Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

When photographer Richard Stone sets out to capture nature with his camera he never leaves home without… his mountain bike.

You get to see much, much, much more…as a wildlife and nature photographer I get more places on a bike that I do in a car.

And Texas state parks offer a wealth of scenic variety for biking…including mountains.

You can bike on a beach, you can bike in Big Bend Park, you can bike in the Hill Country State Natural Area with the horses, there’s many different places, East Texas through the Pineywoods, even Bastrop to Buesher (BISH-ur) State Parks…there is a tremendous diversity.

There is also a wide range of trail users, which means riders have to share the road.

We always yield the trail to hikers, because they have the right of way…and to equestrians…give the walkers the right of way. Control your bicycle, plan ahead, control your speed, don’t skid your tires, don’t leave any traces on the park.

Texas Parks and Wildlife offers and brochure listing state parks with bike trails as well as their degree of difficulty. Just long onto the Texas Parks and Wildlife web site and type “Bike Texas” in the search field and you’ll get right to it.

That’s our show for today…thank you for joining us…For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

David McComb, a professor emeritus of history and author of Spare Time in Texas, shares the history of our state park system.

National parks were so prestigious, so glamorous, that every state wanted a national park. So the head of the National Park Service decided the answer to demands for national parks was to have state parks, which the states would support and develop.

So to come up with some money to do that. You’re in a depression, the legislature was quite reticent, but Governor at the time, Ma Ferguson, saw the opportunity, got some emergency funds and got the CCC to come to Texas to develop State Parks.

Thanks, David.

That’s our show…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

Our state parks wouldn’t exist as they do today without the dedication of Texans who worked to develop them.

These things come about because people are interested. They recognized that here is a piece of land, or a place, that they love and they take steps for its preservation.

David McComb is professor emeritus of history at Colorado State University and author of Spare Time in Texas. Having outdoor spaces in which to recreate comes down to what people value.

Texas has supported the building of parks, so much so that they have bought land, preserved it, developed it, continue to support it. So, what it tells me is that Texans are interested in such places.

The story of Palo Duro Canyon is a good example, and is filled with people who were interested and persistent.

Building Palo Duro takes negotiation. There’s a question of how to make it self-sufficient. And people of Canyon and Amarillo would take picnics there. So the people in the area became interested. And so that it would not be ruined for the future, they set up a summertime extravaganza to bring in tourists and brought a great deal of publicity and made it a success.

Tomorrow, hear how you can support park development near your home.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

Spanish Explorer Coronado and his expedition celebrated the first Thanksgiving in Palo Duro Canyon in May 1541—80 years before the Pilgrims.

And they celebrated by eating the wild game in the area: buffalo, wild fowl, and other things.

Jeff Murrah is an author and sixth generation Texan living in the Hill Country who writes extensively about Texas history.

They [Coronado’s expedition] had been traveling up into New Mexico and across Texas. When they finally made it to Texas, they had been in the Palo Duro Canyon area. And there had been some rough weather they had recently experienced. They had made it through that with the shelter of the canyon, and they wished to express thankfulness.

Murrah says there were 300 in the expedition and their Thanksgiving celebration took place over several days.

I like this Thanksgiving. Not only was it large, but I think it captures more the idea that many cultures contributed to. Because when you stick with the whole idea of the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving, you’re either a Pilgrim or an Indian. But here you’ve got Indians, Spaniards, Portuguese, French, Italians, Scots, and Blacks in the party. You had people from many different backgrounds all coming together to give thanks.

So why do Pilgrims get all the credit for this feast day?

They did a better marketing campaign?

Happy Thanksgiving…for Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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You can find more information on early Thanksgiving celebrations in Texas in Jeff Murrah’s Book on Texas history, Texans Always Move Them. And you can find the book at this website: http://www.lulu.com/content/796690

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This is Passport to Texas

The Parks and Wildlife television series is a menu of things to do outdoors. Offerings in November include: stories about scuba diving…and game wardens that fight environmental crime…and people who count frogs…

And every show in November we’re going to hit a state park.

Don Cash is Series Producer…

And one of the state parks is down in the valley in Weslaco, Texas. It’s Estero Llano Grande State Park, and it’s part of the World Birding Center.

On just a regular day you can sit on this deck for an hour or two and easily spot thirty to forty species of birds.

And one of the big draws is not a bird, it’s the alligators they have living in the park.

Yes, we do have a few alligators—they’re a major attraction, and we’re hoping that really pulls in some of the locals.

Also in November we’re going to Lake Bob Sandlin State Park which is about 2 hours east of Dallas. Fishing is one of the big draws there, obviously. They’ve got a small stock pond, which is great for kids, and then the lake itself is known for bass.

Just about anywhere you fish could be good. There’s almost not a bad looking spot on the lake…a place that doesn’t look like it will hold a bass or two. I’ve loved it for years.

So, in November, we show you a lot of places to go, and a lot of things to do. And, of course, one of those is fall camping—we always encourage that.

Thanks, Don.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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