December 29, 2008 – Enchanted Rock

The temperatures are really interesting. We woke to 27 degrees and by 11 AM it was near 70 with beautiful blue skies. But when the sun goes down so does the temperature – rapidly.

Today’s adventure took us to Enchanted Rock State Park. A little history from the board:

“This 640 acre dome is made of solid granite. The Tonkawa Indians believed ghost fires flickered at the top and they heard weird creaking and groaning which geologists now say resulted from the rock’s heating by day and contracting in the cool night.

A conquistador captured by the Tonkawa described how he escaped by losing himself in the rock area, giving rise to an Indian legend of a “pale man swallowed by a rock and reborn as one of their own”. The Indians believed he wove enchantments on the area, but he explained that the rock wove the spells: “When I was swallowed by the rock, I joined the many spirits who enchant this place”.

The dome:
Yes, we climbed to the top!

More views from the top and along the way:

These are called weathering pits and vernal pools. About ¾ of the world’s entire population of Rock Quillwort lives only in these pools on Enchanted Rock.

We spent the rest of the day enjoying the sun, the blue skies, and the warm temperatures.

Tomorrow we are heading towards west Texas.

I will leave with one more tidbit of information that I found really interesting.

How Long Will Litter Last

Cigarette Butts: 1-5 Years
Aluminum Cans and Tabs: 500 Years
Glass Bottles: 1000 Years
Plastic Bags: 10-20 Years
Plastic Coated Paper: 5 Years
Plastic Film Containers: 20-30 Years
Nylon Fabric: 30-40 Years
Leather: up to 50 Years
Wool Socks: up to 50 Years
Orange and Banana Peels: up to 2 Years
Tin Cans: 50 Years
Plastic Six-Pack Holders: 100 Years
Plastic Bottles: Indefinitely