Day 8: Race Day

Bear, Lefty and Bug got up early and were off to the races.  Panda, Chalupa and I followed behind and got to the start just after they left so we decided to go in search of a breakfast.  We ended up at a coffee shop/beer and Panini bar.  Another delicious breakfast was had by all.  Then it was back to the race finish to be on hand when our riders came in. The riders all had numbers on cards with micro-chips in them so we could track their progress on Panda’s phone (speaking of toys I may need).   We had a moment of panic when Bug and Lefty’s chips showed them not moving for a long time and Bear’s showed him having finished.  All was sorted out with a quick (panicky) phone call.  It was just a glitch in the chips and they were all doing fine and were very close to the finish.  As they came in we got to jump up and down and yell a lot and Bug got her yellow rose as a finisher and survivor.  There was food for the racers, actually for everyone but the cheering squad was still full after our great Paninis so we passed on it and just ate Italian ices while the riders had tacos.

Bug and Lefty before the race

Lefty on the road

Bug on the road

Bug with her rose

Bug and Bear before the race

Then it was back to the condo to gasp and recover a little in the air conditioning.  Outside was approaching 90°.  We decided to go to Barton Springs today rather than waiting until tomorrow.  What a great place!  It was like swimming in the river but with no current, oh wait, we were swimming in the river.  Unlike the rivers at home which all seem to come directly off the glaciers, this water was relatively warm.  I say relatively because it wasn’t really “warm” as in bath or hot tub but it was not cold.  All in all, the perfect place to cool off.  We had a minor celebrity sighting.  When we were in Manhattan visiting Panda and Chalupa a couple of years ago Bear tried to push Woody Harrelson into the street.  This time he tried to push him into the pool.   Fortunately he didn’t succeed either time.

At Barton Springs

For dinner we wanted Mexican and so ended up at a place with wonderful food.  (Do you get a theme here?)  They mixed together ingredients that I wouldn’t have thought of and prepared them in a wonderful way.  This must be the difference between people who really know what they are doing and people like me who can follow a recipe or copy an idea.

Our last stop for the evening was to watch the bats fly out from under the Commerce St. bridge at sunset.  They were so tiny that they were just flashes as they left their roosts.