Maybe 60 feet is just too high!
Rush Sturges Broke his Back after landing flat off 60 foot high Bonita Falls in Argentina. The highest drop I have ever taken in a Kayak was just over four feet. It was intimidating in itself (at least to me). I can't imagine running 60 foot falls, much less the world record 186 foot Palouse Falls in Washington state run by Tyler Bradt. These guys are just insane. I understand the thrill of whitewater
Alligator Gar – Brazos River- Texas
Yesterday I was reading about the Alligator Gar on Passport to Texas. The Alligator Gar is the largest freshwater fish known to Texas and, according to Passport to Texas, can grow up to ten feet long and 300 pounds. I have never seen one this big but can imagine how scary such an encounter might be. What I find most interesting is the Gar’s tendency to swim close to the surface. Apparently the Gar’s gills are poorly suited for
Second Higest Mountain Range in Texas
A friend and I are making plans to summit Mt. Livermore and Baldy Peak in the Davis Mountain range. Baldy Peak (atop Mt. Livermore) is the highest point in the Davis Mountains. Access to the summit is limited due to the fact that nearly all of the Davis Mountain range sits on private land. The majority of Mt. Livermore is actually owned by The Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to preserving nature. The Nature Conservancy is a mighty fine organization.
“MonkeyMan”
Found this video of the "MonkeyMan" who does amazing things while climbing. Monkeyman: Extreme Climber - Funny video clips are a click away
Free USGS Topo Maps
In the 1940’s the U.S. Geological Survey began surveying the entire contiguous U.S to create a series of topographical maps. The USGS topo maps are considered by many to be the most accurate maps available and are used by paddlers, hikers, climbers, and cyclists alike for outdoor recreation. These maps are now available for free in the public domain for download or home printing from the USGS website. Simply go to http://store.usgs.gov and click on the “Download Topo Maps Free”
Virtual Big Bend
Yesterday I joined BigBendChat.com which is a discussion forum dedicated to all things Big Bend (along with other West Texas sites). One of the more interesting things I found was a link to this website: virtualbigbend.com. Virtual Big Bend has more than 30 interactive 360 degree panoramic views of various locations within the park. Each view allows you to look up down left and right or any direction you see fit. You can see the view from Emery peak (highest