TRAILS AND WILDFLOWERS ON OUR DOOR STEP

We were aware that there were trails on the land between Tecoma Trail and Mirador but I had no idea how unspoilt they were, with more flowers blooming there than any other well-traveled trails I have been on in the Austin area. David had ventured down the bike trails which criss-cross both sides of the steeply wooded ravines that eventually drain the land into Barton Creek. When he came back with tales of beautiful pink flowers my ears perked up. The following day I joined him. 

 Too late in the year for the pink evening primrose I was trying to decide what they might be. Two fall blooming flowers sprang to mind.. Agalinis and palafox. I had seen both of these in my own wild spaces. Only about a mile away as the crow flies these were the more than likely candidates and it was the right time of year

I was right on both counts. All along the edge of the upper trail grew clouds of Agalinis purpurea, interspersed with dwarf Palafoxia texana but there are many other flowers growing there. Plateau golden eye, Viguiera dentata, blackfoot daisies, Melampodium leucanthum, Maximillian sunflowers, Helianthus maximiliani,Whitlow wort, Paronychia virginica, and liatris, Liatris,  Liatris mucronata.

 

I came so close to this roadrunner on the trail. I moved closer and closer and he was not going to move. I began to think he was harmed in some way but eventually he ran off in front of us. 

At one time an unpaved ranch road ran along the top of the escarpment giving way to a single trail which in many places branched off down into the ravine. David has explored many of these trails that head down into the ravine and I have now joined him. He will wander down any trail without knowing where it is going. I, on the other hand, am more cautious not wanting to get lost in there.

Hiking poles are really a great help as many areas are slippery and quite steep. I don't know who made the trails but we believe mountain bikers might have improved many of the original trails made by cattle.

At one point David points with his pole telling me that is where we are going. It looks miles away! He has a much better sense of direction than I and walking the trail it is almost impossible to believe that you have that you have reached the other side without being aware of having gone around in a half circle.

On subsequent days we went deeper and deeper into the area and at one point came across this. Someone has been very busy creating a ramp to make sure their bike made it around the corner instead of heading over the edge of the ravine.

We have yet to make it right down to the bottom where the wet weather creek would flow. There is no trail along the creek bottom which eventually passes over Lost Creek Blvd. Once many years ago we did walk an area on the other side of this creek and found a rusted out Volkswagen vehicle abandoned on the top. I wonder if it is still there. I know there are plans to eventually develop that area above Barton Creek and someone will probably end  up with that vehicle in their back garden. For now we can enjoy the flowers and the trails without having to get in the car and drive somewhere. What could be more perfect.

Alas! Our time will be short here. In December we will move to a house in Oro Valley, Arizona, and a new chapter in our life. It will be a whole new gardening adventure.