On Monday (1/28), we visited the Mount Davis State Park. On our way, we spotted a sign that bragged "World's Largest Rattlesnake Collection," so we just HAD to stop. This little lady snake got a little riled-up about seeing us, so we got a couple great action shots and a movie.
Next, we got to the park and saw a mountain goat perched on the tip of a craggy rock.
We found the trail up to Mount Davis that maybe a literal goat trail too! Mom hinted that we’d be going back soon (she hadn’t anticipated a hike; she only had sandals on) and stated that she’d go no further when we got to a really rocky part of the trail, the start of the real mountain.
Dad, Joe and I were adamant to get to the top, so we left Mom waiting for our return journey and started up the steep trail. Mom urged us to come back, but my Dad allayed her fears by telling her that he was always staying close to us to back us up. I came near the top and spied a diagonally climbing precipice. I immediately started climbing up it. I got to the edge (there was a jutting-out piece that kept me from falling down the three hundred or so feet) and started to slowly stand up. Joe and Dad just got level with me and realized what I was doing. Dad didn’t seem very worried at first, but Joe literally freaked out, yelling “Daniel, not a step closer, come back! Get down here right now!!!” I sat down again (it was too dangerous to look behind me standing up) and looked behind me. “Go back, Daniel!” Mom yelled far below. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” I replied. I went forward again, I stood up and howled a conquering war cry. The view was incredible! Down below, Mom looked as small as an ant. Dad took a picture of me, but Mom got a good picture of me standing up. I got down, and we started our climb down, which also afforded us some great views.
After getting back, we got in the car and drove out to the McDonald Observatory (not the hamburger restaurant! He was an actual person who left money in his will to build the observatory). We saw the observatory domes coming up the drive. We went inside, and after eating hot dogs and quesadillas we took a tour of the place. The first telescope we saw was a reflecting (107” mirror) telescope.
The tour guide moved it about using a controller, and asked if anyone would like to control it. He asked Joe, but he shook his head. Then he pointed at me. I shrugged, saying “I wouldn’t like to break anything.” Everyone broke out laughing. The tour guide beckoned me forward and said, “Let me show you how easy it is.” I walked forward and took the control from him. “See,” he explained. “you just move it about like a joystick.” I did just that, pretty much moving the telescope around the whole room before giving it back to him. Then the woman that had laughed most at my little “joke” asked, “What would have been the bill if he did break something?” The tour guide grinned and said, “Probably $50 million. Just send the check to me.” We all laughed.
It soon started to rain, so we got in the truck and left. It was a great day; I’d like to visit the McDonald Observatory again sometime.
Dad, Joe and I were adamant to get to the top, so we left Mom waiting for our return journey and started up the steep trail. Mom urged us to come back, but my Dad allayed her fears by telling her that he was always staying close to us to back us up. I came near the top and spied a diagonally climbing precipice. I immediately started climbing up it. I got to the edge (there was a jutting-out piece that kept me from falling down the three hundred or so feet) and started to slowly stand up. Joe and Dad just got level with me and realized what I was doing. Dad didn’t seem very worried at first, but Joe literally freaked out, yelling “Daniel, not a step closer, come back! Get down here right now!!!” I sat down again (it was too dangerous to look behind me standing up) and looked behind me. “Go back, Daniel!” Mom yelled far below. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” I replied. I went forward again, I stood up and howled a conquering war cry. The view was incredible! Down below, Mom looked as small as an ant. Dad took a picture of me, but Mom got a good picture of me standing up. I got down, and we started our climb down, which also afforded us some great views.
After getting back, we got in the car and drove out to the McDonald Observatory (not the hamburger restaurant! He was an actual person who left money in his will to build the observatory). We saw the observatory domes coming up the drive. We went inside, and after eating hot dogs and quesadillas we took a tour of the place. The first telescope we saw was a reflecting (107” mirror) telescope.
The tour guide moved it about using a controller, and asked if anyone would like to control it. He asked Joe, but he shook his head. Then he pointed at me. I shrugged, saying “I wouldn’t like to break anything.” Everyone broke out laughing. The tour guide beckoned me forward and said, “Let me show you how easy it is.” I walked forward and took the control from him. “See,” he explained. “you just move it about like a joystick.” I did just that, pretty much moving the telescope around the whole room before giving it back to him. Then the woman that had laughed most at my little “joke” asked, “What would have been the bill if he did break something?” The tour guide grinned and said, “Probably $50 million. Just send the check to me.” We all laughed.We then checked out a new type of telescope now known as the Hobby-Ebberly Telescope, HET for short. It was ingenious in construction, revolving on a cushion of air like a hovercraft and using many hexagon-shaped mirrors to focus light on the tracker. So really instead of revolving the whole thing, motors controlling the mirrors (each mirror had three motors; the whole mirror was made out of lots of hexagonal mirrors to make one huge hexagonal mirror) would just move the mirrors to keep them in a parabolic shape, and can track pretty much anything across the sky without moving the actual mirror a fraction. It was really cool.
Well, we headed back down the road using the same road that we used in the opposite direction to see the Marfa lights. We stopped at the look out (see our earlier Marfa’s Mystery Lights post) to see if you could spot the lights in the daytime. It proved not to be possible, so I just rode my Hi-Tide around (I had brought it with me just in case) and soon Joe got out and took out his. He still doesn’t quite know how to balance by himself, but he’s learning fast.
Well, we headed back down the road using the same road that we used in the opposite direction to see the Marfa lights. We stopped at the look out (see our earlier Marfa’s Mystery Lights post) to see if you could spot the lights in the daytime. It proved not to be possible, so I just rode my Hi-Tide around (I had brought it with me just in case) and soon Joe got out and took out his. He still doesn’t quite know how to balance by himself, but he’s learning fast. 
It soon started to rain, so we got in the truck and left. It was a great day; I’d like to visit the McDonald Observatory again sometime.
No comments:
Post a Comment