gurdonark

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Today I have this "tie loose ends" feeling. I want to get a great deal of stuff done, so that by year end, I do not feel so busy. In addition, I want to return to those sensible eating days, when I ate less richly but enjoyed my food more. I also want to exercise four days a week at a minimum, rather than the current two. I want to be a more organized person, because lack of organization has become such a hurdle for me. Maybe I even want to do holiday shopping this year before December 20, and to send out Christmas cards in a sensible way at a sensible time. My inner voice today sounds like a self-help book, but it would not hurt me to read a page or two.

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From:

texastornado-91.livejournal.com

I wanted to ask you again because I forgot to write them down...what are some good biking, walking trails around the area? I remember you mentioning several of them...

From:

gurdonark.livejournal.com

I tend towards trails and walks that are low-stress and easy. Here are a few of those.

In Richardson, if one exits on the Renner Road exit, and goes immediately east, within a block there is the parking lot on the right for the Spring Creek Trail. This sidewalked trail runs along a creek through a wooded area. It's good for biking or walking. It's not difficult at all, and it's a lovely Fall walk, as leaves are visible.

In McKinney, 75 at I believe the Virginia Parkway exit, but I may be wrong, there is
McKinney Town Park Lake. It is the nicest of the suburban town lakes, a large pond with shaded walking sidewalks. Of course, in Dallas, White Rock Lake is a "real" lake, with just wonderful walks and hikes. It is off Northwest Highway.

For nature walks, I like the Heard Natural Science Center, which is in Fairview, just off Highway 5 (Highway 5 is what Avenue K/Greenville Avenue becomes when one gets north of Allen).
Its trails are fairly short, but if one takes them all, it's a good hiking day, and the scenery is very nice, with some real wetlands hiking. I also love the Park Hill Prairie,
a bit of land which is still original blackland prairie. It's a bit of a jog. One takes
the highway 380 exit off 75 in McKinney, and then goes east some twenty some odd miles to
SH 36. Then one goes north another 8 miles
to the left turn into the Prairie (well marked)
This has a great sense of the rolling hill prairie country, as it existed when the Europeans first arrived. It also has the two best sunfish ponds in north Texas, for those who like to fish.

Along Highway 380 East, but much closer than
Park Hill Prairie, is Sister Grove Park. This is a nice scraggle-forest walk where one can see wildlife like armadillos; it buts right up against Lake Lavon.

Speaking of Lake Lavon, I hike a great deal at
Trinity Trail. One takes the Bethany exit off 75, then goes east on Bethany 15 minutes, where the left fork of Bethany turns into Lucas Road.
One drives another 5 minutes or so on Lucas Road, when one turns right at the sign for "Brockdale Park". Roughly 5 minutes down this well paved road, one comes to the Trinity Trail head on the right. Trinity Trail loops 9 miles down to Collin Park, but I always just walk 40 minutes in and 40 minutes out. I often see, in addition to flowers and trees, herons and geese. It is also a rider's trail, so if you like to see horses, you'll usually be rewarded.

For off road bicycling I suggest Erwin Park in McKinney. Go up 75 to 380, and go west on 380.
The park is on a farm to market road or county road off 380, but signage guides you after about 5 miles or so on 380. Rowlett Creek Nature Preserve is also good nature biking, on Centerville Road in Garland.

Of course, my favorite thing is just walking in public botanical gardens. The Dallas Arboretum, off Garland Road near White Rock Lake, and the Fort Worth Botanical Garden (which is free) are both wonderful attractions. The Fort Worth one is slightly superior, and a surprisingly easy drive.

Hope this gets you started.

From:

texastornado-91.livejournal.com

Thanks so much! I'll have to print this out. I don't know if you've been to Cottonwood park (at least I think it's Cottonwood park). It's near my house down Beltline near Coit and right now it's beautiful. There's a little lake/pond with a bridge and the trees are golden and red and there're geese! I don't know how much of a walking trail it has, but it's quite lovely.