Neither The Mountain Or Space Needle Is Out At My Texas Location

Saw that which you see here, this November 16 afternoon, on Facebook, with the verbiage in the posting saying, "Mountain was out...11/14/23".

In Western Washington Mount Rainier is usually referred to as The Mountain. If you say something like "The Mountain is out, clear and bright today", one knows it is Mount Rainier being referred to, even though Washington has many big mountains, five of which, including Rainier, are volcanoes.

But, what I was most interested in in the photo was the Space Needle. What is going on on top of the Space Needle?

Is a new observation deck being added to the top of the Needle? It costs over 20 bucks to ride the elevator to the top of the Needle. Is there going to be an option to pay a few more bucks to get to climb a ladder totally to the top of the Needle?

I think I would pass on that option.

Fun fact. If you are ever in Seattle and an earthquake is pending, the safest place to be in Seattle is at the top of the Space Needle. The Needle will sway in the quake, in a big one the swaying would be carnival ride worthy. But it will not topple.

The bulk of the weight of the Space Needle structure is a HUGE base of concrete, to which the Needle's steel legs are solidly bonded. 

Supposedly the transit tunnels which go under downtown Seattle are also designed to survive a strong earthquake. I think I'd rather be at the top of the Needle, than underground, if that ground starts quaking...

Sikes Lake Thin Man's Shadow Takes You On A Scenic Tour

Well, we have passed the Ides of November. The year 2023 is zipping to a close.

Yesterday I was back at Lucy Park, fast walking the park's backwoods jungle. 

We have a couple more summer-like days before the return of fall, this coming Monday. The air turning cold, with rain possibly falling.

Today it was back to Sikes Lake I drove, for a fast walk around the lake.

Recently some Texas entity named the MSU (Midwestern State University) campus as the most attractive in Texas. Or was it most scenic? I don't remember.

But, the above view from the bridge across Sikes Lake, looking west at the Sikes Lake currently Greenish Lagoon, is a good example of this college campus being both attractive and scenic.

And the above would be the Shadow of the One-Armed Sikes Lake Thin Man, standing on the deck of that aforementioned bridge. As you can sort of see, it is a t-shirt and cargo shorts type day, again.

Another look at why the MSU campus is thought to be attractive and scenic. Here we are at the north end of the lake.

That structure at the center is known as Priddy Pavilion. Music events take place there.

That structure to the right is a covered walkway leading to the entry to Wichita Falls Museum of Art.

If you look closely under the Priddy Pavilion you can see the bridge across the lake at the north end of the lake.

That bridge leads to the parking lot where my vehicle was located.

And that ends your tour of Sikes Lake for the day...

Warm November Walk Around Mirror-Like Sikes Lake

Today is one more pleasant November day in my North Texas location.

As you can see, Sikes Lake is wave-free, due to no wind blowing, creating a mirror-like surface reflecting the clear blue sky.

A large number of geese have arrived from the north.

Apparently not aware of the danger they face by stopping at Sikes Lake, site of a mass murder of 383 geese a couple months ago.

Today's super pleasant weather had a large number of fellow walkers and joggers walking around Sikes Lake today.

Leaves have begun falling copiously the past couple days. Today I was parked under a tree, with the falling leaves sounding like hail hitting my vehicle.

Pleasant weather is forecast to continue til next Monday, with the return of rain and temperatures in the 50s.

Mid November Mud-Free Walk Through Lucy Park Jungle

Almost halfway through the 2023 version of November, it was back to the Lucy Park backwoods jungle I ventured today, back in cargo shorts and t-shirt, due to the return of warm temperatures.

Usually by this point in time the Lucy Park backwoods jungle is too muddy to walk in, unless one wants to gain a few inches in height due to a thick layer of muds sticking to one's shoes.

We have had a couple nights where the temperature went below freezing, but, apparently, not freezing cold enough to cause the trees to lose their leaves.

Today's photo of the Lucy Park backwoods jungle looks spring-like, not fall or winter-like, what with so much greenery due to rain last week.

Snow Closes No Mountain Passes In My Texas Location

 ALERT: The SR 20 North Cascades Highway is CLOSED as of 10 am today - Saturday - due to a combination of current weather conditions, forecasted weather and significant slide concerns - they're seeing a lot of precipitation, up to 6 inches an hour. The closure will be between the two usual points of milepost 134 Ross Dam Trailhead on the west side and milepost 171 Silver Star Gate on the east side. The pass will remain closed through the weekend and will be reevaluated on Monday. While recreation is still permitted beyond the closure gates, anyone going past them should be aware of the potential weather-related hazards.

That which you see above showed up yesterday on Facebook via WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation).

State Route 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway is a road which goes through my old home zone of the Skagit Valley. 

It has been a couple decades now since I live nowhere near mountains, let alone mountains with mountain passes. 

It was a short drive east from my old home zone to be surrounded by mountains. And a short drive on State Route 20, west, to saltwater, and a float on a ferry.

I am hoping to make it through this coming winter without seeing white scenery like you see above. It is treacherous to drive in this flat land when the roads are covered with thick ice.

Wichita Falls Veterans Day With Flags & Santas

A couple days ago I was driving south on Hamilton Boulevard in the Beverly Hills of Wichita Falls, and was surprised to see a HUGE Christmas display already on display.

So, today I drove to Hamilton Park to park and walked to that aforementioned early Christmas display for photo documenting purposes.

I would hazard to guess that this Christmas display in in the running to win this year's coveted Griswold Award.

That photo above was taken from across the street, trying to capture the entire scene, but there was more to see to both the left and right in the photo.

I crossed the street, to the sidewalk, to take a closer photo, which captured way less than the above photo.

Flags were planted in the ground, everywhere I drove this day before Veterans Day, which for some reason is officially somehow on November 10, this year, not November 11.

My wall calendar has both today and tomorrow being Veterans Day.

For today my wall calendar says...

Veterans Day observed (US)

For tomorrow my wall calendar says...

Veterans Day (US)
Remembrance Day (AU, CA, NZ)
Armistice (BE, FR)

The Actual Seasons In Texas

Saw that which you see here, today, on Facebook. And thought it to be so true, so accurate.

We are currently in Hotumn.

Yesterday the temperature sizzled into the 90s.

Today the temperature de-sizzled, into the 50s, with drizzle.

I did not turn on the air conditioning when we were sizzling and have not turned on the heat now that we are currently not sizzling.

It is highly likely I will feel the need to turn on the heat, by morning....

One More HOT Wichita Falls Day Before Big Chill Returns

Apparently today, the 8th day of November, also known as the second Wednesday of the 2023 version of the aforementioned month, the return of summer-like HEAT ends today.

With a return to a drizzly chill tomorrow.

Despite getting HEATED to the low 90s the past couple day I have not succumbed to turning on the air conditioning in my living space.

In my motorized means of mechanized motion, yes, I have turned on the A/C.

I hope not to feel the need to turn on the air conditioning in my living space til well into the next year of 2024...

Wichita Falls Midwestern State University Campus Most Beautiful In Texas

Saw this yesterday, via the Midwestern State University page on Facebook. A website called The Travel had named MSU the "Most Beautiful College Campus in Texas".

I went to The Travel website and scrolled and scrolled and scrolled and scrolled and scrolled down the entry page, and after an awful lot of scrolling I came to the entry about MSU and the school's beautiful campus, an article titled These Are The 10 Most Beautiful College Campuses In Texas.

What The Travel had to say about the MSU campus...

Despite being founded as a junior college in 1922, Midwestern State University has blossomed into a world-class university. It features tiled roofs on top of arched facades and signature maroon (red brick) exteriors.

The 255-acre campus has 70 buildings and notable attractions like the Sunwatcher, The Gates of Hercules, and a replica of the Liberty Bell.

Top attractions: The Sunwatcher, The Gates of Hercules, Castaway Cove Waterpark, The Family Fun Zone, Wichita Falls Museum of Art, Kemp Center for the Arts, The Juanita Harvey Art Gallery, Jenny to Jet Exhibit, Kell House Museum, MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights, Museum of North Texas History, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum, etc.

_______________________

The article fails to mention the trail around Sikes Lake on the MSU campus. I was going to go to Sikes Lake this morning, but the walking plan has switched to Lucy Park.

I have been to a couple other Texas college campuses. Baylor University, in Waco, and Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.

TCU in Fort Worth is quite nice, slightly hilly. I do not remember much about Baylor.

In another of The Travel college campus lists, one listing the most beautiful college campuses on the west coast, the University of Washington, in Seattle, was one. The UW is a nice, scenic campus. Unlike MSU, the UW has a big football stadium on the campus. 

The MSU football stadium is miles away from the MSU campus, that being Memorial Stadium, a football venue MSU shares with the four Wichita Falls high schools.

Western Washington State University, in Bellingham, was not on The Travel's list of the 10 most beautiful west coast campuses. Methinks WWSU is as beautiful as the UW campus, being nestled up against Sehome Hill.

I can see why The Travel would have MSU as the most beautiful campus in Texas. I was impressed with it upon first seeing it. The MSU topography is totally flat. The buildings all sort of match, architecturally, with new buildings incorporating elements from the older buildings, which is quite aesthetically pleasing. 

Centennial Hall, the newest building on the MSU campus, is a good example of how MSU blends a modern building with the ones built in decades past.

I will be driving by the MSU campus in a few minutes....

At Lake Wichita Park Seeing Mount Wichita Is Getting A New Parking Lot

It was to Lake Wichita Park I ventured this first Monday of the 2023 version of November, for some extremely windy fast paced walking, with the temperature in the low 80s.

I did not climb to the summit of Mount Wichita today. I was concerned a gust of wind might send me flying.

I was curious to see if the recent rain had raised the water level of Lake Wichita. It looked like the water level is a bit higher than when last at this location a couple weeks ago.

Ever since my first visit to this Lake Wichita location, years ago, I have opined that the entry road and parking lot was in dire need of an upgrade, due to it being one of the most bumpy potholed locations I have ever rolled my wheels on.

A few months ago I read that the parking lot and entry road were going to be paved. 

Well, that project is now well underway. I had to find an alternative parking location.

The current return to summer-like weather conditions is not scheduled to last long.

Cold returns in a couple days...