Last Day in Texas

This post is about our last day in Texas, on our February 2013 trip.  We have been to nature preserves, hiking in the mountains and canyons, viewing lava flows, and gypsum dunes, going on aerial tram ride, and more.  All thanks to our son Andrew's great planning.

We did save the best for last, going for a ride in Andrew's plane with him as the pilot. 

What a cute little plane.  The guys did some maintenance on it, then Andy pulled the plane out of its hangar, he went through the preflight list.  I hopped up into the plane, and after putting on the headset and seatbelt, Andy gave me some information. 

 It is important not to grab the yoke in front of me or push any pedals near my feet.  So we taxi out to the runway, and take off.  There was a bit of a cross wind so it was only slightly scary.  I had total confidence in the pilot, and in the plane.  But for some reason I was afraid.  I've been in small planes before, but this plane is very small especially after flying to Texas on a commercial flight. 

The view was great but I had that niggling in me to get back to the ground.  Andy asked if I wanted to take control of the plane. No thanks.   I was just feeling scared.  My biggest regret of the Texas trip is that I didn't fly more with Andy, and maybe even take  control of the plane.  Next time.

Andy with his plane.

In the afternoon we all took a trip to Big Spring, Texas - 40 miles NE of Midland, Texas.  We took a hike around the Big Spring State Park.  There are many cactus here and bunches of a four-petaled yellow flower blooming brightly everywhere!

There are also dramatic views off of the 200-foot bluff, with shelters built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  During the Great Depression, CCC Company 1857 transformed some 300 acres of rough country into a state park gem.

Looking out across Big Spring, Texas.  

We also took some time to check out Comanche Trail Park, a 400 acre park that features a 6,900-seat limestone amphitheater, an eighteen hole golf course, tennis courts, baseball fields, playgrounds, pavilions, and hike, bike and nature trails.

Amphitheater in Big Spring,Texas. 

 Unfortunately we had to head home, but next trip we will spend more time in Big Spring.
So that was the last day of our trip.  The next morning we flew to Houston, then Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

    Some very hard clouds!

On the flight to Houston we hit some of the worse turbulence I have ever experienced!  Seriously, I felt like I had a bit of whiplash from being tossed, first up then slammed down in the seat.  
But on our way to Texas a week earlier, our flight out of Grand Rapids was late.  They held the plane for just us in Houston.  We walked onto a plane packed full of people giving us the look.

This was a very fun trip!  I'm sure we will go again next year.

Pickerel Lake and Townsend Parks

October 17, 2011   

Pickerel Lake Park  (6001 Ramsdell Road NE Cannonsburg, MI 49317)

was our first stop of the day, 46 degrees- sunshine, blue sky.   

Michigan has been  having wonderful autumn weather. 
Pickerel Lake Park is a favorite in this area (just NE of Grand Rapids  Michigan) because of the interesting trails.  Larch Swamp trail, Sandy Knoll trail, woodland trails, and the main trail which circles the lake for an easy
1.9 mile walk.  You can cross country ski here, or fish from the docks.

There has been a big tree on the top west end of Pickerel Lake that a beaver chewed almost all the way through.  Well we found that tree was finally down.

First here are two pictures from 2010 of the tree.

The tree today (below).

Near the beaver tree, one of the many boardwalks at Pickerel Lake Park.

Next park for the day is Warren Townsend Park  (8280 6 Mile Road Cannonsburg, MI ), just a mile south from Pickerel Park on Ramsdell to 6 Mile Road. 

This park has a stone shelter, scenic footbridges, baseball diamonds, cross country skiing, fishing, hiking/walking, nature trails, a playground, and

restrooms.

Footbridge over Bear Creek at Townsend Park

We walked north on the Red Pine Trail, about a mile round trip, then checked out the enclosed shelter and Bear Creek.

                           Remanants of Bittersweet Nightshade

Still some wildflowers, this is a weed called Cheeses (always plural).

Another beautiful day!!

Big (Bend) Adventure

February 10 2011 

This was the day the Big Adventure started, at 4 a.m..  Off we go to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids Michigan, catching a flight across Lake Michigan to the General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee Wisconsin. 

     Over Lake Michigan

So far so good, hmm wonder where this Big Adventure is going to take place? (There is a clue in the title in case you missed it)

 Arriving in Milwaukee we headed off on another flight to Dallas Texas, to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Same airline, Frontier Airlines, things are going smooth.

Our final destination by air (American Airlines) was to the Midland International Airport located between Midland and Odessa Texas, here we met up with the reason we flew to Texas, our son Andrew

(check out his blog at http://sabkha.blogspot.com/). 

                            Downtown Midland





               Midland Texas



This was just day one, next time day two.