Gauging Distances on Foot

Donna and I went to a nearby neighborhood park yesterday for a walk. Meadowcreek Park is located east of us in an area of established homes with lovely trees. A sign posted at the park indicates that the paved loop ringing the park is .3 miles long. This would give us a good opportunity to check our walking speed.

In a recent entry (see Hike Report: Tasajillo Flats Trail), I mentioned that I estimated distances based upon time. So, after the first loop yesterday, I checked the time. It took us about 5 minutes to walk .3 miles. I no longer use a watch (got rid of it when I retired as I was determined not to be bounded by time any more), so I rely solely on my phone for time. The clock on the face of the phone does not show seconds, so I do not know precisely how long it took to walk that first loop.

With each passing loop, I'd check the time, and we seemed to be keeping pace. Sometimes, 6 minutes would elapse between loops.

We made the loop 10 times for a total of 3 miles. We began at 1:48 and finished at 2:41 for a total of 53 minutes. This breaks down to making a loop in just over 5½ minutes, and averaging a mile in just under 18 minutes. We've lost a step or two over the years, but not much.

We can still keep a lively pace for 3 miles. After 3 miles, we begin to slow some. Now, this is a smooth walk, paved and level, so it just doesn't get much easier. On a walk with ups and downs, we'd get slowed down a bit. On a walk with rocks and other obstacles, we'd slow even more.

Many hikes we've been on have had markers along the trail indicating distance, and this is an excellent way to time your walks and learn how to measure distances you hike. But you have to take into consideration all the factors, such as distance, trail difficulty, frequency of stops (for admiring views and taking pictures, for example), and even weather conditions.

Movie Review: The Monuments Men

Donna and I recently went to see The Monuments Men. It is based on the book The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel. I do not know how accurately the book follows history, and I am not aware of how closely the movie follows the book. Regardless, for us, it was an enjoyable movie.

The movie follows a specially created platoon of mostly older men who attempt to rescue art stolen by the Nazis during World War II. The older men are museum directors, curators, and art historians. As the war grinds to an end, they seek art works plundered by the Nazis in an attempt to save them from destruction and return them to their rightful owners. It is a race against time, against the Nazis, against the Russians, and against the bombs of the Allied forces.

The movie is directed by George Clooney, who also stars in the film as Lt. Frank Stokes, the leader of the platoon. Other notables in the film include Matt Damon as Lt. James Granger, Bill Murray as Sgt. Richard Campbell, John Goodman as Sgt. Walter Garfield, and Cate Blanchett as Claire Simone.

The film's narrative is a bit erratic and does not seem to flow smoothly from scene to scene. But you could argue that war does not flow smoothly.

The central question of the movie regards the value we place on art. Is art worth a human life? What is the value of art for a country, for a culture? This is a question each of us must answer individually; it is a question that each member of the platoon answered at some point in the movie.

I liked the movie, and I think Donna did as well. Of course, part of our enjoyment was the result of the movie starring folks we like, especially Clooney and Damon.

Hike Report: Tasajillo Flats Trail

Following our tour of the longhorns and bison, Donna and I wanted some exercise. The temperature was pushing 70 as we set out from the parking area in Red Arroyo Campground and followed the Tasajillo Flats Trail south in the general direction of the park headquarters.

We hiked this trail once before, so we weren't exploring new ground. We simply wanted a short hike to get some exercise and enjoy being outside while the weather was good.

The Tasajillo Flats Trail is probably about 1.5 to 2.0 miles long in its entirety. I do not use a GPS on our hikes, so any mileage I give is always an estimate. I base my estimates on time. On a smooth surface (city street, for example) with no ups and downs, Donna and I can do a bit more than 3 miles an hour at our normal pace. On a typical trail with few obstacles, we normally do 1 mile about every 20 to 25 minutes. If there are challenging ups and downs, difficult footing, blow downs, or other obstacles, we get slowed even more. On some really challenging trails, we may only do 1 mile every hour or more.

The Tasajillo Trail parallels the main park road to its entrance. Near the headquarters, it crosses the main park road that heads west, then recrosses that same road farther west. Prior to the first road crossing, the trail is level and is easy walking as it weaves among scattered mesquites, prickly pear, and other desert vegetation. After the first road crossing, there are several ups and downs, none really challenging. There are rocky slopes in some places where you need to be careful of your footing, though.

After the second road crossing, there is a high ridge with some nice views to the north. At this point, the houses of the Highland Range subdivision are only about a football field away, to the south.

On the ridges, there is only low-lying vegetation, but in the arroyos, mesquite thickets are plentiful. Notice the shadows playing across the area.

Houses in the Highland Range Subdivision. They are so close that it takes away from the "wilderness" experience we enjoy in our hikes.

At this point, the trail takes takes a rocky path down to an old paved road. We slowed our pace descending this ridge, as the loose rock made footing a bit difficult for folks our age. We crossed the road and continued on the trail.

This next section of trail is rather level and presents no real challenges. The most interesting aspect of this trail section is man-made. If you keep your eyes open, you will see golf balls placed in the mesquite trees along the trail. There aren't many, but enough to get your attention. In fact, when we walked this trail a year or more ago, I thought there were more balls.

The trail then intersects with the Nature Trail, where we turned right to begin our return to the car. In a quarter mile or more, we recrossed the same old paved road mentioned above. At this point, the trail becomes the Horny Toad Trail, which we hiked and reported on about two weeks ago. The trail follows a switchback up a ridge. Atop the switchback, we took the Talley Valley Trail north, down into a valley, then back up to another ridge.

The trail can get a bit confusing at this point as it crosses a dual track trail used by vehicles. Go ahead and cross the dual track. The trail will wrap back around and come back to that same dual track a bit farther north. When it does counter that dual track again, you will see a post for the Chaparral Trail. Turn right and follow the dual track, which eventually dwindles down to a single track trail that returns to the Red Arroyo Camping area.

I enjoy these short walks in the park. It is so much more pleasant to walk along natural trails than on city streets, dodging cars and trucks. We're fortunate to have such a park on the outskirts of town that is so easily accessible.

Longhorns and Bison

Donna and I drove out to the state park on Friday. We visit the park frequently to take shorter walks. There is a 3 mile loop near the headquarters, and we walk this trail several times each month. When we stopped at the gate to show our Texas Parks Pass, we noticed a sign about a longhorn and bison tour being given on the next day, Saturday. Always on the lookout for something to do, we decided to come back for the tour.

The tour began at 10:00 AM. The skies were a bit overcast, and a cool breeze was blowing fairly constantly. The ranger giving the tour loaded us in a trailer outfitted with benches and pulled us to a pasture off the main park road.

Our transportation to the pasture where the longhorns and bison were located.

The longhorns were being held in a pasture separate from the bison, but the two small herds were near each other so that we could see both groups easily. The longhorns were very tranquil, and we were able to walk among them. The star of the show was T-Bone, who let people feed and pet him.

Donna feeding and petting T-Bone. She wanted to take him home, but I didn't think he'd fit in the car.

The ranger was very good. He provided background on both herds and answered all our questions. If I understood correctly, there is another longhorn herd and bison herd in the north section of the park, larger than these herds. We'll be on the lookout the next time we visit that section of the park. If you've followed my blog for long, you know that we visit this park often. However, we've only seen the animals once or twice. They seldom venture along the fence lines where they are visible to the public, preferring instead to remain in more isolated areas.

I like this picture because the horns are so symmetrically developed.

T-Bone showing the classic markings of a longhorn. He proved to be very gentle, and he loved being fed by hand.

Longhorns have different coloring, unlike other breeds such as Black Angus or Charolais that are more uniform in appearance. Notice how the horns can develop differently as well, especially on the one almost in the center of this picture.

The bison were on the other side of the fence from the longhorns. The smaller bison (right center) is about a year old.

Bison are curious creatures. This one was keeping tabs on me.

Profile of a bison.

The tour lasted about an hour. Following the tour, Donna and I took a short hike in the park.

Goodbye to a Good Man

I was saddened by the recent death of Pete Seeger. He lived a long and eventful life, though, and no man can ask for more. He was 94 at his death.

Seeger was an activist who stood firmly on his convictions. He played an influential role in the Civil Rights Movement as well as opposing the Viet Nam War. In his later years, he provided leadership in the effort to clean up the heavily polluted Hudson River. Although many are not aware that he served his country in World War II, many more are aware that he was blacklisted during the Red Scare years of the 1950s and early 1960s.

But for me, my memories of Pete Seeger are all about the music, and I think he would like that. I've always liked folk music. I love ballads and songs that tell stories, and much folk music does exactly that. But folk music often expresses the feelings, emotions, and concerns of common folk, so it often has a real message to share, and that elevates it to a higher plane.

Among my favorite folks singers have been The Kingston Trio, The Brothers Four, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Gordon Lightfoot, Joan Baez, and the Seekers. I also enjoy more recent artists who have added a bit of rock to their folk influences, such as Crosby, Stills, and Nash, the Byrds, and the Buffalo Springfield. 

Seeger was noted not only for writing many original songs, but he also revived many old and forgotten songs, often with new arrangements or new verses and other changes. Among the many songs he authored are Turn, Turn, Turn which the Byrds made famous in the mid 1960s, and two of my personal favorites, If I Had a Hammer  and Where Have All the Flowers Gone? During the Civil Rights Movement, he revived We Shall Overcome, and this song became a uniting force in that movement.

Many artists have been inspired and influenced by Seeger, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Roger McGuinn (the Byrds), Peter, Paul, and Mary, and countless others.

He married Toshi-Aline Ota in 1943. She preceded him in death, passing away in July 2013. I think that sort of commitment says something about a person. Mr. Seeger leaves behind quite a legacy.

Brrr!

It's 10 degrees in San Angelo as I write this. It's been a cold winter with several days dipping into the teens. I know it's not as bad as what the folks up north are getting, but it's colder than I like it.

Tomorrow, it's expected to be 71 degrees. That's a difference of 61 degrees.

I thought last winter when we were living in our travel trailer was bad, but it has been colder this winter. I'm thankful to be in a warm, snug house.

On the Road: San Angelo, TX, to Fort Lancaster, TX, and Back

As a general rule, I enjoy driving around West Texas. Roads are usually very good, traffic is normally light, and the scenery can be quite impressive. On our recent trip to Fort Lancaster and back, we were fortunate to see some good scenery.

Our 267 mile route for the day

We left San Angelo about 8:30 AM and headed southwest on US 67 for just over 50 miles. This stretch of the highway is two-lane for the most part, but there are numerous passing lanes in both directions. Green signs along the way indicate upcoming passing lanes and give mileage to them. I think this is done to encourage drivers to be patient and wait for these passing lanes. On this stretch, though, that doesn't work well. With the recent oil boom in this part of West Texas, there is increased traffic on the roads. These folks are here to make money; many of them seem to be very aggressive and quite impatient. It can be a stressful drive.

We lived in Ozona for 8 years during the 1990s, so we drove this route frequently on our trips to and from San Angelo. It used to be a pleasant drive, and few cars were encountered. Most of the traffic then was either folks like us from outlying towns heading to Angelo, or tourists traveling the countryside. Today, this is a road I will avoid unless I absolutely must take it.

After about 20 miles, we passed through the small community of Mertzon. About 30 miles later, we arrived in Barnhart, where we turned south on Texas 163. Both Mertzon and Barnhart are showing the affects of the boom. There are new RV parks, new convenience stores, new eateries, and lots and lots of oil field services along the highway. White limestone dust seems to cover everything as it is used for side roads and parking lots.

We followed Texas 163 south for 16 miles, then turned west on US 190 for a 43 mile drive to Iraan. Traffic gradually diminished along this highway until we shared the roadway with only local traffic (ranchers, for example) and the occasional tourist, like us. After about 25 or 30 miles, the landscape begins to change and becomes more rugged, with occasional canyons visible off to the side. The road dips down for a few miles into Live Oak Draw, then back up. Then it begins a dip again, this time into the Pecos River Valley. On the down slope, we turned off the road into a roadside park to snap a few pictures of the valley.

The Pecos River Valley as seen from a roadside park along US 190. You can see the small community of Iraan in the distance. The country along the river is like this all the way south until you get near the Rio Grande, where it becomes even more dramatic.

Following our break, we continued to descend into the valley, eventually crossing the Pecos River and arriving in Iraan, pronounced in 3 syllables as Ira Ann. The town was named for Ira and Ann Yates who owned the ranch land upon which the town sits. Iraan is a small community of just over 1,000 people. During the oil boom of the 1920s, V. T. Hamlin lived and worked here. Many of you old timers will know Hamlin as the creator of the old comic strip, Alley Oop. It is said he got the idea for the strip while working here.

Alley Oop Land in Iraan, Texas

From Iraan, we parallel the Pecos River south on Texas 349 for 21 miles to the dwindling community of Sheffield. U.S. 290 runs through Sheffield. This highway was replaced for the most part by I-10, which bypasses Sheffield a few miles to the north. Today, travelers along the interstate don't see this community or even know it is there; as a result, the town has little economic revenue.

At Sheffield, we pick up U.S. 290 and head east for a few miles and stop at Fort Lancaster. After leaving the fort, we climb up the east side of the Pecos River Valley to the most impressive views of the trip. Atop the ridge is a roadside park where we've picnicked a time or two in the past.

The storied Pecos River on US 290. It's not much of river. Water upstream is drained for agriculture; by the time the river reaches Texas, there isn't much in it.

From the park, US 290 winds up the Pecos cliffs. The little roadside park is at the top of the ridge, just left of center in this photo. Notice the rock foundations added to support the roadway.

Pecos River Valley from the roadside park atop the ridge.

After leaving the roadside park, we followed 290 east until it merges with I-10, and then headed into Ozona. We drove around Ozona for a short while. It was our home for many years in the 1990s. Courtney started the 4th grade there and we remained until she graduated. I guess it is the closest thing to a hometown that Courtney has.

After a short tour of the town, we stopped in at El Chato's for lunch. El Chato's was one of our favorite eating places when we lived there. Now, there is better Tex-Mex in the world, but when you live in a small town and your dining choices are limited, you realize that the food there is really pretty good. When we lived there, I really enjoyed their hamburgers and considered getting one. Instead, I opted for my old standard, their combination plate with soft tacos and cheese enchiladas. Donna had a taco salad. Yeah, we've had better, but the food is really decent. The tomatoes and lettuce were fresh, service was good, and the food was piping hot, the way Mexican food should be.

After leaving Ozona, we head north on Texas 163, this time turning east on US 190 to go to Eldorado, the little West Texas town that gained fame in recent years as the home of the Yearning for Zion Ranch. More recently, the little community was in the news for Steve Fromholz, noted musician and former Poet Laureate of Texas, who died near there in a hunting accident on January 19.

At Eldorado, we picked up US 277 for our return to San Angelo. It was a good day. We got to see some wonderful scenery, we visited our past in Ozona, and we toured a historic Texas fort and got some fresh air.