Archive for the ‘Texas’ Category

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Fountains at the University of Texas, in Austin.

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
The fountain at the LBJ Library

The fountain at the LBJ Library

University Campus in Austin Texas boasts some very cool fountains. Most are in the immediate area of the UT tower, but the most relaxing is the one by LBJ library. At the library, you can sit on the grass of a gentle sloping hill and soak in the view of the rhythmic water. At sunset, the lights kick on and the vibe is perfect for an evening picnic.

Closer to the tower, UT has a few fountains along the central square.  The Littlefield fountain, on the southern side, is one of the more ornate and fantastic.  On the east side, a circular and simple design. If you time your visit during football season, you might catch a glimpse of the tower glowing orange just after a victorious home game.

another fountain at the university of texas in austin

another fountain at the university of texas in austin

fountain with UT tower in background.

fountain with UT tower in background.

brightly lit UT tower behind fountain and sculpture.

brightly lit UT tower behind the Littlefield Fountain at the southern edge of campus.

fountain near theater on UT Campus.

fountain near theater on UT Campus.

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Look Twice! Austin mopeds and motorcycles on the rise.

Saturday, October 17th, 2009
A girl cruises her moped over the Congress Street bridge in Austin.

A girl cruises her moped over the Congress Street bridge in Austin. Click on picture above to see photo gallery.

There has been a steady increase in two wheeled transportation around the Austin area, especially downtown and along South Congress. For the last couple of years, more people have been turning to more fuel efficient means of getting around. Austin has always had a large bicycle population, and growing, but the fastest rise of two wheelers right now are mopeds and motorcycles. And along with any growing trend, especially here in Austin, there are going be those that put a flare of style into their efforts.

Does anyone really know what the word moped means?  I’m claiming it to be “moving pedestrian”.  What do you think?

Click to see more photos of Mopeds, Motorcycles and Bicycles in Austin Texas.

A girl cruises south congress on a moped.

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Zilker Botanical Gardens, more than just flowers.

Friday, September 11th, 2009
Kate poses in one of a few colorful and creative butterfly chairs.
Kate poses in one of a few colorful and creative butterfly chairs.

There’s more in there than the name alone offers! In the magical area of Zilker Park, there’s a little tucked away spot to the west of the soccer fields that you’ve got to see. Bring your camera, as there are tons of photo opportunities. There’s, of course, tons of flowers and plants from all over the world and great gazebos for wedding photos. Even during a drought, the grass is kept perfect and butterflies flutter in the shrubs. But there’s more!

This house was built by a Swedish immigrant around 1838.
This house was built by a Swedish immigrant around 1838 and it still stands in Zilker Botanical Gardens.

In the shade of tall oaks and various other trees, there’s some very well preserved homes that were originally built around 1838. A small group of Swedish immigrants settled in the area and lived as ranchers. They called the area, “Govalle” which is “good grazing land”, in Swedish. With homes nestled near the pleasant springs of Barton Creek and under the canopy of ancient oak trees along the Colorado River, they were right on the edge and beginning of rolling hills that stretch far into west Texas. These Swedish immigrants were styling!

Rock hopping in the garden.
Rock hopping in the garden.

But they weren’t the first ones there. Not by a long shot. As many should well know, the Tonkawa Indian tribe was hanging out long before anyone start putting fences up in Texas. But even before the native people, there were giant lizards! Well, big at least.

Farthest from the entrance, but only a short hike, you’ll find the dinosaur pond. Based on tracks found nearby, a statue of the beast that left it’s mark stands frozen in mid stride. The plants all around are very well picked and represent an ancient time. And unlike the fake dinosaur, the plants are still alive and doing well.

I wonder if hes supposed to be looking back at something bigger?
I wonder if he’s supposed to be looking back at something bigger?

Click to see more photos of Zilker Botanical Gardens

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Aquarena Springs in San Marcos, Tx.

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Not very well hidden, in a small college town centered in Texas, there’s a bit of spring water that will knock your aqua socks off!  The area here, and in New Braunfels, gets more rainfall than most of the rest of Texas and it shows.  The clear spring water from Aquarena Springs flows generously and chilled waterfalls dot the way.

Water flowing from the nearby Aquarina Springs.

Water flowing from the nearby Aquarena Springs.

Kate and I paid a visit to the area for the late afternoon, evening hour of the Labor Day holiday.  It was a partly cloudy day and the water got chilly fast, when the sun dipped below the trees.  Considering the holiday weekend, but factoring in the small size of San Marcos, it was a comfortable sized crowd that gathered.  The sign says, no alcohol, but we weren’t alone in cracking open a few beers.  Keeping the area clean and safe comes first.  With some careful planning, accommodations can be made to skirt any hassles.  Both, the law and from a guilty conscience.  Think smart, and you deserve a beer while soaking your feet in the spring water.

Kate tosses spring water under a canopy of trees.

Kate tosses spring water under a canopy of trees.

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Six Flags, Fiesta Texas. Idiots In Charge.

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

Kate, Vale and I took a day to swing around the infamous Six Flags park in Fiesta Texas, just outside of San Antonio.  Sorry, no pictures because Kate’s camera was stolen.  Don’t expect any common sense or compassion from the park employees either.  They are sun-fried and not able to count past fingers on one hand.  A special treat is how the security supervisor tried to argue semantics with me about how the camera was not stolen, it was just missing.  Wow, are you shitting me?

Nope, the hospitality of Six Flags, Fiesta Texas is just a chunk of bullshit laying in the summer Texas sun.  The rides are cool, don’t get me wrong.  The engineers did a good job but the love stops after the cold steel tracks.  No love or help from the employees.  So don’t get in trouble there.  Don’t have a heart attack, don’t lose track of your children, and don’t let go of your belongings.  Whatever you do, don’t listen to the ride director and put your personal belongings in a nicely crafted basket placed along the ride carts of Tony Hawk’s spinning blah-blah-blah.  It won’t be there when you come back and the park will officially declare themselves idiots by saying it’s just lost, not stolen.  Things just grow legs and walk away around here…

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Tubing the Guadalupe River

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
Around the bend area, tubing the Guadalupe River.

Around the bend area, tubing the Guadalupe River.

It’s the hottest summer I can recall in  central Texas, and in spite of the lack of rainfall there’s little choice but to visit the surviving swimming holes in hopes of a refreshing dip.  Unless you want to stay in the house all day, or someone else’s air conditioned hang out, the only way to roll outside is within reach of fresh water.  An old time favorite is tubing some of the river areas around New Braunfels and San Marcos.  It’s a time honored tradition in these parts, and there’s plenty of services for tube rentals and return shuttles.

I called ahead to the Tube Haus to ask about some details.  She said the loop at the Horseshoe was flowing at an hour and half.  It’s been awhile since I’ve been there, but I’m pretty sure it should be around 45 minutes.  But when we got there, she said it was taking 2.5 hours.  Wow, I know there’s a drought but it’s apparently getting worse by the minute!  We better jump in and start off with some paddling to speed it up.

The start of the horseshoe is the slowest part of the tube ride.

The start of the horseshoe is the slowest part of the tube ride.

After scratching through the weekend crowd, most of the pile up is at the start, the view is much better and the flow is just a tad bit better.  There are lots of private lawns leading right up to the river’s edge, and homeowner’s dot the shoreline along the way, also part of the weekend crowd.  And just when you thought you might get a moments privacy, there’s a county sheriff checking everyone out with binoculars and another standing on the other side under a shade tent.  I guess they are enforcing bottles and beer limits, but they are also conveniently situated downwind of the approaching and unsuspecting tubers.

Speaking of, don’t forget to lay down on your belly at times, and even out the scorching mid day sunburn your in the middle of getting.  As slow as this river is going, if you don’t flip at least once, you gonna be belly fried!

Just before the bend, the river is lined with cypress trees and the current carries Kate a little faster.

The river is lined with cypress trees and the current carries Kate a little faster.

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Barton Springs Pool!

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
Kate escapes the Texas heat with an afternoon visit to Barton Springs.

Kate escapes the Texas heat with an afternoon visit to Barton Springs.

Always a hit. Unless you go on Thursday, of course. Even if it is right down the street, a trip on the one day of week they close the pool for cleaning is a heat stroking affair! It’s hot right now in Austin Texas. You gotta go to the springs…

The pool water at Barton Springs averages between 68-71 degrees Fahrenheit, year round! It’s the perfect temperature during summer and actually kinda warm for winter. The pool is pretty much huge, so it’s great for distance swimming or just lounging on an air mattress.

Floating around during a July afternoon.

Floating around during a July afternoon.

The parking lot can get pretty packed because there’s a few other nearby parks.  Zilker park, Umlauf, Botanical Gardens and the hike/bike trail along the river are also very popular.  So when you pull up (unless you’re really cool and you ride your bike or walk) chances are you’ll find few places to park.  But once your in the pool area, it’s not usually too bad.

The diving board at the springs almost always has a line to it.

The diving board at the springs almost always has a line to it.

The diving board will probably have a line to use, but it’s well worth the chance to have an interesting dip into the chilled waters.  If you get a chance, swim around and below the ladder a bit and you’ll find the main feed of Barton Spring.  It’s the coldest part of the pool.

Kate and Jenny walk along the rock surface while Kyle does a backflip off the diving board.

Near the diving board, part of the pool's natural rock offers a wading ledge.

If you are looking to do some sunbathing, there’s plenty of that on the east side of the pool.  It’s a sloping hill and works great to prop you up and point you due west into the brutal Texas-July sunshine.  It shouldn’t take long to dry off and start to turn bronze before you’ll be ready to jump in the pool again.

Parked in the shade...

Parked in the shade...

If you are more the type that wants the shade, then this place has also got you covered.  The three springs that deliver chilled water from the Edwards Aquafer and make up Barton Springs Pool, are also constantly feeding the giant oak and pecan trees that line the pool.  Not many trees in Texas get the chance to grow next to spring water and these trees show the difference.

View more pics of Barton Springs located in the SPI360 Galleries.

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Austin, Fourth of July and Fireworks!

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

It was so hot…

“how hot was it?”

It was so hot, the city of Austin kept it’s fireworks stashed in a freezer to keep them from spontaneously igniting!

Centered over Lady Bird Lake, Austin's firework show was seen for miles.

Centered over Lady Bird Lake , Austin's firework show was seen for miles.

Okay, that might be a little far-fetched, but it was definitely hotter than I would have preferred.  With such little rainfall  for our area this season, many swimming holes are dry and have forced people to overcrowd the few that remain.  Word has it that the line for Barton Springs was ridiculous.  I wouldn’t know, didn’t go..already knew it would be like that.  For me, the swimming pool at the apartment complex would have to do.

Maybe if Lake Travis wasn’t 35 feet below normal it would be more appealing for a visit.  But why bother… It’s better to just drink some black & tans here at home and stumble down the street to Town Lake and watch the city’s fireworks show.  It’s free, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra supplied some timeless music in front of The Long Center.

I read somewhere that the city was expecting 100.000 people to hang out along auditorium shores.  I didn’t count, but it was packed!  People trickled in, but at the end of the event they all left at once, causing car traffic to gridlock for almost two hours.

Watching fireworks from Auditorium Shores.

Watching fireworks from Auditorium Shores.

Without a doubt, I could have picked a better location to watch the show.  I recall one year, I walked along a creek and popped up beyond the barricades.  The fireworks were exploding straight above my head and cardboard spheres fell on the street, around myself and a few firemen.  The guys were looking straight up and didn’t notice me, for several minutes at least.  That was the best view ever!

A bit more creative, and costly I'm sure!

A bit more creative, and costly I'm sure!

But the theme for me this year was mellow.  Just stumble from the apartment in SoCo to the river area right around sunset.  Mission accomplished.  It’s just too hot to stand in line at Barton Springs, or cram under shade trees in the park.  It’s better to relax and go at dark. ;)

Some red white and blue...

Some red white and blue...

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ROT Rally, Austin 2009

Thursday, June 11th, 2009
ROT Rally, Austin Whiskey girls staying perky in the heat.

ROT Rally, Austin Whiskey girls staying perky in the heat.

Another Expo Center event, just outside of the city of Austin, leads to some  spillover for the downtown area.  Since I usually work weekends, I can only rely on the view from my local SoCo haunts.  But working in this popular area and having sixth street just a ten minute bike ride away, I manage to get a good idea of whats going on.

It wasn’t that long ago that the hot rodders were here, also an expo center event, but the ROT crowd didn’t come close to taking over the city. There were tons of bikes on Sixth Street, but just not the same presence and numbers as rodders just a few weeks earlier.  I blame it on the obviously irresistible midget wrestling federation, which held shows at the expo grounds every day of the event.  That and the heat was just ridiculous.

As relaxed as they come, ROT chopper cruising Sixth during the heat of day.

As relaxed as they come, ROT chopper cruising Sixth during the heat of day.

I did manage some people-watching on 6th street the day of the parade, but had to check in at work that evening.  Not many bikers cruised the SoCo area.  Apparently half the parade gimmick was to have the entire length of Congress street, from 6th to the river full of parked motorcycles.  A concert stage around 7th street and Robbie Knievel’s jump at 11th, right in front of the Capital.

Robbie Knievel, last minute check and photo op before his jump in downtown Austin.

Robbie Knievel, last minute check and photo op before his jump in downtown Austin.

I clocked out of the restaurant then Kate and I rode our bikes to check Robbie’s jump, all the while rushing to get to a location which would afford a view.  After having found one, we still had to wait for him to stop doing wheelies back and forth while Freebird blasted on a PA system.  Since there was a storm system coming in from the north, the joke at work was that he would be struck by lightning in mid jump and taken by a tornado before he hit the landing platform.  Well, some fireworks went off but it was no trip to OZ.

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Spring Time in Austin!

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
Austin and Oak Tree

Austin and oak trees.

The days are getting longer, the sunshine is strong and the water at your favorite swimming hole is ready for ya!  It’s time to hike it to your favorite spot along the Greenbelt and grab some sunshine.  There’s been a lot of rain the past couple of days, so places like Sculptured Falls should be flowing nicely.  And like they say, April showers bring May flowers.  The landscape is about to pop with some spring color.  Be sure to check back for more photos.

A swan in Town lake.

A swan in Town lake.

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