Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop: Spring 2016

I’ve now been teaching geology at Texas Parks & Wildlife Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshops for three years.  Twice a year at each new (or sometimes revisited) location brings new experiences and I meet new people.  The most recent workshop at Concan in April was no exception.

 

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Concan is probably my favorite location so far.  There’s local geology within walking distance of the classroom, the cabins are very nice and accommodating, and Neal’s Lodge has a great centrally located outdoor dancehall feel where the women in attendance gather for classes and camaraderie.

 

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My cabin was especially nice and spacious.  So nice that some of the classes are taught there in the kitchen and out back by the pool.  Yes, pool!  This April was still a bit too chilly to go swimming, but it sure was nice relaxing next to it at the end of the day.

 

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The Frio River runs through the property, making kayaking and other water sports classes possible.  I was able to teach small scale river geology at this location, as well as point out different types of limestone and its features.  Within a 5 minute walk, we were able to see a meandering river’s cut bank and point bar, fresh and weathered limestone, travertine, crinoid fossils, etc.

 

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The non-profit support group, Friends of Texas BOW, supplied us with more tools to use in the field.  So during this workshop, we were able to break in rock hammers, crack hammers, and hand lenses during the field portion of the class.  Thank you, FoTBOW!

 

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On my time off (before class, between classes, and after class) I was able to get in a good morning run and also do some flower photography with my new Nikon 5500.  Right next to my cabin there was a field full of Texas wildflowers just begging to have their picture taken.  I was able to find bitterweed, pincushion daisies, and mock vervain, to name a few.

 

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It was really nice to spend time around the campfire as well.  My running and teaching partner, Katy, ate her weight in s’mores and regretted none of it.  You go, Katy.  And we had wine, which is really nice at the end of a busy day.  Cheers to all the ladies that we met, spent time with, and hiked with.  It’s always a pleasure!

 

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Katy and I ride together to each workshop, and we’ve made it a tradition to stop at a local Texas winery on the way back home to Houston.  Coming home from Concan this time, we stopped at Vines on the Rocks, a boutique winery on I-10 west of San Antonio, for a quick tasting.

 

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We tried Roussanne, Les Copaines, and Tre Colore from McPherson Cellars, Red Table Wine from Vines on the Rocks, and Blanc du Bois and Plum Wine from Texas South Wind Vineyard & Winery.

 

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We came home with Cherry Fruit Wine from Texas South Wind, Apple Honeywine from Rohan Meadery, and Roussanne from McPherson.

 

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The next BOW workshop is in December at Camp For All in Burton, Texas.  That was the location of the first BOW that we attended before becoming instructors.  I’m looking forward to the nostalgia of going back there again as an instructor, and all the new memories and friends that we will make.  Until then!

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