October, 2012: In This Issue. . .
Notes from the Chair - It Is Dallas Sierra Club Election Time
Just when you thought you had your fill of election year rhetoric, its time to think about moving
your Dallas Sierra Club participation to a new level. Each year, a portion of your Dallas Sierra Club Executive Committee stand for re-election in December.
If you have some experience with the Dallas Sierra Club and are interested in running for the
Executive Committee, please contact me or any other Ex-Com member with questions or to throw your
hiking hat into the arena.
Your Dallas Chair
Wendel Withrow
General Meeting Program -
October 9, 7:00 pm - Refreshments at 6:30
We have two great programs lined
up for our October General Meeting. Don't miss them!
Dinosaur Fossils
 The
Arlington Archosaur Site is a 100,000,000 year old Cretaceous coastal ecosystem with dinosaurs, crocs,
turtles, and more. Derek Main will talk about this site, where more dinosaur fossils have been
recovered than from any other site in the Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex. More information at
http://www.arlingtonarchosaursite.com/
Fall Elections
Come hear about the Sierra Club's 2012 Electoral Campaign to help elect political leaders friendly to
the environment and learn about how Sierrans can make a difference. Competitive races will be
analyzed, and our endorsed candidates will be invited and introduced. Volunteer political
opportunities will be outlined and discussed. David Griggs, Dallas Group Political Chair and
Chair, Sierra Club Political Committee of Texas, will make the presentation.
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 p.m. but come at 6:30 for snacks,
information and fellowship. Our meeting takes place at REI, 4515 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway,
Dallas, TX 75244. Click over to our
General Meeting
page of our website for more information and a map.
Outings Highlights
Oct 19-21 (Fri-Sun) Beavers Bend State Park Fall Campout - Reservations open!
Last year's fall camp out at Beavers Bend State Park in southeast Oklahoma was so successful (our
largest outing in years) that we are doing it again this year. Our group camp area offers your choice
of shared cabins or tent camping. The site also includes a dining hall with fire place so we can have
s'mores rain or shine and yes, even a bath house with hot showers. Activity options will include
various hikes with our group or you can be on your own and enjoy a number of options including
horseback riding, renting a boat or just relaxing by the river. Complete details and reservation
information is available
here.
Coordinator: Liz Wheelan 214-368-2306
Nov 7-12 (Wed-Mon) Bus Trip to Big Bend National Park in Texas
We're changing our
30+ year tradition and heading to Big Bend a few weeks before Thanksgiving this year. Now all of you
who have wanted to go but couldn't miss the family turkey time, here's your chance! There will be a
variety of hikes that will visit different parts of this very scenic National Park. If you've never
been to Big Bend National Park, you owe it to yourself to discover this unique part of Texas. If
you've been before, come on back and explore another area! Our chartered sleeper bus leaves Dallas
around dinner time Wednesday and returns early morning on Monday. Some backpacking experience is
required. For complete trip information, including costs and sign-up information, download
this PDF document.
Bus trip leader: Liz Wheelan
Send Email 214-368-2306
For a complete list of our outings,
visit our calendar.
Calendar
Here is our calendar for the next two months. For complete listings, visit us at
www.dallassierraclub.org.
 Oct
6 (Sat) DFW Solar Home Tour
The ASES National Solar Tour is the world's largest grassroots
solar event. This event offers you the opportunity to tour innovative green homes and buildings to see
how you can use solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies to reduce monthly
utility bills and help tackle climate change. More than 165,000 participants will visit some 5,500
buildings in 3,200 communities across the U.S. More information about the tour in the DFW area is at
http://www.dfwsolarhometour.org/
 Oct
9 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
Everyone is invited to the Dallas Sierra Club's
General Meeting. Full details will be on our home page
about a month before the meeting.
 Oct
13 (Sat) White Rock Lake Cleanup
Walk and talk while helping to pick up trash and
recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM at the Love
of the Lake office on the Northeast corner of Garland Rd. and Buckner Blvd. Look for a crowd of people
drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. provided. Our area includes one of the
wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. The lake and
your karma will thank you. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash
Send Email 214-824-0244
 Oct
13 (Sat) Knob Hill Trail Dayhike Flower Mound,TX. Rescheduled!!
Come join us as we day
hike 6 miles on the northern reaches of Denton Creek. This is a packed dirt trail used by mountain
bikers and hikers heading to Grapevine Lake. No pets, please. Bring water and a snack as we will be
walking all morning. We will leave the trail head promptly at 9 AM. To reach the
trailhead from the intersection of HWY 377 & FM 1171, go south on 377 about 1/3 mile and the trailhead
will be on your left just before the road crosses the creek. From Dallas go north on 114 West past DFW
Airport and thru Grapevine to Roanoke. Turn north on HWY 377 and go approximately 2.5 miles. The
trailhead will be on your right after crossing the second bridge. I will be near the trailhead sign in
a red GMC. Optional lunch afterwards. Leader: Mark Adams
Send Email 972-658-1281
 Oct
13-14 (Sat-Sun) Beginner Backpack Trip to the Caney Creek Wilderness
Join us for one of
the Dallas Sierra Club's favorite local backpacking trips. We'll backpack in about 4 1/2 miles along
Caney Creek, cross it a few times, and climb some small hills. After setting up camp near a waterfall,
we'll do a short day hike as time and energy permits. For many of us this was our first
Wilderness hike and it's still one of our favorites. Leader: Bill Greer
Send Email 972-247-0446
 Oct
19-21 (Fri-Sun) Beavers Bend State Park Fall Campout - Reservations open!
Our fall
2011 camp out was such a success we've doing it again! Join us to enjoy the scenic beauty and
fall colors of Beavers Bend State Park in southeast Oklahoma. Our group camp area offers your choice
of shared rustic cabins or tent camping. The site also includes a dining hall with fire place so we
can have s'mores rain or shine and yes, even a bath house with hot showers. We've added even more hike
options and activities you may enjoy with our group or you can be on your own to enjoy a number of
park options including horseback riding, renting a canoe, tossing some horseshoes or just relaxing by
the river. Optional country BBQ dinner Sat night. Complete trip information, price and
reservation forms in
this PDF document. Leader: Liz Wheelan
Send Email 214-368-2306
Oct
19-21 (Fri-Sun) Blanco State Park, Government Canyon and Canyon Lake Gorge.
This
trip is at capacity; inquire for wait list status. This three-day trip to the Texas Hill
Country makes a two-night base camp at tiny Blanco State Park. Two day hikes on consecutive days rate
Moderate difficulty due to ten miles at Government Canyon and some rough terrain at Canyon Lake Gorge.
Capacity is limited; leader permission is required before arrival. Leader: Mark Stein
Send Email 214-526-3733
Nov
3 (Sat) Day Hike the Trinity River Greenbelt
Hike 10K (6 miles) on the Lake Ray Roberts
Greenbelt Corridor. This is an easy trail running alongside the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. No
reservations required, just show up. Well behaved pets on a leash are allowed. Bring water and a snack
as we will be hiking all morning. Meet at 9:00 AM at the Highway 380 Trailhead Park. Admission to the
park is $5.00 per person or free with a Texas State Parks Pass. There will be an optional lunch
afterwards. The Park is on US Hwy 380 2.1 miles west of Hwy 377 or 2.8 miles east of Loop 288 in
Denton. Highway 380 can be reached from Central Expwy,Preston Rd., or the Tollway. Bring extra shoes
in case the trail is muddy. This hike will be canceled if it is raining at the trailhead. Leader: Mark
Adams
Send Email 972-658-1281
Nov
7 (Wed) Dallas Sierra Club Executive Committee Meeting
The Executive Committee (or Excom)
is the elected governing body of the Dallas Sierra Club and meets at REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Farmers
Branch, TX 75244 (north side of LBJ between Midway and Welch). Contact the
Dallas Group Chair for more information.
 Nov
7-12 (Wed-Mon) Bus Trip to Big Bend National Park in Texas
We're changing our 30+ year
tradition and heading to Big Bend a few weeks before Thanksgiving this year. Now all of you who have
wanted to go but couldn't miss the family turkey time, here's your chance! There will be a variety of
hikes that will visit different parts of this very scenic National Park. If you've never been to Big
Bend National Park, you owe it to yourself to discover this unique part of Texas. If you've been
before, come on back and explore another area! Our chartered sleeper bus leaves Dallas around dinner
time Wednesday and returns early morning on Monday. Some backpacking experience is required. For
complete trip information, including costs and sign-up information, download
this PDF document.
Bus trip leader: Liz Wheelan
Send Email 214-368-2306
Nov
10 (Sat) White Rock Lake Cleanup
Walk and talk while helping to pick up trash and
recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM at the Love
of the Lake office on the Northeast corner of Garland Rd. and Buckner Blvd. Look for a crowd of people
drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. provided. Our area includes one of the
wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. The lake and
your karma will thank you. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash
Send Email 214-824-0244
Nov
13 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
Everyone is invited to the Dallas Sierra
Club's General Meeting. Full details will be on our
home page about a month before the meeting.
Nov
21 (Wed) Outings Committee Meeting
Meet in the upstairs program room at REI (on north side
of LBJ between Midway and Welch), at 6:30 PM. Bring your ideas for the Dallas Sierra Club Outings
program. We will be planning local outings and bus trips. All outings leaders, future outings leaders,
and interested Sierrans welcome. Ask Bill to be placed on the email list for an agenda. Contact: Bill
Greer
Send Email 972-247-0446
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