Thinking About Connecting The Tandy Hills To Gateway Park With A Bridge & A Tunnel

Above is a map showing Gateway Park and the Tandy Hills Natural Area, known to Microsoft as Tandy Hills Park. I've long known that Gateway Park extended to the I-30 freeway, as shown on maps. Same with THNA.

What I had never thought about before is the fact that the part of Gateway Park that abuts I-30 is on the south side of the river. As in, outside the developed part of Gateway Park. As you can see, looking at the map, a large chunk of Gateway Park is on the other side of the river, not accessible from the developed part of the park.

So, today I went hiking on the Tandy Hills. I wanted to get a view of the undeveloped part of Gateway Park. That is the view in the above photo. You can see a change in the tree-line. That is where the Trinity River is.

Now, this south of the river part of Gateway Park appears to be very heavily wooded. I know the Trinity River Vision's vision has somehow expanded to Gateway Park and includes making a possible link, via tunnel under the freeway with the Tandy Hills.

At River Legacy Park, Arlington has built a very nice bridge for hikers, bikers and bladers, across the Trinity River. Now, I know Arlington is a much larger, much wealthier town than Fort Worth,  and can thus afford such extravagant public works projects.

But, I think it'd be a real good thing if Fort Worth built a bridge across the Trinity River to connect with the currently inaccessible parkland. And then build that tunnel connection to the Tandy Hills. Maybe the existing culvert could be used. Or, better yet, build a distinctive looking bridge over the freeway, connected to the Tandy Hills. The sort of bridge that makes passerby think they want to get off the freeway and walk across that bridge.

I know such a thing won't happen. Fort Worth sets its priorities on other things. Like building the world's premiere wake boarding venue, so that all the citizens of Fort Worth can enjoy the extreme sport of wake boarding.

A Kid Locked Out Of A Fort Worth Library Seeks Wi-Fi Refuge On The Ground

You are looking out my windshield, which is why the picture looks a little unclear.

Is that a homeless person sitting on the ground?

No.

I had a couple books due tomorrow. So, on my way to the Tandy Hills I dropped the books off. Of course, since it is Friday, the Fort Worth Library East Regional Branch is closed.

As I pulled into the empty library parking lot I saw the kid sitting on the grass, headphones over his ears, laptop computer sitting on the ground.

Why this kid is not in school, I do not know. Is Fort Worth closing its schools on Fridays, like the library?

The library wi-fi must remain up and running, even when the library is closed. This was the only reason I could think of why the kid would be sitting on the ground with his laptop.

Or, since this was before noon, was the kid erroneously sitting there thinking the library was going to open?

A Full October 22 Moon & The Texas Rangers May Get In The World Series Today

You looking at the full moon last night from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony.

Viewing the passing humanity from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony can be entertaining. Last night was particularly loony, maybe due to the full moon.

Will the moon still be full and causing lunacy tonight? When the Texas Rangers might possibly win one more baseball game, thus putting them in the World Series for the first time?

I don't think I will be in attendance for tonight's game.   I may go over to Miss Puerto Rico's and listen to the cheering.

It is already October 22. Time is zooming. I don't like this phenomenon.

Village Creek Natural Historic Area Is Carpeted In Leaves

As you can see, a lot of leaves have fallen on the trail in Village Creek Natural Historic Area. The leaves made a satisfying crunch noise when walked over.

I do not remember Pacific Northwest leaves being crunchy when walked over. I do remember Pacific Northwest leaves being wet and slippery.

I had me a frustrating morning of annoying little problems. Mostly computer related. I was in need of something relaxing, hence a nice, slow pondering walk in one of my favorite parks in Arlington.

I've always thought that the first freeze of the fall had to happen for the leaves to start falling. We have definitely not had a first freeze of the year here in Texas, I say, as cold air from the A/C blows down on me. I must be remembering wrong about the leaves going into heavy duty fall mode after the first freeze.

Or maybe Texas trees are designed differently than Pacific Northwest Washington trees.

Global Warming Is Heating Up My Pool

I am really shaking up my regular routine this morning. So, no, that is not the sunrise view from my patio this October 21 Thursday morning.

What you are looking at is the sunset view from last night from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony.

I am on cat sitting duty while Miss Puerto Rico is out of the country and back on her home island.

I am starting to become a believer of the global warming concept.

Last year. And the year before, I remember that by the 1st of October it was a bit bracing to get in the swimming pool. I could last 10 to 15 minutes before retreating to the hot tub. We are currently over 2/3rds through October and the water in the pool is not yet bracing. I have had no impulse to escape to the hot tub.

I think I'll do some hill hiking on the Tandy Hills today as part of my ongoing program to reduce my girth so I don't have to have lapband surgery.

Following Edible Arrangements Across The D/FW Metroplex

Today I was in Southlake. While I was in Southlake I went to Sprouts Farmers Market. I got a lot of good stuff. More Ruby Red Grapefruit and Fuji Apples from Washington.

On the way back here I turned off Davis Boulevard to head south on Precinct Line Road to ALDI Food Market. All the way down Precinct Line Road I was behind the truck you see in the picture.

A truck delivering Edible Arrangements of fruit. With a personalized license plate that says, "DO FRUT." Why the license is missing an "I" I do not know.

I took this as yet one more omen that it is a good idea to make an obesity blog. When I was behind the Edible Arrangements truck, this made sense.

An earlier obesity blog omen caused me to make the obesity blog this morning. It is not yet ready for prime time. The new blog's name is DurangObese.

At the time I made DurangObese, that seemed clever. Now, not so much.

Oh well. I am stuck with it now.

It Is October 20 & The Texas Rangers Are 1 Game Away From Being In The World Series

As you can see, standing with me out on the patio, we have a little cloud action on this, the morning of October 20.

It is a relatively balmy 63 this morning. I am waiting for the sun to add a bit more brightness before I take my morning pool dip.

The Texas Rangers are only one game away from being in the World Series. I do not detect the level of mania here of the sort that infected the Pacific Northwest the year the Seattle Mariners were in the playoffs for the first time. I think the New York Yankees were involved at that time, too. Or maybe it was a California team.

If I recollect correctly, and I likely don't, the Texas Rangers are doing much better than the Seattle Mariners did. I think the year was 1995. Maybe later. Maybe earlier. I am almost 100% the Seattle Mariners were never only one game away from being in the World Series.

I do remember that the Mariners were making noises about leaving Seattle due to not liking playing in the Kingdome. But the voters turned down funding for a new ballpark. And then the Mariner's miracle season happened, coming from way back, winning game after game and then getting in the playoffs and suddenly there was political support all over the state for funding a new ballpark. And thus Safeco Field was born.

I remember big crowds greeting the Mariners at Sea-Tac upon their returns to Seattle. Are big crowds going to greet the Texas Rangers at D/FW International Airport? The Kingdome could not hold all the people who wanted to watch the Mariner's playoff games. Huge numbers of fans stood outside the Kingdome during the games. Was a Jumbotron set up for them to watch the game? I don't remember.

Since I have been in the D/FW zone I don't think any of their professional sports teams has done well. Maybe the Dallas Mavericks basketball team has won a championship. But I don't recollect it. I know the Dallas Cowboys have been way more hapless than the Seattle Seahawks ever since I have been here. And yet they still call themselves "America's Team." America likes winners. I don't think the Dallas Cowboys is America's Team anymore, if they ever really were.

It is bright out there now. Time to go swimming.