Well, even if I am not really updating in a timely manner, we did, in fact, make it to Austin. We had a blast following Google Maps’ directions and finding out that they led us in a huge loop around Austin, at least doubling the time to our original destination (Enchanted Rock)…so we ended up going to Inks Lake and hiking around for a couple miles in the absurdly warm “fall” weather. It was only about 85 degrees outside, which is the perfect temperature for early November, right?

Anyway, as I said, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, and as Tiffany said, it was good that we didn’t have a GPS system, because that would have taken half of the fun out of it.  Instead of making a straight trip to Fredericksburg, we ended up driving on a windy road around Lake Travis, across which 6-foot-long snakes attempt to slither. The one we ran over really looked like a log until a couple feet before we hit it, and at that point, the choice was either drive over a small cliff or hit the snake. The person behind us also chose the sane option–hitting the snake, in case you were wondering–although I’m pretty sure that if James had been behind the wheel of either car, that might not have been the case.

The scenery at Inks Lake is beautiful, and get this–there are actually hills! Sure, this may seem like a trifle to some, but after living in Houston for so long, it’s a thrill every time I leave the city and get to see them again. We even saw one that Nancy and her friends had dubbed “The Nipple of the Earth” in high school. I’ll post pictures soon (although I’m still a bit backlogged and only part of the way through my Disney pictures, so “soon” might become “after school is finally over”) and then you’ll understand too.

Tiffany thoroughly enjoyed the rocks and pointed out all sorts of different formations along the way. Her major is much more interesting than mine. I can just see people listening as I gasped and exclaimed, “Oh wow! Look at that piece of C code! Isn’t it amazing?”

The day ended perfectly when we went to DQ (okay, the food’s not brilliant, but the Blizzards were great) and then drove home via Oatmeal, TX. Yes, that’s right, the home of the Labor Day Oatmeal Festival. You know you’ve always wanted to go there!

I’ll write more once I get around to a travel journal for this, which will hopefully be sometime over Christmas break. And as I said, hopefully there will be photos to illustrate by then!