Dallas Sierra Club News - April 2015
In This Issue. . .
All About Bats
 Kate
Rugroden, Director of Special Projects for Bat World
Sanctuary, brings The Essential Bat to the Dallas Sierra Club.
This family friendly program features live
native-species bats, and is an opportunity for people to see
these tiny creatures up close. The program,
based on her book, The Essential Bat, introduces the
audience to these extraordinary creatures and the many ways in
which they affect human life through lecture/discussion,
artifacts, and live native-species bats. During the program,
attendees are introduced to bats in the media, bats as
cultural icons, and ways to help protect bat species. Special
attention is given to White Nose Syndrome, a fungal disease
that is devastating bat populations throughout the U.S. For
more information about The Essential Bat or Bat
World, please visit www.batworld.org.
Kate is a Business Systems Analyst/Project Manager and
licensed wildlife rehabilitator specializing in bats,
raccoons, and opossums. She is the director of Bat World
MidCities in Arlington, TX, and serves as the Director of
Special Projects for Bat World Sanctuary as well. Kate has an
extensive background in presenting educational programs
utilizing both live animals and artifacts as a docent at the
Minnesota Zoo. Upon moving to Texas in 2004, she became
involved in wildlife rehabilitation as a way to expand her
knowledge of wildlife while caring for orphaned, ill, and
injured native species. Her first book, The Essential Bat,
was published by Bat World Sanctuary in August, 2012.
Everyone is
welcome. You don't have to be a Sierra Club member. Just
show up. We'd love to meet you.
Our General
Meeting starts at 7:00 pm but come at 6:30 for snacks,
information and fellowship. Our meeting takes place at
Brookhaven College, Building H, 3939 Valley View Ln in Farmers
Branch. Click over to our
General Meeting
page of our website for more information and a map.
This year, we will have some of our best General Meeting
programs ever, so mark your calendar.
May 12 - Movie Night
See Yosemite Through the Eyes of a Buffalo Soldier, a
film featuring National Park Service Ranger Shelton Johnson as
a 1903 Buffalo Soldier and his observations as one of the
first "park rangers" to serve in Yosemite's vast wilderness.
We see Yosemite through his eyes and feel his growing
affection for this new world. The film blazes a trail to an
important history that was nearly lost, and provides an
opportunity to ride with the Buffalo Soldiers through the
Range of Light.
 Outdoor
enthusiasts of all ages and abilities are welcome for this
weekend adventure at one of our most scenic state parks. Your
choice of car camping or car camp/backpack combination.
Leave your worries behind and come relax, enjoy fellowship and
fun in the beautiful landscape bordered by the Colorado River.
Pack your camp chair, hiking shoes, bike, kayak, guitar,
telescope and croquet set – whatever you do, join us! This
park is four hours from Dallas and the campsite is accessible
by car. We'll organize day hikes to Spicewood Springs and
Gorman Falls. There will be overnight backpacking options. For
full details and information about how to sign up, click on
this link.
 Come
join us for a unique trip to the Llano River area that is
unlike any of our usual bus trips! This Memorial Day
Weekend we’re going to enjoy Texas scenery at an easier pace,
camping in a developed campground with running water and hot
showers, or there’s an option to stay in a motel nearby.
There will be no backpacking, nor sleeping on a bus!
We’ll explore the Caverns of Sonora, learn about Texas history
at Fort McKavett, float the South Llano River, and see one of
the largest colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats emerge in the
evening from Devil’s Sink Hole. We’ve allotted time for
exploring our home base of South Llano River State Park, which
has excellent hiking, birding, and swimming opportunities.
We have 14 campsites reserved at the state park that are
all in close proximity to running water bathrooms. If
you’d prefer a bed, there’s a room block reserved at the motel
a few miles up the road where our bus driver will also be
staying. We’ve chartered a new comfortable bus, so you
don’t have to worry about driving- just relax and enjoy the
camaraderie. Our bus leaves early Saturday morning May
23rd arriving around lunch time at our first destination and
returns to Dallas Monday evening May 25th after dinner, so you
can get back refreshed and relaxed without using up your
vacation time!
For complete details, costs and sign up instructions,
please see
this PDF.
Here is our calendar for the next two months. For complete listings, visit us at
www.dallassierraclub.org.
 Apr
14 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
Kate
Rugroden, Director of Special Projects for Bat World
Sanctuary, brings The Essential Bat to the Dallas Sierra Club.
This family friendly program features live
native-species bats, and is an opportunity for people to see
these tiny creatures up close. FREE!
Everyone is invited to the Dallas Sierra Club's General
Meeting. Full details are on our
home page now.
Apr
15 (Wed) Outings Committee Meeting
Outings leaders, prospective leaders, and people interested in
outings are welcome to this monthly gathering (typically
on third Wednesdays at 6:30) to plan outings. This month,
we're meeting in Community Room B, upstairs at Central Market,
SE corner of Lovers Lane and Greenville Avenue, 6:30 PM. Bring
ideas for where to go and what to do.
Ask Mark to be placed on the
email list for an agenda. Organizer: Mark Stein
Send Email 214-526-3733
 Apr
17-19 (Fri-Sun) Camp, Hike or Backpack at Colorado Bend State
Park, Texas
 HURRY
- RESERVATION DEADLINE is WED., APRIL 15th! Outdoor
enthusiasts of all ages and abilities are welcome for this
weekend adventure at one of our most scenic state parks,
bordered by the Colorado River. Your choice of car camping
both nights or a camping/backpacking combination. ("Car
camping" means the campsite is within a few feet of the car
parking area.) Pack your tent, camp chair, hiking shoes,
bike, kayak, guitar, telescope or croquet
set--whatever! The park is a four hour drive from Dallas,
through the hill country. Everyone will have plenty of time to
explore the unique park highlights including Gorman Falls
(pictured at right), which plunges 65 feet over fern-covered
travertine. Spicewood Springs
is another attraction, suitable for April soaking in clear
water. For those opting to backpack, it's only a short hike on
Saturday to our backcountry site in the Windmill section of
the park (great for beginners). For details and reservation
information, click this
link.Coordinator:
Liz Wheelan
Send Email 214-368-2306
 Apr
18 (Sat) FREE Electronics Recycling and Document Shredding
 April
18, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Electronics accepted:
computers, portable electronics, TVs, stereo equipment, office
equipment, vehicles, and more Details at
http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?page=1529 First United
Methodist Church Parking Lot - 503 N. Central Expressway,
Richardson. Enter from southbound Central
Expressway access road, just south of Arapaho Road.
Donations benefit the Richardson Citizens Police Academy
Alumni Association (CPAAA), the sponsor of the event.
The event is free, but donations are encouraged and accepted.
You DO NOT have to be a Richardson resident to participate.
 Apr
18 (Sat) Trail Appreciation at Cedar Ridge Preserve
Join us out at the Cedar Ridge Preserve to upgrade some of the
beautiful walking trails on the southwest edge of Dallas. The
address is 7171 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75249. It's a
great morning workout and the scenery is exceptional. No tools
are required (maybe gloves), just show up and be ready to lend
a hand or two. We'll work from 9 AM to 12-ish, and then walk
around the preserve and admire it! Bring some water for sure.
Click
here for directions and more information about Cedar Ridge
Preserve. If you wish to carpool, let me know and we'll
arrange a meeting spot. Come on out and bring your friends and
families! Stay green with us. Contact: Ginger Bradley
Send Email 469-223-7902
 May
2-3 (Sat-Sun) Beginner Backpack In Caney Creek Wilderness West
End
 It
can be kind of warm in May for a hard backpack so we'll take
it easy. We'll start on the west end of Caney Creek
(rather than the east end where most of our trips are) and
hike in 2 or 3 miles. There we'll find a camp by the
creek where there are some nice deep holes. If it gets
hot we can soak in the creek! Even in May I promise that
will cool you off. Our camp Friday night will be a 10
minute walk or so from the trailhead so it will be good
(although not required) if you can get there before the 8pm
sunset. Caney is about 5 hours from Dallas. There
is a small hill to be conquered so you'll get a chance to test
out the legs and those new boots just a bit. Let's have
one last fling in Arkansas before the summer heat sets in!
We will have to wade the Cossatot River first thing Saturday
morning and we'll probably wade Caney Creek at least once.
Plan on getting your feet wet. Bring a book, your
hammock, and maybe your favorite libation. Leader:
Bill Greer
Send Email 972-247-0446
May
12 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
 Movie
Night! We will furnish popcorn, drinks, and snacks.
See Yosemite Through the Eyes of a Buffalo Soldier, a
film featuring National Park Service Ranger Shelton Johnson as
a 1903 Buffalo Soldier and his observations as one of the
first "park rangers" to serve in Yosemite's vast wilderness.
Ranger Shelton Johnson is an award winning and internationally
known storyteller who is featured in Yosemite Theater as well
as theatre and television appearances nationally.
FREE! Everyone is invited to the Dallas
Sierra Club's General Meeting. Full details are on our
home page now.
 May
23-25 (Sat-Mon) Southwest Texas Explorapalooza
 Enjoy
a great outing this Memorial Day weekend. Explore the west
edge of the Hill Country from a base at South Llano River
State Park, near Junction, Texas. This park has new
restrooms with flush toilets, hot water and hot
showers! We've even arranged an option to camp
in a motel in Junction. We've chartered a coach to transport
you there Saturday morning and return you by 9:30 PM Monday
(Memorial Day). Explore the Caverns of Sonora, historic
frontier Fort McKavett and Devils Sinkhole State Natural Area
(at twilight, to watch a tornado of three million bats fly
from a limestone cave to search for insects). Monday morning
you can rent a tube to float the clear South Llano River, hike
some of the park's miles of trails, fish or sleep late
before the party bus returns to Dallas. Trip details and
registration forms are in
this PDF. Bus trip leader: Annie Wilson
Send Email 682-232-4980
 May
27 (Wed) Wilderness Navigation Class - Part 1
Learn to find your way in the wilderness in this comprehensive
two-night class. Topics include buying maps, how to read maps,
how not to get lost, what to do if you do get lost, different
kinds of compasses and how to use your compass. We'll
discuss GPS devices, but our main focus will be how to use a
map and compass so you're not trusting your navigation (and
life) to something that takes batteries. If you have a
compass, bring it to the class. If you don't have one, we will
have an extra you can use and will show you what to look for
when you purchase your own. The class is offered at the First
United Methodist Church, Richardson, 503 N. Central
Expressway, Richardson, TX, Room 230. Click
here for directions to the location from Central
Expressway. The class will start promptly at 6:30 PM and will
finish at about 8:45 PM. The total fee for the two-night class
is $40 or $35 for Sierra Club members. Handouts are included.
Bring a pen or pencil for taking notes and for navigation
practice exercises. A reservation isn't necessary. Just show
up. Part 2 of the class is the following night (Thursday, May
28), same time and place. A day hike with a class
instructor will be offered to class participants who want
to practice their new skills. Contact: Bill Greer
Send Email 972-247-0446
May
28 (Thu) Wilderness Navigation Class - Part 2
Part 2 of the two-night Wilderness Navigation class is tonight
at the same place - First United Methodist Church, Richardson,
503 N. Central Expressway, Room 230. Click
here for directions to the location. The class starts at
6:30 PM and will finish at about 8:45. The fee for the
two-night class is $40, $35 for Sierra Club members. Bring a
pen or pencil. Contact: Bill Greer
Send Email 972-247-0446
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