Pearsall Park 10k in San Antonio, Texas, and a Shed - Saturday, November 21, 2020

All the stars aligned correctly today, the weather cooperated nicely, and this is the first time I've walked Pearsall Park. My BFF Susan Medlin was nowhere to be found. She has been off gallivanting across the U.S. as much as we have lately! We saw each other for one day in between our last trips. 

When you do a Volksmarch, you never walk completely alone. Along the way, you run into long-time friends and exchange hellos. That was the case today. 

This walk is a mix of open hillsides, Texas scrub forest, Lackland Air Force Base/ JBSA and park views, and hilly and flat terrain--more of the former than the latter. A portion of the Leon Creek Greenway Trail passes through the park. The park has an adventure course (think American-Ninja-Warrior style), basketball courts, soccer fields, skateboard park, a disk golf course, miles of trails, multiple playgrounds, a dog park, and a splash pad play area for kids that is amazing. (However, the splash pad is closed indefinitely due to COVID-19.)

Today's 10k walk was a combination of two 5ks. First, you walk the trail in one direction for 5k. Then you reverse course and do the 5k in the opposite direction. That way we got to see all the walkers more than once as we passed. 

Pearsall Park Trail through the woods.

Part of the adventure course.

Lots of open areas (no shade at all).

Spooky tree in the woods.

The family below and I crossed paths many times. Their little boy had so much energy and a delightful, playful personality. I marveled at him every time we passed.

Volksmarching family.

A spot of fall color
along Leon Creek

The trail went up and up and up at one point. Overall, though, the whole walk was up and down the hills at the park. 

This was a particularly long uphill hike.

Thank you to our checkpoint volunteers!
Happy faces at the top of a long hill.

I don't know who was ahead of me going up these hills, but he kept up a good pace. I couldn't catch him to tell him how impressed I was.

He was bookin' it up these hills.

Lackland Air Force Base.

Two play structures on top of a hill.

Trail Watch Volunteers from Parks & Rec.

Joe and Susan Noonan, Martin, and ?

The skate park.

Wayne Henry working on 15k.

These ladies zipped up the longest hill!

Serious retaining walls on
Leon Creek Greenway Trail.

More Volksmarchers.

Susan, Joe, and Martin on the
Leon Creek Greenway Trail.

Don't get lost!

This walk was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the ups and downs and felt at the end of it that I really got my exercise in for the day. Thank you, Randolph Roadrunners, for keeping the walks interesting.

In other news, Bob and I got a shed from Costco to put behind our single wide manufactured home (assembly required). We have help from neighbors in the park who know what they're doing and already have the base leveled and the floor down. Wow! Thank you to Dennis and Tom. They make this thing look easy. Here are photos of the first 24 hours.

Bob unpacked and laid out all the pieces.

This morning Bob organized everything so it was ready for Dennis and Tom. They had Bob put in all the flooring screws.

The building crew.

Parts and pieces all lined up.

More parts and pieces.

This is very exciting. Thank you, Dennis and Tom. Also, thank you, Norma, for the breakfast tacos. Mmm! I'm going to bake something good tomorrow!

That's it for today. Have a wonderful weekend everybody.

Leon Creek Walk and a Movie - Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016

It had been rather chilly in San Antonio and night-time temperatures were in the upper 30s so we dressed rather warmly for our walk today. I had on a sweatshirt and heavy winter coat along with a hat. When we started walking around 11 am, the temperature was probably about 58-60. The thing is, this trail may have shade in the early morning when shadows are long, but midday is a different ballgame. The sun was out, there was minimal shade for 6.2 miles. We had on dark, heavy clothes.

About 1/3 of the way, we were feeling the heat. By the time we made it half way, we had our coats off and were carrying them. On the way back, we were grousing about how much we were sweating. We vowed never to walk this at midday again if it was sunny out.

After the walk, we decided to see the movie "Sisters" with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. First we had lunch at Panera Bread which was yummy.

I should have known better than to see this movie. Don't get me wrong, I love a good comedy. But this wasn't one of them. For one, I think Amy and Tina are way over-rated as comediennes. Second, this movie was just plain stupid with more cursing and expletives than I have ever heard in one place in all my life. I didn't even know what some of the swear words were! Awful movie. As soon as it was over, I put it out of my mind. For me, this movie was pure torture.

Walking and lunch were good, even if it was warmer than expected outside. I felt i wasted $7.50 on a terrible movie. Some days are like that. C'est la vie.

A Shady Walk is a Good Walk - Sunday, August 23, 2015

This morning Susan and I met at Leon Creek Greenway trailhead for our 10k walk in the shade. Once again, San Antonio is hot, still, and humid at 7 am.

As we drove into the parking for the trailhead, a herd of about eight deer popped out from behind a berm next to Walmart and headed along the access road to the trail. One fawn leapt right in front of Susan's car...I saw it in my rear-view mirror. We were going slow enough that the deer weren't a problem. In fact, they're very graceful to watch.

Today was a good wildlife watching day. In addition to the herd of deer we saw driving in, we spotted another deer across the dry creek bed heading up the bank, and we saw three bunnies.

Snow-on-the-mountain (Euphorbia marginata)

Western Horse-Nettle

Bunny camouflage

Even though the trail was shaded most of the way, the humidity was brutal. There was only a small breeze for a couple of minutes toward the end of our 6.2 mile walk. We were happy for any breeze at all.

While we were doing our walk, Bob was out on another part of Leon Creek Greenbelt doing a marathon training run. He finished up a little after we did. Earlier we thought we'd all go to breakfast, but after talking to Bob by phone at the end of his run, we all decided to head for home shower. Bob watched part of the Dodger game. I took a nap.

For a late lunch, we went to 54th Street Grill and Bar. Both of us ate salads.

Back at the 5th wheel, after 60 Minutes, we watched HGTV's Beachfront Bargain Hunt. Then I fell asleep in the recliner for a couple of hours. Of course, now it's 2 a.m. and I'm wide awake. Even the cats beat me to bed!

Speaking of cats, here are a few photos I've been meaning to post...

We can both share this chair!

Ahh, warm, folded laundry: mine, all mine.

Bowie slept on the warm, clean laundry for hours.

Photogenic Sunnie getting his portrait taken

Monday, I've got a long list of chores. I better try to get some sleep!

Travel Bug out.

All Revved Up - Sunday and Monday, August 2 and 3, 2015

Sunday, August 2: 
Bob was up before dawn to run at 6 a.m. with the San Antonio Road Runners* (the team he trains with for the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in December). While he was running, walking and sweating in the early morning heat and humidity, I was sleeping in in our air-conditioned 5th wheel. Any morning I can sleep in thrills me to no end!

By the time I got up and showered, Bob had already come home after his run and showered. I think I finally got up at 11 a.m. For breakfast, I made pumpkin-blueberry pancakes topped with cinnamon applesauce and two fried eggs. It was so delicious.

Movie review: After "breakfast" we went to the movies. "Mission Impossible: Rouge Nation" looked so good from the previews we couldn't wait to see it. We were not disappointed. Action, chase scenes, stunts galore (not to be confused with Pussy Galore of Bond movies), humor, twisty plot, great acting - this movie has it all. Don't blink, you might miss something.

Bob read one reviewer who said (and I'm paraphrasing here): This is what the Fast and Furious movies aspire to be and what James Bond movies used to be. Bob gives it four stars and I give it five. Bob prefaced his star rating saying, "I'm not as much of a fan as you are."


Monday, August 3:
The morning started out calm enough. I met Susan at a McDonald's to sign in for our Volksmarch. We're doing 10k (6.2 miles) along Leon Creek Greenway at the Mainland Trailhead. Our decision was to start at 8:30 a.m. in the hopes rush-hour traffic would have abated. But we were wrong on that count. Earlier traffic accidents delayed Susan, and I heard about a wreck on my route, so I took different freeways and arrived on time.

The walk was flat and shady which is very nice on a 90-degree morning. No unusual animal or bird sightings, but the cicadas were obnoxiously loud and screechy.

Leon Creek Greenway

Leon Creek Greenway

After our walk, Susan headed home and I, feeling adrenalized by "Rouge Nation" yesterday, decided to see "Furious Seven" at the cheap theater today. Wow, another exciting, stunt-filled movie. The plot was pretty much like every other Fast & Furious movie in the franchise. It was very exciting and paid tribute to Paul Walker, who died last year in a high-speed crash. I rate this one 3-1/2 stars.

So, I have been revved up by the high-energy movies over the past two days.

That's all I've got for today.

*Not to be confused with the Randolph Roadrunners, which is the local Volksmarch club I belong to.

Leon Creek Greenway, Bill Radigan Memorial Walk - Monday, March 30, 2015

Monday morning, March 30, Susan and I met to do the 10k Leon Creek Greenway Bill Radigan Memorial Walk. The weather was perfect; about 70 degrees.

This Volksmarch is dedicated to Lt. Col William J. Radigan, Jr. who was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident on September 30, 2014. Bill Radigan was a Volkssporter - Volunteer Extraordinaire and served as the Vice President and the Treasurer of the LoneStar Walkers, AVA-944 as well as an AVA National Headquarters volunteer for the AVA Executive Director. 

As we started walking we couldn't help but notice how formerly brown, dry scrub brush areas were now lush with thick green grass and the trees were leafing out in springtime greenery. Very pretty!

Leon Creek Greenway trail

The ground is lush with thick green grass.

I have yet to see a Texas horned lizard.

Our turnaround point was the Grissom Road Trailhead. We had a snack at the picnic table, used the facilities and headed back the way we came.

Here we are.

Huisache trees in bloom

The sun came out and the trail had shade!

Huisache tree blooming

After our walk we wanted to see "Insurgent" (second in the "Divergent" trilogy), but it was an hour until movie time. We walked across the street and had a wonderful lunch of tenderloin tri-tips over garlic mashed potatoes at Saltgrass Steakhouse. Our tummies were very happy by the time we went to the movie.

Both of us enjoyed "Insurgent." It's pretty dark, but there is good action and good acting. I don't remember all of the things at the end happening in the book. I guess I'll have to re-read it.

Another fun day!

Leon Creek Greenway, San Antonio, TX -- Sun., Jan. 27

The Leon Creek Greenway Trail System currently has 15 miles of paved or natural surface trails. On today's Volksmarch Bob and I covered 3.1 miles, then turned around and retraced our steps for the other 3.1 miles.

Unlike other Volksmarches we've done in rural parks, this one is a suburban "greenway." Greenway parks are stretches of natural areas which provide trails through the city for local wildlife. (And people too, but no houses are on the greenway itself--although houses and apartments back up to the greenway.)

We started our walk at 12:09 p.m. to clouds and 65 degrees. About two-thirds of the way through the walk, the sun came out and the temperature soared to 76 degrees. It got hot on the trail and we were sweating...not a lot of shade. I can't imagine doing this walk during the daylight hours in 100-degree heat of summer. One nice plus was a cool-ish breeze blowing around us.

This is a very popular trail. We encountered walkers, joggers, but mostly bike riders, and one skateboarder. I'm sure it would have been a lot more crowded if we had been there earlier or later in the day. 

Let's take a look at what we saw:

A nice, wide, paved trail.

Some art on a trail wall.

Leon "Creek" is pretty much a dry wash.

Suburbia--see the apartments just off the trail?

Winter in Texas.

School bus line up.

Great trail directions.

All the stats about the trail.

Big clouds building up.

Love the nice lines on the bridge.

Doesn't Bob look like Lt. Provenza from "The Closer"?

Water appeared magically in this section of the creek.

Love how this bridge looks like it goes on forever.

Alert roadrunner. He ran off just after I snapped the photo.

It took us one hour and 48 minutes for today's 6.2 mile (10K) walk. As usual, after we walk we were ready to eat. We planned to see "Red Dawn" at Cinemark 16 and Wendy's is right next to it. I had the baked potato with a small chili all mixed together. Bob had a baked potato with butter and sour cream and a side salad. We made it to the movie just before they dimmed the lights. We were surprised how many people were in the theater considering "Red Dawn" has been out for a while already.

The movie was excellent. I really got into it. It was funny, exciting, sad, intense. I had never seen the original "Red Dawn," but Bob had. He told me, "If you like this one, you'll love the original. It had much more character development." So we will rent the original "Red Dawn" from Netflix.

After the movie, Bob drove me around the medical center complex of San Antonio--VA, University Hospital, several facilities in the Methodist Hospital system, Christus Medical Center and Baptist Hospital. That's a lot of medical facilities. I told Bob I hope I don't ever have to see the inside of one of those again.

On our trip back to the 5er we criss-crossed some streets in the King Williams Historic District. Here are some of the homes we saw.

Nice, eh?

Bob has been telling me for about a month that I need to read the historic marker in front of the Lighthouse for the Blind Activity Center. (That's directly across the street from The Lighthouse for the Blind that we toured last Thursday.) I didn't have time to run across the street and read it then, so we stopped today. It is a very lengthy, in-depth historic marker telling all about El Camino Real (King's Road) and the early history of Texas--the road is intrinsic to the history of Texas. It is also called The Old San Antonio Road.

In the picture below, note the progress (?) from deer to Native Americans to horses to missions to factories and then, ta-da, RVs! I think that's pretty cool they used an RV.

OK. That was a full day. We got back to the 5er at 5:30 p.m, watched "60 Minutes," and Bob watched the exhibition Pro Bowl game played in Hawaii.

Bob says, "And the Blazers are down by five at the half, if you need to get all the news in."

Ha ha, Bob, I guess I got all the news in.

Here's our little darlings:

Sunnie and Bowie.

Travel Bug out.