Sunday, January 26, 2014

Reading Cryptic Hieroglyphics On The Martian Surface Of The Tandy Hills With A Lower Cedar Fever

On the left you are looking at the old wagon train trail which heads west to where the west is alleged to have begun, at a trio of the skyscrapers which make up the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

I had had myself such a mighty fine time hill hiking yesterday that I decided to try for might fine time hill hiking part II today.

Turns out this was the right thing to do because I did have myself a mighty fine hill hiking time today.

My primary reason for returning to the hills today was because I wanted to enjoy the outer world in semi-balmy temperature mode before frigidity returns to North Texas tomorrow.

I was not alone hiking the hills today. I had myself an interesting conversation with a lady hill hiker of well-seasoned vintage. We both lamented the allergy woes which are currently causing lament across a wide swath of Texas.

Today the Pollen Predictors had predicted a drastic decrease in the amount of the dreaded Cedar Pollen and its resultant Cedar Fever plaguing this part of the planet. I do seem to be experiencing noticeable improvement in my air intake system.

The lady hill hiker of well-seasoned vintage told me she heard that the return to cold, tomorrow, would also bring with it a fresh increase in pollen allergens.

Today I had a longer bout of hill hiking than is the norm. Over an hour with eight hills climbed at fast speed. Doing this is very aerobic, though I can get a bit winded by the time I reach a hill summit, due to that vexing, aforementioned, allergy woe.

I made a big loop over the Tandy Hills, starting on the summit of Mount Tandy, crossing the Tandy Escarpment past Tandy Falls, then up the trail which leads to the View Street trail and the Fallen Hoodoo.

Just a short distance from the Fallen Hoodoo I came upon the first instance of the white chalk trail markings I mentioned yesterday.


I do not know what the above cryptic hieroglyphics mean. The one on the right points west at a big E. The one on the left points south at a big T.

I went the big E direction and headed west.

I have never noticed it before, but in some of my photos of the Tandy Hills the topography bears a remarkable resemblance to photos the Mars Rover has sent back of the Martian surface, except for the white hieroglyphics.

I don't think I will return to Mars, I mean, the Tandy Hills, tomorrow. I think I will take a cool tour of my neighborhood instead, a neighborhood which does not look like modern day Mars, but which probably looks like Mars looked when it was still in industrial wasteland mode before becoming a planet devoid of living organisms.....

2 comments:

Mike Wegner said...

I think (hope?) that the northers that blow through here also send the pollen back where it came from -- the large stands of mountain cedar are to our south. My worst allergy attacks are when it's warm and the wind is from the south.

I guess we'll see tomorrow.

Durango said...

Mr. Mike, when this cedar pollen invasion thing cropped up in the news whilst you kids were in Portugal, saying it was Mountain Cedar, coming from the south, I did not understand how, as there are no mountains to the south. So, Monday morning, the day it was scheduled to arrive I was in the hot tub looking skyward seeing clouds heading south. I thought to myself, will that should keep that nasty southern pollen away. Then, later that day it started up with me, as the temperature dropped, that cold you experienced on Wednesday upon your return. So, when that lady today suggested the return of cold from the north was gonna start up that southern pollen again I opined that I did not get why that would be. She said it had something to do with the winds coming from the north somehow circulating up air from the south. All I know is I hope you are right and this fresh incoming northern chill blows that nasty stuff back where it belongs.