The Dinosaurs Were Here! - Sunday, April 3, 2022

This is Day 3 of National Walking Week. Today, I picked up Andy Thomas and we headed to Boerne (pronounced Burney), Texas, to do the 10k Volksmarch through Cibolo Nature Center.

Our walk started at a Comfort Inn where we signed in at a start table hosted by the Randolph Roadrunners Volkssport Club, and then drove to our start point in downtown Boerne. As we exited the car, St. John Lutheran Church loomed large across the street.

St. John Lutheran Church in Boerne, Texas.

St. John Lutheran Church in Boerne
(side view).

We took Rosewood Street to the Old No. 9 Rails-to-Trails path. A neighborhood garden (perhaps belonging to the church) was on our route. After we took photos, I turned around, looked on the ground, and found a one-dollar bill. I guess with inflation, finding pennies, nickels, or dimes has increased to finding dollar bills! LOL.

It must be too early in the year for
this community garden. 

Scott and Paulette turning
onto the Old No. 9 bike path. 

I met Paulette and Scott briefly on Friday morning at the Friedrich Wilderness Park hike. We finished the walk at about the same time. They planned to do most of the seven walks for National Walking Week, so I said I'd probably see them again.

On all my walks I'm looking for kitties to make friends with. We saw this alert, beautiful lilac point or lynx point Siamese in a field headed our way. I called the cat over, but it was skittish. It just wanted to cross the path and not be bothered by humans.

If you know me, you know I HATE spiders in any way, shape, or form. With that being said, a wolf spider ran across our path. Andy and I both took photos of it. In an attempt to learn more about wolf spiders, I read about them online. Here's what I found.

Wolf spiders are fast, aggressive predators who hunt on the ground. They do not build webs, so don't fret about running into one in a web at face level. They typically kill, catch, and eat ground-bound insects and spiders which are smaller than they are, including brown recluse and black widow spiders! Hmm. This spider might be good for something after all. 

If you get close enough to examine one, you can confirm the identity of a wolf spider by the number of eyes it has. While most spiders have six eyes, the wolf spider has eight! It can see really well and has superior night vision. 

Like all spiders, the wolf spider can bite and inject a tiny amount of venom, but it is not toxic to humans. There are no serious medical complications to a wolf spider bite. In fact, the only reason they might bite you is if they feel cornered or threatened. We did not corner or threaten this spider, but let it go on its merry way. 

Wolf spider on the bike path.

Below is the historical information on Old No. 9, the rails-to-trails greenway path we were on.

As we were headed toward Cibolo Nature Park on the Old No. 9 Greenway Trail, Susan Medlin was walking toward us. We exchanged greetings. She had started before the club members set up the registration table for today's walk. This walk is also a year-round event, so she self-registered using the club's start box which is kept at the hotel.

We came off the Old No. 9 Trail at Esser Road. From there, we headed to a paved bike path that would take us to Cibolo Nature Center. We were only on main roads for about two blocks.

The sculpture below is made from bicycle tire rims.

"Solar Wind," by Patricia
Vader of Martinez, California.

Fern Bank Falls.

Scott and Paulette on the 
bridge over Cibolo Creek.

I got to spend some time talking to Scott and Paulette. They recently retired to San Antonio from Virginia. They volksmarched in Germany when they were in the service, walked around the Virginia area, and have done some other walks here in Texas. 

This is a very nice part of the trail
overlooking the creek.

On our way to Cibolo Nature Center, we passed an Agricultural Heritage Museum (mostly old farm equipment outside), a community swimming pool, and soccer fields in Boerne City Park

. 

Agricultural Heritage Museum
in Boerne, Texas.

Blue Case tractor at the museum.

From Boerne City Park, we took City Park Road to Cibolo Nature Center & Farm, also known as Cibolo Center for Conservation. They have a pavilion, a Visitor Center (which I have never been to), and miles of trails through tall grass prairie, woodlands, a marsh, and along Cibolo Creek.

Information about the Nature Center.

Oh, and I believe I mentioned dinosaurs in my title today. This is where we found the dinosaur tracks. 

Dinosaur Trackway.

Dinosaurs had big feet. 

Here's my foot in a dinosaur track.

We crossed a small bridge, headed along the tall grass prairie, and entered the woodland trail (nice shade here!).

Our goal is to see Cibolo Creek.

Tall grass prairie.

I liked the sentiments on this sign.

There are a few picnic tables and
a playground.

The woodland trail.

The woodland trail along
Cibolo Creek.

We didn't take the trail directly next to the creek because large boulders block part of that path. But we could see the creek from this trail. The trail does go down to the creek just before the park's research area (which is fenced off).

This spot right here is my favorite
part of the whole 10k walk!

Cibolo Creek.

Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry)
Rosaceae

We headed back to the car via a trail through the tall grass prairie, past the soccer fields, and past Fern Bank Falls. 

A little more info on 
Cibolo Nature Center.

When we returned on the Old No. 9 bike path, we saw the Siamese cat again watching us from the trees, but it never did come out. 

Driving out of Boerne, I noticed the temperature was 82 degrees. It took us two hours and 15 minutes to do the 10k walk. 

I dropped Andy off at his house on the way back. Then, I took my car to the car wash. Oh, and with the dollar bill I found on the ground during our walk, I paid cash for an onion at the grocery store. It was $0.91. 

When I got home, I took a shower and a two-hour nap. Bob took off to buy a few things at the store. When he got home, he was very industrious and used a ladder to clean some branches and leaves off our roof.

When I woke up, I spent time editing photos for my blog. We did laundry. 

We watched 60 Minutes. I made dinner around 7 pm, watched some more TV, and then wrote my blog. 

Tomorrow morning, I will be doing the 5k Stone Oak neighborhood walk in north San Antonio. It doesn't start until 9 am! Yay.