Day 29 on the road: Saying goodbye to Austin’s BBQ, park trails, and homeless camps

Austin, Texas – We hitched up the trailer again this morning after five days enjoying the sights, food, and outdoor activities abounding in the Texas capital. Austin is a great tourist destination, with lots to see and do.

Among Austin’s attractions are its scenery and natural parks. On Saturday, we enjoyed a walk in the warm sunshine along Lady Bird Lake in the center of the city. A popular walking and bike path run on both sides of lake, formed by a dam a few miles down the Colorado River. (You can also take a boat cruise to see hundreds of thousands of bats emerge at dusk from under one of the bridges crossing the lake.)

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One Monday we walked 3.2 miles round trip to Sculptured Falls in the Barton Creek Greenbelt. This city recreation area follows the creek through a rocky gorge. Some of the creek bed is dry, but other places are flowing with clear, spring-fed water. It was at the falls that the 14-year-old  still in me found a good swimming hole and a rock ledge perfect for jumping in.

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On Friday night, we walked around downtown Austin. A number of places had live music playing, but we also noticed a lot of homeless people encamped under an overpass near where we parked downtown. Homeless camps can also be found on the banks of the lake above the path. (We even heard an electrical generator whirring outside one of the tents.) Beggars were asking motorists for money at a number of intersections in the city.

At the recommendation of a local, we ate one evening at Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ. My  brisket sandwich was excellent–piled high and seasoned with Mexican spices. Elizabeth enjoyed her brisket taco. Because of Covid-19, the place is still takeout only, so we ate in the truck.

Other activities while in Austin included a couple of hours at the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas-Austin, worship service with a family we know on Sunday at Redeemer PCA in Austin, and a cookout that afternoon at our RV utilizing our new $20 Walmart charcoal grill!

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After a 120 mile drive this afternoon, we pulled into the RV park in Hondo, Texas, where we will settle into a 10-day stay. I will try to devote a few posts to what it’s like towing and living in a 30-foot travel trailer.

Dashboard: Days on the road: 29; Miles towing the RV: 2,063; RV parks stayed at: 12; National parks visited: 2

The road ahead (Lord willing): Exploring the Texas Hill Country.