Dinosaur Footprints

The day after a ride on the Texas Eagle, what do you do?

Well, you breathe a sigh of relief when your next ride shows up in time to load the car and head out to a diamond of the Texas Park system, Dinosaur Valley State Park. We arrived early enough to check out all three sites of dinosaur footprints (without extreme overheating).

But first we took the required photo with the giant fiberglass dinosaur models at the entrance to the park. It seems these creatures were created for the New York World's Fair of 1964. DH lived in NY City then and saw them in their first location. We visited Dinosaur Valley a few years ago and on that occasion he shook his head and said, "This looks just like the one from the World's Fair." And, upon reading the sign, he discovered that it was.

[I suppose it is only fair that New York give the park something since the records show a huge section of the riverbed was removed and is currently in the dinosaur area of the American Museum of Natural History. It is one of our favorite museums and I have seen the tracks there, but in hindsight, perhaps a cast of the tracks would have been more appropriate.]

The Paluxy River was low and murky on this visit. But we found footprints at each location.

On our first sojourn onto the rocks of the riverbed we looked and looked and tried not to be disappointed. Then the nephew said, "Look! That sign says TRACKS." And he was right. Across the river was an area of tracks roped off so that people wouldn't damage them.

Nothing but rocks.

Nephew looking at the tracks (see part of the sign just behind him)

These tracks are near the bank in the "blue hole" area. Of course the swimming hole was really yucky green. The best track is seen at the top of the photo in the water near the center of the dry rock.

We followed a short trail down to the water for our last look at dinosaur impressions. This may have been the most impressive. It looked interesting close up, but really shows best in the photos. Go figure.

See.

We were told to look for tracks "and a tail drag"

The best we could tell this is the tail drag.

DH and DN compared their feet and the tracks (Duly noted was that DN wears a larger shoe than DH. Wow!).

Boulders on the bank

Bank of the Paluxy

It is hard to see the tracks unless the water is low, but I was a little sad at the state of the river. I love a clean flowing river.

Still there was adventure enough for the day.

In addition to the tracks we saw many cardinals, dragonflies and bees, a mass of grasshoppers clicking and jumping all around us, a big bed of old fashioned red ants (you almost never see those anymore), and a snake.

Yes, our friend Jake the snake was waiting for us on our first search for tracks. We were walking around on the rocks when DN shouted "SNAKE!" and backed up.  I froze. I didn't see the snake and was afraid to move. After much shouting and pointing, I saw the snake (probably more frightened by us than we were by him). He swam towards the open part of the river and then stopped. It was almost as if he was posing for his closeup.

I did not get close (grateful for telephoto lenses).

There may be more photos of Jake, but this is the best unedited one. See him resting on the middle rock?

We left Dinosaur Valley wanting to know more about these creatures who walked our state. The volunteer in the gift shop talked about fairly recent discoveries of bones and the naming of the Texas State dinosaur ( http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Texas/Dinosaur_Brachiosaur.html ).

We left Dinosaur Valley with memories (and a T-shirt).

It was time to head south - to Hico for lunch and a look around.

Train Ride II

What is there to do on a four hour train ride?

We talked a lot. I rarely get to see my nephew without lots of other family around and all kinds of interruptions to our conversations. When we ran out of talk he read and I took bad photos out the window of the train. And then we talked some more. And he showed me the chess game on his Kindle. He showed me some other amazing games and I became dizzy at the speed of some of them.

Our lunch "basket" - bananas, yogurt, pudding, sandwiches, drinks, Funyuns...

We also had lunch and I took a short nap. This lovely child swears that I did not snore, but perhaps he was being his genuinely kind self. In any case, we did see many sights outside the sometimes fast, sometimes slow moving train.

We saw other trains speed by:

This one looked empty.

This one seemed full of gravel.

We saw rivers:

Narrow and deep

Wide

And most suffering from the drought

We saw fields:

Some with crops...

Some with farmers...

Some filled with sunflowers (I failed to get a good photo, but they were lovely)

And some with dirt just being turned...

We saw vehicles:

Some stopped for us in town...

Others had to wait at crossings in the country...

Some seemed to be racing us down the road...

We kept hearing a train whistle in the distance and I would think, "A train is coming." But then I realized it was us. It was our train whistle.

It was a great trip.

We know the view might have been nicer had we not missed the wildflowers, but we had to take the opportunity to ride when school was out and there was time to head north to "Cow Town" for a short visit.

Once there we were picked up at the station and then escorted around town by a long-time friend and Fort Worth native. We saw parts of the historic city and the Cultural District. We ate hamburgers (one of the best I have ever eaten) and talked.

We swam in the hotel pool. We watched some TV. And the aunt fell asleep while the nephew saw and heard fireworks after the symphony performance in the park a few miles away.

Tomorrow Glen Rose and parts south...

We walked aboard a train... (AKA Train Ride I)

There were to be no walks to the usual park this weekend as it was time for a long awaited and somewhat carefully planned adventure with my nephew.

And so begins our story...

We (DH and I) woke early Saturday morning to "grab the kid" and get to the Austin Amtrak Station in time for the once daily Texas Eagle trip north. Our drive down to Dripping Springs was disturbed only by the realization that we knew where to go once we got to Dripping Springs, but we had no idea exactly how to get to Dripping Springs. We have traveled there before, but not so early in the morning with a hard and fast deadline weighing on our minds. In the end all was well, the child was ready, and we headed to the Austin Amtrak Station.

We knew where it was. We thought we knew how to get there. We could SEE the station. We just couldn't figure out where the entrance was. I suspect we approached the station at least 5 times before we figured it out and drove in. Luckily we were still about 45 minutes early.

[And I should add that our patient nephew never expressed a doubt. He never said (what he must have been thinking), "OK, you two weirdos, if you cannot even find the train station, perhaps you should just take me home. Maybe we should forget about this trip entirely." No, he was game and laughed with us with each failed approach. It was an indication of the type of travel companion he would show himself to be. He is calm and collected. He pays attention. He has fun. He NEVER complains.]

DH refused to leave us at first as the neighborhood surrounding the station was pretty sketchy. I took photos of the abandoned warehouse "across the tracks" as it was so spooky and derelict. [If I say I loved it, I might upset some folks, but I say it anyway. I loved it.]

What do you take photos of when you are waiting for a train?

The abandoned warehouse across the tracks...

...and the grafitti thereon...

...and the sad barred and boarded up windows...

We boarded the Fort Worth car with an interesting group of folks. We found two seats together and worked to figure out how the reclining seats worked. Oh, did I say we were on the top of what looked like a double decker?

My traveling companion is settled in (the hat eventually ended up on the overhead shelf).

The train "set-up" is very like a plane with pockets and fold down tray tables. But there is so much more room!

We made ourselves at home and took a few photos. The girls across the way (traveling north from San Antonio, ultimately to Colorado) took a photo of us too. We watched the group in the seats in front of us break out the cocktails (We brought lunch, but forgot the cocktails. We just had soda and water).

Another group in front of them brought blankets and pillows and seemed to settle down to sleep. Two women behind us shared the stories of their lives - one, a military wife talked of raising children around the country while the other, a recent widow from Oklahoma, spoke of tornados and storm shelters, raising cattle during a drought and her antipathy for raising horses.

My nephew said that everyone on the train had a story about why they were on the train, but that we were probably the only ones riding "just for fun." And he was right.

We were surprised at the towns where the train stoped:

Taylor:

The sign says "Welcome to Taylor"

See, there is an Amtrak Station

I don't know what this buiding is, but I loved it.

And Temple:

Heading toward the Temple Station. (We were on the wrong side of the train for a photo of the station.)

Temple has a large railyard.



There were lots of engines moving around on the tracks

And McGregor:



The town name is on the other side. You trust me, don't you?

 

The McGregor Amtrak Station. (We were many cars back and they loaded the cars based on destination.)

See, you can trust me.
 

Cleburne:

Cleburne

Cool old caboose outside the Cleburne Station

And, FINALLY,  Fort Worth:

Approaching our destination

Rounding a turn on the way into Fort Worth gave us a view of the front of our train. We were in the sixth car (?)

 

Stay tuned for Train Ride II (more blurry/bad photos to follow).

NOTE: DH does not enjoy public transportation and declined the experience of the 4 hour ride (and, considering the crowded train and weird seating, I admit he would have been miserable). He joined us later for the second day of our journey.

Exciting walk...creatures I have never seen...

I managed to  convince DH to walk today even though he had excuses. I just wanted company as I am nursing a sore arm and want to make sure I could manage the pups. It is always great to have backup, a little help.

We were out early but not too early. The sky was already brightening. The birds were singing. And, as we entered the park, we all saw tiny creatures running back and forth at the curb. In the dim light it was hard to make them out. I thought, "squirrels?"  "possum?" "rats?" "What the heck?"

BABY ARMADILLOS!

I have never seen a baby armadillo before today. They were about 1/3 the size of an adult and very fast. And they were crazy brave/oblivious.

The dogs were mad to get to them. The armadillos ignored us all. DH stomped at them to warn them away and we were able to keep walking towards the main area of the park.

And there, grazing in the field along the roads were three whitetails. We walked to within 40 yards of them before any of them looked up. They watched us for a while and then one walked into the brush. The other two just stared before one finally spooked and ran, closely followed by the other. The dogs never noticed.

It was such a pleasure on this final work day of the week. I forget how much better my day is after an early morning walk.

[Of course, I forgot the camera today. And we have not seen the bunny for days.]

Teasing rain

The morning birds were singing all around us as we headed to the park in the thick humid air.

Three cats returned home as we walked along. The first, a tuxedo cat, flattened itself against its home sidewalk...and silly puppies noticed nothing. Number two was spied at a half block distance, sitting by a driveway. The third, a sleek black, peeked around the corner of fence and watched until we were within 15 feet. Then it too skedaddled. No reason to face the goofy mutts headed down to the park.

I looked up about half-way to the park and gasped at the suddenly beautiful Parrish sky (of course no camera). DH and I discussed this vision and, almost as suddenly as the sky brightened, the thicker clouds blocked the morning rays and the morning turned grey.

A skunk was exiting the park as we arrived. Two women were loading their big dogs into their car - they beat us to a walk. And we noticed that we are no longer scofflaws. The sign at the entrance to the park indicates a change. The park is now open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

We ignored the old hours (I think it allegedly opened at 8) as did all the other walkers and runners, dog trainers and fishermen (not to mention the drug dealers and other more serious misbehavers). But I suppose it is better to act within the law on these forays into the semi-wild.

We felt raindrops off and on along the walk, but only towards home did they begin to polka dot the sidewalk.  Grackles and doves sang us home.

No bunny sighting today.

Who's been eating my collards?

We have been busy and life exhausting. [Sorry for the whine, but it's my excuse and I am using it.] We haven't been walking, much.

But, we DO spend a little time documenting sightings of the bunny.

I took the day off today and was trying to be gracious, walking DH out to his car (making sure he was leaving and not, last minute, deciding to interfere with my day) and talking about a (potentially imaginary) home-cooked meal that would be waiting for him when he returned home.

"The bunny is in the street," he said.

"Well, he better get out of the street," replied the still functioning mother in me.

So I walked around to "herd" it back into the yard. I was operating blindly at this point. I had not seen the bunny, but trusted that DH knew what he was talking about. He generally does.

Yes, there he was, encouraged into the yard. And he seemed to watch us until we saw where he was sitting - sitting very still by the pistache. Then he bounced off through the front yard, giving what seemed to be a joyful little kick.

As I watered the containers of wilting plants I discovered that "someone has been eating my collards." They are last year's collards weirdly hanging on for another season and should have been pulled up. I am happy to share them with the bunny.

I think the bunny lives here now

While killing time this morning (trying to avoid thinking about my impending visit to the dentist), I surprised the bunny in the west side-yard. And it surprised me.

I gave him a fairly wide berth and he froze in one place as I watered a few plants and, finally, gave up the stalling and headed to my fate (It was OK - some issues ahead. Bummer.).

So, it is beginning to seem like we have another pet. I suppose we will tolerate him until he starts eating my plants. Perhaps I should get some bunny food?

Day of the bunny photos...

I know they all look the same, but you are getting them anyway....

Far meadow

Cone Flowers

More coneflowers

Verbena growing from trash pile (Someone came down the road a year or two ago and left some junk. Nature is trying to cover it up...and starting to do a pretty good job at that.

One horsemint in the middle of the grass - wild carrot (?) blooming white behind.

Muddy place to avoid...yeah...

I can almost hear these puppies thinking...."That mud sure would be fun to walk through." "Yeah, bet she won't let us."

Nice puddle...but not for us today.