Hamilton Pool:
Early on Tuesday morning the class embarked on its journey to Hamilton Pool. Hamilton Pool was a great walk, along a rather gorgeous stream, that eventually led to a stunning pool. This stream, and pool (consistently about 55 degrees year round), eventually flows into the Pedernales River. The sights and scenes were important here as well as the fluvial processes that formed the stream bed, valley, and pool basin. It was pointed out to the class that although the stream was very small and had minimal discharge, in times of flooding the water can rise to seemingly impossible heights. It is in these rare flooding events that major fluvial processes are shaping local landscapes. Being able to see the evidence of these geomorphic processes was a fantastic experience from a geographer’s perspective.
Although in close proximity to the city of Austin, Many Austenites are not aware of Hamilton pools existence, and therefore do not frequent it. As the class realized throughout the Texas trip, outdoor amenities are important tools for educating the public on environmental issues that strike close to home. Hamilton pool so happens to be a great tool for educating the public on the power of flash floods, which is a huge problem in central Texas.
As stated above, Hamilton Pool was also a very beautiful location with an almost surreal aura about it. The trees were decorated with green swaths of moss, the stream was of a bluish tint, and the pool itself was like the opening to an epic cavern. For this reason B-list movies such as Teeth and Predators have been filmed here. The pool itself contained incredibly frigid waters, which a few brave members of the class boldly took a dip in. They effectively froze their
asses off but hey, living on the edge is part of the fun!
For more information visit: https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/hamilton-pool
Early on Tuesday morning the class embarked on its journey to Hamilton Pool. Hamilton Pool was a great walk, along a rather gorgeous stream, that eventually led to a stunning pool. This stream, and pool (consistently about 55 degrees year round), eventually flows into the Pedernales River. The sights and scenes were important here as well as the fluvial processes that formed the stream bed, valley, and pool basin. It was pointed out to the class that although the stream was very small and had minimal discharge, in times of flooding the water can rise to seemingly impossible heights. It is in these rare flooding events that major fluvial processes are shaping local landscapes. Being able to see the evidence of these geomorphic processes was a fantastic experience from a geographer’s perspective.
Although in close proximity to the city of Austin, Many Austenites are not aware of Hamilton pools existence, and therefore do not frequent it. As the class realized throughout the Texas trip, outdoor amenities are important tools for educating the public on environmental issues that strike close to home. Hamilton pool so happens to be a great tool for educating the public on the power of flash floods, which is a huge problem in central Texas.
As stated above, Hamilton Pool was also a very beautiful location with an almost surreal aura about it. The trees were decorated with green swaths of moss, the stream was of a bluish tint, and the pool itself was like the opening to an epic cavern. For this reason B-list movies such as Teeth and Predators have been filmed here. The pool itself contained incredibly frigid waters, which a few brave members of the class boldly took a dip in. They effectively froze their
asses off but hey, living on the edge is part of the fun!
For more information visit: https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/hamilton-pool
Texas State Capitol:
After spending the morning hiking around and swimming in Hamilton Pool, we made our way out of the Hill Country, and into the City for a personal tour led by a very prideful Texan. Located in downtown Austin, the Texas State Capitol is a prominent feature along the skyline. Towering at 308 feet tall, the Texas State Capitol is among a select few capitols that are taller that the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Built in 1888 and renovated in 1993, the Texas State Capitol has over eight and half acres of operational floor space. It has 329 rooms, 924 windows, and 404 doors. When touring the capitol, there will never be a doubt to exactly where you are. “Texas” is embodied in everything from how the light bulbs in the senate and house chamber spell Texas in the five point
stars on the ceiling, to being inscribed on the hinges that hang every door. After our tour was finished, and we were free to walk about the Capitol, I
think the lasting impression that we all took was that the Texas State Capitol is one “original” Capitol.
For more information visit: http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/spb/capitol/texcap.htm
After spending the morning hiking around and swimming in Hamilton Pool, we made our way out of the Hill Country, and into the City for a personal tour led by a very prideful Texan. Located in downtown Austin, the Texas State Capitol is a prominent feature along the skyline. Towering at 308 feet tall, the Texas State Capitol is among a select few capitols that are taller that the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Built in 1888 and renovated in 1993, the Texas State Capitol has over eight and half acres of operational floor space. It has 329 rooms, 924 windows, and 404 doors. When touring the capitol, there will never be a doubt to exactly where you are. “Texas” is embodied in everything from how the light bulbs in the senate and house chamber spell Texas in the five point
stars on the ceiling, to being inscribed on the hinges that hang every door. After our tour was finished, and we were free to walk about the Capitol, I
think the lasting impression that we all took was that the Texas State Capitol is one “original” Capitol.
For more information visit: http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/spb/capitol/texcap.htm
Professor Dumpster:
On Tuesday late afternoon we travelled to Huston-Tilloston University to learn about a project of Ryan’s former roommate, Jeff Wilson. Jeff is currently living in a dumpster for a year to educate people about consumption and carbon footprints, as well as promoting sustainable technologies. To illustrate his point, Jeff has gone to the extreme of living in an environment with no electricity, running water or utilities. Jeff’s dumpster is 33ft², with just a carpet for a bed, a small stove, a candle for light, a few clothes, and a water purifying unit (at present). At the stage we visited Jeff, he was walking over a mile to gain drinking water from Town Lake (see his water holding device in the picture below). Over the course of the year with the help of his students at Huston-Tilloston University, Jeff aims to transform the dumpster from something ordinary into something extraordinary. He wants the dumpster to become a sustainable house and an interactive teaching lab, promoting sustainability. The dumpster will go through 3 transformation stages over the year; just a dumpster, an American home dumpster to a sustainable house dumpster. At each stage Jeff will be testing innovative ways to live with less and hopefully with his findings, living can become more sustainable in both developed and developing countries, with the possibility of dumpsters becoming homes in developing countries. Of further interest was Jeff's push to involve students as much as possible in this project. A student group was created to bring attention to these issues. While a very small university a new student group called "Green ins the New Black," (see link) was created to teach other students about these same issues. Jeff stated the groups was vital this project students have moved to presenting their works at many conferences garnering a number of grants and awards.
For more information visit: http://dumpsterproject.org/
On Tuesday late afternoon we travelled to Huston-Tilloston University to learn about a project of Ryan’s former roommate, Jeff Wilson. Jeff is currently living in a dumpster for a year to educate people about consumption and carbon footprints, as well as promoting sustainable technologies. To illustrate his point, Jeff has gone to the extreme of living in an environment with no electricity, running water or utilities. Jeff’s dumpster is 33ft², with just a carpet for a bed, a small stove, a candle for light, a few clothes, and a water purifying unit (at present). At the stage we visited Jeff, he was walking over a mile to gain drinking water from Town Lake (see his water holding device in the picture below). Over the course of the year with the help of his students at Huston-Tilloston University, Jeff aims to transform the dumpster from something ordinary into something extraordinary. He wants the dumpster to become a sustainable house and an interactive teaching lab, promoting sustainability. The dumpster will go through 3 transformation stages over the year; just a dumpster, an American home dumpster to a sustainable house dumpster. At each stage Jeff will be testing innovative ways to live with less and hopefully with his findings, living can become more sustainable in both developed and developing countries, with the possibility of dumpsters becoming homes in developing countries. Of further interest was Jeff's push to involve students as much as possible in this project. A student group was created to bring attention to these issues. While a very small university a new student group called "Green ins the New Black," (see link) was created to teach other students about these same issues. Jeff stated the groups was vital this project students have moved to presenting their works at many conferences garnering a number of grants and awards.
For more information visit: http://dumpsterproject.org/