Spent a week in Texas

[martyb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo The bluebonnet crop isn't looking too good around us - not enough rain. I have a large area in front of our house I seeded with bluebonnets a few years ago and I watch their progress over each winter. With adequate rainfall they sprout in October and remain semi-dormant over the winter (plants about the size of a half dollar). We had some rain in October and they were looking good, but with no real rainfall to speak of since looks like a sub-par year for TX wildflowers in the Hill Country.

That's too bad. I lived in Bastrop & Austin for 15 years, and the 26 mile drive between the Air Force base where I worked near Austin was beautiful when the bluebonnets & Indian Paintbrushes were blooming. I also owned a 3 1/3 acre piece of ground out in the country between Bastrop & Smithville, where we built a house. It was covered in several types of wildflowers, plus a few mesquites, and one gigantic old pecan tree.

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dm We are also considering this as a possible place to move to. We have to make the trip down again in the summer and see how it compares to St. Louis.

We live east of Fredricksburg. It's beautiful countryside. Yeah, the summer heat can last too long for some, but the mild winters make up for it. I can't say I enjoy the scorpions in the house- fortunately haven't ever been bit. Also we discovered a coral snake in our bedroom last summer- glad I didn't step on it during the night...

[UserRequested]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dm I'm having a hard time getting the wife to go anywhere in the travel trailer now.

Don't blame her. My wife hates camping, using the caravan dunny, sharing toilets.

So our holidays are slightly more expensive, but when she's happy, I am at peace to enjoy my wine and just chill.

[Accidental Retiree]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfudtuckerpucker We live east of Fredricksburg. It's beautiful countryside. Yeah, the summer heat can last too long for some, but the mild winters make up for it. I can't say I enjoy the scorpions in the house- fortunately haven't ever been bit. Also we discovered a coral snake in our bedroom last summer- glad I didn't step on it during the night...

OK. I am a native Texan, and I have very strong memories of a snake in my lap at age 5 (a BIG fat garter snake that met a quick demise at the chopping end of a hoe, but still....), of scorpions in the house, of tarantulas on the back porch, and of tornado warnings swirling around, with us hiding in the closet. Hurricanes weren't so scary; they were kind of exciting. Boarded up windows, mattresses against the windows inside. It was like building a fort. I guess my dad made it seem kinda fun.

I am scared to death of snakes. Rattlesnakes, but now I remember also hearing about coral snakes. More for my dogs, though, than for myself.

I live in California now, where my dad moved us when I was about 12.
I feel more Californian than Texan.

HOWEVER.

At one point Dad moved back to TX, to Kerrville, when I was just ready to start college, and I have good memories of that area for a short time (even with the scorpion skittering across the kitchen floor. GAH.) before I returned to CA.

And I was back there in Austin in March '09 and I have very sweet memories of bluebonnets and a very gentle breeze. I would like to see the bluebonnets again.

I have roots down in Alice, my dad's mom's grandparents are buried in 2 little cemeteries just NE of Luling, and just after I stop in City Market for some Lockhart sausage -- which is a National Treasure, as far as I am concerned -- I am heading to the cemeteries, for the first time.

And that's just this next week. DH already knows that I plan to pack up him and the dogs and head back a little later in the spring. Maybe then we will catch some bluebonnets.

Apparently, "you can take the girl out of Texas....."

Hook 'em, Horns!

[rackingguy]

Two places for your next visit to that area:

1. Salt Lick BBQ: The Salt Lick
2. Do a Friday tour at the Austin BeerWorks (my college roommate is one of the co-founders, so I might be biased, but dang, the beer is good): Austin Beerworks: Brewers Hell-Bent on Excellence

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Looks like it. The pictures show mostly antique planes.

Heh, heh, I hate to tell you, but the average age of GA aircraft is well over 30 years. So, if they were cars, MOST GA aircraft are antique. But I know what you mean. Some of those planes are over 70 years old. Too bad we haven't figured how to keep ourselves "air worthy" to the same extent.

It's clear that someone who built this "fly-tel" loves airplanes/flying. General aviation has been in decline for a long time (on the surface - due to costs; In reality, due to regulation.) It's only through love of aviation that GA will continue to exist. YMMV

[meierlde]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rackingguy Two places for your next visit to that area: 1. Salt Lick BBQ: The Salt Lick 2. Do a Friday tour at the Austin BeerWorks (my college roommate is one of the co-founders, so I might be biased, but dang, the beer is good): Austin Beerworks: Brewers Hell-Bent on Excellence

Many arguments are had over the best BBQ some say its in Lockhart at one of the establishments in that town, others say Coopers in LLano (and now New Braunfels but I have not compared the two). There are also a couple of places in Luling on the list, and one in Taylor, so I guess it is you pay your money and take your choice.

[chrisaukcam]

We are going to San Antonio in Mid March for my son's air force graduation. Plan to see the Alamo of course. Anything else we should go see. Good places to eat?

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisaukcam We are going to San Antonio in Mid March for my son's air force graduation. Plan to see the Alamo of course. Anything else we should go see. Good places to eat?

Be sure to take a stroll along the San Antonio Riverwalk and take a cruise on the river. I'd also recommend Mi Tierra Cafe Y Panaderia as a very good place to eat - open 24/7.

[meierlde]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisaukcam We are going to San Antonio in Mid March for my son's air force graduation. Plan to see the Alamo of course. Anything else we should go see. Good places to eat?

There is San Antonio Missions National Historical Park with 4 other missions than the Alamo.

[martyb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meierlde Many arguments are had over the best BBQ some say its in Lockhart at one of the establishments in that town, others say Coopers in LLano (and now New Braunfels but I have not compared the two). There are also a couple of places in Luling on the list, and one in Taylor, so I guess it is you pay your money and take your choice.

My vote for some of the best bbq in the area...Zimmerhanzel's in Smithville, TX. mmm....mmmm!!!

[audreyh1]

The Coopers in Llano is the most famous, but we actually prefer the Coopers in Junction, TX. The brisket and ribs are just to die for. Fortunately there is a truck stop next door, so we can usually park our RV nearby.

The Cooper's BBQ restaurants vary significantly from one town to another - don't expect them to be the same.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 The Coopers in Llano is the most famous, but we actually prefer the Coopers in Junction, TX. The brisket and ribs are just to die for. Fortunately there is a truck stop next door, so we can usually park our RV nearby.

+1

We stop at the Junction Coopers whenever we're passing through there. Outstanding BBQ.

[eridanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisaukcam We are going to San Antonio in Mid March for my son's air force graduation. Plan to see the Alamo of course. Anything else we should go see. Good places to eat?

The Alamo? Lower your expectations.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meierlde Many arguments are had over the best BBQ some say its in Lockhart at one of the establishments in that town, others say Coopers in LLano (and now New Braunfels but I have not compared the two). There are also a couple of places in Luling on the list, and one in Taylor, so I guess it is you pay your money and take your choice.

We live in Llano (at least until next week) and our favorite (so far) is City Market in Luling, particularly their sausage. (Haven't done all the "trinity" in Lockhart yet, Smitty's, Kreuz and Black's.)

We've found Cooper's to be good but inconsistent. When they "nail" it and you get it off the pit at just the right time, it's as good as it gets. But we've been there a few times when the meat had clearly been sitting on the pit for too long.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyb My vote for some of the best bbq in the area...Zimmerhanzel's in Smithville, TX. mmm....mmmm!!!

We've never stopped in Smithville. All I remember about Smithville are (a) "Hope Floats" (forgettable as that was) and (b) the water towers with the smiley faces on them along Route 71 in the area. And I'd never even heard of this place, which is odd since after nearly 10 years in Texas I've heard of most of 'em in Central and South Texas by now.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 We've never stopped in Smithville. All I remember about Smithville are (a) "Hope Floats" (forgettable as that was) and (b) the water towers with the smiley faces on them along Route 71 in the area. And I'd never even heard of this place, which is odd since after nearly 10 years in Texas I've heard of most of 'em in Central and South Texas by now.

Zimmerhanzel's didn't make the Texas Monthly list of the Top 50 BBQ joints, but it did get an honorable mention.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Zimmerhanzel's didn't make the Texas Monthly list of the Top 50 BBQ joints, but it did get an honorable mention.

The odd thing is that I've driven that stretch of 71 quite a few times but I don't ever remember seeing any signage or advertisement for the place along the highway. That's probably why I never knew it existed.

[calmloki]

Sorry, but I keep thinking "Second place was two weeks".

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eridanus The Alamo? Lower your expectations.

True if you are expecting a huge venue. The old mission is actually relatively small. Some of the 1836 defensive works have been mocked up, but the original site is not in tact. GO for the amazing history of the place. That it survived the many battles there (not just the 1836 battle "for Texas") is some kind of miracle. Texas (and the Alamo) is a "State of Mind", so YMMV. ENJOY!