Part 1
Another fine morning. Out early and it wasn't too hot.
I like being out early because their are a lot fewer people on the trail. There were only a handful of folks before 7:00 am. The bicycles don't start showing up until around 7:30.
This week there were a lot of bicycles again. Some of them are fine, but there are some who don't observe the rules of courtesy and could be the cause of accidents as a result.
The air was cool, but the ground was warm, so there was a lot of ground fog in the low spots. It was really pretty with the cloud hanging so near the ground. It just sort of glowed and then it would move as the air currents dipped into the valleys. I wish I could take a photo of it, but the film (or the digital caputure)can't really show the reality of what it looks like in person. I think it is due to the light refraction through the cloud - or something. At any rate, I am unable to take a decent picture of it.
I walked the full 7 miles today and finished in just under 2 hours. It was pleasant, but I was so hot when I finished I couldn't wait to get home for a shower.
Part 2
I had theatre tickets for "Boeing, Boeing" for last night. It was a good show, but a late night. The man in the seat next to me (not my guest - the one on the other side) was figiting all through the show and was taking up more than his fair share of space. By the end of the evening I was feeling very stiff and uncomfortable.
When I got up this morning, my left leg was really hurting. I may have torn the ligament in the back of my calf. I didn't walk today and will be treating this injury until I'm feeling better.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
I'M WORKING ON IT
Part 1
I made it to the trail at 6:10 this morning and hit the pavement at 6:15. The sun had not yet broken over the horizon. It was already 80 degrees and about 85% humidity.
The over-riding sense was that insects and birds were taking over. I imagine the birds were out for a banquet early in the day. There were squadrons of dragon flies over the meadows. They looked like military helicopters executing maneuvers. There were hundreds of them. They weren't the kind I generally see with dark iridescent bodies. These were black with black and gray stripped wings.
I saw more birds this morning than I ever have before. I saw 6 female cardinals today. They were flying back and forth across the path. I think they were probably getting breakfast for their chicks. They certainly didn't seem bothered by me. I also saw several tiny, brown birds. I don't know what they are, but they fly very fast and their call is more like a ticking sound than a song.
As always, there were rabbits out in force. I passed at least 7 during the walk. They were as placid as ever, only running away when a bird flew near them.
I had a couple of unusual sightings today - an armadillo out in the sun and a small snake warming itself on the edge of the path.
In the first 45 minutes of my walk I only saw two people I had seen on my previous outings. I guess they had the same idea of getting out before it is too hot. After 7:00, I began to see more of the regulars.
I walked the full 7 miles today and did it in under two hours. I felt good about that. The best part was that I was able to go without my sun glasses on the entire outward bound half of the walk. The sun was fully up by the time I made the turn to head back to the car. It was beginning to get uncomfortably hot. There was a breeze, but it was too damp to be cooling. About half way back I managed to catch some strong wind to cool off at least a bit. The last 10 minutes of the walk was brutal. I was overheated and my left knee was painful (bad joint and arthritis), but I made it and was pleased to get back to the car and the air conditioning.
Part 2
I didn't get out as early as yesterday, but I was walking at 6:25 - not too bad. I only planned to walk 5 miles this morning. I'm trying not to hurt myself any more than necessary - not that it should be necessary.
Much like yesterday, the temperature was around 80 degrees. Luckily, we had a short strong shower yesterday afternoon. It seemed to have cleared out some of the humidity, so it wasn't so bad today.
The first wildlife I saw today was a hawk. It was sitting in one of the trees near the start of the trail. It flew across the trail directly in front of me. I didn't see it capture prey, but it was clear that was the plan. That may be why I didn't see any other birds flying around and the only rabbits I saw were very near the underbrush for a quick get-away. Later in the morning I saw an egret landing on the far side of the meadow, near the high trail. This is the first time I've seen one in the park.
It is always interesting to me that so many people from so many different places walk in this park. I heard people talking Japanese, an African language, and some central European language. The folks that walk here seem have different backgrounds, education levels, ages, sizes and shapes. There are some who have been running for some time - you can see it in their lack of body fat and musculature. There are others, like me, who are beginners - their pace and difficulty breathing sets them apart. There are families who get out there together and people with their dogs; people in groups and those who go alone. I'm sure we're all out there for different reasons as well. The great thing is that everyone can be there for whatever reason and we still manage to pass each other without incident every weekend. It makes you think if we can do it here, why can't we do it everywhere.
Time to pull weeds in my garden. Bye.
I made it to the trail at 6:10 this morning and hit the pavement at 6:15. The sun had not yet broken over the horizon. It was already 80 degrees and about 85% humidity.
The over-riding sense was that insects and birds were taking over. I imagine the birds were out for a banquet early in the day. There were squadrons of dragon flies over the meadows. They looked like military helicopters executing maneuvers. There were hundreds of them. They weren't the kind I generally see with dark iridescent bodies. These were black with black and gray stripped wings.
I saw more birds this morning than I ever have before. I saw 6 female cardinals today. They were flying back and forth across the path. I think they were probably getting breakfast for their chicks. They certainly didn't seem bothered by me. I also saw several tiny, brown birds. I don't know what they are, but they fly very fast and their call is more like a ticking sound than a song.
As always, there were rabbits out in force. I passed at least 7 during the walk. They were as placid as ever, only running away when a bird flew near them.
I had a couple of unusual sightings today - an armadillo out in the sun and a small snake warming itself on the edge of the path.
In the first 45 minutes of my walk I only saw two people I had seen on my previous outings. I guess they had the same idea of getting out before it is too hot. After 7:00, I began to see more of the regulars.
I walked the full 7 miles today and did it in under two hours. I felt good about that. The best part was that I was able to go without my sun glasses on the entire outward bound half of the walk. The sun was fully up by the time I made the turn to head back to the car. It was beginning to get uncomfortably hot. There was a breeze, but it was too damp to be cooling. About half way back I managed to catch some strong wind to cool off at least a bit. The last 10 minutes of the walk was brutal. I was overheated and my left knee was painful (bad joint and arthritis), but I made it and was pleased to get back to the car and the air conditioning.
Part 2
I didn't get out as early as yesterday, but I was walking at 6:25 - not too bad. I only planned to walk 5 miles this morning. I'm trying not to hurt myself any more than necessary - not that it should be necessary.
Much like yesterday, the temperature was around 80 degrees. Luckily, we had a short strong shower yesterday afternoon. It seemed to have cleared out some of the humidity, so it wasn't so bad today.
The first wildlife I saw today was a hawk. It was sitting in one of the trees near the start of the trail. It flew across the trail directly in front of me. I didn't see it capture prey, but it was clear that was the plan. That may be why I didn't see any other birds flying around and the only rabbits I saw were very near the underbrush for a quick get-away. Later in the morning I saw an egret landing on the far side of the meadow, near the high trail. This is the first time I've seen one in the park.
It is always interesting to me that so many people from so many different places walk in this park. I heard people talking Japanese, an African language, and some central European language. The folks that walk here seem have different backgrounds, education levels, ages, sizes and shapes. There are some who have been running for some time - you can see it in their lack of body fat and musculature. There are others, like me, who are beginners - their pace and difficulty breathing sets them apart. There are families who get out there together and people with their dogs; people in groups and those who go alone. I'm sure we're all out there for different reasons as well. The great thing is that everyone can be there for whatever reason and we still manage to pass each other without incident every weekend. It makes you think if we can do it here, why can't we do it everywhere.
Time to pull weeds in my garden. Bye.
Friday, June 11, 2010
SUMMER IS HERE
Part 1
Liz called on Friday evening to say her mom was sick and she wouldn't be meeting me to walk on Saturday. I figured I could get up earlier and get out to the trail before it got too hot.
I made it to the trail at about 6:40 - not as early as I had hoped, but at least it was before 7:00.
There were a lot of small rabbits along the trail. I think they don't move away from the traffic because they were just born in the spring and this is standard for them. People have always been around and they never bother the bunnies, so the bunnies aren't afraid of them. The look so soft, I want to pet them. They probably wouldn't let me and if they did, I would probably catch some strange bunny-carried disease.
They cut down the beautiful prairie grass. It was probably a fire hazard, but I liked the way it looked when the breeze was blowing. It looked very calm and soothing.
The very last of the honeysuckle is hanging in and putting out its strong scent. In the humidity, it was cloying and it is a good thing there were just a few blooms. The smell aggravates my allergies.
No rain for a couple of weeks means the water in bayou is back down again. There was quite a strong rapid under the Wilcrest bridge. That is the only place there was any agitation in the entire bayou. The rest was very smooth and quiet - very different from a few weeks ago.
I saw the woman from the Muslim couple again. She was walking by herself this week. She still had on sweat pants and a long skirt. Her head scarf was just around her head this time and her long sleeves were pushed up to her elbows. I still can't imagine how she did the walk. I would have passed out.
The best part of the day was when a young jogger passed by. He was tall and had close-cropped, tawny hair. He was over 6' tall and very lean. He was wearing long athletic shorts and no shirt. He had a strong, muscular back that was a pleasure to view and long, lean legs. I guessed he was either a former college athlete or military. When he passed me on his way back, I was able to enjoy a very pleasant view of an equally muscular chest. My guess was confirmed by the Marine emblem on the lower leg of his shorts. All-in-all very nice.
My pace was somewhat slower than I have been maintaining. It took me an extra 5 minutes on the first leg (usually 20 minutes). I tried to make it up, but wasn't able to. It was so hot by the time I was on the way back, I was about 15 minutes over my usual time. I didn't think it was too bad. I simply don't handle the heat very well. I can't imagine how hot it would have been on the sunny end of the trail.
I only walked 5 miles because I didn't want to hurt myself like I did a few weeks ago.
Part 2
I went to the theatre on Saturday night, so the alarm lost and I stayed in bed. My allergies were going crazy and I wouldn't have lasted 20 minutes on the trail.
Next week - maybe.
Part 1
Liz called on Friday evening to say her mom was sick and she wouldn't be meeting me to walk on Saturday. I figured I could get up earlier and get out to the trail before it got too hot.
I made it to the trail at about 6:40 - not as early as I had hoped, but at least it was before 7:00.
There were a lot of small rabbits along the trail. I think they don't move away from the traffic because they were just born in the spring and this is standard for them. People have always been around and they never bother the bunnies, so the bunnies aren't afraid of them. The look so soft, I want to pet them. They probably wouldn't let me and if they did, I would probably catch some strange bunny-carried disease.
They cut down the beautiful prairie grass. It was probably a fire hazard, but I liked the way it looked when the breeze was blowing. It looked very calm and soothing.
The very last of the honeysuckle is hanging in and putting out its strong scent. In the humidity, it was cloying and it is a good thing there were just a few blooms. The smell aggravates my allergies.
No rain for a couple of weeks means the water in bayou is back down again. There was quite a strong rapid under the Wilcrest bridge. That is the only place there was any agitation in the entire bayou. The rest was very smooth and quiet - very different from a few weeks ago.
I saw the woman from the Muslim couple again. She was walking by herself this week. She still had on sweat pants and a long skirt. Her head scarf was just around her head this time and her long sleeves were pushed up to her elbows. I still can't imagine how she did the walk. I would have passed out.
The best part of the day was when a young jogger passed by. He was tall and had close-cropped, tawny hair. He was over 6' tall and very lean. He was wearing long athletic shorts and no shirt. He had a strong, muscular back that was a pleasure to view and long, lean legs. I guessed he was either a former college athlete or military. When he passed me on his way back, I was able to enjoy a very pleasant view of an equally muscular chest. My guess was confirmed by the Marine emblem on the lower leg of his shorts. All-in-all very nice.
My pace was somewhat slower than I have been maintaining. It took me an extra 5 minutes on the first leg (usually 20 minutes). I tried to make it up, but wasn't able to. It was so hot by the time I was on the way back, I was about 15 minutes over my usual time. I didn't think it was too bad. I simply don't handle the heat very well. I can't imagine how hot it would have been on the sunny end of the trail.
I only walked 5 miles because I didn't want to hurt myself like I did a few weeks ago.
Part 2
I went to the theatre on Saturday night, so the alarm lost and I stayed in bed. My allergies were going crazy and I wouldn't have lasted 20 minutes on the trail.
Next week - maybe.
I am soooooo far behind on my posting. I heartily apologize to those of you who may have been checking for new posts recently. I'm going to get back up to date right now.
MEMORIAL DAY
Part 1
I met Liz at 8:00 for our walk. It was already really warm, but we got on the Heights walking trail right away. It takes us just about an hour to walk from her place to the south end of the trail and back again. It is about 3 miles and we move at a fairly sedate pace.
By the time we got back at 9:00 it was hot and we were both sweating. I'm half convinced that we have as much condensation as real sweat, but that would be difficult to prove.
Luckily for us, Liz's parents were visiting, so her mom made us breakfast. I love it when someone cooks for me - it doesn't happen very often. We ate our wonderful breakfast and then sat around and talked for a couple of hours. It was very relaxing to unwind after our walk this way.
Part 2
Sunday morning came around way too early. I had plans to go to Galveston to see friends who were at their beach house, so I wanted to get an early start on my walk. Unfortunately, my body wasn't cooperating and I figured, I didn't have to work on Monday, so I had another day to walk and really could sleep in and not walk on Sunday.
Part 3
I spent Sunday with my friends in Galveston and the traffic coming back was miserable. I didn't get home until 1:00 am. I dutifully went right to bed and set the alarm for 5:00 am so I could get up and walk. I didn't. I turned off the alarm and slept until 10:30. I needed the sleep far more than I needed to walk. I did feel really guilty though.
MEMORIAL DAY
Part 1
I met Liz at 8:00 for our walk. It was already really warm, but we got on the Heights walking trail right away. It takes us just about an hour to walk from her place to the south end of the trail and back again. It is about 3 miles and we move at a fairly sedate pace.
By the time we got back at 9:00 it was hot and we were both sweating. I'm half convinced that we have as much condensation as real sweat, but that would be difficult to prove.
Luckily for us, Liz's parents were visiting, so her mom made us breakfast. I love it when someone cooks for me - it doesn't happen very often. We ate our wonderful breakfast and then sat around and talked for a couple of hours. It was very relaxing to unwind after our walk this way.
Part 2
Sunday morning came around way too early. I had plans to go to Galveston to see friends who were at their beach house, so I wanted to get an early start on my walk. Unfortunately, my body wasn't cooperating and I figured, I didn't have to work on Monday, so I had another day to walk and really could sleep in and not walk on Sunday.
Part 3
I spent Sunday with my friends in Galveston and the traffic coming back was miserable. I didn't get home until 1:00 am. I dutifully went right to bed and set the alarm for 5:00 am so I could get up and walk. I didn't. I turned off the alarm and slept until 10:30. I needed the sleep far more than I needed to walk. I did feel really guilty though.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
I hope that several new people will be checking out the blog this week. I sent out my fundraising email today letting quite a few folks know about it. To those of you visiting for the first time - Welcome. To those coming back for more - Thanks.
I'm Back
Part 1
After 2 weeks away due to the closure of the park and another one due to stormy weather and an uncooperative back, I'm back. I was very disappointed to see that after closing the park for two weeks, the only part of the path they re-surfaced was the area that goes along the side of the water treatment plant. They widened the path with a cement poured sidewalk and curb. Beyond that, they did tar over the adolescent graffiti that had been sprayed on a portion of the blacktop. It is hard to believe it took two weeks to accomplish that.
It was actually good that I didn't walk last weekend. I was ready to get out of the car to begin walking and it began pouring down rain with lots of thunder and lightening. It is clear that the rain caused the bayou to fill up significantly. There were several places on the path that were clearly underwater for some period of time. A lot of sand had settled on the path at all thr
ee of the areas that are near the level of the water.
I'm Back
Part 1
After 2 weeks away due to the closure of the park and another one due to stormy weather and an uncooperative back, I'm back. I was very disappointed to see that after closing the park for two weeks, the only part of the path they re-surfaced was the area that goes along the side of the water treatment plant. They widened the path with a cement poured sidewalk and curb. Beyond that, they did tar over the adolescent graffiti that had been sprayed on a portion of the blacktop. It is hard to believe it took two weeks to accomplish that.
It was actually good that I didn't walk last weekend. I was ready to get out of the car to begin walking and it began pouring down rain with lots of thunder and lightening. It is clear that the rain caused the bayou to fill up significantly. There were several places on the path that were clearly underwater for some period of time. A lot of sand had settled on the path at all thr
ee of the areas that are near the level of the water. The water is still very high in the bayou.
Mexican hat
Mexican hat
The honeysuckle, bluebonnets and Indian paint brush have given over to Mexican hat flowers and wild roses. There are a lot of both along the trail. The tall prairie grass is already turning brown and makes quite a beautiful picture as it blows in the wind.
Prairie grassThe bunnies were out in force on Saturday. I saw at least 4 rabbits within 1' - 2' of the path. They didn't seem to have any problem with the people, bicycles or even dogs that passed them. They stayed very still and barely even moved their heads as I passed.
I'm always surprised by the people I see in the course of my walk. I saw the couple with the border collies in their strollers again. The dogs look so comfortable and natural in the strollers, it doesn't even seem odd for them to be riding. I would love to see them walking sometime. They are both beautiful dogs.
I also saw a couple I've never seen before. They were obviously Muslim. He was wearing a t-shirt and cargo pants. She was in sweat pants, a black chiffon dress with long sleeves, a head scarf and another scarf under her chin. I was so warm in my shorts and t-shirt, I can't imagine how hot she must have been. Interestingly enough, the heat didn't seem to bother her at all. I guess it depends on what you are used to.
I know that I tend to over-do when I start a project or an exercise regime, so I wanted to be sure that I wouldn't push myself too hard. I made an appointment to have my car worked on and I needed to drop it off before 9:00 am. When I got to the 2.5 mile point on the walk, I felt like I could go further, but knowing that I had to drop off the car, I couldn't. So, I turned around and finished the 5 miles.
Part 2
This morning was bright an warm. The humidity was very high. I got started early and hoped that I would finish before it got too hot.
There were a lot of runners today. I'm in awe of people who can do that. I'm having enough difficulty just walking. I can't imagine subjecting my knees to the stress a run would cause. in addition to the knees, there are plenty of hills on this trail. Walking them is difficult, running them would cause my heart to explode. I also saw a guy on roller blades. Very impressive. He was moving fast down as well as up the hills.
The sun was strong the entire walk, but by the time I made the 3.5 mile mark, I was starting to feel the effects. I'm particularly susceptible to heat exhaustion. I was drinking plenty of water, but my body doesn't hold up well in the heat. My face tends to turn red and I fall over. So I took my time on the second half. I walked much slower and stopped a couple of times to rest. There was a dark cloud that held the promise of a rain shower, but it never let loose. I was hoping it would break loose and drench me - not for a long time, just a short, strong shower to cool things off. By the time I got back to the car, I was exhausted and very uncomfortable. My only desire was to get home to a shower and a rest. Several hours later, I'm cooler, but I think every muscle in my body is hurting.
Tomorrow should be interesting.
I'm always surprised by the people I see in the course of my walk. I saw the couple with the border collies in their strollers again. The dogs look so comfortable and natural in the strollers, it doesn't even seem odd for them to be riding. I would love to see them walking sometime. They are both beautiful dogs.
I also saw a couple I've never seen before. They were obviously Muslim. He was wearing a t-shirt and cargo pants. She was in sweat pants, a black chiffon dress with long sleeves, a head scarf and another scarf under her chin. I was so warm in my shorts and t-shirt, I can't imagine how hot she must have been. Interestingly enough, the heat didn't seem to bother her at all. I guess it depends on what you are used to.
I know that I tend to over-do when I start a project or an exercise regime, so I wanted to be sure that I wouldn't push myself too hard. I made an appointment to have my car worked on and I needed to drop it off before 9:00 am. When I got to the 2.5 mile point on the walk, I felt like I could go further, but knowing that I had to drop off the car, I couldn't. So, I turned around and finished the 5 miles.
Part 2
This morning was bright an warm. The humidity was very high. I got started early and hoped that I would finish before it got too hot.
There were a lot of runners today. I'm in awe of people who can do that. I'm having enough difficulty just walking. I can't imagine subjecting my knees to the stress a run would cause. in addition to the knees, there are plenty of hills on this trail. Walking them is difficult, running them would cause my heart to explode. I also saw a guy on roller blades. Very impressive. He was moving fast down as well as up the hills.
The sun was strong the entire walk, but by the time I made the 3.5 mile mark, I was starting to feel the effects. I'm particularly susceptible to heat exhaustion. I was drinking plenty of water, but my body doesn't hold up well in the heat. My face tends to turn red and I fall over. So I took my time on the second half. I walked much slower and stopped a couple of times to rest. There was a dark cloud that held the promise of a rain shower, but it never let loose. I was hoping it would break loose and drench me - not for a long time, just a short, strong shower to cool things off. By the time I got back to the car, I was exhausted and very uncomfortable. My only desire was to get home to a shower and a rest. Several hours later, I'm cooler, but I think every muscle in my body is hurting.
Tomorrow should be interesting.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Better Late . . .
The last week has been crazy and I didn't get around to posting.
Part 1
Saturday was kind of overcast, but not bad. There was a nice breeze so it was a good day to walk. It is getting a lot warmer and I had to break out the shorts. It is kind of a scary look for me.
The cottonwood trees are still putting out a lot of cotton. It looks like snow along the trail - particularly at the trail head and the bridges. I tried to get a picture, but it just doesn't read very well in a photo.
The honeysuckle is still going strong. The vines grow like crazy. They grow up the trees and over the top a lot like kudzu. The difference is that the honeysuckle vines are much lighter and let light through so it doesn't damage the trees. Again the perfume from thousands of honeysuckle flowers can be overwhelming.
This is what the flowers look like. They are about 3" top to bottom and they are everywhere. I took photos of the vines growing up over the trees, but it is too difficult to see the difference between the trees and the vines.
Liz joined me and we walked four miles. This is the longest walk we've done together. It didn't seem like any distance at all because we talked the entire way.
Part 2
Sunday started a bit cooler than I expected. I wore shorts again and was a little worried I might be too cool. It wasn't a problem. The seven mile walk more than warmed me up.
The bicycles are back. I walked early, so it wasn't too bad. I think I only saw about 25 bikes. I did see one person on roller blades. I have real respect for those folks. I have no idea how they pump up the rather substantial hills on this trail. I know I could never do it.
There are two wooden bridges on the trail. They are both very nice, but I don't often cross them when others are on them. Today, I crossed with several runners and a bicycle. That was weird. The vibrations from the runners and bicycle were at a different rate than those caused by my walking. It gave me a sense of being out of phase. Very strange.
I clocked my walk and was a little upset that I didn't do the first half within an hour. I was taking photos and that slowed me down a bit. When I checked at the end of the walk, I was back on track - the whole walk was exactly 2 hours. I'm pretty comfortable with the 7 miles now and I'm going to need to bump up to the next step.
The trail will be closed for the next two weeks so they can resurface the track. I'm guessing they may do some upkeep on the wooden bridges as well. My plan is to walk with Liz next Saturday at her place if she is up to it and to skip the weekend if she isn't. I won't be able to take off both weekends so I'll need to figure out where to walk the second weekend of the work. In the meantime, I'm planning to catch up on some of my projects at home.
I won't be posting for next weekend.
Part 1
Saturday was kind of overcast, but not bad. There was a nice breeze so it was a good day to walk. It is getting a lot warmer and I had to break out the shorts. It is kind of a scary look for me.
The cottonwood trees are still putting out a lot of cotton. It looks like snow along the trail - particularly at the trail head and the bridges. I tried to get a picture, but it just doesn't read very well in a photo.
The honeysuckle is still going strong. The vines grow like crazy. They grow up the trees and over the top a lot like kudzu. The difference is that the honeysuckle vines are much lighter and let light through so it doesn't damage the trees. Again the perfume from thousands of honeysuckle flowers can be overwhelming.
This is what the flowers look like. They are about 3" top to bottom and they are everywhere. I took photos of the vines growing up over the trees, but it is too difficult to see the difference between the trees and the vines.Liz joined me and we walked four miles. This is the longest walk we've done together. It didn't seem like any distance at all because we talked the entire way.
Part 2
Sunday started a bit cooler than I expected. I wore shorts again and was a little worried I might be too cool. It wasn't a problem. The seven mile walk more than warmed me up.
The bicycles are back. I walked early, so it wasn't too bad. I think I only saw about 25 bikes. I did see one person on roller blades. I have real respect for those folks. I have no idea how they pump up the rather substantial hills on this trail. I know I could never do it.
There are two wooden bridges on the trail. They are both very nice, but I don't often cross them when others are on them. Today, I crossed with several runners and a bicycle. That was weird. The vibrations from the runners and bicycle were at a different rate than those caused by my walking. It gave me a sense of being out of phase. Very strange.
I clocked my walk and was a little upset that I didn't do the first half within an hour. I was taking photos and that slowed me down a bit. When I checked at the end of the walk, I was back on track - the whole walk was exactly 2 hours. I'm pretty comfortable with the 7 miles now and I'm going to need to bump up to the next step.
The trail will be closed for the next two weeks so they can resurface the track. I'm guessing they may do some upkeep on the wooden bridges as well. My plan is to walk with Liz next Saturday at her place if she is up to it and to skip the weekend if she isn't. I won't be able to take off both weekends so I'll need to figure out where to walk the second weekend of the work. In the meantime, I'm planning to catch up on some of my projects at home.
I won't be posting for next weekend.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Post Tax Weekend
Part 1
I walked alone on Saturday. I expected rain, which did fall on other parts of town, but I didn't have any during my walk. It was very overcast and gray - but no rain.
As I expected, there were far fewer cyclists on Saturday. The MS 150 ride was scheduled from Houston to Austin beginning early in the morning and lasting through the weekend. I think I only saw a dozen cyclists and of those only about 4 or 5 had cycling jerseys on. Nearly all of them were truly recreational riders. No one was whizzing by the walkers and most were moving very sedately. It made for a much calmer day.
The wildflowers are already fading. The bluebonnets that were so bright just two weeks ago are fading in color and dying back. The Indian paintbrush seem to be a hardier variety of flower. They are still bright and strong against the tall grass. There are some beautiful purple flowers that have three petals. I hope they are still there next week so I can take some pictures. They are really pretty.
I decided to try for the next benchmark on the trail. That meant adding about 2 miles to the walk. I figured I would try to go as far as possible and turn around when I had had enough. Oddly enough, I made it the whole way. Even better, it took me 1 hour to do the first half and 1 hour to make it back to the car. I am pleased that I'm keeping my pace as even as that. I figured that the second half was covered at a much slower pace. It really hadn't occurred to me to check my time at the mid-point of the walk. All in all, I'm very happy with my progress.
Part 2
It was awful dragging myself out of bed this morning. I even went to bed before 10 last night - almost unheard of for me. It was a gray and humid morning with rain hanging in the air, just outside my reach. It would have been repressively hot if not for the breeze that blew almost constantly right at ground-level. The wind was at my back on the front end of the walk. On the way back, it was pretty much in my face. It was a steady, low breeze that worked well to cool me off. The rain actually held back until I was back at the head of the trail and started in earnest as I drove back home.
I don't know if it was the weather or the lighter traffic on the trail, but the wildlife was much more in evidence today. There were several rabbits that didn't even bother to move off the side of the trail when I walked by. There were far more squirrels running around and playing together. I even saw a squirrel walking next to a bird for about 30 feet along the path. The bird would walk a few steps and the squirrel would follow along. Then the bird would move again and the squirrel would follow. Finally the bird flew on to a low branch and the squirrel jumped into the brush. I have never seen anything like it. I also saw a jet black squirrel. I've never seen a completely black one. It was almost like a shadow sitting on side of a tree. I had to get up right next to it to really see that it was a squirrel.
I was taking a drink and happened to be looking up at the sky as a pelican flew over. I haven't seen a pelican this far from the coast, but I guess it was flying toward one of the many lakes north of the city.
It was an interesting walk. I didn't even have any music in my head today. I was just open to everything around me.
I walked the full 7 miles again today. I was pretty stiff when I got home. I probably over-did and will most likely be paying for it all week.
Part 1
I walked alone on Saturday. I expected rain, which did fall on other parts of town, but I didn't have any during my walk. It was very overcast and gray - but no rain.
As I expected, there were far fewer cyclists on Saturday. The MS 150 ride was scheduled from Houston to Austin beginning early in the morning and lasting through the weekend. I think I only saw a dozen cyclists and of those only about 4 or 5 had cycling jerseys on. Nearly all of them were truly recreational riders. No one was whizzing by the walkers and most were moving very sedately. It made for a much calmer day.
The wildflowers are already fading. The bluebonnets that were so bright just two weeks ago are fading in color and dying back. The Indian paintbrush seem to be a hardier variety of flower. They are still bright and strong against the tall grass. There are some beautiful purple flowers that have three petals. I hope they are still there next week so I can take some pictures. They are really pretty.
I decided to try for the next benchmark on the trail. That meant adding about 2 miles to the walk. I figured I would try to go as far as possible and turn around when I had had enough. Oddly enough, I made it the whole way. Even better, it took me 1 hour to do the first half and 1 hour to make it back to the car. I am pleased that I'm keeping my pace as even as that. I figured that the second half was covered at a much slower pace. It really hadn't occurred to me to check my time at the mid-point of the walk. All in all, I'm very happy with my progress.
Part 2
It was awful dragging myself out of bed this morning. I even went to bed before 10 last night - almost unheard of for me. It was a gray and humid morning with rain hanging in the air, just outside my reach. It would have been repressively hot if not for the breeze that blew almost constantly right at ground-level. The wind was at my back on the front end of the walk. On the way back, it was pretty much in my face. It was a steady, low breeze that worked well to cool me off. The rain actually held back until I was back at the head of the trail and started in earnest as I drove back home.
I don't know if it was the weather or the lighter traffic on the trail, but the wildlife was much more in evidence today. There were several rabbits that didn't even bother to move off the side of the trail when I walked by. There were far more squirrels running around and playing together. I even saw a squirrel walking next to a bird for about 30 feet along the path. The bird would walk a few steps and the squirrel would follow along. Then the bird would move again and the squirrel would follow. Finally the bird flew on to a low branch and the squirrel jumped into the brush. I have never seen anything like it. I also saw a jet black squirrel. I've never seen a completely black one. It was almost like a shadow sitting on side of a tree. I had to get up right next to it to really see that it was a squirrel.
I was taking a drink and happened to be looking up at the sky as a pelican flew over. I haven't seen a pelican this far from the coast, but I guess it was flying toward one of the many lakes north of the city.
It was an interesting walk. I didn't even have any music in my head today. I was just open to everything around me.
I walked the full 7 miles again today. I was pretty stiff when I got home. I probably over-did and will most likely be paying for it all week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)