Road Tripping to Austin, Texas!

So, Kenneth and I survived our first long distance road trip.  A few months ago we received an invitation to attend the wedding of a dear friend from Kenneth's UVA/ROTC days.  Kenneth was asked to be a groomsmen in the wedding and we decided that instead of paying two grand (or more) to fly from California to Austin, that we would drive and see the sights of the American Southwest!  We probably did not take the most direct route, but we planned our trip around staying at Air Force Inns and seeing some of the classic sights of the area.  Here are our adventures...


Day 1- Edwards to Albuquerque, NM
Our first day was a long twelve hour drive to Kirtland Air Force Base.  We stopped in Arizona at an old Route 66 ghost town and ate our first of many McDonald's chicken nuggets.  From the comfort of the Highlander we saw the painted deserts of Arizona and Petrified National Forest.  We crossed over the Continental Divide and passed through Grand Canyon National Park.  I even caught a small glimpse of the Grand Canyon!  Ended our day at Tucanos in Albuquerque devouring grilled meats and drinking a six pack of IPA in our hotel room.

These reminded me of the characters from Cars!

Day 2- Albuquerque, NM to Llano, TX
I took the first shift of driving, which required caffeine.  We stopped at Satellite Coffee, a local shop recommended by Kat.  I have to say this is some of the best coffee I have ever had.  I got a very large cup of their Night Sky blend (and a bag to bring home too.)  This is not for the faint of heart... dark and delicious and very strong.  We crossed into West Texas before noon and spent the rest of the day driving through Texas hill country.  Kenneth and I were warned about how boring West Texas can be, I thought these were all lies and scare tactics.  Well, I was wrong.  Until you get within two or three hours of Austin, the state is pretty sad, dry, and full of dust devils.  We realized that the cost of staying overnight in Austin was twice the price of staying in the boonies so we booked a room at the Best Western in Llano, Texas, about ninety minutes from our final destination.  Lucky for us Llano had two selling points: a drive through booze store and pit barbecue.   You better believe that we stopped at both.  After fifty dollars worth of smoked meats and such at Cooper's Pit Barbecue we retired stuffed and happy.

Drive thru!

Day 3- Llano, TX to Austin, TX.
Easy ninety minute drive through the green rolling hills of Texas.  We picked up the twins at the airport and headed to the hotel in downtown Austin.  Not to be critical but our room at the Best Western in Llano, Texas was better than where we stayed in Austin.  The hotel was nice and pretty but there was a small television circa 1985, no parking, although you could valet park your car for thirty dollars a day, and our $200/night room was the size of a tuna can.  To escape the prison of our hotel room the twins, Kenneth, and I hit the streets of Austin.  First we ate sandwiches in a park a few blocks from our hotel and then we stopped at my new favorite food store, Royal Blue Grocery, and bought a bottle of wine and some waters.  We walked along the river to a park looking for some botanical gardens that Kenneth said were "not to far."  Never found the gardens but walked the river until we found a nice shady bench where the four of us drank the wine out of plastic cups.  We then hiked it to a Mexican restaurant near a movie theater, about a mile away, and drank margaritas before seeing the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie in 3-D.  Walked the three miles home to pass out in our tiny beds.  


Day 4- Austin, TX
In the morning Kenneth and Matt drove to Randolph Air Force Base because Kenneth did not have all of the components for his mess dress.  Bryant and I walked around downtown Austin and saw the state capitol and the Governor's Mansion, currently under renovation and covered in scaffolding.  Friday night was the rehearsal  which I did not attend, and then the dinner, which I attended, off of sixth street.  More Mexican and more smelly gas from the boys later that evening.  Ian and Jess arrived on Friday to add to our growing wolf pack.

State Capitol!  Please note that the humidity messed with my camera

Fun old house.

My wolf pack!

My dream home: historic, wrap around porch, grassy lawn, sprawling oak tree.

I love crepe myrtles!

Day 5- Wedding Day!
The twins, Kenneth, and I headed to Barton Springs to see the Hangover 2 and then rushed back to the hotel to get the boys ready and dressed for the wedding.  Matt, Jess, and I sat together at the wedding since our "dates" all served as groomsmen in the Catholic ceremony.  The ceremony was shorter than expected which caused a problem with the caterer when all of the wedding guests showed up an hour before the scheduled cocktail hour and the caterers would not serve or feed us!  Reception ended at ten thirty and the boys headed out to bars with fellow Wahoo alums.  I caught up on some sleep since I planned to take the first shift of driving in the morning.

Det 890 Wives!

Wahoo Alums (minus Matt, he took the picture!)

Day 6- Austin, Texas to Holloman Air Force Base, NM
Probably our most depressing day of driving back through West Texas.  We were tired, cranky, and bored out of our minds.  Stopped for our overnight at Holloman to find out that everything on the base was closed for Memorial Day.  We ate our one millionth road meal at McDonald's and hit the hay very early.


Day 7- Holloman Air Force Base NM to Tehachapi, CA... HOME AT LAST!
Our last day was our longest, with thirteen hours of driving.  At this point all Kenneth and I wanted to do was get home, get our dogs, and get in bed.  We saw the white sands of New Mexico, Las Cruces, the Continental Divide (again), Tuscon, Phoenix, Palm Springs, 29 Palms, and Joshua Tree National Park.  Outside of Las Cruces  Kenneth and I got detoured at a border patrol drug stop.  A dog sniffed our car and we got to pass without any problem, but when we told Grandma Jeanne, she panicked about how close we were to the "dangerous Mexican drug cartel."  We ran into Memorial Day traffic in Palm Springs and drove through the boonies of the Mojave to avoid the traffic.  This detour added an hour to our trip.  More McDonald's for dinner!  Kenneth and I picked up the dogs shortly before nine and brought the exhausted pups home.


The American Southwest is beautiful and I am certainly glad we drove to Austin.  Texas itself was a little disappointing, without the twins, I am not sure that we would have enjoyed ourselves! The only thing bigger and better in Texas was my hair, which swelled to epic humid proportions.  One road trip down, many more to go as we continue our life out in the West!