JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace 10-Miler

We combined hiking with photography and this is what we got:

 

 

 

Giant Structure Conquered for New Record!

The mother of all structures at my Plant is a giant reactor structure, which is 22 stories tall, or 284 steps to the top. If you count the numerous landings, it amounts to 338 steps. Today on Veteran’s Day to honor my fellow Vets and to bring to remembrance my Iraqi Freedom fallen soldier son, Sgt. Nick Marshall, I broke my previous record of 7 consecutive ascents, with an 8th climb.

I set the Plant and personal record back in June and today was the right day to break the record once again. To my knowledge the last record holder was Robert “Elwood” Marshall (no relation), who told me he had climbed it 6 times, but only once and climbed it regularly 5 consecutive times while training to go to climbing school in Colorado. He was 61 years old at the time.

I’m 57 and I thought he was a beast at the time for doing it 5 times in a row. I videotaped it, but using only a 512MB card and the card registered full with 2 flights before reaching the top. I was taking 2 steps at a time, as I knew I had a smaller card, but since it was my 8th ascent, I slowed down a couple of times. Oh well, this record may never fall; not unless I decide to go for number 9.

God bless our Veterans. Men and women and may America continue to be the land of the free and home of the brave.

Industrial Trekking is not Parkour or a Race

I’ve been quite active the last month, climbing the towers and stairs on the tall structures at work and I’ve even added pull-ups to the equation. At 57 years old, this really boosts my energy level and shows results in stamina. Pull-ups and chin-ups call for strong upper back, triceps, biceps, shoulder and chest muscles and the good thing is, they develop rapidly to meet the new demand.

For pull-ups, I’ve been using the backside of a stairwell, or the cage around the ladders. I stress my muscles going up and down, going for the burn rather than how many I can do, which at this point is very few.

My Area Superintendent is 53 and over the last few months, he’s embraced the Indy Trekking with a passion. He’s a chemical engineer and at times has considerable stress. He now works it out almost daily with a trek through the extensive unit, both for exercise and stress relief. He’s lost over 20 pounds and his blood pressure is well within lower limits, even after extensive exercise.

Another benefit for him is he gets out in the Unit and can look things over. This climbing and stair-stepping takes him by places not often traveled and resulted in another unit engineer (while Indy Trekking) find a small crack in a large gas line. He directly attributes the trekking with finding this leak, as he wouldn’t have been near this place if he had stayed at his desk.

In addition (or with) we use Incentahealth, a wellness program our Company embraces. It's an excellent tracker of your weight and wellness, which has the additional benefit of paying you cash for extended weight loss. They also track your progress on their web site with an online journal and dietary tips. It works for us and helps keep us motivated..


The whole idea of Industrial Trekking stresses safety, not daring-do or parkour. Wearing a hardhat, safety glasses, Nomex clothing, earplugs, leather gloves and steel-toed boots, a person endeavors to follow a meandering path or trail of alternating stair and ladder climbing with ½ mile walks in-between. It’s not a race and safety and caution should be exercised at all times.

Indy Trek When You Can’t Urban Trek

We experienced a severe thunderstorm this morning and it rained about two inches. It was followed by a dry wind from the north and what we here in Texas call a “norther”. Now, I’ve been laid up for the last ten days with either the flu or a close relative and am trying to get my trekking mojo back and this weather is what I’ve been waiting for.

Today, clad in Nomex™, steel-toed boots, leather gloves, tools, hardhat, et al, I trekked a Level Two. It was brutal, as I am still fatigued from my recent sickness, but now I feel at peace. It took me 62 minutes.

Level Two – 8 Evolutions
The purpose of this series of evolutions is to simulate the stresses and physical exertion of an actual emergency response. It is an indicator of overall physical fitness and gives the participant an idea of how prepared they are for emergencies.  This is not a race or a test.

You should be able to complete the exercise within 80 minutes. If at any time you feel unusually exhausted, stop immediately and sit down until you return to normal.

Ø Exit N. Control Room door, turn right and walk to the Column at the end of the pipe alley – Climb it and return to the ground. (Upper body)Ø Climb stairs to top of Column Structure including the ladder at the top and return to ground. (Lower body)Ø Go East and walk at a good pace around the ponds returning on the south side of cooling tower. Ø Climb the stairs of Reactor, then walk around the top and return to the ground. (Lower body)Ø Go West to Extruder structure and climb ladders to the top of the Extruder building, then descend via same ladders to ground. (Upper body)Ø Go to Reactor and climb stairs to top, walk around top landing, then return to the ground and repeat a second time. (Lower body)Ø Go West to Lab turning left at Lab building and walk back to Control via the road and enter South door. (Total walking distance 1 mile)

Deer Flies are the spawn of the DEVIL!

An 8-mile day hike at the JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace in East Texas turns into a swat-fest, even though we were both coated with insecticide. Lance is a corporal in the US Army and is home before he ships out for a year tour in South Korea.

Lance and I have a good laugh picking up a peanut bar and claiming it is "Feral Hog Doo Doo".

I Photographed a Wharf Roach!

I hiked the Goose Creek Trail this past Wednesday. There are a lot of improvements on the North end since the last time I was there. The city has added a bridge, a very big and strong bridge, at the intersection of Garth Road and Decker Drive, cemented a portion of the trail leading from the park to behind the old San Jacinto Methodist hospital and guardrails.

Kudos to the City hierarchy and Parks super Scott Johnson! On another vein, the new Dog Park at Jenkins Park is fantastic also.

My trip down the trail, which is almost 4 miles stem to stern - that is from the park entrance on Decker Drive to the tip of the Bayland park peninsula - was mostly uneventful. I had a serious contention for the trail by a gang of mosquitoes. My Cedarcide was ineffective against them, as I was sweating rivers and anytime my cedar oil washed off, a samurai mosquito took a sword to me.

I notified the city of the mosquito problem too. By the way, some destructive idiot sprayed blue spray paint on a historical marker in W. C. Cravens park and also in a couple of places on the sidewalks. I advised the city on this also. While I hiked through the park I decided that caning Singapore-style would be an appropriate punishment for this miscreant.

After my last two hikes of many miles, this hike of 7.5 to 8 miles was not much of a challenge even though it was quite hot. I banged my feet on the trail past the Bayland park boat ramps and decided to walk to the marina building to see this dock where a friend said he has been catching fish.

As I moved close to the building a couple of little “bugs” came running along towards me on the sidewalk. I have seen these critters before whenever I was close to salty water, so I wasn’t particularly interested in dodging them, but rather getting a photograph. This is easier said than done, as they work against this effort.

I wasn’t about to be denied and moved in such a way that I put my foot down right next to one, which cast a shadow over it. This done the trick, as it thought it was hidden from view. I eased my Canon SD950 Is down by my boot after activating the digital macro feature and took this photo. I then of course let the critter go on its merry way.

After returning back the way I came to my trusty adventure vehicle - my KIA RIO 5, I figured to get a quick verification of the identity of this critter and post it on my Blog, but not so fast there! No one seemed to know who, what, when or how, so I set out to get a positive ID…and I did. It’s a Ligia Exotica, commonly called a sea roach, wharf roach or sea slater and it is an isopod and a crustacean related to sowbugs and wood lice.

My thanks go out first to Mary Wicksten of Texas A&M University. She wrote: “Hi Bert. This is a good photo of the sea roach, Ligia exotica. This little animal is related to the common pill bugs and "rolly-pollies" of gardens and thus is a semi-terrestrial isopod. My colleague Luis Hurtado in Wildlife and Fisheries currently is studying this and related species, and warns that the name of the species eventually may need to be changed due to confusion in the identity of the species in Texas. Ligia are fast-moving scavengers that trap water under gills on the abdomen. They can't swim, though, and usually stay among damp rocks.

Mary is a Biology Professor at Texas A&M and from a look at her extensive credentials she’s sure knows her critters.

Next, I want to give credit to friend Sarah Graham at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center for helping me get an ID also. I also had about 30 other people throwing in their 2 cents and one buddy, claiming “it is only a guess, but I think it’s a sardine”.

So, every hike can be a learning experience and an adventure and I was quite pleased to share this trip.

One Hike Over the Line Sweet Jesus

Brewer and Shipley said it best: “I've been changing, as you can plainly see. I felt the joy and I learned about the pain that my mama said, if I should choose to make it part of me, would surely strike me dead, and now I'm”… one hike over the line!

Yesterday’s adventure in Brazos Bend State Park, which was supposed to be maybe 12 miles, albeit 16.5 miles, all but had me putting both feet in the grave and that is no exaggeration.

My desire to hike Texas despite the August heat and thus ignore all reason once again caused me to over-extend myself and I was warned by almost everyone, including my bride, to “not over-do it”. Anyway, on with the story and now, the next day, I can tell it. Yesterday I was too exhausted; I was sick and wondering if I was going to lose my cookies, or worse. I collapsed in the bed by 8pm and slept the restless sleep of the drained.

After my near disastrous hike at the park in July, where I became self-damningly incognizant of my delirium, I made much better provision for this even longer hike. First, I hydrated heavily and while making the seventy mile drive to the park, I drank almost a gallon of water.

Breakfast was a protein shake (EAS Carb Control) and three finger bananas. I took along 2 packs of salty peanuts and a pack of sunflower seeds and carried an additional three bottles of H2O. At the roughly 1/3rd point there and back I refilled the bottles. I drank all of it too.

I arrived right at 8am when the park opened and launched off down the trail with a rosy attitude and high expectations. I was determined to walk the Creekwood Lake trail, one that I had bypassed twice before when I opted to take the northernmost Sawmill trail. Taking the northern trail added up the miles, but the hike down Creekwood Lake had a lot of elevation changes and was a dead end. It was uncharted waters for me and mysterious. It is also remote – maybe the most unused trail in the park – be wary of this.

Today’s hike was very fruitful with a lot of wildlife, including deer, an owl, many birds, rabbits, ducks, Golden silk spiders, Mexican Eagles, squirrels and even a coral snake which slithered across the trail at my feet, causing me to jump back. As it left the trail, it was almost invisible in the short dry grassy landscape, even though it was bright red and yellow.


A rough, but fair estimate of distance to the trailhead was two hours one way and about five miles, then down the Creekwood lake trail and back – another two hours and a measured 6.4 miles and then back – another two hours and five miles. This added up to 16.5 miles, a very long distance in the August heat of Texas.

On my way back out, after re-gaining the Bayou Trail and still five miles from my car, a park ranger drove a Kawasaki Mule up behind me and looking me over asked if I needed a lift. Once again, I blurted out that “I was okay, just a little hot” and he drove off. Pure stupidity on my part and I swear the next time this happens I’m going to take the ride.

I was so tired, both physically and mentally that I was in denial. Now I’ve been to this place of exhaustion many times on one of my long distance bicycle rides, but never to this level on foot. This was worse than July’s hike, albeit, not quite as hot in temperature. In fact that was probably the saving grace – the sky had become overcast and a distant thunderstorm caused the ambient heat to fall into the upper 80’s, but the distance, lack of wind (once again) and humidity amplified the heat exhaustion that overtook me.

By the time I made the return trail head of the Pilant Slough, I was literally weaving like a wino on Friday night and I was powerless to walk straight. Each bench I encountered beckoned me to plop down and I did – for a minute and then reproaching myself, I staggered on. I say all of this as a warning and a self-rebuke. Finding my way after a mile, I came to Elm Lake and even though it was devoid of shade and wind, I collapsed on one of the benches and seriously thought I was going to die.

After about 10 minutes this feeling passed and I got up and staggered off to attempt to put this hike in the bag. I had 2 miles to go and passing no one, I came up the trail at the end of the 40-Acre lake to my car. Maybe I will learn something from all of this about myself and that will be my reward.

Hiking in the Texas Heat

I was bound and determined to “get my hike on” this past week and the memory of my July heat stroke hike in Brazos Bend State Park was still vividly tagged on my memory storage wall. Nevertheless it was once again my plan to tackle another set of trails in this great nature park.

The night before I began to lie out everything I normally carry when I hike so I could gather it up and scoot out the door very early. I have a nifty padded lumbar pack that allows me to carry about 20-25 pounds of gear and water with relative comfort and ease of use. In this heat I steer away from a daypack, as it would lie across my back and hold in the heat.

On this particular day I decided to carry two cameras, my faithful Canon SD950 IS, which is 12 megapixel rated and takes fantastic digital photographs and my newer Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9, which is 9 megapixel rated which I use primarily for video, although it takes excellent photographs also. I love the compact size of the Sanyo and since I regularly upload video to youtube.com it is perfect as it is in MP4 format, the same as YouTube, so I lose no resolution (or very little) as they do not have to convert the video to this format.

Morning arrived and I checked the weather. High today was supposed to be over 100 degrees F. with no clouds and heat index of up to 114 F. - and no wind. Rats!

My last trip to the Brazos Bend State Park trailhead (about an hour south of Houston) I hiked 12 miles under these same conditions and to say it was dangerous, brutal, stupid and nine other negative words wouldn’t be an exaggeration. I videoed as I hiked and uploaded to my youtube account under the user name baytownbert2. Watching the progression, or rather destruction of my condition, was alarming, even to me. By the time I made it back to the amphitheater I looked like I had barely survived a version of the infamous Bataan Death March.

The weird thing about doing something crazy like this long distance heat hiking is I inevitably get in a state of denial and it isn’t until I get back, get cooled off and rested that I see the folly of my adventure. I’m not alone in this either and many a distance jogger, hiker or cyclist has lived the same experience.

I decided to err on the side of a lesser evil and go to the JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace near Wallisville, Texas instead. It is located on the west bank of the Trinity River off of Interstate 10, about 15 miles from Baytown and since it has a closed to vehicle road that is about 5 miles one way, I figured I could get in a 10 miler. If at any time I felt overwhelmed by heat, I would turn back (right!).

Now the last time I was there it had extensive hurricane Ike damage and the road was closed, but the trail and road were open to hikers and folks on bicycles. The same was true this day and that didn’t bother me one bit, in fact just the opposite as it meant fewer people, if any. Turns out I was there 3-4 hours and not a soul did I see.

As I hiked in I noticed how dry the swampy areas were. In fact they were cracked earth instead and last February I came across a bright red raccoon and I realized there was little chance I would see it again. What I did see were hundreds of lubber grasshoppers. Now if you can imagine the largest grasshopper you have ever seen, then that is a lubber. I took my watch off and laid it beside a dead one for perspective, photographed it and it appeared to be 4 inches long. As I walked through the Trace, I had to sidestep often to keep from crushing them.

I noticed I was losing sweat and salt at an alarming rate, so within 20 minutes of departure, I was sipping my 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade. Gatorade is powerful stuff, so I brought just one bottle and 4 bottles of water. I also brought my standard bag of sunflower seeds to replace lost salt and have a healthy snack at the same time.

Down, down, down the road I walked to the Trinity River and back taking in the untainted beauty of the Trace. Other than the rough road and a few wooden structures, there was no evidence of man and that was good. In many respects I was seeing the same things our forefather explorers witnessed 200 years ago. By the way, I stayed on the road due to the bloodsucking deer flies, which will ruin a trail hike in roughly 5 minutes, regardless of how much Deet you use.

I “got my hike on”, saw nature, had a few hours of quiet contemplation, witnessed thousands of lubber grasshopper procreate and cleansed my soul. It was time well spent and didn’t cost a dime other than gasoline.

Lubber Grasshoppers having an orgy

The JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace near Wallisville, Texas is evidently a fantastic place to be if you are a lubber grasshopper,as witnessed by Baytown Bert August 2009. The lone dirt road was covered with them is breeding posture.

The JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace is 15 miles east of Baytown off of I-10 close to the Trinity River.

A cleansing 10 mile hike in Texas heat

I wanted to get out and walk someplace where I could see little evidence of man and mans doings. This is at the JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace off of I-10 and close to Wallisville/Anahuac Texas. It is presently closed to vehicles due to September 2008's Hurricane Ike.

The temperature is right at 100 degrees with high humidity and scarce amounts of wind.

The JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace is approximately 15 miles east of Baytown, Texas on the Trinity river.

Why I hike the JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace in Texas

I give you a panorama view of the JJ Mayes Wildlife Trace and show you why I love to go to places that are untouched by human hands.

BBSP Golden Silk Spiders 7 9 09

Brazos Bend State Park - Golden Silk Spiders by the thousands. Very hot July morning. Dangerously hot for hiking.

Brazos Bend 10-12 mile hike in July heat

I’m in Number Seven Heaven!

I did it. I climbed the big structure seven times in a row. As far as I know, no one has done this before today. It means nothing to anyone, but me, as I don’t think anyone cares. LOL

It’s in the mid-90’s with a Real Feel temp of 108 degrees F, whatever that means. I know it feels real hot. Real hot. As the other day when I climbed 6 times in a row, the wind began to play tricks with me. Every once in a while it would stop entirely, causing my body temperature to soar, then start back. Occasionally it would really blow and these times I would stand for a minute to cool off before starting the ascent again.

Anyway, here I am on top after the seventh ascent. Hot, happy and in Seven Heaven.

I Nailed it 6 times Today

Today was a hallmark day for me. I climbed the tall structure at the Plant six times in a row today for a personal record. This tied the Plant record set by Robert Marshall (no relation) and I just didn’t think it prudent to attempt a seventh time today and grab the overall.

The Texas June heat can be and was brutal today, coming in right at 96 degrees F., with light to no breeze and to top it off on the sixth ascent, the breeze stopped altogether. I think I was about 3 flights from the top when I began to ask God to send me something, anything and sure enough a little puff came along and made it possible to top out.

If I remember correctly it is 326 steps to the top landing and each step is about 9 inches. This totals out to be about a 1500-foot climb at a steep angle. Not bad considering the Nomex™ coveralls, hardhat and steel toed boots, Texas heat et al.

What does this bad boy look like you ask? Well, thar she blows!

ExxonMobil backs off opening trails to public!

I talked with Neely Nelson today and due to the new Federal security guidelines and the TWIC requirements, ExxonMobil has denied all public access to this area (Black Duck Bay roads/trails area), so my proposal to open it for jogging and bike riding is now officially closed.

Below are the 2 blogs and website documenting the proposal:

http://baytownbert.blogspot.com/2008/07/black-duck-bay-trail-system.html

http://baytownbert.blogspot.com/2008/08/black-duck-bay-trail-system.html

http://www.ourbaytown.com/black_duck_bay.htm

Here is Ms. Nelson's contact information:

Neely Nelson
ExxonMobil Baytown Public Affairs Manager
5000 Bayway
CORP-CAB-E-221
Baytown, TX
(281) 834-7340
(281) 834-2261 fax

Steel-toe'd trekking!

Over the last few months, I’ve been hiking and camping in the State Parks of Texas – a must go to place since most of Texas is private property. This roaming through the foothills of the Texas Hill Country, or the swampy lowlands of Brazos County make urban trekking seem, well – Industrial, at best.

Well, we do what we can, when we can and since I am on another long stretch of overtime at the Chemical Plant that pays my bills, I’m back at it climbing towers and reactors to get my hiking time in.

Today I climbed the 285 steps of our largest reactor three times in a row. It felt real good in the sunny high humidity of the Houston Texas Gulf Coast. However, after three climbs, I was ready to sit down. Ha ha!

We have two seasons here. Hot and not hot. Today it is beginning to get hot and as my body adjusts, I will get back in the saddle of alternating the ladder climbs with the stair climbs, as I did last year.

It’s a fantastic trade-off from real hiking and actually gets a person in shape rapidly.

BB's Hiking Videos on YouTube

Trail, Road and Sky

Well, it’s been an active three days. Friday, my bride and I traveled to Brazos Bend State Park and hiked the many trails for four hours. It’s only the second time this year we’ve hiked together and it was very pleasant and fulfilling for both of us, at least it was for me.

When two people have been married for thirty-two years, it would appear walking a trail together would be status quo, but truth be told, many folks grow apart over the years and pursue their own agendas apart from their mate. My bride and I have walked many a mile together over the years, but seldom on long hikes, so this is new and exciting territory for us.

I’m pleased to say this was the second successful hike in the last two weeks for us and more are planned. In fact, I hope we hike many more miles in Brazos Bend SP in the next month so we can witness the American Alligator in rut. They are very active at this time and I am hoping we see a big male rumble and ripple the water as it calls females. If I can video it, I will be very pleased indeed.

My Lady is with me on this hiking business, as she knows it is a good thing. I am about three years from sixty and she is approaching fifty. What could be a better decision than walking the trails, looking at nature and getting exercise to boot? Speaking of boots, I ordered her a pair of Columbia Coremic Ridge hiker boots. The temerity! She reminded me this was very personal and I reminded her I knew it was.

I want my Bride to have all the comfort she can get on the trail, so I ordered her three pair of merino wool hiking socks also. Call it cheek if you like, but I call it protective compassion. Banging your feet on the trail bothers the feet and can ruin a hike and it doesn’t matter who you are or what skill level you have. Having good socks and boots makes a big difference in how long you can walk comfortably.

Saturday rolled around and I went down to Texas Avenue for the Bayshore Fine Rides car show in time to watch Mean Gene Kelton and his Diehard band. I had a good chat with former council member Sam Mahan and a couple of other folks, but the best visit was with Ken “the dauber” Pridgeon. Ken’s a local artist and a mover and shaker in the Baytown Art League. He was sitting at a table in front of the old Brunson Theater drumming up signatures to save the old building. Of course, I signed.

Sunday morning, I skipped Sunday School (again! – Lord forgive me!) and geared up for a ride out Beach City way. In my defense, this area is very hostile to cyclists, as there is very little shoulder on the roads and even less tolerance from cars drivers. It’s so bad out there that riding a bicycle is flat-out dangerous. The only safe time to take a long distance ride is on Sunday morning.

I left the house about 9am and made my way down the south side of Business 146 to Kilgore road. Old Kilgore is now new Kilgore and awesome cement. You would have to see it to appreciate how improved this road is. Passing Roseland Park on Texas Avenue, I peddled to Spur 55/Hwy 99 and crossed over Cedar Bayou, stopping to appreciate the view and look to see what changes have been made concerning the proposed Barge Terminal.

On West Bay road, I turned and rode towards the dump, which believe it or not is odorless and actually not a bad ride. Since it was Sunday, there was little traffic and I had the road to myself. The open road and big sky got me to thinking how much I liked wide open spaces. Trail, road and sky…and me. Just the way I like it.

I usually ride straight out Fisher Road to Tri-Cities Beach Road, but the wind was picking up and I knew I was going to be riding into it one way or the other and that long stretch out by Trinity Bay can be murder, so I elected to ride the opposite direction and have most of this wind at my back and then fight the head wind on the return down the five miles of Fisher Road.

What I experienced though was a bad crosswind on Tri-Cities and total frontage on Fisher. By the time I got to the Wesley Riggs Memorial on TriCities, I was pooped. I always stop and pay my respects to the fallen local hero PFC Wesley Riggs. He and his family payed the ultimate price in Iraqi Freedom and deserves a few minutes of reflection.

Needless to say, that ride into the 10-15 mph wind on Fisher road turned me into a grunting 56 year old man and I finally wheeled down my own street exhausted and once again fulfilled. I’ll do it again, but next time I’ll check the wind report, but the sum of all this is I got off the couch and did something outdoors.

Ted Nugent! Where are you?

(This is concerning the many Texas County imposed burn bans and how they negatively affect State Parks and campfires/charcoal picnic fires)

Of course I could toss in the towel and think the State and county will take the easiest route and simply continue to stop State Park campfires and just forget the fight for citizen rights, but it is up to us to demand they do otherwise.

Each park government whether State, county or city should keep in mind that parks are provided to promote the welfare of their populace and they are obligated to maintain this for them. We are guaranteed by our constitution a fair and equitable government along with the pursuit of individual happiness.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

Texas parks and Wildlife Mission Statement poses: To manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

I am simply contending that campfires and charcoal fires are part of this “outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment” and want them to facilitate it…and others who feel the same way can join me in attempting to make a change – a reasonable one.

It is also a logical step on my part to make the assumption that people are not coming to their reserved campsite because of a fire ban if that was only an assumption, but it’s not. I was told by a Ranger when fire bans are placed, attendance falls off. When I called for reservations, the person who took it told me the same thing, that they have cancellations and possibly openings after a fire ban is placed, so call back to see if there are openings. This was when I tried to book at Pedernales Falls SP for early April, which was fully booked.

Over-regulation and restriction of public resources has got to be called back and we folks who hunt, camp and hike should be very careful what we decide is acceptable. If Texas had bazillions of acres of public land, BLM land and national forest, easily accessible, then it would be no big deal what the authorities decide happens inside a State park, but that is not the case. We are a State with lots of private property, thus you have private parks and many hunting leases.

I bet “The Tedster” cooks meat on an open fire on his private land, regardless of what the County Commissioner decides and I wish I could get him on my side in this one.

Texport Dual-Foam Sleeping Pad REVIEW

It's listed on Texport.net as the Texsport Dual-Foam Sleeping Pad style number: 15816 and I bought one. I wish I wouldn't of. The quality of construction is good, but the comfort it provides is non-existant.

Their website makes the following claim: Dual-Foam especially formulated for support and comfort.

I wrote them a letter explaining the deficiencies of this pad and advised them to remove it from their inventory - it's that bad. I give this pad 1 star.

State Parks - Improve – not remove.

Wonderful comments by all and it's this educated feedback, which is very important to discussing an issue with any clarity.

Can a person camp without a campfire? Sure. Can a family still have fun camping without a campfire? We did. I am simply writing about the burn ban and the effect it had on the general population using one of our State parks.

My issue is simple. If there is a chance a campfire will get out of control from one of these fire rings - then engineering controls need to be amended, so it can't happen. Banning campfires and charcoal from picnic braziers is not the answer. Banning fire period literally caused MFSP to be basically empty during Spring Break and the sign at the front gate said "No occupancy".

The reason for this was all the sites were booked and paid for in advance, but the burn ban caused many to reconsider. I do not believe it was the rain, as it came and went both days with plenty of sunshine afterward and Saturday was dry and cool - perfect weather.

As far as "Engineering controls" go, a few issues that could be covered are this:

1. Short class at the station the first night you camp
2. Water hoses at the spigots
3. Possibly a CO2 fire extinguisher at the site.
4. Revised Fire ring with the predominant wind sides blocked (2).
5. Online course of campfire/cooking for a safe TX-issued fire card
6. Handouts at the gate explaining safe fire practices.
7. Random oversight by park personnel/volunteers for unsafe fire situations

Now I also understand that seasoned hikers/backpackers/campers have a more educated view of setting camp and camp-discipline, but most people who use the screened-shelters and improved sites (water/elect) want a campfire and many of us who camp often do too.

My beef is simply that the State needs to improve rather than remove. I asked about the fire ban being lifted and found out that it was imposed on the previous Tuesday. Tuesday? Why not Thursday? Why did it have to wait until the next Tuesday before it was considered again?

One Ranger said they thought the ban was on because of an "incident at Pedernales Falls SP", but they were not sure.

Another issue, which I did not bring up in my Blog and it is nothing more than a conundrum, was the firewood issue for the environments sake and I understand this, you are not allowed to pick-up any wood of any kind from the surrounding area and burn it. Fine.

You have 2 options. Bring your own wood or purchase wood at the gate. I brought in about 500 pounds of hardwood in my little car, which basically took up the whole back, because according to the official website Thursday morning, there was NO burn ban in Travis County and rain was predicted.

When I told the Ranger I was going to leave the wood for the next camper, they replied that it would be removed, as they sold firewood. When I observed the park staff removing a tree that was damaged, I asked if the wood could be made available for campers and they said "No", that would involve the forestry service, so they would use it for personal fires. (At no time did I have a beef with Park staff, in fact I talked with a Ranger for 15 minutes and we reviewed one of the videos).

So, the park sells wood and anything left is removed. However, since the burn bans, there has been little wood purchased, robbing the State Park of funds - but - since folks are losing their deposit for reserved campsites, they are still making some money. Then there's the fact that picnickers are not coming into the park to cook on the many empty charcoal braziers, the park once again is losing money and all of this is due to the burn ban.

Improve – not remove.

Travis County Texas Burn Ban Outrage

Texas County Commissioners issue burn bans which effectively stop campers from campfire camping or cooking on charcoal in state parks. I witnessed and experienced this first hand this past Spring Break weekend at McKinney Falls State Park near Austin, Texas.

See the first video here.

In order to reserve a camp site at many Texas state parks, it is necessary to book months in advance and this I did. Since Texas is a big state and has very little public land, camping in a park is what most of us are forced to do or we will have no place to camp. I booked this campsite January 20th, 2009.

Upon arrival at the Park Thursday March 26th, I was informed there was an "extreme burn ban" in effect and no campfires or charcoal cooking or fires would be allowed under heavy penalty. I informed the Rangers that I had checked the Texas Parks and Wildlife web site daily and it showed Travis County this very morning as not being under a burn ban and they said I was wrong, as they had checked it also.

I had indeed checked the website and it did not show a burn ban or I would have cancelled my reservation, as camping without a campfire is just not the same thing and evidence of this attitude was everywhere in the park – which was basically empty.

It had been pouring rain in the park for hours and I asked if the ban would be lifted because it was so wet and I was once again informed that this decision had been made the previous Tuesday and it would be Tuesday March 31st before the county commissioner would review the ban.

I was outraged to say the least and once again felt like our Texas government was working against us law-abiding families. The pervasive strong-arm of government interference once again is used to keep anyone from making a decision based on changing conditions. Why in the world would a blanket burn ban be used to stop a family from cooking on charcoal in a State park? The hundreds of picnic tables and charcoal burners were vacant Friday and Saturday each time we walked by them on the many trails.

My pile of hardwood hauled 200 miles from Baytown lay unburned at our screen shelter and I was informed it would be removed by park staff, rather than leave it for the next camper.

See the second video here:

The solution is simple and it involves understanding the nature of families and camping/picnicking and a governing official with enough brass to take this bull by the horns and correct it.

One: The Park superintendent should always over ride the County Commissioner on burn bans, even if it takes the Governor of Texas to step in. Camping and campfires are synonymous, just as picnics and charcoal grills (folks are just not going to tote a propane stove 300 yards to get to a picnic table, but they will tote charcoal, etc.). We must be allowed to have them, so how is this accomplished in a safe manner?

Two: Engineering controls need to be implemented so that fires are always contained. Better fire rings with wind screens and charcoal braziers which do not allow the wind to whip through them are good starting points.

Three: Campers should be educated on safe and acceptable campfires and each camp site should be randomly checked by park staff on acceptable practices. An evening 10 minute camp fire class could be held at the pavilion by park staff/volunteers to facilitate safe camping is an option.

Four: CO2 or Class A fire extinguishers could be made available for campers or at least water hoses for those who wish a campfire.

The bottom line is simple. Campers and picnickers should always be put ahead of County burn bans. The empty parking lots and vacant picnic tables told the sad story. I want to add that my complaint is not with Park staff, but their compliance with the blanket burn ban decisions which effectively ruin camping and picnickers from enjoying the park to the fullest.

I talked to a Park employee for about 20 minutes and we reviewed one of the videos I made and I asked if anything they saw on the video was inaccurate and they said “No”. I am taking this all the way to the Governor of Texas to get this changed and I ask everyone to write, call or do what they can to join me.

Hikers find Anomaly on Pilant Slough Trail!

Baytown Bert and fellow hiker John Graham discover an anomaly on the Pilant Slough Trail in Brazos Bend State Park and go in for a closer look!
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Pick One up, Put One Down!

I met my old Air Force buddy, John Graham at the park entrance of yes – Brazos Bend State Park today. After he read my last hike report, he begged me to go on the “next one”. Who am I to deny a friend a good trail hike?

We both had hydration day packs on and since it rained about an inch over the last week, mosquitoes were expected, but thanks to liberal amounts of Deet, they never appeared, or were absent – I don’t know or care as long as they left us alone.

Wonderful 58 degree weather, clear skies and low humidity were welcome signs, but 80 degree temps were predicted, so after donning our gear, we shoved off towards the east side of 40-Acre lake.

This was John’s first trip to BBSP and he was game to do a long hike. So was I, but since the temperature rise was going to seriously affect us, I plotted a ten-miler. We ended up going about 12 miles and both of us were trail weary by the time we came back to where we started. Wait until July in Texas and a ten-miler will be impossible.

Due to the 50 degree weather, the American Alligators were laying low and we only saw a few along the Spillway Trail and Elm Lake before we came across a big Daddy towards the back of the lake. It is to date the largest alligator I see at the park. We did however get a close look at an American Bittern, as brownish bird that is normally reclusive.

Rosette spoonbills, Little blue herons, Moorhens, Blue-wing teal and many more waterfowl are everywhere and it is pure delight to be in this park. The duck-weed lies across the many sloughs, ponds and lakes and makes alligator spotting difficult. They are right in front of you and look camouflaged beyond instant recognition.

The last two times I’ve hiked BBSP, it has been during the week. Today was Friday and since it is Spring Break, there were kids and families on bicycles on all the trails. Well to be honest, we saw a few families on the trails, but that was more than I was used to. Last week, I walked for 5 and half hours and didn’t see another human for 90% of it and that was fine by me.

John was excellent trail company and this meant he listened while I talked and talk I did. I ran on about trail philosophy and philosophy in general. I told him about experiences I had hiking in California, Michigan and Georgia. We talked about protein, fat and carb control to keep stamina high while hiking and we shared a couple granola snacks. We both had a hard time hiking through the feral hog ruts and we both returned to our vehicles weary, but better for the experience.

There is something about good clean and hard work that cleanses the soul. Today we experienced this in abundance.

We vowed to do it again soon and we will.

Fourteen Miles of Foot-Banging Trail Music

I guess I’m the proverbial glutton for self-abuse. Only a week has gone by and I’ve went hiking again and I blasted off like I was a spring chicken after working a shift at the Chemical Plant that pays my bills.

I blame Brazos Bend State Park, its wildlife and the Staff that maintains this great Park for drawing me back so soon, plus the fact that American alligator breeding season is in full heat. If you want to see gators, now is the time to go where they live.

I made the hour and twenty minute drive from Baytown to the Needville, Texas State Park (BBSP) and pulled in the Ranger station right about 8am. I was greeted by a friendly Hispanic Ranger and I attempted in my meager Spanish to ask about mosquitoes. She instantly warmed up to me and told me in Spanish that zancudos were no problemos right now due to the dry weather.

I parked in the first lot, next to the bathroom facilities and made my way down the short Prairie Trail towards the 40 Acre Lake.

Right off the bat I noticed two large alligators lounging close to the bank. This was a big change from a week ago when the alligators were more sluggish. This morning they were alert and numerous times during the day I witnessed them sliding along or moving towards me as I walked the trails.

They tell me they’ve never had a serious incident in the park concerning alligators, but warning signs are posted and during breeding season, the gators move all over the place. This is important to note, as one could be directly on the trail, or lying beside it in deep grass. When in doubt, keep to the middle of the well-maintained trail.

Since the park was for the most part devoid of people and it was early morning, my head turned back and forth like a pendulum, as I walked, but I was confident and cool and I was steadily hiking, looking and taking photographs and videos to post on the web.

I was having the time of my life and the best part was I knew it as I was doing it.

All the State Parks have online maps and also in the park you are visiting. I grabbed one at the Ranger station and they are printed on 8X14 paper and quite rugged. Each time I’ve hiked, I used mine extensively (with sweaty hands) and they hold up very well.

This day I plotted what I figured to be about 12 miles, using a series of trails and visit part of the park I did not hike the week before. The only problem I encountered was getting from one trail to the next across the park and not having a to-scale map to gauge the distance. This hike grew as I walked it and even though I kept on a steady pace, it turned into a 14 miler by trails end.

I shot 11 videos for posting on youtube and if you subject yourself to them in the order I shot them by following my web pages, you will see how beat down I became by the last one. I had foolishly run out of water, even though I took what should have been enough, my feet were sore and I was dehydrated. Live and learn you say? Not likely, as this wasn’t my first rodeo…but, I am okay and next time I’ll bring a hydration pack instead of my lumber pack, which only carries 32ounces of water.

What got me down was the temperature and rising humidity. Up until then, I’ve been hiking with cool temperatures and 78 degrees while hiking 14 miles and carrying 20-pounds of gear multiplied the stress factor. That and the five and a half hours of strenuous hiking.

Anyway, my photos are posted here along with the many videos.

All feedback on http://www.youtube.com and ratings will be posted and appreciated.

Brazos Bend Here We Come!

I’m fresh off the Pedernales Falls State Park camp-out; my coat still has the faint scent of wood smoke and I decided I just had to go check out another set of trails. I’ve got a fever and the only prescription is more trail-hiking, to plagiarize Christopher Walken’s famous line.

Now I have reservations for a 4 day campout at McKinney Falls State Park in three weeks and since there is a burn ban in effect there, I’m cancelling it and going back to Pedernales Falls, where they will let you have a campfire. Anyway, even though I have a trip planned, I still want to go hiking and I want to do it anytime I get the chance, so here is how it all went down this week.

Back about ten years ago, my bride and I drove through BBSP (Brazos Bend State Park) and basically stayed in the car and visited whatever was viewable from the front seat – hardly the best way to see nature and this was my meager memory of the Park. However, we now have the Internet at our fingertips and the great State of Texas’ website people have gone way out of their way to attract campers, hikers and day-trippers. Maps, photos, scads of information and even videos of the park grace their well-built web pages.

I downloaded a park map and a separate trail map of BBSP so I could plan out a good 10-mile hike and then I enlisted the fellowship of my son, Nick and nephew, Andy Tallant. These two mid-20’s fellows made for some good company and a lot of trail humor to boot and we all benefited from pounding our feet on the trails.

Now, I’m in Baytown and according to Google Maps, BBSP is about 70+ miles from my house, but Houston traffic had a tail-wind and we arrived exactly one hour after leaving the house. My goal was to arrive at 9am and we did. I stopped at the main gate and flashed my Texas State Park Pass ($60 once a year and well worth it), which allowed me and my trail mates free access, so to speak.

Nick, Andy and I wore semi-warm clothes, as it was 50-degrees F and both young men wore water bladder packs, as we wanted to make sure we did not get dehydrated. I wore my excellent High Sierra Ridgeline Lumbar / Waist Pack w/2 water bottles. I like to eat sunflower seeds when I hike and we each took a couple Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut granola bars for an energy fix. A 10 miler was planned and 2.5 mph is about all a person can do if stopping to “smell the roses”. Our hike took about 4.5 hours and we felt a bit pooped afterward and real hungry.

This Park is really an amazing place for wildlife viewing, more so than any place I’ve hiked. We saw many American alligators, a wide variety of waterfowl, logs loaded with turtles and even a river otter. The park is not a zoo by definition, but we were able to see such a wide variety of wildlife that it felt like we were observing tame animals. I had no idea we were in for such a visual treat. I’m used to seeing wildlife high-tail it for the horizon, not ignoring me and this was fantastic and really added to our outdoor experience.

Both of my trail companions remarked that this would be an excellent place to bring a lady friend instead of “just going to the movies”, or sitting in front of an Xbox 360. There are camp sites, screened shelters, excellent bathroom and shower facilities available and picnic areas for park visitors.

One two occasions, I peaked over an obstacle to spy the American bittern, the only time in my life that I have been this close to this normally secretive bird. Blue-wing teal swam in groups and alligators lounged along the trail – so beware. One time Nick spotted a large gator covered with green pollen, not 40 feet off the trail. While we looked at it, Andy spotted an even larger cousin right behind us, just 30 feet off the trail. The Park’s web site warns us 30 feet is as close as we dare to get to these large carnivorous lizards, as they can cover the first 30 feet of ground at 30 miles per hour.

Great park, great time and I will be going back in April during the alligator breeding season, so stay tuned. Here are my photos.

Pedernales Falls State Park is Awesome - Part 3!

We are on day 3 of our 4 day camping trip at Pedernales Falls State Park, it’s about 55 degrees, cloudy, windy and feels like it is fixing to rain. I don’t care, I’m going hiking and I’m going solo, as my brother, TJ Bustem has an aching back.

The trail itself is 7.5 miles, but about 1.3 miles from our campsite and I aim to walk to the trail and back which will give me a good 10-mile hike. I’ll be honest and say I am a fair weather/sunshine lover, but I can also be a determined person and nothing short of a heavy downpour of rain will dampen my hiking spirit.

Now, it’s still winter and the vegetation is fairly bleak and the absence of other hikers on this trail makes it appear less than hospitable. There are parts of it that look like Mirkwood from ‘The Hobbit’ in fact. Goblins probably hang out here while on R&R.

The first part of the trail resembles a gravel road, as the primitive camping area is about 2 miles up the trail and is serviced by vehicles, but after you pass that, it becomes more rustic and in places a mountain biker would have trouble. However, I did not find any of it difficult and anyone capable of walking that distance could walk this too. Now, after saying that, I want to add that any trail can be hazardous and if I would have slipped and sprained my ankle, I would have been in a fix. In the summer, there is the extensive heat and then there are the snakes also.

On this hike, my main concern was the wind and a smattering of rain. 50 degree F weather with a 20-mile per hour wind is flat cold. I was wearing a large lumbar pack with about 20 pounds of gear and water and despite the cold, I was sweating. Sweat, wind and cold can cause hypothermia and people have been known to die in these conditions when injured and I was hiking solo. I moved on and watched my step.

Up on top of Tobacco Mountain there are the remains of a old stone house. On the rocks around it are all kinds of old nails, pieces of pottery, and relics that hikers have found and left. It is close to Jones Spring, so if you hike this trail, look for it. Remember the rule of hikers everywhere – take only photographs, leave only foot prints.

Now I’m not a paranoid person, but I am a cautious one and the upper part of this trail under these dark, windy and cold conditions can get a person to look over their shoulder a bit. I thought I heard voices a number of times, or sounds of pursuit, but each time I stopped and listened, nothing appeared.

In the book ‘A walk in the woods’ by Bill Bryson he touches on lonely hiking when a hiker begins to hear things and becomes obsessed that they are being followed. I knew there was no one out there, as I had saw two mountain bikers early and the trail showed no signs of them and at the primitive camping area, I had talked to one fellow only and he was looking for the latrine. I moved on against the wind and cold and just kept my eyes open.

I was about 4 miles into the trail and 5.3 miles from camp when I caught the first ray of sunshine and it sent a bolt of adrenaline through my soul. From there on in, the sun gradually came into full view, the clouds dispersed and I made my way around Wolf Mountain a happy hiker. Bring on the orcs.

The trip around the top is about a half mile and I began my descent, camera in hand. Hikers and primitive campers with their large backpacks began to pass me heading up the trail, as I made my way back across the three dry creek bed crossings and finally arriving at the trailhead, I walked the 1.3 miles on the road back to the camp site. I must admit, I was a relaxed slow-moving camper the rest of this day.

My brother TJ Bustem drug out a largish sirloin steak and tossed it on the grill side of my Stansport propane stove and he had whipped up his specialty salad mix of artichoke hearts, tomatoes, avocado and onions and we dined like Kit Carson did, only better. Meat on a stick – yeah, meat on a stick. It doesn’t get any better than that, except when I looked up from my plate and there were five deer standing between us and the campfire. One even walked over our pile of kindling.

Closing out the day by the campfire and slipping into my bag for our final night, I drifted off perfectly content to stay another week and slept like a baby. Rolling out early for more coffee, I greeted the sunshine and the 26 degree F weather. Reluctantly we broke camp, cleaned up after ourselves and made the drive home.

Pedernales Falls State Park is Awesome - Part 2!

It’s day two of our camping trip to Pedernales Falls State Park (PFSP) and we’ve decided to tackle the 4-Mile Loop Trail and since my brother, TJ Bustem has a temperamental back, I will hike the Wolf Mountain Trail solo on Saturday, which from our campsite is a little over 10 miles.

The first obstacle we encountered was a shallow river crossing called the Trammel Crossing. TJ removed his low-quarter hiking boots and socks and waded across, but I was able to ford the river without getting my socks wet. He remarked that it was not even close to being as cold as a river he forded in Montana.

We began catching close-up views of deer and Thursday night we spied a 9-point buck was within 50 feet of our camp. After a mild ascent of this trail, we began seeing extensive evidence of feral hogs, but no hogs. The weather was beautiful, sunny and pleasingly cool, but without wind. It was picture perfect and we were taking pictures aplenty.

It was also fairly easy and we wandered over the trail taking photographs and our time. Up on top, we tried to get a cell phone signal and we stopped by an ancient family graveyard. It was so old the stones were in disarray and their marking were faint. We also came across quite a few cairns. Cairns were used by Native Americans and Mountain men to leave messages and point directions. A cairn is described as a mound of stones piled up as a memorial or to mark a boundary or path.

The hike took a total of about 4 hours and that included many diversions, photographs and observations of this and that and since we were not on a schedule, the time was well spent.

The temperature rose into the 60’s and was quite comfortable. We cooked on our stove, drank more coffee and toured the park using their map, which is free at the welcome center and finished the day back at the Falls. This area is very rough and flood prone when it rains up north and since it is basically like God made it, kind of unsafe to those who are not agile or inattentive. There are no signs warning you to watch out or you could fall and break your bones and I liked this immensely. Go down around the rocks and you pay attention – it’s that simple. We met a number of good folks and a couple from Fort Worth/Dallas.

Back at camp, we lit off our campfire and settled in around the flames to watch the stars. Wow, there are a lot of stars visible when you are away from city lights. We saw a number of satellites too. Hitting the sack about 11:30, I was not near as wary as I was the first night and since we had already had a visit from our raccoon marauder while at the campfire, I figured the night would be uneventful. It was not to be.

Somewhere around 2 am, the raccoon was back and I got up and threw rocks at it. They are extremely adept at accessing your equipment. Yesterday morning, the little rascal had eaten about 15 Hershey mini-candy bars from my brothers container. It had reached through the carrying hole and one by one had pulled the candy out, removed the aluminum foil wrapper and left a small scattered pile of debris. Evidentially chocolate is not hazardous to raccoons.

When we awoke Saturday morning, we discovered our furry friend had opened my ice chest and removed about 3 pounds of fish fillets, ate his fill and even left a small amount on the trail leading away from the camp area. I imagine this happened about the time I got up to chase it off. The sound we heard was evidentially the noise a coon makes when it is very happy. It sounds like a bubbling warble with a few clicks thrown in for good measure. TJ Bustem wasn’t a happy camper, as he had warned me and wanted to put the cooler in his truck for the night.

In Part 3 I hike the Wolf Mountain Trail – Stay tuned.

Pedernales Photos posted!

See my photos and videos here!