Various Ramblings
Michael Nowak
Cha-cha-changes!
Cha-cha-changes!
Various Ramblings
Michael Nowak
Seeing can mean believing.
Seeing can mean believing.

52 hikes with mike

My 10 Favorite Outdoor Spots in Texas

Ten of my favorite outdoor places in Texas

I’m listing ten of my favorite spots to hang out outdoors in Texas. These locations are in no particular order. Texas was home for nearly ten years, and it wasn’t until the past few that I really got out there and explored. I’m glad I did, but I’m also looking forward to the natural wonders of New Mexico.

Caprock Canyons State Park

  • This park has great trails but make it a point to hike to Fern Canyon if you can, it is worth it

  • I’ve hiked and camped here and can testify that it is quiet and pleasant, but tent camping is pretty close together

  • Many of the camping areas don’t have good shade, and a lot of the hiking doesn’t either, so don’t forget that sunscreen and extra water

  • You can read about my one hike or that other hike or that nature writing challenge I did

  • TX State Parks Website

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Palo Duro Canyon State Park

  • I believe some people call it the “Grand Canyon of Texas” and it is pretty cool, but people gotta slow down

  • The initial descent into the canyon feels like you’ve left Texas

  • Trails and camping in this park are great - with plenty of variety

  • Read about my hike there or my other blurb about it or my other hike write-up

  • TX State Parks Website

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Big Bend National Park

  • This is a broad location, given the size, but I’m saying the whole place is worth it every time

  • Camping in the Chisos Basin was the coolest - watching the sun come up over the mountains

  • Hiking in Santa Elena Canyon area was a highlight for me, as well as pretty much everywhere else

  • I have not had the privilege of backpacking, but it’s on my list and I’ve heard good things

  • Here are a few writings I did about it Hike & Blurb

  • National Park Service Website

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Guadalupe Mountains National Park

  • Another vast location I’ve had limited, but good, times at is this little gem

  • I hiked a couple of trails, while sick one weekend, and fell in love because I watched the sunrise and the moonset all in the same time frame.

  • I can’t wait to be located closer to these so I can explore further

  • Go in the morning, watch the mountains turn gold from a west Texas sunrise and you will NOT be disappointed

  • Read about my hike here

  • National Park Service Website

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Big Thicket National Preserve

  • Big trees, creeks, boardwalks, sun through said big trees.. a magical place

  • I visited in the winter and fell in love, imagine the other seasons

  • I hit two areas - Beech Creek and Turkey Creek - both offered plenty of space to walk amongst the trees. (Beech Creek is a small chunk, and a short trail)

  • National Park Service Website

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Tyler State Park

  • This location was an instant favorite - tall pines, pleasant drive from DFW, and quiet enough

  • I remember the trails being a little confusing, but nothing too bad

  • Looks like a great place to camp, though I haven’t had the opportunity - gotta plan way (up to weeks or months) ahead in Texas to reserve a spot

  • Read about my hike / TX State Parks Website

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Colorado Bend State Park

  • My friend Amanda shared this place with me and I am so glad she did.

  • This place has it all - lush waterfalls, open trails, and places to swim

  • I visited early in the morning, for a half day, but would love to get back someday as there is so much left to explore

  • I wrote about my hike here / TX State Parks Website

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Copper Breaks State Park

  • I can remember wanting to visit this place every time I drove to Caprock or Palo Duro

  • Red rock trails over the ridges and through the valleys

  • I’d go in the spring, fall, or winter… it doesn’t have a lot of shade

  • TX Parks Website / My Hike

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Fort Parker State Park (kayaking)

  • The park on land seemed alright, I didn’t spend much time there.

  • I kayaked from one point, across the lake, and down the river

  • I saw birds, enjoyed a breeze, and would recommend it for anyone looking for a variety kayak that includes open water and a gentle river

  • TX State Parks Website

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Martin Dies Jr. State Park

  • I never though Texas could look so magical with moody fog and cypress swamps

  • The kayaking looks phenomenal, I’d return just for that

  • The trails were nice and the vegetation was the highlight for me

  • TX State Parks Website

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I’m going to give an honorable mention to Sea Rim State Park because it was a spectacular place that overwhelmed my senses in a good way. It’s on the Gulf of Mexico, has kayaking inland with plenty of birds to look at, and just makes you feel so small and unimportant in a good way. The reason I’d say it’s not in the top 10 is because of the location; you have to drive through ugly infrastructure to get there. TX State Parks Website

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Places I’m still interested in visiting:

Hueco Tanks State Park

Franklin Mountains State Park

Devil’s River State Natural Area

Davis Mountains State Park

Big Bend Ranch State Park

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: May 2020 Update

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THE GOOD STUFF

  • Every day had at least a walk (only a few were less than 4 miles)

  • Learned more about stretches necessary for keeping my hip, knee, and back in check

  • I hiked! Oh my glob did I hike! It was glorious, too. Thirty miles of hiking felt wonderful after months with little to none.

  • I feel well enough to start running again

  • I managed to maintain my weight, without gaining anything

  • It was another month over 150 miles of activity (168 actually, even 162 if you take out the biking)

  • My lowest daily steps was in the 9000s which is great

  • I closed my rings every day, in theory. I missed one day of standing because I left my watch on the charger for 6 hours. BUT, I did stand so…whatever.

  • Average daily mileage was over 4 miles

  • I know where I need to improve and refocus.

  • I feel good and I think I look better. My confidence is a little higher these days.

  • Ran my fastest mile to date!

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THE NOT-SO-GOOD

  • I miss the gym

  • I need more sleep

  • I need to stop letting myself be dragged down by others

  • I didn’t lose as much weight as I was hoping, and I certainly didn’t build any muscle but I maintained so I guess that’s a neutral

  • My bike was neglected, as were my running shoes. Stupid hips.

  • I had a lot of binge-type days that included truckloads of alcohol and snacks. I learned it doesn’t ruin the whole process, but certainly doesn’t help. The water weight/bloating from one snack/drink happy hour stayed with me for a few days and really killed my vibe.

MENTAL HEALTH

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  • Even though work is at home, I’ve learned to leave it in the corner after hours.

  • I’m about over my own stupidity. I have a lot of solutions for my own problems but no willpower or energy to do anything. It’s awful.

  • Constantly having to respond and reach out to people can be tiresome, even for this extrovert. Sorry not sorry if I seem anti-social or haven’t reached out “enough” lately.

  • Sleep is a constant battle… there was a period of time I was sleeping a lot, or a lot more than normal. Now, I’m back to being weird. I’m staying up late, which is my not so secret favorite, and waking up just in time to do a morning work call. This is not enjoyable. I wish there was a world where I could stay up late and get up early, like I used to, but there’s not. SO, I’m going to start trying to sleep before 11pm again and wake up at 6am. That’s the goal for June.

  • I’m reminded of how lucky I am in these trying times. SO VERY FUCKING LUCKY, even if things sometimes just shit all over me.

  • I am my own worst enemy.

  • Apple Health isn’t the end-all-be-all. It’s a tool in bettering yourself. I rely too heavily on this for what? For my own tracking and motivation. I need to stop letting it really bother me. If I’m doing enough and feeling fine, fuck it.

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GOALS FOR JUNE

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  • Read a Damn Book!
    OK, TV be damned. I’m going to set a tough goal of reading 6 books this month to catch up for the year and get my head out of the programming.

  • More Salads & Greens.
    Veggies are my friend. I haven’t had enough lately, and it shows. Time to re-up the salads and make them in bulk for lunches.

  • Social Media Break (3 days, at least)
    I’m heading off the grid to the cabin to do some work/relax for at least three days.

  • Run Run Run!
    May was a total bust for running, whatever. I will run my ass off in June. My race isn’t canceled, yet!

  • Keep going!
    Now that the state parks are open, I plan to make up the lost hikes of 2020. I’m checking off quest goals while hitting mileage ideals.

  • FOUR+ Hikes in June
    Got some really good hikes in during May, hopeful for as many ore more in June.

  • 175 Miles.
    I hit 160, so I’m going to try for 175. Obviously, if I run, walk, and bike in the same day it could really amp it up.

  • Lose 5+ pounds
    I know it’s not about the weight, but I need to rethink what I’m eating and drinking and really push to be better overall and I think this is a reasonable number to shoot for. I’d like to end the sixth month 50 pounds down for the year.

THOUGHTS, NOTES, CONCLUSIONS

  • I am on the right path. My momentum kind of stalled in May, but added hiking kept me going. I’m still working on my food/alcohol/exercise balance and getting more sleep. This is the right path and my clothes falling off are proof.

  • I am using Noom. My Noom was reset by 4 weeks to help me improve and reinvigorate me. I’m basically using it to track and I really need to be more mindful of what the lessons are each day.

  • I have accepted the new me. I still enjoy some days with indulgence, and that’s not going to change. If I have to cut something completely out of my life, I don’t succeed. The beauty of my main meals being overall better for me is that the indulgence days don’t completely fuck me over in the long run. Balance, baby! (Still a work in progress)

  • I’m still like running. I am going to amp it back up this month. I’ve got pages of stretches and yoga moves to help keep me limber.

  • For real REAL. I’m finally on a path that allows me to have the things I want with little sacrifice as far as food and drink go. It feels good to be in the 280s and not going back up. It feels good to know that I can have a burger and fries, once in a while.

“Oh, why do I compare myself to everyone?
And I always got my finger on the self destruct”
— Demi Lovato - I Love Me
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Minnesota - One of My Happy Places

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I typically get to Minnesota every year at least once. You know those friends who become family? Well, I’m fortunate to have those in Duluth, MN. My best bud, who went on all of the road trips with me, has family and a cabin up there which allows for awesome escapes.

Enjoy a little recap of 2019 in Minnesota.

Early February

This trip required a flight into the tundra known as Minneapolis The flight was delayed and so was our arrival to the Land of 10,000 lakes. We rented a Chevy Silverado, because we needed 4-wheel drive anyway, and headed up to Duluth. We didn’t get in until late, didn’t get up to Duluth til very late, and probably had more of a nap than a sleep. After coffee and packing up, we headed up to McFarland. We always stop at the Gun Flint Tavern in Grand Marais, MN. If you don’t stop there, does a trip to the cabin even count? They have great brews on tap and excellent food and are busy all year, so plan ahead if you stop by. From the tavern, it’s a short walk to the municipal liquor store and co-op if you need supplies.

Once to the lake, winter trips to the cabin require snowshoeing across then up the hill to the cabin. This year was eventful, to say the least. To start, there was a lot of snow and it was very cold - all good things for going across a frozen lake in the winter. Apparently, though, there was some slush under the upper crust of snowy ice creating a slushy lake on top of the actual ice, which was very thick. My snowshoe went through the upper crust, into the slushy lake on a lake, and slipped off my boat and floated away. I was worried I was going through the actual ice and entering a true emergency situation, but when my knee slammed down on the ice, I knew figured I was pretty safe. I worked to get out of the situation, but it was not easy as I broke through in every direction. Eventually, with a little help from Kevin, I got to the surface and freed myself from my lonely snowshoe. The snow on top of the lake wasn’t too bad, so a pair of snowshoes was only an added convenience. Bitter cold, wet, and frustrated, I made my way to the forested lakeside and up to the cabin.

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A fire was built, frozen clothes stripped away, and dry clothes put on. Consumption of beer was immediate but warming of the cabin took what felt like centuries. Eventually dinner was had, more drinks were had, and laughter ensued about the incident earlier in the day. We made it before darkness, which was pretty early, and that’s all that mattered.

After a couple of days secluded from the world, we had to head back to reality. The trek back across the lake was only mildly annoying and there were no more issues. Back in Duluth, we had an evening to rest before driving back to Minneapolis to catch a plane. Of course we needed a good dinner and some beer, so we ran to Wisconsin to get the lowest legal beer prices around. It’s the little things - snow, seclusion, friends who became family, and low legal beer prices.

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Late August

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There is nothing quite like a whole week off the grid. My job became overly stressful and I was looking forward to five days without notifications, emails, or contact of any kind. Kevin and I decided we were going to drive up to Duluth, then the cabin, for this visit. We wanted to bring Chewy to the cabin to experience true freedom, so driving was the only way!

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It started off in a typical fashion of hanging out with the family and stocking up in Wisconsin with the lowest legal beer prices. We made our way up the North Shore with our usual stop in Grand Marais at the Gun Flint Tavern, Municipal Liquor, and grocery store. It was a sunny day with blue skies, mild temps, and plenty of fresh air. The road to the lake was dusty, as usual, and we had to stop at the usual overlook for a quick break. We arrived at the boat launch, unloaded the boat, loaded the boat with supplies, and began our journey across the lake. As we approached the dock at the cabin property, we noticed it looked a little funny. Upon closer inspection, it appears part of the dock was washed away making transferring supplies a little more difficult than usual. I misjudged the balance of the dock without decking and tipped the whole damn thing and landed in the water. Brisk is one word to describe the water when one is used to Texas temperatures.

We made a classic mistake by drinking too much beer the first night. It was a pretty quiet couple of days in the beginning as we nursed hangovers in our 30s and laid low for a while. I explored the woods around the cabin a little and eventually we made it over to the Border Route Trail to do some hiking. The weather was mostly good, cool, sunny. A major project we had to do while up was to reinstall the composting toilet and it was accomplished in a day. Nights were spent by the fire, making food and having beers while Chewy the dog begged/listened to the woods. At one point, we swear we heard a moose trudging through trees in the distance, but it can’t be confirmed with a visual.

Eventually, we had leave the cabin and all of the beauty of living off the grid. We packed out the trash and closed everything up and made our way across the lake. We spent one last evening in Duluth, with a little outing to Canal Park Brewing Company. It was a cool, windy evening on Lake Superior, but the beers and food were great. Since we drove this time, we could take it a little easier as we headed south so we made a stop for lunch at Bent Paddle Brewing Co in one of my favorite parts of Duluth. There was a pizza food truck and plenty of beers to choose from, so it was what some would call an extended lunch. We met a fun bartender, who actually lived in Michigan before, which just added to my instant love for the brewery and brewpub atmosphere. It’s always hard leaving Duluth for me because it’s somewhere I feel home and could see myself living out the rest of my life. It was Saturday afternoon and we made it back by Sunday morning which gave me a quick turnaround for work on Monday.

What a trip this was, living off the grid and reconnecting with Minnesota. So many great sunrises, sunsets, and moments in between. I look forward to 2020 visits to Minnesota, sprinkled between other adventures along the way.

#MondayMotivation - upcoming hikes!

As much as I love the cloudy days, I’m excited to see some sun in the forecast for the Pacific Northwest this coming weekend. I’m always prepared for rainy hikes when I’m up there, but I’ll take the sunshine if it shows. I’m motivated this Monday by the memories I have from previous trips to Olympic National Park. I’m looking forward to hiking in trees and fresh air on Saturday and Sunday. I haven’t hiked in a while, and it surely wasn’t very fresh feeling the last time I did. I’m excited to meet a new friend who will guide me through the area and hopefully future hikes!

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#ForestFriday - Dino Valley has trees, too!

Texas has some big trees - they just live a few hours away from me.  If you go east from Dallas, near the border of Louisiana, you'll find some big pine trees that make you say "ahhhh" when you see them.  I love when I have to go out of town and drive through that area, but it's still a bit of a distance for a quick day trip.  In a previous post, I focused on the trees in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area at Cedar Ridge and this entry will feature another local treasure known as Dinosaur Valley State Park.  People visit Dino Valley for the visible dinosaur track fossils in the Paluxy River and the dinosaur sculptures at the entrance.  I visit because you have to cross the river to hike, weeding some people out, and because the hills are great exercise.  I ALSO visit because there are streams that flow into the Paluxy and those streams mean trees grow nearby and trees mean heavenly shade from the beating sun.  The trees along the trails range from oaks to juniper, with some cedar and live oaks in between.  I've found a few, old and large live oaks throughout the park and plenty of little forest areas to offer a cool reprieve from rocky ridges and open fields.  Here are a few photos of some trees from my many visits over the past 15 months to this wonderful little gem, only an hour from the metro area.

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