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Anchorage, Alaska
USA
1340 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 2:22 PM
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Myself, Keltyc, and her cousin all found ourselves in Houston for the past two weeks on business, it was kind of a nice coincidence. So on the march 24-25 weekend headed inland from Houston to check out the Texas hillcountry and the party atmosphere of Austin.
Two observations; 1) the freeway system of Texas cities is far, far superior to Calgary, and Calgary has no excuse since they too have lots of money. 2) Most of Texas was a lot more treed than I expected! There was a lot of dense bush (and no, not the one from Crawford Ranch) but it does gradually thin to more cactus and sandstone/granite outcrops once you get west of Austin.
En Route:
 
 
The cute town of Fredericksburg. We came very close to Luchenbach without realizing it. I would have wanted to have a beer with Willie and Waylon and the boys...
So the first hike we did was at Enchanted Rock, a granite intrusion that's exposed at the surface as a very smooth dome. You can see by the surrounding hills that it's part of a much bigger batholith. The mid 20's C temps were a welcome change after a winter in Alaska.
The hike was only a km or so, but with an alt gain of about 300m.
Third pic actually shows the rock in the distance.
  
Kelty and her cousin, and cactus:
  
  
Oh no! Is that Big Ugly Naked Guy?? 
Kelty stands next to a bifurcating dike (or really large quartz vein?) and also find an unusual looking patch of grass.
  
Views from closer to the top:
  
Nice big orthoclases:
So after that, we proceeded to another cute town, Llano, and ate at Cooper's BBQ, a place actually quite well-known in the surrounding area. Texas likes their bbq's... food is prepared in fire pits outside, then you go in and pay for it right away, grab a beer and some tater salad, baked beans and a cob of corn, and dig in. I could get used to this place.
 
So after lunch, we started in on a different hike, in a much more subdued topography area to the east of the big granite hills. This hike was called Doeskin Ranch... coming from Alberta it wasn't all that exciting but there were some nicer views from the top of the bluffs we climbed up on, looking out over the Texas hillcountry. Definitely a lot more lavish ranch houses and fenced-off private land than I'm used to...
  
  
During this hike, I was surprised to see a tick land on me! Haven't seen one of those in a while...
Countryside:
 
The next day, we took a drive down to San Antonio to check out Natural Bridge caverns, which was a really neat guided tour through a limestone cave system. Since it was guided and "touristy", I won't waste too much space talking about it. Just a few pics.
En route, more greenery:
Caves
   
Cave mutants!
The streets of San Antone
This makes my brain hurt....
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Penhold, Alberta
Canada
2009 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 4:17 PM
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Boy you get around don't ya? I always pictured Texas as a drier place with few trees, guess not.
This picture reminded me of Chevy Chase's cousin cooking chicken on the hot rocks. 
Those cave shots are neat, and although touristy, at least the walls aren't covered with graffiti. And just like you, the last picture makes my head hurt. |
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Chilliwack
Canada
66 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 5:48 PM
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| Great TR! It's good to see some pictures of Texas again, I was down there on spring break for a week. The area is covered in trees and many deer and birds abound. It's not what you really think of when you think of Texas. The humidity there is unreal! Thanks for the TR! |
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Fleece thong wearin, Buntzen Lurkin, mystic poet mountain man and international spokesman of the friends of the white squirrel society
Port Moody, B.C.
Canada
5904 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 5:59 PM
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YeeHAW ! Great to see a report from somewhere other than Buntzen Lake
Looks like it was a fun trip. |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 5:59 PM
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There's supposed to be some good climbing at Enchanted Rock 
Oh and  of course! |
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bandana wearin', pole huckin', view lovin', dog herdin', 4x4 navigatin', lake huntin', butt-slidin' bridge crosser, who enjoys postholing with an overnighter pack
Surrey, BC
Canada
4647 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 6:34 PM
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Love it ! Oh yeah, this was about hiking wasn't it
[quote]Originally posted by northernalberta
Texas likes their bbq's... food is prepared in fire pits outside, then you go in and pay for it right away, grab a beer and some tater salad, baked beans and a cob of corn, and dig in. [quote] |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
1036 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 7:28 PM
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quote:
Hey Garnet,
No Bare Naked Man on CT!!! You've got that. Hehe.
Very different scenery from Alta and BC and even Alaska. |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13453 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 7:58 PM
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A great treat to enjoy your TR. Many thanks for your sharing your adventue and all the pictures of that interesting countryside.
Regards, |
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Anchorage, Alaska
USA
1340 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 11:29 PM
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Thank you all! Yeah, the humidity is something else... the first few days I felt like I was choking all the time. Austin is only slightly less humid.
There might be a bit of climbing at Enchanted Rock but overall, the topography was more subdued than I expected...
Yeah, it's hard not to put on weight down there. It's come to a point where, when someone describes something as All-American, all I can think of is food... |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 11:38 PM
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How Green! What a surprise! Too bad you didn't get to have a beer with Waylon!
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Calgary, AB
Canada
43 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 06:52 AM
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Aaaah...home for me. Anyone going to Texas ask me for things to do and places to eat. I love to share. I'm glad you found Coopers in Llano. Stick an Alamo picture on the TR.
Here are some lyrics of a Patsy Cline song about San Antionio.
Deep within my heart
Lies a melody,
A song of old San Antone,
Where in dreams I live
With a memory,
Beneath the stars all alone.
Well, it was there I found
Beside the Alamo
Enchantment strange as the
Blue up above,
For that moonlit pass
That only he would know
Still hears my broken song of love.
Moon in all your splendor,
Known only to my heart,
Call back my rose,
Rose of San Antone!
Lips so sweet and tender,
Like petals fallin apart,
Speak once again of my love, my own
Broken song,
Empty words I know
Still live in my heart all alone,
For that moonlit pass by the Alamo,
And rose my rose of San Antone!
Broken song, empty words, I know,
Still live in my heart all alone,
For that moonlit pass by the Alamo,
And rose my rose of San Antone |
Edited by - LeedsGirl on 04/05/2007 07:06 AM |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
43 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 06:58 AM
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And Garn...you are right...you have gained weight! 
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Coquitlam, British Columbia
Canada
1727 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 07:20 AM
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| cool pics!!! |
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876 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 07:39 AM
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Ah, the beauty of the Texas Hill Country. I moved back to Alberta from Texas a year ago. Sorry, the photos were scanned in.
Austin
The Alamo
Hill Country
Hill Country
Hill Country
Another sign to make you shake your head.
Yeah, first post! |
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Anchorage, Alaska
USA
1340 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 08:09 AM
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Nice pics, Dave!
quote:
Originally posted by LeedsGirl
And Garn...you are right...you have gained weight!
Oh and, Ouch Laura! Ouch! That was uncalled for! I come to YOUR country and I gain weight. Hmmm.
(and no it's not my fault at all for all the Carl's Jr. bacon guacamole burgers I've been scarfing... ) |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
86 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 09:21 AM
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Thanks for putting up the TR, dude! I'll add my own brain-hurting pics later. Exhaust pipes, for example...
...I want bbq now... |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
43 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 3:16 PM
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Kidding dude. Well...maybe I'm kidding.
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5887 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2007 : 4:09 PM
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Great Pics and Report...and yup...that last pic makes my brain hurt tooooooooooooo......
Happy trails,
Lynn |
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Double-barrelled Texas trip report
