Is another canoe race in the stars?

Is another canoe race in the stars?

canoe

Pam LeBlanc paddles her canoe on Lady Bird Lake. Debbie Richardson photo

Apparently, my long-term memory sucks. Or maybe it’s just that I’ve chosen to ignore those unpleasant experiences.

Whatever the case, I pulled out my aluminum canoe twice this week and went for a couple of very early training runs on Lady Bird Lake.

If things go well, it means that the second weekend in June I’ll be paddling a very long way down the San Marcos and Guadalupe Rivers. Maybe.

Read more: Logjams, Hallucinations and Mother Nature

I blame Debbie Richardson. A veteran of 12 Texas Water Safaris, she lured me back into a boat, enticing me with descriptions of the fun we’ll have, slogging 260 miles from San Marcos to Seadrift, paddling non-stop in the equivalent of a floating Fiberglas bullet with several uncomfortable, foam-covered seats in it.

That fun will entail scrambling over bobbing mats of logs, brushing spiders the size of coasters off our shoulders, squeezing pre-crushed potato chips into our mouths, and dragging boats over long, muddy stretches of bank. We’ll laugh, we’ll sing, we’ll possibly vomit, and no doubt we’ll hallucinate along the way.

But reaching the finish line with my teammates Sheila Reiter and Heather Harrison in 2019 was, for me, one of my proudest moments. (Right afterward, I passed out on a folding cot beneath an open-air tent on the Texas coast. I don’t think I woke up for three days.) I want to do it again. It lures you back, as they say.

Stay tuned as I monitor our progress toward the 2022 race in this blog…

 

About Pam

I’m Pam LeBlanc. Follow my blog to keep up with the best in outdoor travel and adventure. Thanks for visiting my site.

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Deep Eddy closing Jan. 4 for repairs

Deep Eddy closing Jan. 4 for repairs

deep eddy

Deep Eddy Pool will close Jan. 4 for repairs. Photo courtesy city of Austin

Heads up, swimmers.

Deep Eddy Pool, 401 Deep Eddy Ave., will close starting Jan. 4 for mechanical repairs on a well pump. Normal operating hours are expected to resume Saturday, Jan. 8.

That doesn’t mean you have to ditch your swim workout. Barton Springs (which makes a great spot for a Jan. 1 dip, by the way), Bartholomew, Stacy, and Springwoods pools will remain open during the Deep Eddy closure.

 

Barton Springs Pool, 2201 Barton Springs Road. Open 5 am-10 p.m. daily except Thursday, when it closes from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for cleaning.

Bartholomew Pool, 1800 East 51st Street. Open 12:15 p.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Big Stacy Pool, 700 E. Live Oak Street. Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Springwoods Pool, 13320 Lyndhurst Street. Open 3-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, call the Deep Eddy Pool hotline at 512-974-1189 or go to AustinTexas.gov/Pools

 

About Pam

I’m Pam LeBlanc. Follow my blog to keep up with the best in outdoor travel and adventure. Thanks for visiting my site.

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Celebrate the holidays at Texas State Parks

Celebrate the holidays at Texas State Parks

holiday at Texas State Parks

Walk a trail of lights at Monument Hill in LaGrange. Photo courtesy Texas State Parks

Stroll through a lighted display in LaGrange, take a Boxing Day hike at the Franklin Mountains or experience an old-fashioned Christmas at Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site – it’s time to celebrate the holidays at Texas State Parks.

Parks across the state are celebrating the season with a slate of festive events.

We’ve highlighted a few but check the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website for others. And reserve day passes online or by calling (512) 389-8900.

Holidays at Texas State Parks

Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site: Between Dec. 11-23, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the grounds and learn how Christmas was celebrated in North Texas during the 1890s, when Dwight Eisenhower was born, and 1940s, when the Denison community preserved the Birthplace house. Children’s craft kits will be available while supplies last. For more information, call (903) 465-8908.

Falcon State Park: Grab a spot in the park’s day-use area to watch the Third Annual Falcon Lake Christmas Boat Parade from 7 p.m. -10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. Visitors will be able to see decked out boats float by in cheerful holiday lights.

Franklin Mountains State Park: Take an easy 1.5-mile hike to Agave Loop to celebrate Boxing Day at 9 a.m. Dec. 26. Wear good hiking shoes and bring water and a Santa hat.

Kreische Brewery and Monument Hill State Historic Sites: Stroll among twinkling holiday lights 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18. Live entertainment, refreshments, family activities and visits with Santa are planned.

For more information about these and activities to celebrate the holidays at Texas State Parks, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website. A full calendar is available online on the TPWD calendar page. For more activities at THC’s State Historic Sites, visit the Texas Historical Commission website.

Social distancing and wearing a mask when inside buildings or when gathered with others is encouraged.

 

About Pam

I’m Pam LeBlanc. Follow my blog to keep up with the best in outdoor travel and adventure. Thanks for visiting my site.

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