A Sunny Walk w/ Geocache
Mary Moore Searight Park [Hiking] - 12/31/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: Difficulty: Solitude:
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: N/A
I was sort of lost getting to the park at first, so I got out my GPS and dialed in the way point for the geocache listed on this website for this hike. I took a bunch of side roads and eventually found a back entrance for the park. First item on the agenda was to find the geocache. That wasn't too difficult. I did some bushwhacking because I wasn't on the best trail, but eventually found a better trail, then finally the cache itself. After signing in, I stopped at the creek and sat. There were two fat geese on the other side of the water. As I watched the leaves and debris float down the creek, I turned my head to see two turtles treading water—one adult and one child. They were too cool! After about a full minute, I shifted moved, and the turtles bolted down into the water. I ended up hiking for about two hours. I dropped down to the creek to look around. The sun was brilliant and helped keep me warm. Not a lot of people at first, but on the main paths I saw perhaps 6 to 10 people.

Gloomy day
Circle C Ranch Metropolitan Park on Slaughter Creek [Hiking] - 12/30/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: Difficulty: Solitude:
Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: N/A
The weather has been a bit chilly and rainy, and I was tired of being indoors. I've walked the Circle C Ranch three times now, each time taking a different way. Solitude was pretty high, except for the young person who decided to scream at the top of his lungs. I can imagine that he has a sore throat today. Maybe he learned something. I saw some kids playing with a remote controlled airplane. It didn't appear they were able to get it off the ground, but they zoomed it around the parking lot. That looked fun. This time, I hiked onto the trail on the west side as far as I could go without getting a wet foot. Then I went back to the crushed granite path and walked around.

Nice weather, nice little park
Mel Bilich Karst Preserve [Hiking] - 12/31/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: Difficulty: Solitude:
Distance: 1.50 Miles Duration: N/A
I think they renamed the place to West Oaks Karst Preserve according to the kiosks. The trail isn't very long, but it is well groomed. The trail seems to be used by neighborhood folk walking their dogs. I got a phone call from my parents while in the park and ended up chatting with them for about an hour without seeing anyone. Then on the way back, I saw three groups of families or folks with dogs. As for the caves, the fences they used were not really too robust for keeping people out. Maybe dogs and other wildlife. There were gates on the bigger caves, and the sinkhole was really cool because it had an enormous oak tree on it. This hike is short, but it is close to Dick Nichols Park, and there is a nice path around that, and a neighboring path on the other side of the street called "Villages at Western Oaks Hike and Bike Trail."