Salt Lake City (UT) Region – September 2004 (Part One: Park City, And A Desert Drive)

ARRIVAL IN PARK CITY

Brian and I had flown up to the Salt Lake City area for Jose and Margaret's wedding, which was going to be held in Heber City.  We’d secured lodging just north of there, in a place called Park City.  With not being part of the wedding party, we’d have an opportunity to explore the area a bit.  I wasn’t sure how much time we’d get to hang with Jose and Margaret, with all the things they needed to do, but it would be nice to see new things.

Salt Lake City is about the same size as Austin, both in geographic and population terms.  Even they’re limited by natural boundaries, both places had the room to expand outward, so it wasn’t necessary to build too much upward.  The biggest difference was the roads.  Because SLC had hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, a huge amount of infrastructure had been built to accommodate the visitors which would descend on the area for those couple weeks.  And once the games had finished, the city reaped the benefits of that new construction.  During the height of rush hour in SLC, you could still be travelling on the highway at 70 mph (unlike the stop-and-go traffic you’d get in Austin).  The population of SLC could double, or perhaps even triple, before the roads would need to be expanded.

The weather was overcast and drizzling when we arrived.  I rented an Aveo because it was cheap, and was able to pick it up at the airport.  It was very easy to pick up the easterly route towards Park City, known as the Lincoln Highway (or Interstate 80); the difficult part was getting up the mountains.  I was all the way over in the right hand lane, with the pedal pushed to the floor, but still going at 40 mph.  The change in elevation was very taxing for the four hamsters under the hood.  Once the road leveled out, the car handled fine.

We located our hotel, which was on the edge of the Olympic Village.  I knew it’d be close to where some of the events were held, but not as near as it was.  I looked forward comparing the venues which were used recently, with the ones in Lake Placid (which I was very familiar with).  It was late in the day when we arrived, and there wasn’t much time to explore the Village.  Many of the shops were nearing closing time, and food was a little more important than sight-seeing.  The rain was coming down a bit harder once dinner was done, and it’d been a long day in transit.  For some reason, airline flights seem to sap my strength; it must be the artificial air in that tin can.  The day should be nicer tomorrow, and they’d be a chance to check it out then.

A DRIVE ACROSS THE DESERT

The morning was clear, and we could see the foliage was just starting to turn.  It reminded us of the mountains of New York, which neither of us had seen in years.  One mountain off in the distance had a clearance on one side, with a gigantic “PC” carved into the face.  I’m sure that was easily noticed during the Winter Games.  Across the road from the hotel was a fake moose painted odd colors.  We’d seen it the previous night, but I wasn’t able to get a shot of it then.  Saratoga has a similar thing with styles of horses displayed throughout the city.

Jose had touched base with us, reported they were going to explore Salt Lake City proper, and asked if we wanted to accompany.  We declined, as it didn’t sound like there’d by any museums on the target list, just a lot of architecture.  Buildings are nice, but I want to see things which provide me a bit more mental stimulation.

Brian commented that he’d read the Bonneville Speedway was just west of the city, and that would be a good thing to do in the morning before it got too hot.  With the idea of doing indoor things in the later part of the day made sense to me.  I looked at the AAA Road Map I had, and the Speedway wasn’t listed on it at all.  West of Salt Lake City was the Great Salt Lake, and then some salt flats.  Further west was a huge expanse of desert which had nothing listed there than three small towns.  Brian thought that one of the towns was where’d find the Speedway.  It seemed pretty logical to me, so we headed out.

Once were clear of SLC proper, we could noted the acid smell of the salt flats near the Lake.  There’s a refinery there too, which I recognized from The Stand (the one that Trash Can Man blew up early in the movie), and SLC Punk.  The salt content of the Lake is so high, that a car can be floated there.  I would’ve liked to seen that done, but not with a vehicle I was driving.  With this region having much flatter roads, the four hamsters under the Aveo’s hood responded much better, and we were able to hit a good cruising speed of 70 mph on Interstate 80.

In the rear view mirror were the mountains around SLC, and ahead was a huge flat desert, with the Rocky Mountains faintly visible in the distance.  Since there wasn’t much else to do (and didn’t have decent radio reception), we just talked mostly gaming related things.  For the most part, the road was pretty straight, and the Rockies in the distance never changed.  The only things which showed we were actually moving was the line of telephone poles we passed, which was on the opposite side of the railroad tracks which paralleled the road.  After a few miles, there were no longer any wires connecting the poles.  What other indication do you want that you’re heading out into the middle of no where?

We thought sooner our later we’d see one of the town on the map.  At one point, we passed a small railroad crossing.  It was a perpendicular dirt road that crossed the route we were on, and ended a few yards on either side of what constituted the intersection.  We got the distinct impression we’d just passed through one of the towns, or what remained of one.  Brian looked out the windows to make sure there weren’t any vultures circling the car.  A short distance later, we passed another similar intersection.  That pretty much confirmed our guess that we weren’t going to see any civilization out here.  Glad we didn’t have to stop for a piss.

I started keeping an eye on the fuel level.  We’d filled up before leaving, and the hamsters inside the Aveo were pretty efficient when they weren’t being taxed.  If there wasn’t a filling station at the Speedway, then we might have to drive into Nevada to find gas.  The map showed a town on the border where this route entered the state.  It seemed clear that we’d have enough to reach there, but the question was how quickly we’d locate a gas station.

Far off in the distance we spotted something.  It looked like a tall narrow object with circles on it.  We wondered if it was some sort of cell phone repeater tower.  Whatever it was, we’d be going past it soon enough.  As we got closer, the shape became more defined.  It looked like a purple cylinder with baseballs and tennis balls on it.  Seeing mirages in the desert usually happen after you started to become dehydrated, not when you’re sitting inside an air conditioned vehicle.  No, we weren’t seeing things.  It was some modern art sculpture sitting out here in the middle of no where.

It wasn’t too far from the edge of the road, and a red Saturn was parked there.  Let’s stop and take a look.  It’d break up the monotony of the drive, and the passengers of the other car were all college-aged girls.  They were too busy frolicking in the damp salty mud to interact with us, except for learning they were BYU students who driven out to see this sculpture, which was known as the Tree of Utah.  A plaque on the side gave information about its origins.  This 87 foot tall sculpture was created by Swedish artist Karl Momen, and was completed in 1986.  Any of the time I did artwork, I wanted it to be enjoyed by all, not relegated to some roadside attraction in the middle of no man’s land.  But Momen wanted it there, to “bring some color to the stark landscape.”

The girls continued to play around, so there wasn’t much reason for us to remain here, and we continued down the road.  In the west, the Rocky Mountains had been slowly getting more pronounced as we traveled along, and soon were looming in the distance.  A little while after leaving the Tree of Utah, we came upon a sign.  Expecting it to say something about the Bonneville Speedway, we were surprised to see it say we were “X number of miles” from the Nevada border.  We’d just been travelling through a flat landscape where we could see a hundred miles in all directions, so where the hell was the Speedway?

With the fuel gauge now at a quarter-tank, seeing the signs for West Wendover, NV, was a welcome sight.  We noted were the gas station was, as I figured it’d make the most sense to fill-up before we headed back east.  At the visitor’s center, I had to make fun of the sign, as this was in Elko County.  A branch of my relatives (part of the Black family) lived in the city of Elko, and it had been a couple years earlier my parents had been among the bunch to fly out west to see them.  While that city looked like it was a couple hours to the west, I could at least tell Mum I’d sorta visited Elko.

In addition to getting a tip of a place to grab lunch, we got the information as to where the Bonneville Speedway was.  On the backside of the sign mentioned above was an arrow for a dirt road to the Speedway.  Other than getting food (and some bottled beverages to bring back with us), we chose not to remain in West Wendover very long.  I remember how Dad had mentioned seeing slot machines in every restaurant they’d visited, and saw that trend continued.  Don’t play the slots with the money you planned on eating with.

After the Hamstermobile filled up, we found the desired turn-off, and navigated our way out to the salt flats which made up the Speedway.  It was easier, as we followed another car, and there were a few RVs parked out here.  I guess I expected some benches or some pavilion, as I took the name “speedway” literally.  Other than an informational sign to note what had been done here, this section looked really no different than the salty desert we’d just driven through.  Was it interesting to see?  Yes.  But my expectation had been set for something else.  The drive was nice, and the novelty of going to Nevada and back would make a good tale, but I still think I would’ve preferred the Olympic venues.

Knowing how far it would take us to get back made the return trip much easier.  By the time we’d gotten back to Park City, it was close to dinner.  Since they hadn’t heard back from us all day, Jose & Margaret had made arrangements, so it was too late to tag along with them.  We found a decent sports pub near our hotel.  As I was the one doing the driving, Brian ordered a beer.  He commented on how weak it was.  I remember from SLC Punk the comments they made about driving to the closest state in order to get something other than the “near beer” available here.  See, I told people that film was educational.

For current information on the places mentioned:

            Salt Lake City (UT):  http://www.ci.slc.ut.us/

            Park City (UT):  http://www.parkcity.org/

            2002 Olympic Winter Games:  http://www.olympic.org/salt-lake-city-2002-winter-olympics

            Tree of Utah:  http://www.utah.com/amusement/metaphor_tree.htm

            West Wendover (NV):  http://www.westwendovercity.com/

            Bonneville Speedway:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonneville_Speedway

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“Be a Tourist In Your Own City” – Austin, TX 2004 (Part Two: Greenbelt, UT Austin, Bat Bridge)

BARTON CREEK GREENBELT

Austin has other places to walk that aren’t the Hike & Bike Trail.  The Visitor’s Center actually has a park map of various places you can go.  One of those is the Barton Creek Greenbelt.  As I cruised south on Mopac and passed the 360 exchange, I noticed a bunch of cars parked off the rode near there.  When I investigated, that’s when I discovered the trail head to the Greenbelt.  Stretching a distance of over seven miles from end-to-end, this is about the most “wild” area you’ll get within the Austin city limits.

The entrance trail starts by descending in elevation a bit to get you close to the water level of Barton Creek, and then forms a T.  Going right (which is upstream) will pass a nice wide area for swimming, and then an area which becomes an open field.  The cliffs here are what you see when looking south.

There’s two other smaller trail heads along here, once which brings you close to Walsh Tarlton Lane (near Barton Creek Mall), and the other which deposits you in housing development.  As long as you stay on the trail, and keep the stream to your left, you’re not going to get lost.

From the initial T intersection if you go left, you’ll have a muddy path which takes you under the Mopac bridge, and the trail starts to get obscured.  But if you wanted to continue north on the Greenbelt, the park map will let you know of a couple other nearby trail heads (one at 360, one off Barton Skyway, and a hidden one off a Lamar side street).  Each of those will bring you on to different points.  It took me a couple different days of exploring each of the trail heads, to see which one I liked the best.  But if you follow the trail far enough, you’ll end up in Zilker Park.  Except for a few sections, the trails are very mild and easily hiked.  It makes a good place to walk the dog or take the family out.

A RETURN TO INNERSPACE (GEORGETOWN, TX)

It was starting to get hot in the late spring of 2004, and we hadn’t even hit summer yet.  After a discussion about the Underdark, it occurred to me that Brian had never seen InnerSpace Caverns.  That made a good weekend trip for us to go.  Even though I’d been there the previous year, it was nice to see this again.  And as I’d heard the explanation before, I didn’t have to stand next to the tour guide to hear the story again, although we tried to get close so Brian could get the full benefit.

As the history of InnerSpace was detailed in a previous entry of this blog, I’ll only hit the basic highlights here (for someone who may be just stumbling on this).  Up in Georgetown, back in the 1960’s, a new overpass for Interstate 35 was being constructed.  The drill lost a couple bits, so work halted as the crew needed to investigate how big this space was they’d found.  Work crews had found little cave pockets before, and as long as there was no impact on the Edwards Aquifer, they’d get filled in with concrete.

The newest member of the crew got sent down the hole with a tiny flashlight and found a place as large as a football field.  Geologists were called in to check the area, and quickly determined they’d found something extraordinary.  Plans were redrawn, and the interstate was then sent over the most narrowest point of the cave system, and the part which would cause the least disturbance.

This cave (today known as the “Discovery Cave”) was part of a complex which had been sealed up about 14,000 years ago.  Without any living creature inside to disturb it, the water seeping through the rocks would pick up minerals and create various formations.  These formations continue to grow at something like a millimeter every year.

During the exploration, many side tunnels were found, some which lead to other chambers were bones of mammoths, camels, and sabretooth cats were found.  No human remains were discovered.  The bones from these are animals are in a display case, and there were some paintings on the wall to show what the creatures were.  The paintings were done by the modern cave explorers, but in the manner of “cave man art.”  Brian initially got really excited about the wall art until I pointed that fact out.

As this is considered a “living cave” (which means its still growing), no one is allowed to touch anything in the cave.  There are oil secreted by humans which can keep the minerals from bonding with the stone.  One hand isn’t going to do any damage, but many hands over a succession of time will.  So in order to protect the cave for future generation, InnerSpace has a strict no touch policy.  Other than the metal hand rails that line the cement walkways, touch nothing inside the cave.  As it had rained recently, the inside of the cave was very slick, and there was a lot of water dripping from the ceiling.  Those are considered “cave kisses.”  I stuck my tongue out and happened to catch one.  It’s a drop of water with a high mineral content, so not very tasty, but certainly pure.

No matter how hot and humid outside is, the cave stays at a constant comfortable temperature.  In order to be a commercial cave, an entrance was dug on the far side to allow visitors access.  The design of this opening keep the cool air inside the cave, but now an occasional bat or insect may find their way in.  Not much can be done to keep them out, and the impact they’ll have on the cave’s ecosystem is pretty minimal.

Even on the second time through when the guide pointed out the names of some of the formations, I still didn’t see where they got it from.  It’s all perception and imagination.  It was a great excursion for Brian and I, because as gamers, it’s sometimes very difficult to describe an environment that humans aren’t use to seeing.  The subterranean realm of the Drow (known as the Underdark) is one such place, and this gave an indication of what those areas would look like.  The views were awe-inspiring, and no matter how cool these pictures look, I don’t feel I’ve done this justice.  You need to come out and see this for yourself.  I consider this a “highly recommended place.”

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

As I had Friday’s off, I took the opportunity to explore various areas around the city (and that’s when I did most of the area parks).  I’d seen Austin’s skyline from the river or an overpass, but I wondered if there was a way to get a view from some elevation within the city.  There are a number of tall buildings around, but none are open to the public.  I needed something I could simply stroll in without any one asking me any questions as to why I was there.

The tower at the University of Texas at Austin seemed like a good target.  There was absolutely no pun with that statement, as back in 1966 that some nut simply strolled in, went to the top of the tower, and opened fire on the student body.

But as this was a college campus with a lot of people wandering about, no one thought anything of it when I walked into the building, went directly towards the elevator, and pressed the button to the top.  The highest floor I could go had a security door which I didn’t have a key for.  The floor immediately below was similarly barred from me accessing it.  I dropped one more, and then was able to enter into a hallway.  Most of the tower is offices for administrative personnel, so other than some narrow windows with thick glass, there wasn’t much to see.  The view might’ve been better from one of the offices, but I wasn’t really in a position to knock on a random door.  That would go over real well, as it wasn’t a student there.  I dropped down one more level, and saw the same thing, so there was really no reason to continue checking subsequent floors.

I had another reason to be on the campus today, as I wanted to visit the college radio station (KVRX) to see if there was a way I could worm my way into doing a show for them (much like I did at Adirondack Community College).  I spoke to a few random people, who directed me to where the station was, but I wasn’t able to access the facilities.  No one gave me any information about who the adviser was, so that put the kibosh on that.

I still had a good day getting lunch at the student union, and doing some people watching.  I didn’t meet anyone who would be added to my circle of friends, but nothing ventured nothing gained.  I read a number of bulletin boards for upcoming events, none which I was interested in, but the architecture of the campus buildings was worth looking at.

While I didn’t visit them specifically, I noted the presence of the Texas Natural Science Center (and Memorial Museum), the Harry Ransom Center, and the Blanton Museum of Art as future places I could take my parents to when they next came for a visit.

BAT BRIDGE (CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE)

Ever since I first visited Austin, I’d heard about the city’s fascination with bats.  A colony of free-tail bats flies up from Mexico to spend the summer in the area, and since natural habitat had been destroyed by human progress, new dens had been created for them.  Underneath the Congress Avenue Bridge, there are long narrow grooves in the structure which serve as places where the bats can roost.  I knew that at sundown, all the bats would come to start hunting the various bugs in the area.

So one night I went down to check this out.  I parked over by Butler Park and hoofed over to the small grassy area next to the bridge to get a good view.  As I strolled down, there was a camera crew from the Travel Channel filming a spot (Tracy Gallagher saying where she was and why she was there as part of a short station promo).  Many people had brought folding chairs with them, but I just stood, as I figured I could easily move to a better viewing locale if I needed to.

As the sun went down, and there was still some lingering daylight left, the bats started to emerge; first a few, then more, and then even more.  Within a few minutes there were thousands in the air, moving in union like a black swarm against the night sky.  Since most of the dens were at the parts of the bridge over Town Lake, there was very little chance of being hit by guano bombardments.  The tour boats on the lake were another story.  I’m sure those people crammed beneath umbrellas and covered their drinks with their hands.

Austin is not a completely “bug free” city, but there’s considerably less due to the bats feeding on them.  The mass of flying mammals circulates around the bridge area snatching those insects in the immediate vicinity, and then they start to spiral out and separate in their hunt for food.  After about fifteen minutes, all the bats had emerged, and after another ten they’d pretty much dispersed.

Being in a position below the level of the bridge allowed the sky to serve as a good backdrop for the pictures.  On another night I stood on top of the bridge and looked down at the bats as they emerged.  This wasn’t as good of a position, as the darkness of the sky reflected off the water, and served to camouflage the bats.  Only when the flash of a camera briefly illuminated the area could a good look at these critters be seen.

The bats fly around all night eating what ever bugs they find, and then return to their dens in the morning.  From what I was told, the return is no where near as spectacular, as they simply trickle back to the bridge.  Considering the area of the sky the bats take up when they emerge, you don’t have to be next to the Congress Avenue bridge to witness this.  Both the Lamar pedestrian bridge and Auditorium Shores will provide good vantage points, as well as some of the river-front restaurants n the area.  This is something that every person in Austin should see at least once.

For current information on the places mentioned:

            Barton Creek Greenbelt:  http://www.austinparks.org/our-parks.html?parkid=206

InnerSpace Caverns:  http://www.myinnerspacecavern.com/home.php

University of Texas at Austin:  http://www.utexas.edu/

UT Tower:  http://www.utexas.edu/tower/

UT Tower Shooting:  http://www.texasmonthly.com/topics/ut-tower-shooting

Texas Natural Science Center:  http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/

Harry Ransom Center:  http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/

Blanton Museum:  http://www.blantonmuseum.org/

Congress Avenue “Bat Bridge”:  http://batcon.org/index.php/get-involved/visit-a-bat-location/congress-avenue-bridge.html

Tracy Gallagher:  http://www.tracygallagher.com/

            ###  30  ###

“Be a Tourist In Your Own City” – Austin, TX 2004 (Part One: Auditorium Shores, Hike & Bike Trail, Kayaking)

“Be a tourist in your own city.”  Some where I’d heard that suggestion, and over the course of 2004, that’s what I tried to do.  Sure I’d visited a few places when my parents had come down the previous year, and I wanted to take the chance to explore some of the things I hadn’t seen yet.  While I might note some larger things (which I’d save for when the family visited again), I wanted to check out some the smaller (and mostly free) attractions.

AUDITORIUM SHORES

This is a large grassy expanse on the south side of Town Lake, and a frequent venue for summer concerns (hence the name).  The rest of the time people take advantage of soak of the sun playing Frisbee, walking their dogs, or just generally loitering.  Part of the Hike & Bike Trail comes through this area also, so you’ll see people wandering by.  On a nice day, you’ll be able to get a nice unobstructed view of the Austin skyline.  I particularly like this skyline as it’s much lower than other large cities, and has a pretty consistent style.  The glass building which look like it has a “pyramid of ice” at the top is the Frost Bank Tower, more affectionately known as the Fortress of Solitude.  This was in progress when I first arrived in Austin, and nice to see that it’s finally completed, even though it really changes the skyline.

Along the Hike & Bike Trail near Auditorium Shores is a statue dedicated to Austin’s patron saint, Stevie Ray Vaughan.  A guitarist for various R&B and Blues acts in the 70’s, he struck out on his own in 80’s to make a name for himself.  While not originally from this city, he became a fixture on Austin City Limits (which I remember watching on my local PBS station during my high school years).  There are a number of artists which helped Austin earn the moniker of “The Live Music Capital of the World,” and SRV was among them.

A plane crash in August 1990 claimed the life of this talented musician, and Austin wept for the loss of their adopted son.  Not long after, a statue in his likeness was erected as a memorial.  Every radio station in this city still plays songs from SRV’s catalog to this day to show that he’s not forgotten.

HIKE & BIKE TRAIL

Austin is both a green city (environmentally conscious) and a physically-fit one.  Main streets (like Congress Avenue) are regularly shut down so marathons can be held, and frequently cyclists are pedaling down the roads.  While there are many nature trails within the city limits, the most popular is the Hike & Bike Trail.  This is designed for a way to people to enjoy the lushness of this area, and have a place away from traffic to exercise.  There’s no set time that it’s open, so you could find people along this trail at any hour.  Most people who use common sense stick between the dawn-to-dusk hours.  Some sections are well-lit, and others aren’t.  Like any area within an urban environment, use good judgment.  Austin is not crime-free.

The trail starts at Congress Avenue, right at the edge of Auditorium Shores, and is mostly dirt.  As it winds along the edge of Town Lake (which is really just a section of the Colorado River), markers are set at quarter-mile intervals; so you can gauge your progress.  Once you reach Lamar Street, you can opt to cross the lake here (as a short cut), or further west towards the Zilker Park area.  The area closest to Zilker has more trees, as it is farther from any nearby roads.

As you travel westward, you’ll come closer to where Mopac crosses the river.  There’s a trailhead here, as well as a decent-sized parking area under the highway.  This is a public area, so hide your valuables and lock your car.  I don’t know if this was designed like this at first or was a later addition, but the Mopac bridge is multi-tiered.  The top portion is the highway, but the lower level is designed for pedestrians.  Various birds have nests under here, and have on occasion dropped bombs on those walking underneath.  On the north side of the bridge a water truck is usually parked here, so trail uses can get a drink.  A number of dog dishes are scattered about this section too, so our furry companions can have some too.  Austin has a large number of dog-owners, and you’ll see a large number of them here.

The Hike & Bike Trail now continues eastward, and past some wooded sections close to Austin High School.  Boat traffic on the lake consists of canoes (rented from an inlet near Zilker Park), and kayaks (which can be obtained on this side).  Swimming is discouraged, except for the section inlet near Zilker set aside specifically for that.  Past the area close to the school, the trees open up a bit to make wider areas with benches here and there.

Eventually coming this way you’ll past the north end of the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge.  Since this is built at the same level as the actual Lamar Street bridge designed to handle auto traffic, it sits above the Hike & Bike Trail.  While on the south side there’s a short dirt trail down to the water front, the north side has a spiral ramp.  Sure there’s also steps for those walkers, but it’s nice to take the descending pathway when you’re on your bike, trying maintain your jogging pace, or walking a dog.

Past there you’ll enter another open grassy area (although with a few more trees), as this was where the old power plant was.  Eventually, this brings you to the Congress Avenue bridge (also known as the Bat Bridge), where you can look over and see Auditorium Shores.  This side bridge has a pedestrian section completely separate from the traffic, as its set behind a retaining wall, and a few feet lower.  That way motorists don’t have to worry about bikers just darting out in front of them, as Austin bicyclists are known to do.  Bicycles are considered vehicles, and need to follow the rules of the road like a car does.  Many cyclists simply ignore that on roads, but are a bit more accommodating when on the Hike & Bike Trail.

KAYAKING AND CANOEING

With Town Lake running though the middle of the city, that means some relaxing water sports are in order.  The university has a rowing team which can be seen whizzing by, but if the average person wanted to go out on the water they could rent watercraft.

On the south side, near Zilker Park, canoes and small rafts were available (from Zilker Park Boat Rentals).  I learned two things when renting on that side.  The rafts, which are large yellow hollow plastic boat-shaped items, have a couple holes in the bottom for drainage.  It doesn’t affect their ability to float at all, but will wet the butt of whoever is sitting in there.  It drenched my wallet and lunch the time that Amy and I took one out.  While the rafts are better for couples, canoes are better for larger groups or families.  The canoes are the aluminum variety, like what I used in Scouts.  If the Lake gets crowded (especially at the pick up/drop off point), a hard bump can damage the canoe, but won’t hurt the raft.

Also, the Zilker Park side takes cash only, which was a fact we didn’t know until after the boat was brought back.  We had just enough bills between the two of us to cover it.  I remembered that the next time when I rented a canoe.

On the north side of the Lake is Texas Rowing Center, and they take plastic.  When Jeff came down to visit in March (when I was between jobs), this was a nice inexpensive thing for us to do.  The kayak’s are a hard plastic, so you don’t have to worry if you accident bump into another person (intentional contact is not recommended).

Because you’re sitting in the boat, you have a lower center of gravity, but you can still tip it over if you’re not careful.  Like the Hike & Bike Trail, the best time to go is in the middle of week day, as this whole area is less-crowded.  If you can only come down on the weekend, then shoot for early as possible on Sunday.

For current information on the places mentioned:

            Austin (TX):  http://austintexas.gov/

            Auditorium Shores:  https://www.facebook.com/AuditoriumShores

            Austin City Limits:  http://acltv.com/

            Stevie Ray Vaughan:  http://www.srvofficial.com/us/home

            Hike & Bike Trail:  http://www.austintexas.org/listings/Lady-Bird-Lake-Hike-and-Bike-Trail/4369/

            Zilker Park:  http://austintexas.gov/department/zilker-metropolitan-park

            Zilker Park Boat Rentals:  http://www.zilkerboats.com/

            Texas Rowing Center:  http://www.texasrowingcenter.com/

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Ren Faire Trips III (Plantersville, TX) – Oct 2003 & Oct 2004

TEXAS RENAISSANCE FAIR (PLANTERSVILLE, TX) – OCTOBER 2003

The fall had come around again, and it was time for our trip to Texas Renaissance Fair.  We were hoping to make this a regular occurrence now, and I’d done pretty good job at assembling a set of garb.  Between the cotton shirt I had (although I rolled up the annoying puffy sleeves) and the blue kilt, I had a good start when paired that with my black leather boots.  Lacking a sporran, I used all the various belt pouches I had put them on my adjustable belt (so I could carry my wallet, phone, camera, etc.).  Connon said I looked like the Scottish Batman.

Ken had just brought down a bunch of swords for us, so that part of my garb was complete.  They were better than the swords I’d previously gotten.  Connon opted to become a pirate this year, so we would have clashing tartans.  Aurelia had found a nice noble women’s dress to wear, and expected Connon and I to defend her honor.  Open your purse first, m’lady, and then we’ll talk.

Brian drove this time, and Connon and Aurelia wanted to ride in the back of his truck (as opposed to being packed into the small extended cab he had).  That was fine for the first part of the way when it was sunny, but the closer we got to Navasota the worse the weather looked.  Three-quarters of the way there, the skies opened up and down poured.  There was no safe place to pull off the route we were on, so Connon and Aurelia took shelter under a tarp in the back.  By the time we were able to pull off the road, they were both drowned rats, and they decided to stay in the back under the tarp.  They really couldn’t get any wetter than they were.

It had stopped raining by we arrived.  We were able to get a nice close parking space, and saw there was mud and puddles everywhere.  I swapped my footwear for my hiking boots, which were better made for this (and more comfortable to wear on a day of walking around).  Our drenched companions had dried themselves as much as they could.

Inside the Ren Faire, there were many puddles inside, and much of the pathways had been turned into muddy trails.  In a sarcastic way, we noted this was really capturing the “real feel” of Medieval Europe.  Since I was among the clean, I had to paraphrase Monty Python and say that I was “some sort of king, because I didn’t have shit all over me.”

As the day went on, the sun came out and dried the walkways, although there was still some mud along the grassy areas.  Many of the guests just ignored it, as they were having a good time.  I didn’t mind my hiking boots getting covered with mud, as they were much easier to clean than the leather boots I’d originally considered wearing today.

With any outdoor venue, you’re at the mercy of the weather, and you just have to go with the flow.  Vendors know how to pack things up quickly to protect their stock, but nothing will stop rain from flooding the booths.  A large number of places we stopped in to look at were still in the process of bailing out.  By this time, Aurelia had pretty much decided this was going to be the only outing she’d ever get from this dress.  Between the drenching she got on the way here, and the mud which was getting caked on to the hem, she had quickly abandoned any pretense of being a noble woman.  I don’t think she was ready to throw the towel and be a serving wench yet.

The seating areas at the shows were equally wet, although some dried quicker than others.  Water is not good for wool, and I didn’t sit down a lot.  We enjoyed another round of the “Ded Bob Sho,” which was just as amusing as it was last time.  The shrouded entertainer (who looked like an executioner) and his animated corpse puppet (who spoke in the most bawdy manner) poked fun any unsuspecting person in the crowd.  Brian and Aurelia spent more time watching the performances, as Connon and I strolled around.  The shows are fun, but I like interacting with the other people who’ve come in garb, and immersing myself in the role.  It’s like being at SCA event again.

One thing which was nice was to see things I hadn’t seen the previous year.  Any annual event needs to keep things fresh for their returning guests, in addition to having the “crowd favorites” which people always come back for.  While the snake-dancer woman was highly interesting to watch, what got my attention was a musically-themed act we stumbled across was called “Wild & Thorny.”  Made up of two ladies named Iris and Rose, they played bawdy bar-style tunes from the female point-of-view.  It was like a slightly cleaner version of John Valby, but still pretty R-rated.  We all laughed at the routine, and at the conclusion of the act I bought two most-current CDs (as well as the companion song book).  I know I’d be burning a copy of these to pass on to Shawn, because he’d appreciate the twisted humor.

TRF had a giant pirate ship constructed, and at various points during the day they’d toss out “free booty.”  Whatever giveaway stuff and free samples they wanted to hand out, they call out it was a certain amount of time before “walking the plank,” and then a crowd of people would gather around.  At the prescribed time things would be toss over the side, and the awaiting public would scramble for whatever goodies they could get.  Some items would be dropped close, and others cast out pretty far, so you didn’t have to be next to the ship for a chance to have stuff you’re your way.

I stood on the edge, and watched the scramble, as it was a pretty interesting cross-section of humanity.  I clearly saw a cat-of-nine-tails coming towards me.  The guy next to me saw it too.  Like gentlemen leaping for the garter belt thrown at a wedding reception, we both jumped for the prize.  My reach was just a little longer, and I was able to snatch it.  The guy was clearly not happy I’d beaten him too this, but that’s the chaotic nature of it.  I saw the cat-of-nine-tails was clearly leather, not some plastic knock-off, so it was worth the effort I’d taken to get it.  If it had been some cheap copy, I probably would’ve just handed it to the person next to me.  Other than wadded-up shirts (none of which were coming close to me), there wasn’t any booty I wanted, and strolled away from the ship.

Aside from the weather issue we had at the beginning, this was another great visit to TRF.  On the way out, we noticed a few patrons were being attacked by a small group of kissing wenches.  Connon stepped aside to give them some money, and directed them towards Brian.  I saw what Connon had done, and noticed the wenches applying their lipstick, so I stopped and pretended to adjust my boot laces.  I slyly pulled out my camera as I did so.

Brian was quite surprised when he was attacked, and had a series of smooches placed on his cheeks.  The guy who was dressed as a wench made the affectionate motions, but didn’t follow through when he saw it wouldn’t be well-received.  Aurelia didn’t realize this was happening until it was well in-progress, and saw Connon and I laughing hysterically.  Brian was a good sport about it, but he still told Connon and I in “express terms” what he thought of this.  I’m sure when we go to TRF next year (or if we going to a different Ren Faire before that), Brian will get his digs against Connon and I.  This is the stuff that friends do to each other for fun, so I’ll be curious to what he comes up with.

TEXAS RENAISSANCE FAIR (PLANTERSVILLE, TX) – OCTOBER 2004

When it was time to go to TRF this year, Brian and I would be meeting Jose and Margaret there (with some people they knew).  Since I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to wear my kilt, of course I was going put it on for that.  With change of jobs and different living situations, the Ren Faire trips weren’t happening as frequently as I’d liked them to be.  The plans to rejoin SCA that fallen through, and the other “medieval re-enactors” I’d encountered had acted in the same manner as the “Vampire LARPers” I met (as in not knowing when to come out of character, and come back to the mundane world).  Thus, I rode the current situation right now, and looked forward to a time when I could have more frequent attendance.

There were new shows which we hadn’t seen before, and we went to catch those while Jose’s group watched “Ded Bob.”  Off in one corner of the grounds was an area designed to look like a Roman amphitheatre, and that’s where we saw the comedy skit called “Testiclees and the Sack of Rome.”  This was certainly in the “not for children” category, as the risqué act was filled with toilet humor.  The name of the show was a giveaway.  It was extremely funny, and really pushed the envelope at this public venue.

We didn’t walk around the area as much to check out the merchants, which is one of the things I like to do.  That also is a great chance to do some people-watching.  I didn’t too many things which got my attention on this trip.  One group was pretty interesting dressed as Spanish Conquistadors, accompanied by their Indian squaw.  It was amusing to see a rather un-PC attired party, but it was all in good fun.

One thing which got my attention was hearing a violin play the theme to “Last of the Mohicans.”  Now first I thought I was hallucinating, but soon found the band E Muzeki performing this tune with an Arabic-sounding edge to it.  Just like many of the music festivals I’d gone to (like Irish 2000, back in NY), this was a great way to find music you might not hear anywhere else.  As I saw on their album E Muzeki had covered Led Zeppelin's “Kashmir,” I was sold.  Gimme a copy!

The day was warm, and besides the above what money I did spend was on beverages to stay hydrated.  I was amazed at how much beer Jose was putting down, and the fact that he was still functioning.  I’m sure he sweated a good chunk of that out while we were watching the jousting tournament, and he still had Margaret to drive back.

The majority of the group wanted to be back in Austin to have dinner, so we didn’t spend a lot of time at the festival.  To me, it felt like we spent longer on the road (getting there and back) than we actually spent at our destination.  It was a day out with friends, but overall not as good as any of my previous trips.  We could’ve had the same hang-out experience locally going to First Night on South Congress, or one of the many street festivals which happens in Austin.  I’d certainly like to go back to TRF, but I’d want to be able to spend more time there, and be able to soak up more of the atmosphere.

The only other Ren Faires I’ve been able to make since the above was Camelot Fantasy Faire out in Lockhart, in March 2006, when Lee and I went.  This appeared to be a fairly new operation, as it looked like a field had been hastily cleared on shrubs and vendor tents put up.  Excalibur Fantasy Faire was no longer in existence, and it felt like this one had been put together at the last minute to make up for it.

As an outing, it was fun for us to wander around, but it wasn’t really that memorable.  The day was overcast, and it felt like it wanted to rain the entire time.  I didn’t wear the kilt, because of the potential weather.  We talked about the possibility of going to TRF together in the fall, and even trying this again next season when it was better organized.

Lee and I did make it to TRF that fall, but not in the manner we had planned.  Rob and Colleen decided to have their wedding there, and as guests of the wedding our admission would be covered.  The flipside of that was we were at this venue for the wedding (and associated reception), so it didn’t leave a lot of time in the day to wander the festival site.  We weren’t part of the wedding party, and they were the ones who got lavished on by the host location.  That was another instance of us spending more time in the car travelling than we actually got to spend at the destination.

Unfortunately, various factors have kept me from returning to TRF in any fashion.  There’s a Celtic Festival in the fall one weekend in October, which I can get my fill of shows and Ren Faire-type vendors (as well as the people who come in garb, so the people-watching can be done).  Of all the Ren Faires in Texas that I’ve been to, Texas Renaissance Festival is by far the best, and that is my recommendation for anyone who wishes to go.

For current information on the places visited:

Texas Renaissance Festival:  http://texrenfest.com/

Society for Creative Anachronism:  http://www.sca.org/

E Muzeki:  http://www.emuzeki.com/

Irish 2000 Festival (NY):  http://irish2000fest.com/

Austin Celtic Festival:  http://austincelticfestival.com/

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