90°today. Not even a record, but the AC was working on the buses and trains. Lunch on a bench in Lakewood.

 Discovery Missions are always fun. The fun is in the discovery. Even if it is small. The discovery was a new small number route; small sign topper; small architectural element that is over 2000 years old in design. The design comes from Morocco in North Africa's Marrakech to Casablanca train route. But sold for centuries in the Market's of Marrakech. 

As far as the small number route. Well, it is a bit over an hour from start to finish and in some places it's know as a true crosstown. It's about 20-minutes to get where I started but enroute found another way to pick it up midstream for it is the far western end of the route that I really would like to explore more. Another time, maybe when I can start out earlier than I did today. And this being Texas, before it gets to hot.

                                                                    Morocco Treasure

                                                                    Historic Junius District

                                                      Some things people discard along their way

 

                                             

Knoll Trail Mystery Solved

 Everyone knows where Knoll Trail is but no one can find it, or so they say. In fact, I know where  it is but only if I travel from the opposing direction. The one Silverline Station under construction that I have not photographed in that amazing state of creation, is the Knoll Trail. The reason is that the developer of the now leveled Valley View Mall has included a people mover from the Valley View location and the nearby Galleria to the new Knoll Trail Station. 

Well, today, I solved my mystery. Knoll Trail is a continuation of Momtfort at the Walmart on the corner of Momtfort and Arapaho. In the Issue No. 1 Silverline Dallas Rapid Transit stated that the station was a "Kiss and Ride" station with no parking. From what I saw today, there is parking. Plainly marked. To be fair to DART, they call it an urban oasis. Actually, that definition comes very close to what this station will be. The people mover thing came from the developer at the old Valley View project. I have not seen much action from that site but dirt being moved from pile one to pile two. Come on late 2024!

Beautiful Georgian Architecture at SMU for Thomas Jefferson

 The architecture at SMU is of the Georgian style chosen by the architect from the style at Charlottesville, Virginia's university from the Thomas Jefferson era. It is one of my favorites, still, today. The Cox school of business is undergoing at present, a major building addition with a quad structure. 

The Perkins Chapel of the Divinity School is always a peaceful experience inside and out. I love the benches and the rose gardens before going up the steps to the entrance. Today, I noticed at large number of tulip trees in bloom. 

I always walk by the Greer Garson Theatre Building. My mom knew Greer and I do visit her grave from time to time out of total respect for such a wonderful person that she was. Mom would like that, too.

Got to Ride the New Electric Bus Today. AWESOME!!

 The route number is 106 and 28 leaving from their stop at the Rosa Parks Plaza across from the West Transit Center.

It was smooth

It was Quiet

It left no odor.

The comfort of the interior is 100% improved 

I have been wanting to know which one of the downtown buses would go to Trinity Groves at the west end of the Margaret Hunt Hill (Maggie 1) Bridge. I had a choice and took the first one to pull in, which was the 106. I came back on the 28. Truthfully, I hope to see more of them on the streets. DART sold me with one ride. Seen here on the Maggie 1Bridge with the arches of the Maggie 2 in the background of the Maggie 1 cable stays. Trinity grove is at the end of the bridge. I shot this from the Ron Kirk Deck Park which for 80 years carried the Singleton Traffic over the Trinity River on the Continental Bridge.

A Very Interesting Historical Marker to a park in North Dallas

 Yesterday, I walked the White Rock Creek Trail from Forest Lane to the LBJ Expressway on the west side of the Dallas High 5 Project. Over the years, I have long enjoyed the flowing waters that cut their way through the chalk cliff banks.

                                    Foot bridge crosses over onto the second large soccer field

                       Markers on the White Rock Creek Trail from Alpha Road to White Rock Lake
vein that runs through the northern geography of North Texas. I have seen boulders fall from the cliffs the size of a small van into the White Rock Creek that flows as part of the normal watershed. 

A couple of years ago, part of the trail had to be closed as the banks were shored up before the trail could be reopened. Yesterday was the first time that I had a chance where I could see the work that had been done. As I passed along the street, Park Central, I could see some major changes going on. Having said that, here, the images will explain a lot.

  Honor to the former land owner that is now named in his honor as a city park: Anderson Bonner

                                                     The State of Texas Historical Marker

                                            The rapids that flow through this part of the park.
 

                The Rebuild of the Trails Bank that had closed the park trail for a fairly long time.The image below is just a bit up stream from the picture above. This seems to be more stable at the point.

Found a Large Tree in Full Bloom today. About three weeks earlier than normal.

Took a walk down the White Rock Creek Trail that is under development. Some of it I've been over in sections  including Anderson Bonner Park. That's part of the chalk vein that runs through Dallas. The weather was in the upper 70s and while a lot of moisture was moving this way, the sun stayed out most of the afternoon. 

Winter returns tomorrow with the high hanging in the low to mid 40s but the wind chill will be below freezing. I'm home bound tomorrow for sure. Glad I could get out today.

Spring Weather is Hitting like a Seesaw---Up and Down.

 When the weather is in this phase, I tend to stay in doors. At the first break of sunshine and temps 50°F

and above, I get outside very fast. The weather was great today, but it's going downhill like a lead balloon. High wind warnings are out and the temps from the second cold front is doing to do the same to temps. Some of the Weather Service long range says that it could be like that through the end of the month. But, there is hope because after today, I am convinced that its going to get better as tree branches are beginning to bud out in a wide scope of plants and trees.

I've spent a lot of time walking of late. Since I got my app for footsteps, I've been kicking the heck out of weight loss again. Plus, getting out of the house and giving my lungs a good turn of fresh air. Today, I hit the nature trails in Richardson, walking the distance from Galatyn Park train station to City Lines train station, then reversing it back halfway and covering the distance from US75 and Renner to George Bush Turnpike Service Road to Plano Road and back to the trail head at Spring Valley Nature Trail.  

The  City Line Station of the Silver line next to the Light Rail Station in use, is really a two-fold project. The station construction is one part but the other part is the pilings and cross bars that will support the tracks above and over US 75 North. Today, I was able to get up close to the pilings as they make their way on a gradual turn after departing the City Line Station on it's way to DFW Terminal B as the third train into DFW from Ft. Worth through Dallas, Richardson, Plano and Garland. A total of 26 miles currently under construction.Plus the Light Rail from Plano and South Dallas to Terminal A using the Orange Line, Green Line, Blue line and Red Line.

On getting off the Red Line at City Line, I headed toward the nature trails but stopped and dropped my camera bag to unpack and get my first shot. It was just to good of a shot to pass up. A Young man sat on the top floor parapit of  a parking garage that connected two rows of apartments facing south and north. The man was facing east overlooking the construction of the Silverline, the Light rail stations and the massive CityLineDFW complex, that is a regional complex of several highrises for State Farm Insurance. That complex is lined with retail and other businesses. I remember when this entire area was a massive hay field. What a grown that just keeps growing.