[Smokey]

OK, not much hiking maybe. A friend and I took the watershed tour today. Mostly bus riding but our guide was excellent and told us many facts and follies about the watershed. (Chester Morris Lake.) If nothing else take in the education center and the water drums. The drums were mesmerizing and stopped everyone in their tracks. You'll have to go see them to understand what I'm talking about. Great buildings too. Public watershed tour Watershed education center The tours leave from the education center.

[Sore Feet]

What all is seen on the tour? I've thought about taking it in the past, but I wasn't sure whether or not it'd be one of those boring run-of-the-mill tours that you get on the 4th grade field trip to the mousepad plant.

[Smokey]

Yeah, it has the 4th grade slant, but I wasn't paying attention in the 4th grade. You get on the bus, about 25 people, go through the Homeland Security gates and to the old town of Cedar Falls. Get the history of Cedar Falls, a few houses left and maintained for offices. Then up to the dam and learn why the water level is kept so low. I ain't tellin' but it involves incompetence in engineering. Hear about salmon and new this year, a guy will be directing salmon traffic down at the Landsburg Diversion dam to help them around it for the first time since the dam has been in place. One of the few water supplies in the nation that isn't filtered except for the "large chunkies." Then we headed up to an overlook view. Big excitement, I smelled the transmission before it actually quit working and started smoking. We walked to the overlook and by the time we were done the tranny had cooled off. Then we headed for Cedar Falls and the mystery of the turquoise water. Lots of bus riding but our naturalist was very good. She doesn't do all the tours though so can't vouch for the other ones. It's about three hours, costs $7 per person. Don't expect fireworks. Again, the water drums at the education center are very cool.