| Buffalo Bayou - Paddling East from
Shepherd Drive |
| February 2009 |
| by John Bayduss |
You work hard. You work hard everyday but now its time to have some fun
and learn about the wonderful City of Houston.
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John Bayduss kneeling
at the
put-in site at
Shepherd near Kirby
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First, the seven of us met at the Onion Creek Coffee House and planned
the route we will be taking. After deciding we would travel east along
Buffalo Bayou, four of us drove our trucks to the take-out spot and the
other three parked their trucks at the put-in location (this way
everyone had a ride to put-in and ride back when we finished our
paddle).
Did you know the City of Houston is the 6th largest city in the United
States? Buffalo Bayou is 53 miles (85.3 kilometers) long, is the
founding place of the city (1836) and is the site of the final battle
for Texas Independence.
If the City of Houston is the heartbeat, then Buffalo Bayou is the life
blood of the body. From the 1830s' to the 1920s' barges and steam ships
sailed her waters to deliver cargo and people. Her pulse is strong just
like the people who tamed these wild lands over 150 years ago. Not only
would diseases have to be eliminated but the land was roamed by wild
Indians and Mexican bandits. Back then if someone lived to be 35 years
old they were considered one of the lucky ones.
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Heading down the bayou
into the
heart of Houston
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John Bayduss on
the bayou.
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| Photo by John Bayduss |
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Abandoned railroad bridge
over
Buffalo Bayou.
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| Photo by John Bayduss |
This photo is an abandoned railroad bridge that once crossed over
Buffalo Bayou. The bridge is crying now because it hasn't seen a train
in over 60 years. A bridge is like people: if it doesn't serve a
purpose it begins to decay and return to the earth where it came from
like all of us will one day; dust to dust, ashes to ashes...
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The end of a beautiful
day of
paddling.
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| Photo by John Baydus |
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After paddling five hours we reached our take-out spot and everyone
loaded up their trucks with their kayaks. Once everything was loaded up
all of us decided to have dinner together at a very nice Italian
restaurant also located downtown. After dinner everyone shook hands
goodbye and wished each other well. Driving home I felt good having
sailed the waters of Buffalo Bayou, the water long ago once breathed
life into my city, the City of Houston. Time is forever and our life on
this earth is only a short breath, so fill your lungs until you think
they going to burst because life is short, so enjoy every second of it!
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| John Bayduss |
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The End ~~~
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