridian project slowed to a crawl.

The Viridian crawl now seems to be sped way up.

Now, what I'm thinking is how interesting it is that something like the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle has been limping along for well over a decade, with Fort Worth still waiting for that much needed flood control project to start protecting Fort Worth, with the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle really not having all that much to show for itself after all this time.

Not much to show, unless one is impressed with the TRVB's creation of the world's premiere urban wakeboard lake, the world's first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century, the world's first inner tube happy hour floats in a polluted river and the world's premiere island-free polluted waterfront music venue.

Oh, and abusing eminent domain to steal, I mean, buy a lot of people's property. No eminent domain abuse has occurred to create Viridian. No businesses were destroyed. No lives were left in chaos.

Where the paved trail exits Viridian I was surprised to see what looked like a small mountain, of the sort of brown, grass covered hills one sees in Eastern Washington. I have no clue whether nor not this mountain is part of the Viridian development.

If such a mountain appeared in the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle zone I would expect to be reading breathless reports about the mountain becoming the world's premiere year round ski resort with the world's biggest artificial snow maker and the world's fastest open air ski lift, with a Tim Love restaurant at the summit, commanding a view of the Panther Island Pavilion music venue and those world famous Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats, along with the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth....

Who Is Covering Up Who Stayed In The TRWD Hunting Preserve's Cabin?

This morning I found an extremely interesting tidbit of info in a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article posted Friday, Aug. 02, 2013 titled Tarrant water district’s use of private camp on public land draws questions.

First the last 5 paragraphs from the article and then I'll tell you what I found so interesting....

Kelleher, the challenger who received more votes than anyone on the ballot, said she will continue to press for the board to be more transparent about its money and its property.

Giving the public a closeup view of the hunting camp, she said, is a start.

“I just want it to be acknowledged that a deer hunting camp does exist,” said Kelleher, who proposed that the land use be reviewed periodically.

For example, Kelleher said she was glad to know that visitors are required to sign in and out of the cabin on a log book, which was placed on the dining table during the Star-Telegram’s visit last week.

On that day, however, the book contained only blank sheets.

Mull that last sentence, above, over.

"On that day, however, the book contained only blank sheets."

The log book being referenced can be seen in the picture at the top, sitting on a table inside the TRWD Hunting Preserve's cabin.

Enlarging the image of the logbook I can make out some of the words on the cover, as in "EVERYONE MUST SIGN IN AND OUT ANY SEASON."

On the cover "EVERYONE" is surrounded by quotation marks, signifying, it would seem, the significance of everyone signing in.

And yet all the pages in the log book are blank.

Now, let's think about why this TRWD Hunting Preserve is controversial. The assertion has been that the TRWD Board Members have used this public land as their private preserve.

But, the veteran TRWD  Board Members claim they have never used the TRWD Hunting Preserve, claiming it is a perk for the benefit of TRWD's employees. With those employees being who paid for the TRWD Hunting Preserve's various features, with no public funds spent on public land that the public is forbidden to use.

So, why are there no log-ins in the TRWD Hunting Preserve log book, which insists "EVERYONE" must sign in?

Could it be that a check of some of the names which were in that now blank log book would quickly be found out not to be TRWD employees or other approved users of the TRWD Hunting Preserve?

For example, did the guys and gals in Marty Leonard's Sensible Shoe Society Club spend a weekend hunting deer whilst staying in the cabin?

Did a group of Jim Lane's cronies have themselves a mighty fine time staying in the TRWD Hunting Preserve cabin?

Did Jim Oliver let some friends and family use the TRWD Hunting Preserve cabin?

What names were in that log book that necessitated it being wiped clean? Who turned all the log book pages blank? When did this page blanking occur?

Is there a record at TRWD Headquarters of who has used the TRWD Hunting Preserve cabin?

Who, besides the TRWD board members and Jim Oliver, would have any cover up interest in removing the list of names of who had used the TRWD Hunting Preserve cabin?

Like I already said, extremely interesting.