Anonymous Takes Me To America's Biggest Boondoggle's Airfield Falls Trailhead Embarrassment

What?

The TRWD's Airfield Falls Trailhead project is not yet completed?

After so many years?

I learned this from someone named Anonymous who yesterday anonymously made a blog comment to a blogging which I blogged yesterday....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Breathing Free While Dallas/Fort Worth Has A Level Orange Ozone Action Day":

Fort Worth's beautiful Airfield Falls Trailhead.

Contractor hired to complete Airfield Falls Trailhead

The story is a little old. You must have missed it with your big move north and all. I'm still not seeing the C-9 sculpture that is supposed to be a feature of the Airfield Falls. 

________________________

In its quarterly propaganda publication America's Biggest Boondoggle, also known as the Trinity River Uptown Central City Panther Island Vision, has touted this Airfield Falls Trailhead being under construction among its meager accomplishments.

The Boondoggle being involved with this project, in cahoots with its parent Boondoggler, the TRWD, may explain why this million dollar plus project has languished like other aspects of the vitally needed flood control and economic project, which must not actually be vitally needed, or what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle would have been put to a public vote with funds raised the way public works projects are funded in more progressive, advanced, modern democratic parts of America, with the project finished years ago, with Fort Worth enjoying the benefits of this supposedly vitally needed flood control and economic development project.

Now that above paragraph is one horrendously long run on sentence.

And another thing. I've not read anything about The Boondoggle's bridge construction. The last news I read about those infamous non-signature little bridges being built over dry land to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island was construction had to be halted due to a serious design flaw.

When the design flaw and bridge building stall was announced part of the story was it would take about a month to fix the problem and continue building those unique V shaped piers.

Its months later. What is the current status of The Boondoggle's four year bridge building plan? Stalled like the Airfield Falls Trailhead?

And, what is the current status of The Boondoggle's Wakeboard Park? You know, that little pond where a mechanical device towed a few people an hour around a pond, which no one figured out was not much of a feasible business model, due to the small number of paying customers possible. As in I think only four wakeboarders could wakeboard at a time. I don't know how long a wakeboard session might be. Let's say it is as short as ten minutes. That would allow, at most, 24 wakeboarders per hour. I'm sure the sessions were longer than ten minutes.

Can you imagine Disney signing on to a Disneyland ride which could only handle 24 riders an hour?

The Cowtown Wakepark seemed, to me, doomed to fail. Even though J.D. Granger embarrassingly touted it as being a really great thing, making this popular sport available to the people of Fort Worth longing to get towed around a pond of dirty water.

So, anyone know the current status of The Boondoggle's bridges and Cowtown Wakepark?

J.D. Granger been fired yet?

Breathing Free While Dallas/Fort Worth Has A Level Orange Ozone Action Day

Today my previous Texas location is having itself a Level Orange Ozone Action Day.

My current location is about 120 miles northwest of my old location.

Apparently 120 miles is distant enough to escape the extreme pollution that pollutes the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

I am looking out my computer room window, right now, at a horizon which has no haze.

Clear blue sky.

I have now been out of the D/FW Metro Mess for almost two months.

Long enough to make note of some interesting changes.

When I lived in Western Washington I never had any allergy woes. Or breathing woes. After my exile to Texas I soon developed various breathing woes. As in clogged up nasal passages which soon had me using nasal spray addictively.

I also had several bouts of extreme allergic reaction to allergens, like pollen blowing in from Hill Country.

And then there's the D/FW dust.

I have a glass topped coffee table that made the move from Washington. At my location in Washington that glass topped coffee table never got dust covered. Soon upon arriving in Texas I found that I was constantly removing the coating of dirty dust from that glass.

I figured my Washington location must have been dust free due to its negative ionizer air filter.

Well, that same glass covered coffee table is at my new location in Wichita Falls. And it is totally dust free after being here almost two months.

Same thing with the water here. At my previous Texas location something in the water was always making a scale like coating. The stainless steel kitchen sink was a challenge to keep shiny. Same with the shower curtain.

Here the water does not leave behind any sort of residue. What are the water treaters doing different here in Wichita Falls which has the water being so much, I don't know, cleaner?

I don't think the D/FW zone is a healthy place to be living, for a number or reasons. That may be true of many highly populated urban zones.

But, I think D/FW, and Fort Worth in particular, may be much worse than the urban norm. Fort Worth is the only large city in the world which has allowed fracking on a massive scale. Fracking puts all sorts of bad stuff in the air. Lots of dust due to trucks. Lots of noise when drilling. Lots of chemicals during the fracking. Lots of air pollutants when the gas is extracted.

Too bad there is not some sort of environmental protection agency monitoring the air we breathe and stopping the worst of the polluters from polluting...

Flat Tire Fix Takes Me To Site Of Former Lake Wichita Pavilion

No, that is not me looking tired and disgusted at Lake Wichita's version of Lake Travis' Hippie Hollow.

What you are actually looking at is me at the former site of the Lake Wichita Pavilion.

From nearby informational signage...

The Lake Wichita Pavilion, built in 1909-10 featured a cafe and skating rink on the first floor and a dance hall on the second floor. It burned down in 1955. Pilings from the Pavilion's pier can be seen in the water in front of you.

In my case that should be changed to "seen in the water behind you".

As you can see there is not much wave action on the lake, because little wind is blowing on this first summer day of 2016.

The summer solstice started off annoying for me. Soon after the arrival of the sun I looked out my kitchen window to see that my mechanized means of transport had developed a flat tire overnight. About an hour later I had the tire removed and the spare installed. I then drove to a tire repair place where a few minutes later the spare was back in its usual location.

I have to drive back to the Dallas/Fort Worth mess this week. Inflated tires are a requisite for that drive.

I forgot to slather on sun screen today. Or spray bug repellent. I did not get any bug bites. It is too soon to tell if I got sunburned. As you can see, all this sun I am exposed to has turned me back into being blonde. With freckles...

Happy Father's Day Part Two: McDonald's In Pink

The wonders of the modern world really are a wonder at times.

Around noon I texted my dad with a "Happy Father's Day Pa!"

To which my dad quickly texted back "Thanks!"

Then a short while ago Spencer Jack's dad, my Favorite Nephew Jason, texted me the photo you see here, with the text saying....

Just received incoming photo of your father from my father. Apparently they are having Sunday Father's Day brunch at McDonalds.

Who does the color coordinating of my mom and dad's outfits? My dad? Maybe mom can still make out colors through her degenerated macular.

Who would a thunk, 20 years ago, that electronic communicating would evolve such as it has. My brother snaps a picture of mom and dad in an Arizona McDonalds, then sends the photo, via his phone to his eldest son, who still lives in Washington, who then sends the photo to my dad's eldest son, who still lives in Texas.

All done without those vexing long distance type phone charges of now ancient times.

During Spencer Jack and his dad's recent trek though Yellowstone and the Lewis and Clark Caverns the boys documented what they were doing via texting photos and videos.

Years ago when I was on a roadtrip I would buy these things called postcards. Then, at night, settled in in a motel room or campsite, I'd entertain myself writing long-winded messages on those postcards  and find a place to mail them the next morning.

That seems so primitive now.

Usually I would have returned home before anyone received one of my postcards.

Happy Father's Day To My Dad

That would be my dad you are looking at here, way back decades ago in the previous century.

That adorable baby, who looks to be only a few months old, would be me.

I am assuming this photo opportunity took place in Eugene, Oregon, which was the town I was born in.

Or maybe this photo was taken up north, in Lynden, Washington, on my first visit to see my grandparental units.

I suspect I was older when the first of many trips to Lynden took place. I don't think I'd met my maternal grandparental units before the below photo was sent to my Grandma and Grandpa Porter.

As far back as my memory goes I remember being told that when Grandpa Porter saw the above photo he wired money to Eugene telling my mom and dad to get that boy some clothes.

I do not remember, for sure, when the last time was where all my dad's children were at the same place at the same time. It may have been when the below photo was taken.

This was in my sister in the middle's backyard in Kent, Washington, where we were assembled for mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary, which is August 6, but as always seems to happen for mom and dad's significant number wedding anniversary parties, the party takes place on August 11.

My birthday.

At this particular 50th wedding anniversary I was not expected to attend. But I solo drove from Texas, with only Spencer Jack's dad and his uncle knowing I was heading north. Since I was not expected, but arrived anyway, a hurried makeshift birthday card was cobbled together and given to me. I recollect saying something like "Is this all I get? No presents?"

Hard to believe, this coming August 11 it will be 15 years since the above photo was taken. Grandma Vera, sitting next to my mom, is no longer with us. Nor are several others who were there that day. Like my mom's little sister, Aunt Mike. And my dad's little brother, Uncle Mel. And longtime family friend, Glen Youngren.

I have no idea why my little sister, Michele, now the mother of David, Theo and Ruby, appears to be taller than any of her siblings, because she is not.

Anyway, Happy Father's Day to my Dad and all the other Dad's out there....

Water Is Awesome In Fort Worth Along With Other Childish Nonsense

Just got a text message from Elsie Hotpepper, first line...

And here it goes again....

Then....

Billboard off I-30 before downtown Fort Worth, with the billboard having a website address...

waterisawesome.com

I went to the Water is Awesome website to find myself appalled to quickly learn it is yet one more bizarre money wasting production of the TRWD, also known as the Tarrant Region Water District.

Also known as the parent of America's Biggest Boondoggle, also known as the Trinity River Uptown Central City Panther Island Vision.

Is Water is Awesome replacing the very embarrassing Lawn Whisperer waste of money?

I realized a couple days ago that I will no longer be getting the slick quarterly propaganda pieces from America's Biggest Boondoggle touting imaginary progress in their mostly imaginary project.

Who convinces those in charge at the TRWD that an advertising campaign of this sort has any justifiable impact on the way people use water?

Or is this latest money waster just another example of the TRWD's funneling of funds to entities associated with the good ol' boy and girl network which runs Fort Worth?

The town I am currently in, Wichita Falls, went through a five year drought trauma which severely affected this town. Since I have been here I have not seen a single billboard telling me things like water is awesome or about some guy whispering to a lawn.

I have read articles about ongoing efforts in this town regarding its water supply, but no childish propaganda type nonsense, such as what is so frequent in Fort Worth.

Gold Dome & Historical Marker Lead Me To Wichita Bluff Nature Area

Ever since I have been in Wichita Falls my regular Saturday commune with nature location has been Lucy Park.

This latest Saturday became a Lucy Park exception.

Instead I took myself on a drive on streets I'd not been on yet. This took me by a Texas State Historical Marker oddly stuck in someone's yard. Of course I had to stop and see what was historical. More on that in a subsequent blogging, if I get around to it.

Soon after learning some local history a golden dome came into view. I stopped to take a picture. Maybe I will get around to showing you that in a subsequent blogging. Soon after taking the golden dome picture I drove by the domed building to see it was the Floral Heights United Methodist Church.

I drove past the church to soon learn I was driving in the Floral Heights neighborhood. This was to be the second instance of the day driving on a brick street. What is it with Texas towns and brick streets?

Eventually I came to a road with which I was familiar. Seymour. Seymour is the road which leads to Lucy Park. Had I taken a right turn I would  have been aimed at Lucy Park. Instead I took a left which soon had me driving by the Wichita Bluff Nature Area.

I saw several cars parked in the WBNA parking lot, causing me to think maybe the new park's construction was complete, so I entered the Natural Area.

Upon arrival I could see that a "KEEP OUT CONSTRUCTION AREA" fence was in the location I saw it on my first visit. But, the fence was knocked down and I saw a lady walking towards me in the distance. So I walked past the KEEP OUT sign laying on the ground.

When the lady got close enough we did the requisite howdy and then I asked if the park was open. She said she figured the KEEP OUT did not apply today because no construction work was going on.

I continued on. Soon I came to new paved trail, destined to become part of the Wichita Falls Circle Trail.

My picture taking skills are limited, so I was unable to capture what I actually saw in the above photo. The paved trail makes a curve. To the right of that curve is a steep drop off.  I am assuming some sort of protective guard rail type thing will need to be installed. But where? Like I said, it is a steep drop off right at the edge of the trail.

A short distance later the entire scope of what is being built at this location came into view.

In the above photo I am standing at the edge of the aforementioned steep drop off looking east across a deep ravine. At the other side of the ravine you can see a completed section of the Circle Trail, leading to the also aforementioned Lucy Park. I am guessing that is some sort of bridge footing, surrounded by water, at the bottom of the ravine.

Making a 180 degree turn from the steep drop I saw what you see below.

I am guessing this will be a picnic shelter. Wichita Falls' parks do a good job making sure there are plenty of covered picnic areas, unlike another Texas town I was appalled by for way too many reasons for way too long.

I'm thinking the Wichita Bluff Nature Area is going to be my favorite commune with nature go to place when it is completed. This park will give Wichita Falls a park with trails going up and down what passes for hills at this location on the planet. Well, I guess we call the hills here bluffs.

Rather scenic bluffs.

I was able to get a fairly good idea of how the trail is being laid out to traverse the ravine. I also saw trails, other than the Circle Trail, in the formative stage, such as what you can sort of see in the middle of the above picture, forms laid out on the ground.

I don't know if the Wichita Bluff Nature Area has the potential to be a Tandy Hills Natural Area type experience, with miles of trails meandering about. Even though the Wichita Bluff Nature Area is not yet open it is already more "developed" than the Tandy Hills Natural Area. And judging by what I saw today, already getting more visitors.

Wichita Fallers seem to me to be a much more active brand of Texan than the lethargic sorts which seemed to populate most of the Texas town I previously lived in.

I have yet to to climb Mount Wichita with myself being the sole climber. More often than not I never saw another human whilst hiking Fort Worth's Tandy Hills.

If something like the Tandy Hills existed in the Wichita Falls zone, judging by the activity level I have witnessed here, the hills would be filled with the sound of people enjoying themselves.

I suspect when it opens it is going to be quickly realized that the Wichita Bluff Nature Area parking lot is not big enough. There are maybe 30 parking stalls. Today when I was there 6 of those stalls were parked on. The Tandy Hills has no parking lot, because, well, there really is no need for such a thing.

Spencer Jack Takes His Dad Spelunking In Montana's Lewis & Clark Caverns

Incoming email from Spencer Jack and his dad from Montana.

Message in email...

FUD - Spencer loved your uncle recommended cave outing. As did your aging nephew.

We are ending our road trip this evening in Bozeman.

Will call you sometime in the near future to tell you about our trip.

Ttyl, FNJ

The cave to which FNJ refers are the Lewis and Clark Caverns in Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park in the great state of Montana.

I first spelunked in these caverns decades ago. At that point in time a narrow gauge train took spelunkers to a steep vertical tram which delivered the spelunkers to the cavern entry. Years later I was back and dismayed to find the train and tram no longer existed, and that to tour the caverns one now had to take a long hike, following the tour guide, to the cavern entry.

Judging from the first picture, above, I am guessing the train and tram have not returned, and that a long hike still takes spelunkers to the cavern entry.

Spencer Jack appears cheered up and recovered from the likely long hike to the entry to the caverns.

Lewis and Clark Caverns were the first such thing I ever experienced. In later years I found myself in multiple other caverns, such as Carlsbad in New Mexico, and Lehman Cave in Nevada, and Wind Cave in South Dakota.

But, Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana remain my favorite. It may be the Beaver Slide which has left this cavern etched in my memory. I am guessing the above picture was taken either before or after Spencer Jack slid the Beaver Slide.

Yeah, it appears that Spencer Jack had himself a mighty fine time visiting the stalagmites and stalactites that live in the Lewis and Clark Caverns.

Flying Hot With Throngs Of Wichita Mountain Climbers

Today, about a half hour before noon, I was back on Mount Wichita for the first time since a bout of daily deluging rendered mountain climbing too muddy at this mostly mountain-free part of the planet.

The temperature whilst I was mountain climbing was barely into the 90s, with the high humidity making that temperature really feel like it was about 10 degrees warmer.

I  was not alone on the mountain today. A large number of people were enjoying the relatively cool weather, including the young lady you see on the summit of Mount Wichita.

That is not a jet flying above the young lady on the summit. That is a large Styrofoam model airplane which she hauled to the mountain top.

I somehow managed to snap the photo just as the plane was launched. About a second later the plane crashed, unable to glide, even though a strong wind blew.

I did not stay around for subsequent launch attempts.

Due to a strong wind blowing I was not assaulted by hordes of biting insects.

The biting insects woe seems to have abated in the past couple weeks. Only twice since I was savagely attacked on Mount Wichita by multiple types of biters have I felt the need to use the Cutter bug repellent I bought the day of the attack.

In the second photo you can see some of the other mountain climbers climbing Mount Wichita today.

These mountain climbers climbed well before the summit turned into an airplane launch pad.

There is a plan afoot to dredge Lake Wichita. Currently the lake is quite shallow, I think 7 feet deep on average, due to decades of silt accumulation.

I hope when the lake is dredged that that which is dredged is piled up next to Mount Wichita in several piles, creating the Wichita Mountain range.

I think this could become a prime attraction. Done right maybe even mountain bike trails could be built.

A couple weeks ago I learned that it was the dredging of Sikes Lake which was the source of the material which materialized as Mount Wichita.

Sikes Lake is a short distance from my abode. I've not yet learned why the new mountain was not built near Sikes Lake instead of several miles away at Lake Wichita.

Sikes Lake is sort of part of Midwestern State University. There is a trail around the lake. The trail goes by a museum with multiple outdoor art installations.

I drove in the road on the east side of the lake last week to find myself dealing with the biggest flock of roadblocking geese I have ever encountered. The trail around Sikes Lake goes through the geese infestation. My encounters with geese have usually not gone well, but I must be brave, soon, and jog around Sikes Lake.

Spencer Jack Stalked By Yellowstone Buffalo

Checking email this morning I found multiple emails from Spencer Jack and his dad with multiple pictures of Spencer Jack in Yellowstone.

Including a video of Spencer Jack being stalked by a big buffalo, well, big bison is the word Spencer Jack used for the big beast chasing him.

When I watched the video I did not know what I was looking at because it was upside down. So I upside righted it in Windows Movie Maker and then YouTubed it.

You can watch that video below.

That is not Spencer Jack behind the wheel of a 1965 Mustang Fastback talking to a bear.

That is me behind the wheel of my first car, acquired when I was a junior in high school. That car took me to a lot of places all over the west.

On this particular trip to Yellowstone at some point I saw the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. That is one spectacular  canyon, I said. And then said, let's continue south and go see the more well known Grand Canyon. Before arriving at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon we checked out Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon. Lots of canyons on that particular roadtrip. Knew nothing about Bryce or Zion at the time. And so that was great fun discovering those two national parks, almost topped by seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time.

It has been a few decades since I've seen the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, but I am fairly certain that is what is behind Spencer Jack in the picture below.

I am also fairly certain that Spencer Jack and his dad won't be heading south on this trip to go see the other Grand Canyon.

I have not been to Yellowstone since the year before wildfires burned a large area of the park back late in the previous century.

Are there still a lot of bears allowed in Yellowstone? On our first family vacation roadtrip to Yellowstone, a long time ago, we saw dozens upon dozens of bears.

Below you can watch Spencer Jack and his dad being chased by a buffalo....