ENCHANTED ROCK: These photos were taken approaching ERock from
the north. The best view is the last as you would see it headed there from
Fredericksburg.
From Lost Hollow
to the Center of the World
Story & Photos by IRA KENNEDY
Enchanted Rock, the geologic center of Texas,
is the hard core around which the land mass of the state formed.
The rock is a billion years old and just being there makes you feel young -- unless
you hike to the summit.
John and I cruised by Enchanted Rock
without getting out of Nigel the Land Rover and its air conditioned comfort. Truth
be told, we weren't crazy enough to hike around in an open-air walk-through
oven.
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 ack in the early 70s we'd camp at The Rock when it was
privately owned by Charles and Ruth Moss. Most of the time we had the place entirely
to ourselves, but that was before the Texas border sprung leaks from all sides and Flower
Children realized that love wasn't exactly free. Now, if they weren't trying to
control the crowds they'd be over a million folks a year showing up.
John and I used to hang out at The Rock in the
summer but we were younger and cooler, and the Earth had yet to really warm up to the
world's passion for fossil fuels.
During my third trip trying to corral this little
opus, the temperature reached 111 degrees in Llano County, in far away France the heat
claimed the lives of some 10,000+ people, and the glaciers in the Swiss Alps started
melting at an alarming rate. Then, much to my surprise, I listened to Nigel the Land
Rover's radio as Rush Limbaugh conceded the notion of Global Warming.
Actually, I reckon it's so hot 'cause of all the Hell
raisers that have been populating Texas from the get-go. From here global wind
currents spread the heat most anywhere. Then you have your hotheads (which seem to
be increasing) adding to the problem.
( Back on topic...) You might be familiar with
Enchanted Rock already. If so, your head is likely filled with weird stories [long download]
which scientists and other sane-prone folks try to explain away as natural phenomena.
Good luck.
Among the most unusual of these events are accounts
of an audio anomaly which produces the distinct sound of ancient drumming. Apart from
hearing unsolicited reports of this phenomena from four other people I'll fess up to
having the experience first-hand.
For several years I lived on the XLN Ranch adjacent
to Enchanted Rock. While hiking around looking for surface artifacts it happened.
The drumming sound came out of nowhere then faded in and out like a distant radio
signal before it quit altogether. I never heard it again.
 Since no
scientific type has attempted to explain this little event, I'll lend a hand. First,
you take Albert Einstein's notion that gravity has a warping effect on space-time.
Imagine a large trampoline flat as an ironing board till you toss a really heavy object in
the big middle -- like the 100 square mile Enchanted Rock Batholith -- pictured left as
the dark red spot in the center of Texas. Now you've really put a dent in space-time and
who knows what can happen after that? Just maybe drumming in that far-away time on the far
side of the trampoline is suddenly within earshot. Think about it, drink maybe a
dozen longnecks and it'll all make sense.
If you like that notion you'll
love this: On the summit of Enchanted Rock is a small, round geological survey
marker that folks have been trying to pry loose for years. They haven't been
successful cause of all the pressure bearing down on it. Should some fool succeed
he'll discover it's really a plug over a serious drain which, like a Black Hole, will suck
in everything.
On our way to the Crabapple Community just up the
road I tried out these theories on John who suggested I turn up the air conditioner
figuring the heat was getting to my brain.
While John and I were hanging a left toward
Crabapple, Cork and I were approaching the Prairie Mountain Community when a heard of deer
lit out for the timber on the far side of a field.
"Jeez," I said, "there must be twenty
or more..."
"Seventeen," Cork responded casual like. 
"Seventeen. Not eighteen? How are you
sure?"
"Simple. I counted the legs and divided by
four."
PAGE 1: FROM LOST HOLLOW
/ PAGE 2: ENCHANTED ROCK
PAGE 3: CRABAPPLE COMMUNITY / PAGE 4: WILLOW CITY
MAP
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