Austin, Texas
I'll start by saying that I-10 is hell, don't drive it if you don't have to. We bounced so much thru Louisiana that we actually stopped to see if we had a flat tire, we didn't, the road just sucked that bad. We did laugh about it when we talked and it sounded like speaking into a fan, but that got old fast.
The drive into Texas was unremarkable except for the awe we experienced at seeing an oil refinery. That was until we arrived in the hip town of Austin.
Tomorrow we pull out at 5am and head to New Mexico!
I tried to get the pictures in order but it was a giant pain in the butt and I was too tired to fix it.
ahh The Pecan Grove RV Park. Hands down one of the strangest places I've ever stayed. 90% of the RV's here are permanent residents with only a few spaces for rent. When we arrived a crazy lady informed me that our space had been rented because I didn't call that morning or the night before. I was like look lady I made this reservation several months ago and called to confirm a month ago, she says "everyone call the day before you should know this" then she said "wait for Bob" — this was all in broken English. Bob arrived and found us a spot while his wife continued to tell me most reservations don't show up so they just rent the space and I should know this. I needed a tranquilizer after the exchange!
Pecan Grove RV Park
The first thing Ian wanted to do in Austin was eat at Stubb's BBQ. It was great food and atmosphere.
Kayaking out on The Colorado River to see the Fourth of July fireworks
Our friends Rosa and Josh who have made Austin their home sweet home.
Best Fourth of July of my adult life.
Yes, your blood sucks!
I was soaking wet from the waist down for several hours but still smiling!
Austin puts on a hell of a Fourth of July fireworks.
Boulder Creek Cafe, a not-to-miss Austin vegetarian breakfast/lunch spot. The food was on point, as my kids would say.
The Austin post card!
The Capitol Building
The detailed architecture on the inside of the Capitol building is stunning.
I won't say what this looks like… But it's funny.
My desk is in the front… hahahaha
(Note: original captions/photo order for the remaining Capitol grounds and Salt Lick BBQ photos below were a bit jumbled in the source post — preserved roughly as published.)
If you stand on the center of the star and speak you will hear your voice echo back but no one else hears it.
Outside The Capitol building
Salt Lick… The smell was out of this world mouth watering.
It was wonderful to see one of my oldest and dearest friends in her new adopted home town. Thank you Rosa for the Texas sized hospitality!
The food at Salt Lick will put a hurting on you, in fact Mr. Jones is a little disabled tonight.
Outside Salt Lick
American and Texan flags.
The Star of Texas
How many tax dollars were spent to pay for these?
Austin traffic
What a great idea Rosa had to kayak out on the river to see the fireworks.
It's not a race!
Rosa told us as we approached the bridge that thousands of bats lived under it. She wasn't fibbing. It was gross and creepy.