Day 6: Austin

We woke up to a beautiful day here in Austin.  Our bikers decided that today would be the best day to pick up their race packets.  So we started the day with a walk on Lady Bird Lake (aka the Colorado River – no not the one that goes through the Grand Canyon) right in the middle of town.  It was a beautiful path with a pedestrian only bridge to cross the lake.  We went to look at the Barton Springs Pool.  It is a swimming hole created by an earthen dam across a creek that runs into the river.  The springs are 70°.  It looked really fun so we are planning to go back on Monday and swim.  Then we came back to pick up the packets, about 7 ½ miles in all.  There were so many trees that we don’t have at home and flowers blooming all over the place.  Of course it was over 80°.

Sew Diva, Bug and Lefty on the pedestrian bridge

Turtles on a rock.  Any resemblance to previous photo is purely coincidental.

Blackbirds.  Texas has no crows, just these guys with a sweet call.

Bicycle pedal cars on Lady Bird Lake

Skyline view

 

After picking up the packets and chatting with all the vendors who were just setting up their booths we headed off for lunch. 

Team Positive Emily Spirit race dedications

We found a great place with super yummy food and then had a great time at a dog stuff store.  You know the stuff:  food, treats, toys, costumes, dog themed cards, etc.  After all that we went back to our condo to rest and recuperate.   In the evening we went to The Ginger Man, a tavern with 100 taps.  Yummy, yummy.  Lefty and Bug wanted to do some bar hopping so Bear and I walked up 6^th St., the party street.  It was hopping but not like it is right now (it is 1:30 a.m.).  Panda and Chalupa’s airplane was delayed on their end so they didn’t get here until midnight.  We picked them up and it was so good to see them.  Bear and I got to visit in June but that seems like a long time ago.  They are out on the street as I write taking in “the scene”.