Archive for February, 2006

Experience the Awesome Natural Beauty of Canyon of the Eagles

February 26th 2006

Canyon of the Eagles Lodge and Nature Park encompasses 940 acres on Lake Buchannan. The park, owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), is a nature preserve for three threatened or endangered birds: the American bald eagle, the black-capped vireo and the golden-cheeked warbler.

Canyon of the Eagles Park facilities include three miles of lakefront, campgrounds with RV sites, fishing piers, hiking trails, stargazing area, lodge, swimming pool and restaurant. Below are the fees for camping and day use. Please call Central Texas Reservations (512-389-8900 option 2 for LCRA parks) for reservations.

  • 25 RV sites, including 3-way hook-ups ($20 per night)
  • 23 campsites, including water, table and fire ring ($12 per night)
  • 10 primitive campsites are available ($10 per night)
  • Day use-only fee: $5, $4 (55+ years old), free (12 years old or less).

If you wish to combine several trips into one AWESOME nature adventure, stay at the campground or at the Canyon of the Eagles Lodge and Convention Center and reserve a spot on the Vanishing Texas River Cruise to see the Bald Eagles.

If you time your visit with the explosion of wildflowers in Central Texas, you will be in for THE natural experience of a lifetime. We will be making htis trip in March or April.

Keep Your Wheels on the Road!

Eileen

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Blog of the Week: Pictures From My World

February 25th 2006

Pictures from My World blog is owned by Bozette who is a wonderful photographer. Subjects range from dogs to kids to whimsy (my favorites below) to some of the finest pictures of landscapes, birds and flowers I have ever seen.

You must visit this photoblog! My favorite photograph is For Early Weddings, with Angler’s Weather Station a close second.

Celebrate Bozette’s life: her family, her travels, her animals and her love of the natural world. Tell her CyberCelt sent you.

Keep on Rolling in the Free World!

Eileen

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Discover An Ancient Reef in West Texas

February 18th 2006

In far west Texas, along the southern border of New Mexico, lies Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The unique geology, miles of hiking trails, and fossil forests are just some of the features that attract visitors to this magnificent mountain range. Bounded by the desert and pine forests, this is one of the most diverse parks in the Southwest US.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park preserves one of the finest examples of ancient fossil reef on Earth. During the Permian Age (250 million years ago), a vast inland sea covered much of the Texas. Calcareous sponges, algae, and other lime-secreting marine organisms formed the reef that paralleled the shoreline for 400 miles.

When the ocean evaporated, the reef was buried in a thick blanket of sediment, basically runoff from the Rockies. Eventually, uplift exposed massive portions of the El Capitan Reef here and in the Delaware, Apache and Glass Mountains. Other interesting geologic features include Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.

With over 80 miles of trails, most visitors may enjoy the park by hiking. Trails lead to Guadalupe Peak, around the base of El Capitan, up to the high country, and into McKittrick Canyon. You will need a 4×4 to journey far by wheels.

There are two campgrounds in the park with RV spaces and tent sites, water and restrooms. Dog Canyon Campground is nestled in a secluded, forested canyon on the north side of the park. Located just off Highway 62/180 near the Visitor Center is the Pine Springs Campground. No reservations are accepted.

If you are a seasoned backpacker, you might want to camp in the backcountry, which is free. Horseback riding also requires a free permit that can be obtained at the Headquarters Visitor Center or at the Dog Canyon Ranger Station. Take a look at the detailed map or the large map of the area.

From the rocky high country with pine, fir and aspen, to the desert sands with cacti, yucca and sotol, explore this wonderland of ancient sea, sand and limestone. Nowhere else but Texas!

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Please Help Me Identify These Birds

February 18th 2006

We saw these birds (ducks or geese) at Medina Lake on our last trip. They had pink legs, a black mask and red eyes. I have been looking at bird books and websites to find them, but I have just about given up. I thought I would post them here and see if a kind blogger might know what in the world they are.

If you have a guess, please leave a comment. They were pretty strange looking and did not hang out with all the other ducks.

Thanks!

Eileen

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See the Bald Eagles of Texas Today

February 14th 2006

The Bald Eagle is making a bold comeback from the brink of extinction. So much that the government is considering taking the Bald Eagle off the Endangered Species list. Conservation has enabled this species to recover and to repopulate to a viable population level. The Bald Eagle population is certainly increasing in Texas. Bald Eagles have been spotted on the Texas coast and in East Texas this year.

Every year, from mid-November to March, over twenty Bald Eagles make their winter home in the Colorado River Canyon in Texas. You may view these majestic raptors by taking the Vanishing River Cruise at the Canyon of the Eagles on Lake Buchanan.

If you do not have time for the cruise, an Eagle and her young one, born in late January, are visible in a big nest just off Highway 29, between Llano and Burnet. This Eagle returns each year to birth her eaglets here.

Maybe they should just stay? The State bird of Texas, the Bald Eagle. Sounds good to me…

Eileen

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Southern Gal Goes North - Blog of the Week

February 9th 2006

Visit Southern Gal Goes North blog today.

… words by a transplanted southerner who misses home, has finally become published, and feels that it is either write or take more Effexor in order to stay sane.

Dana is a writer with a great sense of humor. She writes about sacred memories, Southern spaces, recipes, poetry and dieting. She just added a great Chicken Soup recipe, just in time for the flu season.

Keep on Rocking in the Free World,

Eileen

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Discover Texas Heritage Trails Today

February 4th 2006

The rich legacy left by our forefathers will enfold as you travel the Texas Heritage Trails.

These regional trails, such as the Texas Lakes Trail, the Texas Independence Trail, the Texas Brazos Trail and the Texas Forest Trail, represent just some of the unique geographical and historical areas in Texas.

History buffs will futher thrill while journeying the Texas Forts Trail and to the many sites listed in Texas in the Civil War, just two of the specialty guides you may order free from the Texas Historical Society.

We will be journeying on portions of the Texas Brazos Trail and the Texas Forest Trail in March on our drive to Arkansas. We have planned our trip so that most of our travel follows the original Camino Real (Kings Road) from San Marcos to Nacogdoches.

For information on the Texas Forest Trail, please see drive-through-history-on-texas-forest post. Stay tuned to this blog to read more on the wonderful trails in Texas.

If you are interested in Texas history and the heritage trails, subscribe via email to USAer blog.

Keep on Rolling …

Eileen

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