Pounding the Impoundment

After weeks of freezing weather, the weekend was looking up. Temperatures would be in the 60s with a southerly wind. I was ready for a new adventure.

For several years I’ve been aware of a geocaching trail along Joe Pool Lake. I had no idea where. My only clue was Joe Pool Lake.

So I went to Geocaching.com and began my hunt. I found the trail. Then I looked up Google Maps, seeking the dam and how to get to it. I cross-referenced the two maps then added the location to my phone GPS.

Sweetie hasn’t been walking much. He hurt himself and is still healing. I promised him that we’d walk only as far as he could go. I knew the trail was 3.9 miles thanks to AllTrails.com and I really hoped to walk the 3.9 miles (and back!). I was fairly sure I could do the 8 miles. I was feeling really good but I was also realistic. I would be lucky if Sweetie could finish five miles.

We hit our first hurdle when we arrived at the park. The government shut down had shut down the park to the lake. It falls under the purview of the Army Corps of Engineers. We saw other people on the trail ahead of us so we knew it was still doable.

Buddy the Bison bears the sad news that the park is closed today.

We found a spot to park and walked to the gate, then around it. Coincidentally (NOT!), a geocache was located near the gate.

The log was soaked.

Sweetie holds the soaked log of the cache.

It’s not a terribly interesting trail but there’s stuff to see if you pay attention. Basically, it’s a raised levee along Joe Pool. It’s paved. There are overflow grounds to either side. A bit off to the north, there are a couple of neighborhoods. To the south it’s fairly wild. Way off to the northeast, you can make out the Dallas Cowboys Stadium if the air is clear. Hawks glide overhead. The wind rustles the tall grass to the sides.

Can you see the Dallas Cowboys Statdium off in the distance?

Eventually we reached the lake. At first it was just glimpses in the distance. Then more emerald green lake appeared. The lake was beautiful that day. I had never seen it so green before. Usually it’s brown.

Joe Pool Lake and the Aerial Towers

The wind made the water choppy. Nevertheless, there were boats out on the lake. A few joggers ran past us. A few bikers rode around us. There was a family fishing.

It was peaceful.

Sweetie taking a rest while filling out a log sheet.

Every .1 miles, there’s a geocache. They’re easy magnetic caches. The caches gave Sweetie a chance to rest. I credit those caches with giving Sweetie the strength to walk 7 miles that Sunday.

The trail is dog-, kid-, and bike-friendly. It’s paved. It’s also very vulnerable to the sun. There is no shade. Bring your own water. Restrooms are not available on the trail. Wear a hat and sunscreen.

The Pumping Station and Me