OneDrive Memory Of Enchanted Rock & Ralph The Swimming Pig

Another Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day, which I actually remember, something which does not happen too often with these alleged photo memories.

It was a Winter day, easily could have been in February, during a time when I took myself on a solo roadtrip. 

First night I stayed in Waco, and mountain biked the trails in Waco's Cameron Park.

Second night I stayed in San Marcos, and had fun exploring Aquarena Springs, site of the clearest water I have ever seen, and an abandoned amusement park that one could walk through.

Back during its heyday a pig named Ralph, known as The Swimming Pig, put on a show in Spring Lake. One could watch the show from above the lake, or venture into a submarine viewing venue. 

When I visited one could still climb down into the submarine viewing venue to look deep into the crystal clear water.

Leaving San Marcos I found myself in what is known in Texas as Hill Country. This is where one finds Luckenbach, and many other sites of interest. Eventually I found myself at Enchanted Rock State Park, which is where the above photo was taken, at the top of the rock, using my long-gone Casio digital camera, which had a feature now known as taking a selfie.

Leaving Enchanted Rock I headed south, eventually spending the night in San Antonio, and seeing the Alamo for the first time. That and San Antonio's Riverwalk.

The next morning I got a phone call which caused me to hurry back to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex as quick as possible.

Remembering that phone call, and all the other phone calls that day, is a memory I would have preferred not to have been reminded of today...

Hot Hiking Wichita River Waterfall With No Rattlesnakes

Day five of the early return of Summer, during the final weeks of the Winter of 2024, had me overheating on the final Saturday of February fast hiking the Circle Trail as it meanders east of the Wichita Bluff Nature Area.

Walking this section of the Circle Trail I do not recollect previously making note of the Wichita River waterfall you see below. This is almost as wild a waterfall as that which remains of the original Wichita Falls, located a few miles further downstream.

I have yet to see any reptiles slithering during this current unnatural heat wave. It would seem snakes would slither out of wherever it is they spend the cold time of the year.

Speaking of snakes. The Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup happens in March. I experienced this disturbing event once, earlier in the current century. I made a Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup webpage, which included the first video I made with my long-gone Canon camcorder.

Years ago, that Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup webpage came up #1 when Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup was searched for on Google. I don't know if it shows up at all, anymore. During the time it Googled high that webpage generated a lot of email feedback. Some of which were of the sort that arrived in my email yesterday...

Rattlesnake Roundup

Howdy there.

It's that time of the year again when we're coming back for the killers to them a damn good exposé.  The merchants of death will be dragged through the dirt like they'll always be until such time as the killing ends.

Henry sends his regards by the way.

Robert Piller.

Campaign Against the Trade in Endangered Species...

__________________________

Are rattlesnakes an endangered species? There seem to be plenty of them slithering about. I've happened upon several out in the wild whilst I have been in Texas.

I have zero clue as to who this Henry is who is sending his regards my way...

I opted to take advantage of today's blazing hot sun to get an early start on getting suntanned, preparing to get tropical.

I appear to be a tad sunburned. Methinks such is an optical illusion. That swamp grass on the banks of the Wichita River probably should have had me vigilantly looking out for any snakes in the grass...

Sticks Season At Lucy Park On Last Friday Of February With No Alligators

On yet one more day of North Texas seeming like Summer, instead of Winter, it was to Lucy Park I ventured on this final Friday of the second month of 2024.

As you can clearly see, there was no big alligator closing the Lucy Park suspension bridge today.

I learned yesterday what "Sticks Season" means.

That is the title of a catchy tune I heard for the first time a few days ago.

Apparently in some areas of New England, such as New Hampshire and Vermont, during that period of time between when the deciduous trees lose their leaves, and snow arrives, it is known as Stick Season, due, I am guessing, the fact that the trees look like sticks without their leaves.

That is how I saw the Lucy Park backwoods today. A field of sticks sticking up above the once again green ground cover.

You can listen to Sticks Season below...

Texas Closed Due To Enjoying Summer In The Middle Of Winter

I saw that which you see here, on Facebook, this morning.

Actually, today is the third day of Summer we are enjoying in the middle of Winter, in Texas.

Yesterday got to nearly 90 degrees, the day before that got into the 80s.

Today is scheduled to be slightly cooler, in the 70s, but still, Summer-like.

I have windows open, with a pleasant breeze wafting in. 

Am heading to Lake Wichita Park in an hour for some salubrious endorphin acquisition via aerobic stimulation...

Big Alligator Closes Park's Suspension Bridge

No that is not the Lucy Park suspension bridge with a lounging alligator and the Wichita River in fast moving rapids mode.

It does sort of look like the Lucy Park suspension bridge. 

When you cross the Lucy Park suspension bridge you come to the Wee-Chi-Tah Trail.

If you cross the bridge and walk a short distance south on the Wee-Chi-Tah Trail you come to a section called Alligator Alley, which has a fake alligator slightly off the trail, supposedly to spook fast moving mountain bikers.

The Alligator Alley alligator spooked me, and I was walking, not moving fast on a mountain bike.

I saw the above alligator suspension bridge photo, yesterday, on Facebook, with no explanation, other than "Bridge Temporarily Closed".

Shadow Of The Thin Man Joining Throngs Walking Around Sikes Lake In HOT Heat Wave

We are about a month from the arrival of 2024's version of Spring.

A month to go of Winter.

And today, on the third Wednesday of the second month of the new year, the North Texas heat wave continues.

On Saturday I got way too cold at Lucy Park.

Today, in shorts and t-shirt I joined the throngs walking around Sikes Lake enjoying the Summer-like day, heated into the 80s.

I forgot to mention, that is the Shadow of the Sikes Lake Thin Man you see above, looking like he is the One-Armed Thin Man.

I went bike shopping yesterday. There is a new type mountain bike, with extra fat tires. I think I would like a mountain bike with extra fat tires...

President's Day Walking With The Sikes Lake Birds

The unwanted, unexpected short return of Winter, the past couple days, with sub-freezing temperatures, and strong wind, has abated, rendering the outer world once again pleasant, and Spring-like.

Summer-like is predicted to return in a couple days, with the temperature in the 80s.

So it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured today, for a salubrious walk around the lake. When I came to the coffer dam, you see above, several dozen seagulls were flocking together, next to several dozen geese, flocking together.

By the time I got my phone out of my pocket and the camera turned on, the birds panicked and took to the air.

The seagulls flew north, the geese flew south. Both flocks did not fly far before landing on the lake. And then quickly returned to their coffer dam roost as I continued walking.

Time flying quickly by seems to be picking up speed. We are already in the last full week of the second month of 2024.

Soon it will be the swimming suit time of the year. I need to get in shape so I can fit into my various swimming suits.

I hope everyone is having a mighty fine fun President's Day, it being one of the most festive holidays of the year...

Saturday Frigid Frolic At Lucy Park

Since I was in the neighborhood to pick up some prescriptions from a pharmacy, I found myself at Lucy Park, as evidenced by the photo documentation, looking at the Lucy Park suspension bridge, suspended over the swollen reddish-brown Wichita River.

With hardly any weather forecaster warning such would happen, the temperature went well below freezing last night.

By the time the sun arrived, this third Saturday of the second month of 2024, a strong wind was blowing, with the weather forecasters now forecasting extreme cold today, with a steady wind around 25 mph, which gusts in the 40 mph range.

The temperature was 36 degrees when I arrived at Lucy Park. Looking at my phone I saw the wind's wind chill factor had those 36 degrees feeling like 24 degrees.

I had on my fur-lined sweatpants, two long-sleeved sweatshirts, an insulated hooded jacket, gloves and I forget what else, but I was still cold. 

I lasted 19 minutes til strong gusts hitting me on the exposed part of my face had me quickly retreating to the wind-free comfort of my mechanized means of motion.

Tomorrow, if the weather forecaster is to be believed, warm weather returns...

Rising Lake Wichita Level Almost Floats Kayak Launch Pad Dock For First Time

Recent rain has added some water to Lake Wichita, still well below being anywhere near full pool. But, enough water arrived to almost float the kayak launching installation which has been dry docked ever since it arrived at the lake, many months ago.

I had an inflatable kayak that I used to blow up and float on Lake Grapevine, and Lake Joe Pool, in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. I am drawing a total memory blank trying to remember what happened to that kayak. 

We have had an abrupt end to the recent short semi-HEAT wave. The heat warmed well into the 70s yesterday. Today we are chilled into the 40s, with a strong wind blowing, causing the air to feel way cooler than the 40s.

Walking around Mount Wichita in Lake Wichita Park was not pleasant today, not pleasant at all...

Remembering Nephew Jeremy Successfully Crossing A Scary Suspension Bridge Hiking To Mount Baker

The year was 1993. The occasion was my August birthday, not the exact day, but the following weekend. I do not recollect how this came about, what with it being three decades ago, but this morning's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day brought me the photos you see here.

It was an overcast, foggy, drizzly day. The location was the Schrieber's Meadow entry to the Park Butte Trail up the Mount Baker volcano, via what is known as the Railroad Grade, so named because of its even ascent, like a railroad grade making its way up and over a mountain. In this instance the Railroad Grade is at the top of a glacier carved Moraine.

That glacier can render hiking a bit treacherous in summer and early fall, when warm temperatures melt a lot of ice, turning Sulphur Creek into a raging torrent. So much so that the creek regularly wipes out the various bridges built to cross it.

On that day all the hikers were transited via sister Nancy's vehicle. Of what sort, I do not remember. In that vehicle we had the aforementioned sister Nancy, sister Michele, my ex-wife, Loretta, Big Ed and my youngest nephew, Jeremy. I am likely forgetting a person, or two, or three.

So, about a mile in the trail comes to Sulphur Creek. When we reached that point I saw a suspension bridge of sorts had been installed since I was last at this location, a year or two prior, with nephew Joey.

When we reached the Sulphur Creek suspension bridge, with Sulphur Creek look a bit wild, Jeremy balked.

Jeremy sought refuge at a tree. Aunt Michele then used her well developed negotiation powers to make a deal with Jeremy by which he would agree to cross the bridge. Jeremy insisted he cross it alone, with both ends protected, so no one could get on the bridge and sway and shake it. Big Ed was the guard at the far end. I forget who guarded the entry.

Once the guards were in place Jeremy began his passage across the bridge.

 Above we see Jeremy almost all the way across.

And here we have Jeremy's triumphant pose as he successfully nears the end of the bridge.

The above was about as far as we got this day of hiking in a fog. We never got above the timberline. Never made it to the Railroad Grade. Never got close to seeing Mount Baker. But, it was a mighty fine day, I must say.

That is the aforementioned sister Michele, next to Jeremy, and me sitting, with my hair its original color...