The details of the events are posted on Meetup. If you would like to join an event as a non-member, please contact us to RSVP and get details.
Our monthly meetings are every 4th Tuesday of every month. Anyone is welcome to attend. We offer both in person and Zoom options based on the current health advisories.
We welcome speakers on various outdoor related topics at every monthly meeting. If you have expertise on a topic or know of someone who does, please contact us.
Monthly meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month. The location is the Northwest Recreation Center at 2913 Northland Drive, Austin , TX 78757.
Join us March 28th for our monthly meeting. Visiting begins at 6 pm with our business meeting following at 6:30. Our speaker begins at 7.
Our speaker for March will be Jean Warneke, the co-owner of JB Journeys, a Texas based, woman-owned travel company specializing in sustainable travel. Her talk will be about how to travel to Cuba now that travel restrictions have eased and what kind of opportunities there are for active travelers. Jean is headed to Cuba February 4th for 3 weeks, the first half with a birding group and then scouting for active itineraries and a food centered itinerary.
JB Journeys offers small group and individual travel arrangements to Central and South America as well as Africa and the Caribbean, mostly nature, culture and culinary themed. Their goal is that travelers have a fabulous and memorable vacation, and that it has a positive social, environmental, and economic impact on the places they visit.
Jean has lived in Austin for 27 years, but now splits her year between Austin and Cape Cod.
With the exception of two years working in Congressman Doggett’s office, Jean has always worked in the travel industry and done everything there is to do related to travel and hospitality business. Her degree is in German and Spanish and she has enjoyed traveling to 68 countries.
In April, Ben Pfeiffer will join us to talk about something we all see in the dark – fireflies!
Come join us and bring a friend!
April 1, 2017 Johnsmith
As usual, invitations go out to our email invitation list a month before the concert and we will begin accepting reservations at that time. If you know anyone who would like to be added to our email list, they can sign up at our website: www.SycamoreCreekConcerts.com
We look forward to seeing all of you soon!
GailP-C
Sycamore Creek House Concerts & TOWN-Austin Member
Hike Barton Creek Greenbelt
Sunday, April 2 – 7:30am
This past weekend, the usual Sunday hiking crew got wonderfully lost on the Barton Creek Greenbelt. We want to do it again!
Outing Leader/RSVP: MarshaK by FRIDAY March 31st!
When: Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 7:30 a.m.
Where: Meet at Marsha’s House and caravan to trail head on west end of Greenbelt
(RSVP to Marsha for location and directions)
Distance: 5-6 miles in more rugged terrain with no facilities or water source. There are hills and loose rocks, as well, as spring growth and animals.
Bring: Hiking shoes/boots, water, sunscreen, snacks, poles, etc. Friends and spouses are invited as well as dogs but this is prime coyote territory as well as snake season. Hiker Beware! We were able to backtrack with GPS and can always find our way out but I would like to explore the longer trails. I have not been on these trails for over 12 years.
RSVP: MarshaK by FRIDAY March 31st!
New Braunfels Spring Walk (Gruene, TX)
Saturday, April 8th
Outing Leader/RSVP: CarolynD
What: 10k walk (approximately 6.2 miles) starting at the historic Gruene Dance Hall, winding through residential and city areas of Gruene, and enjoying sights of the Guadalupe River. This is an event of the New Braunfels Marsch-und Wandergruppe volksmarch club: http://www.muw.walktexas.org/ and is open to the public, but Carolyn Doolittle will lead the guided walk for TOWN members and their guests.
Where: Start at Gruene Dance Hall. 1601 Hunter Road, New Braunfels. Exit I-35 at Exit 191. Go toward Canyon Lake on FM 306. Turn left at 2nd light on Hunter Rd to Village of Gruene.
When: Saturday, April 8th at 9:30 a.m.
Who: TOWN members and their guests, including well behaved dogs on leash.
Cost: $3.00 participation fee for everyone age 12 and over. Bring money for lunch and shopping if you want to participate in that after the walk.
After the walk, enjoy visiting Gruene! Many restaurants, antique stores, and arts and crafts stores are available. Enjoy lunch at Gruene Dance Hall or the Gristmill Restaurant!
Lakeway-Hamilton Greenbelt
Sunday, April 9
Outing Leader/RSVP: JudyL
What: Hike the Hamilton Greenbelt for 1.5 to 2 hours at a moderate pace. Terrain varies from flat, groomed trails to a few steep, rugged areas.Waterfalls, primitive trails, boulder fields and trails of various difficulties are just some of the features you’ll discover as you make your way along the trail.
Where: 1250 Lohmans Crossing Rd Lakeway, TX 78734
When: Sunday April 9 at 9:30 a.m.
Who: TOWN members and their guests, including well behaved dogs on leash.
Cost: Free, bring a lunch or we can walk over to Cafe Lago for a bite to eat afterwards depending upon group vote.
Time for kayaking!
Lifejackets/PFDs are mandatory for this outing!
We meet at the Rowing Dock on the s. shore of Lady Bird Lake, behind Zilker Park (www.rowingdock.com) between 5:30 and 6, planning to be on the water by 6 pm in the sleek new boats with great seats and working footpegs. $15 (cash preferred) will rent your boat, paddle, and lifejacket as we head upstream toward Tom Miller Dam, or downstream to admire the skyline and downtown buildings.
If you are new to TOWN or haven’t been out with us in a while or have an afternoon open, you can’t find a better way to enjoy the heart of Austin than on a cool, leisurely paddle on Lady Bird Lake. Two hours of scenery, sights, and enjoyable chatting to your fellow-TOWNies and their guests, followed by a social hour enjoyment on dry land at venues such as Shady Grove, Maudie’s, Rudy’s Barbecue . . . and the Four Seasons. Not kidding, but not usual, either.
If you have your own boat, you can put in behind the Rowing Dock at no charge. We will help you tote it from your car to the small dock.
Sunday Hike – Reimers Ranch
Sunday, April 23rd
Outing Leader/RSVP: JudyL
When: Sunday April 23, high temp forecast 71 degrees
Where: Reimers Ranch – first parking lot on your left after you enter
Who: Townies and friends, no dogs
When: meet at the parking lot at 1:00
This hike will be approximately 2-3 miles, on well designated trails. We will climb down the small canyon to the river, which will require a little finesse. We will get to see the contrast between the rugged terrain up on top, then to have a chance to climb down into the cool canyon where ferns and caves can be seen.
We will be there at prime time to watch for wildflowers, butterflies, and birds. Bring your binoculars! We will take a few minutes to walk in silence, so as to enjoy the sounds of nature.
Bring water, a hat, sturdy hiking shoes, and a snack and conversation after the hike.
Miltons Reimers Ranch is approximately an hour from Austin. The park fee is $10 per car. It would be a good idea to carpool. If you are 62 or over , you get in free!
Please review the information on the park below.
Monthly meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month. The location is the Northwest Recreation Center at 2913 Northland Dr, Austin , TX 78757.
Join us April 25th for our monthly meeting. Visiting begins at 6 pm with our business meeting following at 6:30. Our speaker begins at 7.
Our speaker is Ben Pfeiffer who will talk about fireflies.
Come join us and bring a friend!
Time for kayaking!
Lifejackets/PFDs are mandatory for this outing!
We meet at the Rowing Dock on the s. shore of Lady Bird Lake, behind Zilker Park (www.rowingdock.com) between 5:30 and 6, planning to be on the water by 6 pm in the sleek new boats with great seats and working footpegs. $15 (cash preferred) will rent your boat, paddle, and lifejacket as we head upstream toward Tom Miller Dam, or downstream to admire the skyline and downtown buildings.
If you are new to TOWN or haven’t been out with us in a while or have an afternoon open, you can’t find a better way to enjoy the heart of Austin than on a cool, leisurely paddle on Lady Bird Lake. Two hours of scenery, sights, and enjoyable chatting to your fellow-TOWNies and their guests, followed by a social hour enjoyment on dry land at venues such as Shady Grove, Maudie’s, Rudy’s Barbecue . . . and the Four Seasons. Not kidding, but not usual, either.
If you have your own boat, you can put in behind the Rowing Dock at no charge. We will help you tote it from your car to the small dock.
Camping Trip to Matagorda Bay Nature Park
April 27th – 30th
Outing Leader/RSVP: CarrieL
What: Camping, Birding, Kayaking, Beach Combing, Fishing, Museums
Where: Matagorda Bay Nature Park in Matagorda (near Bay City, Tx.)
When: Arriving Thurs. April 27 and departing Sun., April 30
Who: TOWN members, husbands/boyfriends
This is a birding outing during Spring migration combined with a camping trip to the beach!
The Matagorda peninsula is known as one of the best birding areas. Matagorda Bay Nature Park is located on the Matagorda peninsula at the mouth of the Colorado River where it meets the Gulf of Mexico. Over 1600 acres were acquired here in 2001 with 2 mi. of river front and 2 mi. of beach front.
We will explore the Nature Park and its science center. If you’d like, we can do some fishing from the piers over the river and on the Gulf. They have a tackle loaner program, but bring what you have and we can give our fishing skills a try (license is required).
Bring your binoculars and bird books. We will tour the Matagorda County Birding and Nature Center in Bay City, and walk the trails there doing some birding. We may also check out the birding at the highly acclaimed Mad Island Marsh Preserve, but only if we have the time and there is interest. In Bay City, we will also take a quick look through the small Matagorda Co. Museum giving us some history and the story of LaSalle’s shipwreck of the LaBelle.
(See History attachment.) There is also another little museum in Palacios (aka the “city by the sea”) with a replica of the LaBelle, if we decide to drive to Palacios.
You also need to bring your kayak because we will kayak up the Colorado and across to an island on the Gulf side with unspoiled beach for shell hunting. So bring bags and containers to hold your treasures too!
And of course, we will have to eat seafood! Recommended seafood places are Poco Playa and Spoonbills, the Blessing Hotel for down-home Southern cooking, (buffet 11-2), and Fat Grass for all foods. I’m sure we can manage one or two of these!
You may reserve on-line at www.lcra.org/reserve or call 855-392-7638. I have reserved a South Loop site #7 on the water. The best sites to reserve if you can get them are South Loop sites #5-14 (water front for $37+$5 daily entry fee) or sites #32-39 (premium sites for $32+$5 daily entry fee). Site costs are pricey, so let’s have tenters and RVers sharing sites to make it most affordable for all. (No limit on tents per site, but limit of 8 people.)
If you’re interested, reserve as soon as possible because sites will go fast during Spring migration.
Looking forward to another adventure!
CarrieL