The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 4, 2010 Page: 19 of 32
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THE CANADIAN RECORD
COMMUNITY PAGE
TH URSDAV 4 MARCH ZD 1 □
The Texas Perimeter Hike
By Smatt
"I was bom upon the prairie, where the wind blew free
and there was nothing to break the light of the sun.
I was born where there were no enclosures and where
everything drew a free breath,"
-Ten Bears of the Yamparika Comanches
I WAKE UP ARDUND DAWN, and I know something has
changed. My nose feels it, then my hands as I unzip my
sleeping bag. The air is crisp as I twist around and look out-
side my tarp. Then I see it coming down, slow and unhur-
ried, falling silently and muffling the sounds of the world.
It's my first Texas snow.
I'm volunteering at the magical SOaprock Canyons State
Park, where in one week it has snowed, rained, and been
sunny about evenly. After hiking so much road it is a gentle
relief to be in a natural area. I've been here almost a month
now, though most of the last week I've been sick. I came
wanting to explore the canyons, learn about the plains and
its history, and perhaps give my feet a break. I haven't been
disappointed.
To get here, I hiked south along the Caprock Canyons
T railway, a separate 64-mile stretch of park property run-
ning from Estelline to South Plains. I ran into a lot of wild
pigs, several deer, and one armadillo. One evening I heard
strange noises nearby, like dumping water from a small-
lipped container. In the morning I woke up to the same
noise, accompanied by the flapping of dozens of wings. I
looked up and saw over 100 wild turkeys just a few yards
away.
Winter is the slow season at
Caprock Canyons, slow for vol-
unteers at any rate. Because of
the weather, it's hard to plan on
anything other than the day at
hand. I found myself doing odd
tasks, running a children's dis-
covery center, helping to take
out nails from an old fence, as-
sembling some armoires. The most official task I had was to
give a few Saturday talks about my hiking trips to visitors.
The people that work at Caprock are a family unto them-
selves, The guys harass one another, and the women ask
how everyone is doing. The rangers usually have enough
computer work to keep them busy all day, but they are more
than happy to answer questions and help someone out.
Many times, that has been me.
One day in the park office, I told the staff that I heard
an unusual noise the night before. Sort of like a horse whin-
nying but not quite, I said. It was hard for me to be more
precise. A ranger and a volunteer both gave me their best
guesses, but neither was certain. Then Park Manager Don-
ald Beard said from his office, "Did it sound like this?" I
heard the noise again, a little high-pitched and shaky, al-
most eerie. That's it, I said. "Screech owl," he added simply,
returning to his work.
I explored the park during other days. A friend visited,
and we found our way to the top of Hay nes Ridge Trail. The
weather was cloudy and subdued, but we had a great time
Eagle Point, a well-known Caprock Canyons landformation.
The author hiked the Eagle Point Trail multiple times.
swapping stories and eating dinner. In the morning, we
hiked to the overlook and spent an hour and a half admiring
the canyon views while eating breakfast. We sat on top of
the world.
One hundred thirty-five years ago, the last of the free
Comanches roamed these plains and wintered in these pan-
handle canyons. You don't have to look hard to find what they
were fighting for. Their reasons are still here. They are in
the water, animals, and open air; they are in the very dirt.
Smatt is the penname of S.Matt Read. A writer, inven-
tor, baker, and hiker, he is currently hiking the entire out-
line of the state. Follow his adventure here and at www.
texasperimeterhike.blogspot.com and www.twitter.com/
perimeterhiker.
IT THE HEMPHILL COUNTY LIBRARY
Adult Fiction
Nature Photography, by Tim Fitzhar-
ris. Focused on digital photography this is
a how-to book on nature photography fea-
turing many illustrations, advice, tips and
analysis appropriate for both novice and
experienced photographers.
Complete Book of Home Preserving, by
Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine.
Complete Gluten-free Cookbook, by
Donna Washburn and Heather Butt.
Hot Rocks, by Nora Roberts. Laine
Tavish surrounds herself with antiques in
her store. As for her own past, she'd rather
avoid it. And when that doesn't work, she
has to rely on an enigmatic stranger to fig-
ure out who is chasing her and why.
The Lost, by J.D. Robb.
92 Pactfic Boulevard, by Debbie Macomber.
8 Sandpiper Way, by Debbie Macomber.
Deal* Listener, I have something to confide
in you. I think my husband, Dave, might be
having an affair. I found an earring in his
pocket, and it's not mine. I'm also worried
because some jewelry was recently stolen
from an old woman—and Dave used to visit
her a lot. You see, he's a pastor. And a good
man. I can't believe he's guilty of anything,
but why won't he tell me where he's been
when he comes home so late?
Always Dakota, by Debbie Macomber.
The Jesus Chronicles: Matthew's Story,
by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.
Aunt Dimity Down Under, by Nancy
Atherton, A shock wave rocks Lori Shep-
herd's world when she hears that her be-
loved neighbors, Ruth and Louise Py m, may
be dying. Bracing herself for a final fare-
well, Lori instead receives a request from
the eccentric sisters: Find their long-lost
brother before it's too late. Aubrey Pym is
a wicked scoundrel who was banished from
his family long ago. Much to Lori's surprise,
she must travel all the way to New Zealand
to find him.
The Complete Book of Pickling, by Jen-
nifer MacKenzie.
The Last Surgeon, by Michael Palmer.
Big Girl, by Danielle Steel. A chubby
little girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and or-
dinary looks, Victoria Dawson has always
felt out of place in her family, especially in
body-conscious L.A. Her father, Jim, is tall
and slender, and her mother, Christina, is
a fine-boned, dark-haired beauty. Both are
self-eentered, outspoken, and disappointed
by their daughter's looks. When Victoria is
six, she sees a photograph of Queen Victo-
ria, and her father has always said she looks
just like her.
Trouble in Paradise, by Terrye Robins.
Revenge in Paradise, by Terrye Robins.
The Complete Book of Vegetables, by
Matthew Biggs. Praise for vegetables,
herbs and fruit, by Matthew Biggs and oth-
ers: "Solid gardening tips and tempting
recipes . . . enough to teach even experi-
enced gardeners new tricks"
500 Best Sauces, Salad Dressings, Mar-
inades & More, by George Geary.
The Organic Gardener's Handbook of
Natural Pest and Disease Control, by Fern
Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis, and
Deborah L. Martin.
Complete Pebble Mosaic Handbook, by
Maggy Howarth. An illustrated guide for
creating basic to advanced pebble mosaic
projects from start to finish. Also includes
tips on design, how to find or buy the best
pebbles and examples of the best work from
pebble mosaic artists.
Morning's Refrain, by Tracie Peterson.
In Odd We Trust, by Dean Koontz. Odd
Thomas is a regular 19-year-old with an
unusual gift: the ability to see the lingering
spirits of the dead. To Odd, it's not such a big
deal. And most folks in sleepy Pico Mundo,
California, are much more interested in the
irresistible pancakes Odd whips up at the
local diner. Still, communing with the dead
can be useful.
Game Over, by Fern Michaels.
Money to Burn, by James Grippando.
The Wild Zone, by Joy Fielding. In this
compelling novel, Fielding introduces two
brothers, Will and Jeff, and their friend
Tom, a trio of playboys out to make some-
thing happen in the hot sands of South
Beach. One night at their favorite water-
ing hole, they make a bet on who will be the
first to seduce a mysterious young woman
they've never seen before. Dark-haired and
blue-eyed, Suzy has a disarming, girl-next-
door aux-a about her. She seems like an easy
mark, "Just waiting for Prince Charming to
hit on her," says Jeff. But these players have,
no idea what they're dealing with.
Fantasy in Death, by J.D. Robb.
Secret Whispers, by VC. Andrews.
Split Image, by Robert B. Parker. The
body in the trunk was just the beginning.
Turns out the stiff was a foot soldier for lo-
cal tough guy Reggie Galen, now enjoying a
comfortable "retirement" with his beautiful
wife, Rebeeea, in the nicest part of Paradise,
Living next door are Knocko Moynihan and
his wife, Robbie, who also happens to be Re-
becca's twin. But what initially appears to
be a low-level mob hit takes on new meaning
when a high-ranking cx-ime figure is found
dead on Paradise Beach.
Apple Turnover Murder, by Joanne
Fluke.
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Brown, Laurie Ezzell. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 4, 2010, newspaper, March 4, 2010; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth220829/m1/19/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hemphill County Library.