Aquifer Tour - Wed., June 8, 2016

Today was such a fun day, I had to write about it ahead of other blogs waiting in the wings. If you've never been to Texas Hill Country you may not know about our aquifers, underground reservoirs that supply water to much of South Central Texas.

No matter the time of year, the Natural Bridge Caverns would be an awesome place to tour. However, because we have had so much rain, the aquifer has risen into the caverns, covering the trail through some of the rooms. Susan and I wanted to tour the caverns today to see the aquifer. We were not disappointed.

Coming to the entry area of the caverns, you see the Natural Bridge the caverns were named after. That's where our tour guide greeted us and told us the rules of the cave.

Heading down the trail to the cavern entrance

The Natural Bridge

Into the cave we went; down, down, down, seeing formations along the way. Our guide wasn't very good at slowing down to look at stuff so we had to take photos on the fly.

Stalactites, stalagmites, columns and soda straws.

Cave drapery

A beautiful pool

In the next photo, the formation at the top of the picture looks like a necklace. Awesome room.

In the photo below, you can see the aquifer and how the cave tour trail disappears into the water. We'll have to go back another time to go to the lower level rooms.

Aquifer up into the cave rooms

Emerald Lake says 135'. I don't know if that means the lake itself is 135' deep or if it is at a depth of 135' under the ground. Our guide didn't explain it.

Emerald Lake (135')

Emerald Lake

Flow stone waterfall

Susan M. checking out Emerald Lake

Water flowing down this section of flowstone.

Me and Susan M.

Hall of the Mountain King (looking up)

Stalagmite family

Hall of the Mountain King (looking back down)

This formation looks like a castle to me.

As we were exiting the cave, walking through the woods, the people in front of us were making a commotion about something on the ground. Can you see what the commotion was about in the pic below? Look closely.

Do you see it?

When we finished the tour, I called Bob since he had wanted to do lunch yesterday but I had my hair appointment. So Susan and I went to lunch with him at Cheddar's today. I had firecracker chicken and shrimp on a bed of rice with a side salad. Yum!

Susan and I were having so much fun we decided to see X-Men Apocalypse. Both of us enjoyed the movie, but thought Captain America: Civil War was just a bit better. If you do see X-Men be sure to stay to the very end, after the credits, when you think the screen is going black, that's when the hook for the next X-Men comes on.

Today was a great day!

Austin Marathon and Spring Lake Preserve - Sunday, February 15, 2015

After our great Sunday in Port Aransas with Faye and Dave, and seeing whooping cranes for the first time, it was back to work for Bob Monday through Friday, and Wednesday through Saturday for me (second week in February).

On Saturday, Bob drove 1-1/2 hours to pick up his Austin Marathon packet. At 4:00 am Sunday morning we got up then headed to Austin at 5:00 am. The marathon start was around 7:30 am for Bob's bracket. The plan was for me to hike in San Marcos, have lunch with the group, then pick Bob up about 1:00 p.m. As RVers we all know about plans made in Jell-o, right?

I dropped Bob off in Austin near the marathon start point and headed south to San Marcos, Texas, to hike with the San Marcos Area Trail Walkers on a four-mile, two-hour hike in the Spring Lake Preserve near Aquarena Springs. We were to meet at 9:30 am.

I was there by 7:15 a.m. Because I had been to Aquarena Springs/Spring Lake before, I knew I could do a short hike to the Wetlands Boardwalk and see if any interesting birds were up early. I love the light for early morning photography.

Below is the old Spring Lake Park Hotel which is now Meadows Center for Water and the Environment run by Texas State University.

Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

The springs that form Spring Lake come from the Edwards Aquifer. From the Edwards Aquifer Website is the following description of San Marcos Springs:

"One of the greatest outflows from the Edwards Aquifer is the San Marcos Springs. More than 200 springs burst forth from three large fissures and many smaller openings. Early travelers and settlers described the large ones as fountains, gushing water several feet above the surface of the stream they created. Today, the Springs lie at the bottom of Spring Lake and are viewed through the floor of glass-bottomed boats."

I walked along the lake toward the Wetlands Boardwalk. In the leaf-naked tree I saw a beautiful red-shouldered hawk. As I was taking photos, another red-shouldered hawk flew by, landing in a nest in the crook of a tree.

Red-shouldered hawk

Red-shouldered hawk on its nest

After watching the hawks take turns on the nest, I headed onto the Wetlands Boardwalk. Not too many birds were out in the wetlands. I saw turtles, fish, and some interesting water plants.

The back, unlocked entrance to the boardwalk

Water lilies and another interesting aquatic plant

On this early Sunday morning, a number of scuba divers were suiting up to jump in and explore Spring Lake. 

Scuba divers entering Spring Lake

Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

It was close to 9:30 a.m. so I made my way back to the parking lot to meet up with the hiking group. Introductions were made and we set off into the Spring Lake Preserve. This was my first time hiking with this group, although I soon found one lady with whom I had hiked a few times with the San Antonio Hill Country Hikers.

Spring Lake Natural Area Trail

Our hiking group on the trail

Our hike leader, Rob, talking about the trail

View from the top of a hill

Pencil cactus - look at those spines!

New development next to a historic structure

It was at this point in our hike, a little over half-way into it, that my cell phone rang. Bob called to tell me he wasn't feeling well and opted to do the Half Marathon, not the full one. He was finished and waiting for me in Austin. He was feeling dizzy and nauseous. It was at this time that the rain started.

What a dilemma. We had about 40 minutes left in our walk. Because I did not know the way back, I stayed with the group.

We debated what this building was used for.

Hike with a view

Unusual cactus next to the trail.

As soon as we returned to the parking lot, my phone rang. I had hiking poles, umbrella, camera, and car keys in my hands. The rain was coming down steadily, I was wet, and trying to get into the car, remove my wet coat, and answer the phone all at once. It was Bob telling me he was waiting on the curb outside an IHOP in Austin.

In my haste to get out of my wet coat, my hiking pole hit my glasses, knocking them off my head into the gravel. My hearing aid went down with the glasses. No harm was done to either accoutrement.

I used the restroom, said good-bye to the group, hopped in the car, and made my way 1/2 hour to Austin to pick up my ailing honey. There he was waiting by the side of the freeway access road. Luckily it was only drizzling in Austin.

We headed home. Bob slept most of the way. When we arrived home, he promptly fell asleep in the recliner for the remainder of the afternoon. I'm proud of him for recognizing the Half Marathon was his limit today. He received a beautiful Austin Half Marathon medallion. Way to go, Bob!

Travel Bug out.

Hiking on Balconies? - Tues., Sept. 9, 2014

Today we hiked on "balconies." Let me explain. Here is a Texas geography lesson for you. The information below is taken from a trail brochure produced by the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department.

Northwest Bexar (pronounced "bear") County near San Antonio, Texas, sits on the edge of the Edwards Plateau in a deeply eroded and dissected region known as the Texas Hill Country. Friedrich Wilderness Park, where we walked 2.5 miles today, lies on the Balcones Escarpment where the land rises abruptly from the Gulf Coast Plains to the Edwards Plateau in an area of dense faulting called the Balcones Fault Zone. This park lies above the Trinity/ Glen Rose Aquifer is on the contributing zone for the Edwards Aquifer, currently the primary source of drinking water for San Antonio and many other communities.

Kiosk photo of a karst where water enters the underground aquifer.

Water enters the aquifer through numerous karst features formed when groundwater dissolves sedimentary rock, such as limestone. Karst topography is terrain characterized by  subsurface and surface features such as springs, caves, sinkholes and seeps.

Diagram from Edwards Aquifer Authority

Two types of limestone are exposed within Friedrich Wilderness Park: (1) Edwards limestone (much of which has eroded away), and (2) the older Upper Glen Rose limestone which is composed of alternating harder and softer layers. The softer layers erode more rapidly, exposing large bands of the harder limestone. This gives the hills their terraced or balconied appearance; hence the Spanish name "Balcones."

Living in San Antonio, or anywhere in the Texas Hill Country for that matter, we love when it rains because the water seeps down into the aquifer, recharging it. When the aquifer falls below certain levels, water restrictions go into place.

Our hike in Friedrich Wilderness Park today took us through the lower level of the park. We didn't have as many steep hills as our Saturday 10K hike in the park.

Typical terrain in Friedrich Wilderness Park

We wear hiking boots in this park.

The 1/3 mile Water Trail section of the park is highlighted by one of the oldest working windmills in Bexar County which testifies to the presence of German settlers on the land that is now Friedrich Park.

One of the oldest working windmills
in Bexar County.

Susan on the trail ahead of me.

A walk in the park.

One of the reasons we completed this Volksmarch is to make sure it is 5K. Susan used her "Map My Walk" feature on her Smartphone. We found out the trail is only 4.4K, so an adjustment to the route needs to be made to change it to a 5K.

On Sunday, we will go back to Friedrich Park to re-walk the 10K Volksmarch with Map My Walk using the new directions (to account for recent changes in the park's trail system).

This morning when we drove to the park, we did not take into account we would be driving in rush hour traffic! Luckily, I went against traffic, but Susan M. got stuck in a traffic jam. We decided we will not walk so early on a week day from now on. This means we will have to wait for cooler weather to hike on week days so we can walk later in the morning. In the meantime, we will continue our weekend walks early.

After our walk, I showered and then went to Target, Pep Boys, and took my car to the car wash. Tomorrow is my appointment with the hairdresser before our six-week trip.

All for today. Have a good evening.

Saturday in the Park -- Sat., Oct. 27

Landa Park in New Braunfels, Texas, that is. Today we went out to lunch at Schobel's Restaurant with Jim and Peri of Tales from the Camping House. We enjoy spending time with them and today we met their seven-year-old granddaughter, Karli. She is darling! 

Oh boy, another restaurant! I am having fun getting reacquainted with food. Today, I enjoyed Nan's Chicken Noodle Soup, a side of mashed potatoes and divine chocolate meringue cream pie. Mmmmm. Bob and Jim opted for the buffet. Peri had a BLT sandwich, and Karli chose chicken strips, mashed potatoes and corn. Karli said I was torturing her by eating the chocolate meringue cream pie. All was good, though, we planned to go to Naegelin's Bakery a little later.
 

Karli and view of the Comal River from Shobel's patio.

Bob, Susan, Peri, Karli, Jim

Schobel's patio overlooking river. Too chilly today to sit outside.

Jim and Peri lived in Texas for many years. They took us around New Braunfels to show us the sights. Our favorite was Landa Park, a very large park with natural springs that start the Comal River. The springs are fed by the Edwards Aquifer.

Click to read.

Where the springs start the river. The water is crystal clear!

Karli checking the water temperature. Hard to see the water.

The Edwards Aquifer is several hundred miles long.

Looking downriver from the springs.

Panther Canyon Nature Trail in Landa Park.

Jet contrail gone alien. (Sorry, we talked about Roswell, NM today.)

As we drove through the park, we saw a small train touring through the park. That looked fun, so next thing you know, there we were riding the train.

Karli ready to ride the rails.

Listening to grandpa, proud grandma in back.

Not only did the conductor take tickets and drive the train, he also asked everyone if they would like their photos taken! How nice is that?

Karli, Jim, Peri, Susan & Bob

Our conductor, engineer, photographer.

Comal River in Landa Park. (It's dammed up. That's how it gets big so quickly.

A lovely park and train ride.

Karli wanted to be let loose in the playground, but first Naegelin's Bakery was on our list. Yum, yum, yum. I am a bakery connoisseur so I had to take photos here because it's just so good. These were taken at 3:30 in the afternoon. Most people know it's best to go to a bakery early in the morning to get the best selection. Alas, my favorite butterfly something or others were out, so I got a Danish cinnamon roll. Karli was particularly taken by the last purple-frostinged Halloween cupcake.

All I want for Christmas is my four front teeth!

Fun Halloween cupcakes.

Cream puffs and cheesecake.

She wouldn't eat it until we took a photo.

Right next to the bakery parking lot were beautiful murals on the wall. (We saw quite a few murals as Jim drove us through downtown New Braunfels.)

New Braunfels was originally a German settlement so there is quite the German influence in town. However, Texas being so close to Mexico has also inherited a Mexican imprint. Jim drove us by Huisache Grill and said we need to go there to eat (and shop). There are some shops on the property that you can peruse either before or after your meal.

Other interesting stops in New Braunfels are the Railroad Museum, Sophienberg Museum and a Children's Museum. It was too late in the day to go to a museum and all of us were happy with the park on this beautiful day. So, baked goods in hand, we parked ourselves at a picnic table at Landa Park to eat while we watched Karli on the playgrounds.

Just a lovely day hanging out with friends. Saturday in the park. (By the way, today's title is courtesy of Bob. Thank you, honey.)

Travel Bug parked in the 5er now. Enjoy your weekend!