December, 2008

A trip by Awanna and Daniel to the Texas Hill Country.

Oklahoma

At the Kansas/Oklahoma line, just south of Coldwater.

The state line is marked by that fence.

Boiling Springs State Park, Oklahoma. The springs really do come boiling up. Many years ago, the CCC built this park, and added the cover around the sand springs (these are not warm springs).

There were a number of nice hiking trails. We walked to the river.

Much of the standing water was frozen--it was pretty cold.

Texas

Walking to Texas. This is the Oklahoma / Texas line.

We stopped to take this picture, and two cars stopped to ask if we needed any help.

Christmas day at Quanah, Texas.

South Llano River State Park in Texas.

The trail along the river was closed for the season--the birds were roosting and were not to be disturbed.

Fort Phantom Hill Park and what remains of the old outpost fort.

Garner State Park is in the Texas Hill Country. This was quite a well-developed park.

Wading in the Frio River. The water was not especially cold, but it's still December.

An impressive CCC pavilion.

The Wild Horse Creek trail started fairly easily, but ended with a steep climb.

I wasn't sure that the battery would make it through the trip so it was replaced in Uvalde, Texas

Lost Maples State Natural Area. This was one of the nicer areas we visited. We walked up the right bank, crossed over the river, and returned along the left bank. The trail was well done, and there were sturdy rustic rails where they were needed.

A rare species of bass lives in the water. We saw fish, but couldn't say if there were the rare ones.

Lots and lots of boots. We're not far from Kerrville.

The National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg. In part, this was a museum dedicated to Admiral Nimitz, who grew up in Fredericksburg before attending the Navel Academy.

Enchanted Rock Natural Area. The central point of the park is the enormous granite rock that you can almost feel even when you can't see it. We hiked partly around it, but made no attempt to climb it (as several others did).

Hiking back to the parking lot. We didn't have any trouble finding the truck, but we saw a couple of folks that were hopelessly lost.

Pedernales State Park. The river steps down over these folded rocks. It's quite a remarkable thing. There were no flash floods while we were there.

LBJ State and National Historical Park. There was an extensive visitor center in the town of Johnson, and there was yet another visitor center several miles west of town, near the ranch.

A short guided tour took us outside the house, and then through a couple of rooms. The house is still being prepared for full tours.

The Blanco, Texas county courthouse and Riley's Bar-B-Q. No plates are provided; use the heavy paper for that. I had the brisket; it was good.

The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the old home of the Lone Star Brewery. What a very confusing place to get around. The two wings are connected along the first floor and the fourth. There are four elevators, but they don't all stop at all floors. At one point, we were the only ones on the floor--I'm sure because nobody else knew it was there.

Not art; just a little-used stairwell.

The Alamo in San Antonio. This was only half-a-mile from the previous art museum. There isn't really much to see inside the building--a few exhibits and some archeological remains. It's clear that much of the building has been rebuilt as it had been allowed to fall into terrible disrepair over the years.

The River Walk. The North Western college band was playing on the boat (the football team was in a local bowl). The River Walk isn't far from the Alamo. There were thousands of people, and I wouldn't be surprised to know that several people fell into the river. There are no railings, and sometimes the throng was heavy. Anyway, we stayed dry.

San Marcos Springs and wetlands. This is a huge spring on the edges of the Hill Country.

Bastrop State Park is well to the east of the Hill Country, but is still in a densely wooded and hilly area. It was a cool and misty day for hiking.

The Bob Bullock State History Museum in Austin. Parts of the museum were disappointing (the earliest history), and parts were exceptionally well done (the oil boom years). I like museums best when they inform; and least when they try to entertain.

The Blanton Museum of Art. We had to enter the building through an underground service entrance as a large plate glass at the main entrance had shattered during the night. We both thought this was a very good museum.

Mission/Missions
(or How to build a Cathedral)
Permanent exhibit by Cildo Meireles
600,000 pennies, 2,000 hanging bones
and a central pillar of 800 communion wafers.

A corner reading room off of the exhibit area. Quite a comfortable place to be, and a perfect meeting place.

"Penetrable" by Jesús Rafael Soto. --most often called the "large box of spaghetti outside the art museum."

Austin; the State Capitol. The building was open for wandering.

A view looking up at the dome, and a close-up of the inside door handle of the front door.

Colorado Bend State Park is not easy to get to (this is the only road), and is probably not heavily visited.

Walking along the Colorado River.

Not even any rocks to sit on, so we sat on the ground and enjoyed our Christmas cookies.

Mostly, these guys kept their head down, and scurried about through the leaves looking for whatever it is they look for.

Leaving the park, and passing through a small herd, standing in the road.

Acton State Historic Site is the smallest historic site in Texas, and covers only the area of the grave of the wife of Davey Crockett.

Fort Richardson State Park. There was a scouting troop staying in the barracks, and they were receiving canon instruction while we were there. They all got a chance to pull the lanyard, and fire the canon. Great fun.