Katrina

How about Katrina? I don't remember ever seeing a hurricane that strong hit our shores. Luckily, it weakened some. At one point a couple of days ago, there were reports of winds up to 215 mph, and now it's down to 160 mph. It is still going to be a bad one. On top of that, it's going to be strong right through Tennessee and Northward.

Last year there was this big discussion about what would happen to New Orleans if it received a direct hit, and here it is. They say that New Orleans is below sea level, and that there are levees that could be topped. Apparently, one of them has already been topped, flooding part of the city in up to 8 feet of water, and things are just getting started.

Why folks planned to stick this one out, I don't know. As one who normally appreciates people's bravery for sticking around, this one seemed even a bit too strong for me.

Also, I'd like to note that the folks in and around Biloxi, Mississippi will probably have more destruction to deal with than New Orleans or elsewhere, as they will be bearing the brunt of the storm.
Good luck, ya'll. God be with you.

As promised...Beer!

Now, this is definitely a subject I can touch on from time to time. Our landscape of brews goes on for miles and miles, an expansive sea of refreshment and taste, just waiting for a frosty mug.

First of all, let me state my favored beers, and then we can throw around some beer facts & lore. I like beer with a strong flavor. Whether light or dark, filtered or not, it's got to have some taste to it.

Top Tier: Spaten, Samuel Adams, Franziskaner, Belhaven, Guinness

Excellent: Shiner Bock, Amstel Light, Anchor Steam, St. Pauli Girl

Now, I do have a few others that I dive into from time to time, but I wouldn't consider them favorites. For example: Keystone Light, Pacifico, Warsteiner, Lowenbrau, Mississippi Mud, and even Budweiser. All are very good, or I wouldn't have listed them. All I'm saying is that they simply do not capture the heart like a glass of Optimator.

So, beer facts and lore. For the lore, I'll tell you a story. There was once an individual who stayed in front of the pc, trying to think of a beer story, all the while he could have been drinking a beer. The fact is that the individual is me, and I am changing my errant ways starting now.

Have a good weekend.

Brazos Flooding

It's been raining quite a bit out West, so much that Possum Kingdom Lake has had to release excess water into the Brazos River. Now, when I first suspected this, it seemed like a dream. Good water levels on the Brazos, in August? I'm there! After checking the water levels online, however, and after seeing the National Weather Service warning of the expected release, it's a good thing that I didn't make plans. They released far more water than I would have imagined.

First, a little background might help.

A comfortable run on that stretch of the Brazos is about 900 cfs (cubic feet per second). At least, that appears to be the magic number where you may not have to get out of your canoe in order for it to float across the occasional shoals, provided you are paddling fast enough and choose the right path. If it were even higher, that might be better, as it might bring a bit more excitement to the sparse rapids, and might offset the upstream winds with a good current.

Most of the summer, it's been running under 500. There are times when it goes up, such as when they need some power out of the dam. That's hard to predict, doesn't last long, and you don't want to plan a trip just to get there and find out it's running at 300, with 100+ degree Fahrenheit temps.

So, with all that rain, I expected that they would need an extended release from the dam. They sure did. It was running about 7,000 last week. A bit much for a canoeing trip, especially when you consider that it probably wiped out my camping spot. Yesterday, it appeared to have peaked around 24,000. Alright, that camping spot may not even be there when we get back.

Beinvenido a Safari Boots!

Welcome to the Safari Boots blog. This is my first blog. My intent is to share some of the more interesting things that happen to me or those close to me and to point out interesting news & facts.

Along the way, you can expect to see posts on fishing, beer, cooking, camping, barbecue, automobiles, and other aspects of the fine life.

Post comments if you like, but keep it clean. This is a family blog. My men's blog can be found at q1f378f^(lgp

My apologies, this keyboard is acting up.

Although I have never been on a Safari, I own 2 pair of Safari Boots, and they are the best. All leather, except for the rubber sole, and built to handle abuse, they are great for camping. They were gifts from my Mother-In-Law.

Enjoy your stay.