Rick spent several of his formative years living in Austin....I've never been, but have good friends there who I haven't seen in forever, so much of this stop will be a trip down memory lane.
After settling into the Lone Star RV Resort (carfreeresorts.com), part of this chain that we've come to learn are very typical of the mid-tier kind of place and just fine for a night or two, we set out to find Rick's childhood home. He had not been there in almost 50 years. He locates it easily with the help of the GPS, stops and knocks on the door. Out steps a gentleman who after hearing Rick's story, eagerly invites us in...guess we don't look too much like axe murderes!
He and his wife gladly shows us around the home they bought in 1970. They have taken loving care of it, added a pool and updated many things. They are charming and we end up having a delightful, long conversation about the neighborhood, neighbors, our trip, respective children and careers. Rick is very pleased.
Next day we walk about a billion miles around town. We start at the Capitol...taller than our National Capitol (big surprise, it's Texas!) It's so odd that it's almost deserted but they meet irregularly and we just roam around.
Find a few lovely Victorians which now all seem to have been turned into offices. But they are well taken care of and pretty.
Austin's motto is "Keep Austin Weird"! You gotta love that! We wander to 6th Street that is the core of the live music scene looking for a spot to have lunch..but this is defintely a night thing and not much is open. We find the Driscoll Hotel, an old, gracious structure that serves a nice lunch on the terrace.
The LBJ Museum and Library is a must do! Beautifully done, fascinating and not surprisingly slightly slanted in its viewpoint. 
An animatronic of LBJ leaning on a fencepost telling good ol' boy stories is freaky real. 
Do a drive through the University of Texas campus..pretty and huge stadium. Find the infamous Texas Tower where 14 people were killed and 32 others injured in a rampage by in a lone shooter in 1966. The 307 foot structure has recently been renovated and re-opened as an observation tower again after a 30-year hiatus.Tonight we're meeting Herb and Mary, great friends of mine I knew in Westfield, NJ a thousand years ago...and they will meet Rick for the first time. Mary suggests a restaurant that typifies Austin in the "keep it weird" way so we really get a flavor of the city.
Shady Groove (theshadygroove.com) is perfect! It's a fabulous evening, we eat outside. It's mobbed, festive and they're showing movies on the side of a wall. I have a great tortilla encrusted catfish and Rick loves his chicken fried steak.
It is so wonderful to slip back in with old friends...like you've never been apart. Rick loves them and vice versa. A truly wonderful evening.We were hoping to play golf with Herb the next day, but we've been thrown out of the RV park where we're staying....not because of raucous behavior, though that could have been fun, but because everything, everywhere is sold out due to a UT home game. We sadly leave Austin in the morning, but stop at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (wildflower.org) on our way out.
We are so spoiled living in DC the past 10 years with all the world-class museums available that are all totally free! Everytime we have to pay for these things anymore, we cringe. While the $7 per person charge is probably justified at most times of the year, it seems to me it should be waived when nothing is in bloom.
Rick manages to catch a stunning butterfly photo and the plantings and wild growth outside the gate are interesting and very Texas.
Rick manages to catch a stunning butterfly photo and the plantings and wild growth outside the gate are interesting and very Texas.
Heading to Dallas where we get to see another good friend!
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