Rolling In The HEAT To Sikes Lake And Beyond

My bike rolled me around Sikes Lake and some other locations this HOT Saturday in July.

I don't know why, but I am not enjoying the bike riding like I used to. The HEAT is easier to take whilst bike riding, compared to fast walking. Rolling through the air creates a cooling wind chill, adding to the chill factor of the wind speed.

But, as soon as I stop rolling I quickly overheat and become a sweaty mess, which adds to the cooling as soon as I begin rolling again.

The bike's speedometer/odometer device malfunctioned today. It would not let me reset the distance. As in resetting the miles rolled back to zero. Instead, it added today's rolling to the previous distance rolled. Which forced me to use my limited mathematic skills to calculate how many miles I rolled, and how long I rolled, because it also would not reset the timer to zero.

Looking at the temperature forecast, starting tomorrow, through Wednesday, we are about to be our HOTTEST yet.
 

I do not recollect previously experiencing 110 degrees in Texas. In California and Arizona, I have been hotter than 110, over 120 in both states, with the hottest being in Death Valley in California.

So, it looks like Tuesday the Texas grid is going to be facing its biggest challenge yet, during this ongoing day after day after day after day over 100 degrees...

Today Lucy Park Falls Signage Did Not Help Start My Dead Vehicle

Today's warmly HEATED visit to Lucy Park turned into the longest Lucy Park visit ever.

But, before we get to that let's talk about the signs directing Lucy Park visitors to The Falls.

On my first visit to Lucy Park there were no directional signs. An event was taking place in the park, with the Texas Visitor's Center having an informational booth. It was at that informational booth I got the information needed to find The Falls.

It is rather easy to find The Falls in Wichita Falls, from Lucy Park. Simple follow the Circle Trail next to the Wichita River and you will soon come to The Falls.

About one out of every four Lucy Park visits I am stopped by a visiting tourist and asked how to get to The Falls. I never rudely say, "Just follow the signs." I politely provide the needed information in the same way it was related to me on my first visit to Lucy Park.

Above and below you see examples of the Lucy Park signage which now exists which make it easy to find your way to The Falls. And yet, I still get asked for directions.

The above sign even includes a map to make finding the correct direction real easy. This sign is a the Lucy Park entry to the Lucy Park suspension bridge across the Wichita River.

The above sign pops up at a trail junction a semi-short distance from the sign by the suspension bridge.

The signs really seem easy to follow, to me. 

Now, on to why I had such a long Lucy Park visit.

I arrived at the park before 11 this morning. I finished my fast walking exercise bout before noon. Went to start my vehicle and it would not cooperate. It had had the same problem a month prior, and had been fixed, supposedly, by an auto mechanic at a place called Alley's. It was a simple fix. Corroded connections. 

When the same thing happened today, I took off the connections, to see if they looked corroded. They didn't. But, I scraped them anyway. Put them back on, still did not start.

Called AAA. Was told help would arrive by one in the afternoon. One in the afternoon arrived, but no AAA. And then AAA called to say that it would now be three in the afternoon that help would arrive in the form of something called Pigg's Towing.

Every morning I hear an ad on the radio for Mike's Towing. It is a memorable ad. So, I called Mike's Towing. About ten minutes later Mike's Towing arrived to tow my dead vehicle back to Alley's where it had been supposedly fixed a month ago.

The Mike's Towing guy then deposited me back at my abode, where I was starving hungry and semi-dehydrated.

I guess I will now cancel AAA, since their road assistance appears to be worthless...

With Linda Lou Visiting Mount Vernon Farmer's Market & Hank Frank

Late yesterday afternoon, Mount Vernon's Linda Lou went walking with me in Walmart.

During the course of our walk talk Linda Lou told me about a Mount Vernon Farmer's Market she had been to that day. 

Linda Lou described to me the location of this Mount Vernon Farmer's Market, at the west end of Blackburn Road. So, this morning I used Google Earth to visit Mount Vernon.

I believe that is the Mount Vernon Farmer's Market Linda Lou told me about, above. Linda Lou described a big variety of Farmer's products at the Farmer's Market. Three types of cucumbers, the greenest parsley she'd ever seen, bright ruby red radishes. And more, much much more. 

Including a walk-in cooler with various Farmer's meat products.

And shopping at this Farmer's Market used the honor system. As in, no checkout with a clerk. You pick the products you want to buy, estimate the total, and then insert the right amount of cash into a secured container.

I would have trouble shopping at this Farmer's Market, due to needing cash. All my transactions are made using a debit card. I suppose if I were in Mount Vernon I could get myself some cash to get myself some fresh products from this Mount Vernon Farmer's Market.

This type food shopping is something I miss at my current location, where no such similar thing exists.

Mount Vernon also has another produce selling location that I wish existed here. That being the Skagit Valley Co-Op.

The Co-Op is located in downtown Mount Vernon, in the old Penney's building. I could find just about any food product I wanted to find, at the Skagit Valley Co-Op. Including things like candied ginger. I've never been able to find candied ginger in Texas.

The Skagit Valley Co-Op also sold products other than food. Things like clothes and homemade soap. And there is a restaurant. I remember going to Friday night spaghetti and garlic bread at the Co-Op's restaurant.

And now I suspect a product has been added to the Skagit Valley Co-Op product line up which I definitely can not find in any Texas store.

As in various cannabis-based products. The Skagit Valley Co-Op likely now has entire section devoted to pot products. I must remember to ask when next I talk to a Skagit Valley local.

Since I was in Mount Vernon, via Google Earth, I decided to make a quick visit to Hank Frank's place on Beaver Marsh Road.

I am just about 100% I found Hank Frank's house. This is where Google Earth took me when I entered my Favorite Nephew Joey's address.

Someday, hopefully sooner than later, I will find myself visiting Hank Frank in person...

UPDATE:  Via Linda Lou we have now learned the correct name for the aforementioned Mount Vernon Farmer's Market is Waxwing Farm. And that Waxwing Farm has a website where you see how their organic farming operation works, along with a KING5 news video story about the farm.

Having A Heat Wave A Non-Tropical Hot Humid Heat Wave

The 12-day forecast. No relief from 100 degrees in sight.

I did not leave my abode yesterday til after 5, to go to Walmart for some extreme air conditioning.

So far the Texas grid hasn't failed. At least at my location.

The heat pump and new climate control system which was installed last summer is making this so much more tolerable than the climate control system it replaced. The new system is quiet, cool and does not use as much electricity as the previous system did.

I see the prediction for Saturday, July 23, is 104 degrees. Months ago I thought it likely I would be in Washington on that day.

If I were to go to Washington this summer I would be shivering the entire time due to being acclimated to the non-stop Texas HOT sauna steambath, with Washington feeling like someone turned the air conditioner to a way too cool setting.

With rain...

Monday Heat Waving In Shady Lucy Park

I have let the HEAT keep me from getting any endorphins via fast walking in an outdoor venue.

Instead, I have been being aerobic in air-conditioned Walmart, pushing a grocery cart for a couple miles.

But, today, on this second Monday of the 2022 version of July, I opted to drive to Lucy Park for some shady fast walking, arriving earlier than the norm, hoping it would not be too HOT.

As you can see via the photo documentation, it was so HOT in Lucy Park that that big tree you see above is glowing orange, like it is on fire.

It did feel sort of good to be in the outdoor sauna steam bath. I probably won't repeat the experience tomorrow.

Today apparently there is some worry that the Texas grid may get over taxed due to the entire state experiencing triple digit temperatures.

We are being asked to be conservative with using electricity.

I have my A/C set at 78 degrees. Is that conservative enough?

I don't know what it would be like to experience a long lasting summer blackout, such as what happened winter before last, with the temperature below zero. I escaped to a motel which still had power.

If the power goes out I assume one would not want to be opening the refrigerator door. Water-soaked towels might be useful to keep cool. A cold shower would not be much relief, due to the fact that currently the cold water is warmer than lukewarm. The swimming pool is currently like a warm bath.

My vehicle's gas tank is full. A full tank should be able to power the A/C for a long time, if the situation grows dire...

Birch Bay Postcard Bandit Strikes Again

Late last month I blogged about a Mystery Postcard From Birch Bay Washington.

That postcard was a mystery because there was no information informing who it was who sent the postcard.

Or why.

And now, this second Saturday of the 2022 version of July, I found another mystery postcard from Birch Bay in my mailbox. Actually, the postcard is about Birch Bay, it was from, or mailed from, Seattle. Just like the previous mystery postcard.

That is both sides of today's Birch Bay postcard photo documented above.

Previously I said I wish I had not discarded last year's batch of Christmas cards, because I figured I could find a writing style match.

Well, this morning I found that I had not discarded this year's batch of Christmas cards.

I found no penmanship match. Not even close.

Is the reason for these Birch Bay postcards something to do with the fact that the past two summers, well, last summer and this one, I thought I was going to be having fun at Birch Bay with all my siblings, except the un-fun one?

But, no Birch Bay plan became known to me. I do know that the ones I was most looking forward to seeing, and building sand castles with, David, Theo, Ruby and their parental units, are going to the other Washington, this month.

I think it is closer for me to go to the other Washington than the Washington with Birch Bay. Maybe I'll make a surprise trip to D.C. to see the Tacoma Trio...

Sizzling 117 Degree Scorcher

At half past five, this Friday afternoon, I left my air-conditioned abode to use my air-conditioned motorized motion device to take me to Walmart.

When I turned the key to ignite the engine, lighting up the various information displays, I was appalled to see the temperature device was indicating I was sweltering in 117 humid degrees.

After driving a half mile, or so, the temperature lowered to 111. The wind chill factor benefit of driving 40 mph? I don't know.

What I do know is Walmart keeps their air conditioned to a cooler temperature than I keep the interior of my abode.

That and way too many people, who are way too big, wear way too little to Walmart. And way too many of them have way too many tattoos.

There currently is no end in sight for this scorching heat wave.

Tonight, around midnight, thunderstorms are predicted as possible. I am already seeing big clouds that look like they could do some loud booming.

Humid Hot 106 In Wichita Falls

The above is a screenshot from my phone taken at 1:22 PM on this first Thursday of the 2022 version of July. 102 degrees, with the humidity making it feel like 106.

I did my salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic speed walking in extremely cool air-conditioned Walmart this morning.

All my previous HOT seasons in Texas I do not remember any previous HOT season coming close to this day after day after day over 100, with the 100 degree days beginning before the arrival of summer.

I sort of regret not making plans to be in the Pacific Northwest this summer.

My last time spending a whole month in Washington was from July 23 to August 23 in 2008. That trip, when I flew Southwest out of Love Field in Dallas, the temperature was over 100. I arrived at Sea-Tac with the temperature barely over 50.

I felt cold that entire month in Washington. I whined about it so much my sister bought me a coat at Costco, which I still have. It's a nice coat.

I remember my first night in Tacoma, in the basement bedroom, I was so cold in the middle of the night I got up and searched for more blankets.

After a few days of shivering in the basement I asked if it were at all possible for me to move to the top floor, which was not used as a bedroom at that point in time.

A top floor which I had discovered was pleasantly warm.

Permission was granted, and a bed was installed. The shivering quit being so chronic...

Back Biking To Hamilton Park Splash Pad

Til today, it has been quite some time since I let my bike roll me anywhere.

Today, an hour before noon, my bike began rolling me north on the Circle Trail, exiting the Circle Trail in Hamilton Park by the Splash Pad, which is what you see my bike's handlebars pointing towards in the photo documentation.

There was some wind blowing, which made the 99 degrees feel a bit cooler. Combining the wind speed with the bike speed, the wind chill factor makes those 99 degrees feel like only 96 degrees. Give or take a degree, or two.

Of late my aerobic exercise of choice has been high speed walking. Such is much more relaxing and comfortable than sitting on a bike seat pedaling.

I think maybe I will be keeping bike riding on hold til cooler temperatures return, and instead continue going on shady high speed walks for my endorphin acquisition...

4th Of July Sikes Lake Cactus Chow Mein & Barbecued Ribs

Sunday night I was carousing way too late, which had me waking up way too late, 4th of July morning, to make it to downtown Wichita Falls for the Independence Day Parade.

I was wary of watching that parade, anyway. I'm still not liking being in a crowd. And there has been a breakout of Monkey Pox infections in Wichita County.

So, instead of watching a parade I paraded myself around Sikes Lake this 4th of July morning. Which is the location of the cactus you see above, sprouting near the trail which surrounds the lake.

My totally traditional 4th of July vittles are ready for consumption.

That is 4th of July Chicken Chow Mein you see in the wok. 

Along with a rack of BBQed ribs. 

I have not heard any firecrackers cracking, so far, today. Last night I heard a few booms, along with some thunder that came with a surprise rainstorm.