There are chalk veins that run through this part of North Texas. They break off and fall into the streams along the way, thus widening the opening distance between banks. Such a major fall happening about this time last year and the work has just been finished to where that part of the trail can be opened again.
Each fall and spring, I walk the length of the two separate soccer fields that are bordering the White Rock Creek and the soccer fields. Although it was rather a raw type of cold, it wasn't that bad walking. For a long time, I have wanted to go down the high bank to the creek bed and shoot the amazing cliffs. I have not done so because I am afraid of falling. The path down is about a 40foot drop.Today, I noticed that some one had driven a piece of #3 rebar into the ground and tied a rope to it so you had something to hold on to as you either went down or came back up. That is rather dangerous on two fronts. First, the rebar sticking out of the ground would impale anyone that fell on the bar regardless of which way that the party was going. On the second front, driving the rebar into the ground at the top would normally work, except, these are chalk cliffs and weight put on the bar either going down or coming up could cause a hugh hunk of chalk to break away and a fall would be a major life threatening event. However, today was not that day for me just yet, so I stuck to the line of scrub bush where the wildlife and plants thrive. In this section, I was hoping to get some good shots of a cardinal or two. I saw them. They were singing and moving around in the brush, but catching one out on a limb for a good shot just didn't happen for the red birds today. I didn't even see one of the horned lizards that hang out around fallen branches.
The part of the trail that collapsed had large blocks of sandstone covered in wire mesh and stacked in pyramid fashion. The trail along the creek from that point also had new iron fence rather than the wood simulated plastic made from recycled bottles.
Following the trail a bit more and ending at Flag Pole Hill, the cold and the gusty winds had the big waterfowl finding cover except for a hand full of the old birds. Since seeing the coyote at Flag Pole Hill a few weeks ago, I have continued to look for it. Time is running out when that leg of my cycle will change the week before St. Patrick's Day when the local festivals of Dragon Boat Races, Deep Ellm Arts Festival, Plano Balloon Fest, St. Patty's Day Parade and the Dallas Blooms at the Arboretum will fill out the travel calendar until after Memorial Day.
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| The trail now has an upgrade of steel railing after the repair where the the chalk cliffs collapsed up ahead . |
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| A home made tent frame padlocked to a tree in the dense brush. Things like this were not to be found anywhere along this part of the trail last year. There are more homeless this year that refuse to go to a homeless shelter. |
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| And, just as I headed to the grocery store for fill ins for the rest of the month, I found a group of cement workers that took a moment out of their day to have a bit of fun. You guys were alright!! I didn't get every one in the picture. I was at a stop sign and they were working in the lane next to me. |
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