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Thur, 08/18/05
We left the comfort of Julie's parents in Naples and drove up the gulf coast today. We
made it as far as Marianna, Fla.
Fri, 08/19/05
Woke early and hit the road. We made great time on I-10 going from Pensacola to Mobile to
New Orleans, where we stopped for lunch and a walk around the French Quarter. We found a
fine little spot to eat where Julie had a Crawfish Etouffee and I had Shrimp Creole.
Such a vibe in this place. The buildings are beautiful, but the poverty is everywhere...
The drive out of downtown is stop and go slow and very brutal and hot. For the first time
we turn on the AC in the car! I know it will eat gas, but I gotta breath! We make it as
far as Lafayette where we turn in for the night.
Sat, 08/20/05
Into Texas today. I'm back in the land where the radio stations start with "K"! Houston
is huge and ugly, but the drive into Austin along route 290 is wonderful! The air is dry
and the sky is blue and our B&B is a sight to behold! It is called Carrington's Bluff and
is situated on a ridge just off of the center of town. There are only a handful of rooms but each
is filled with antiques and boy oh boy is it comfortable! I could move in here! We are walking
distance to the University of Texas campus and the state capital as well as the rest of
downtown. We walk down to 6th street and have a hell of a Texas Saturday Night good time!
Sun, 08/21/05
We rode bikes around town. This is a very bike friendly place! The trails are extensive
and the drivers courteous. And even though it is pushing 96 degrees, the lack of humidity
make the ride much easer than what we were used to in DC...
Julie's friend and (former) co-worker Lisa White and her pal Noel take us to the Salt
Lick Bar-B-Que outside of town for a Texas Meat Fest. We eat some of the best food I've
ever set to my lips! A truly outstanding and succulent meal with only one flaw...the Salt
Lick is in a dry county...no beer on the menu. Most of the other folks have brought
coolers full of Loan Star, Budweiser, and Corona. We drink Ice Tea. No problem.
Afterword, we end up in a cool Southside music joint called the Continental Club and we
witness a bunch of long-haired grey-bearded outlaw westerners jamming country classics
fulfilling one of my fantasies about what music must be like here every night of the week!
(see story page) Austin scores well in our search.
Mon, 08/22/05
After a short shopping trip to the Whole Foods flagship store and a quick stop into
Noel's boot shop to say thanks and so-long, we hit the backroads through the Texas Hill
Country on the way to San Antonio. We see River Walk and the outside of the Alamo. Many of
the cool old buildings I remember downtown have either been razed and replaced by modern
high-rise hotels or are sitting abandoned. After a short walk we are ready to split this
burg.
Tues, 08/23/05
A long scenic drive across a long state. We got as far as Fort Stockton and were happy to dip
in the pool, look at the sky, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the West Texas vastness.
Oh, I made a friend. One of the kitties who call the campground home wanted me to be his
dad. Sadly, he was not invited on our journey.