Austin on Fast Forward

We arrived in Austin, Texas late Monday, June 4 and were excited to catch up with our friends Holly & Robert Wray.

This post is a little longer than most because in less than 24 hours we experienced as much as we could! That's why I titled this post "Austin on Fast Forward".

First and foremost, once again the Texas heat is rearing it's ugly head and it's not even summer there! We're told that July through September is the worst and most of the time you get outside early morning and evening. The rest of the time you're usually in an air-conditioned vehicle or building. We were exceptionally hot because we were out all day in the sunshine and on our bikes often in traffic. Walking downtown was nice and in the shade was really pleasant. The nights were warm and wonderful!

Robert took us downtown to an eclectic Mexican restaurant and after dinner we walked the neighborhood. There's lots of bars, restaurants and even an ice cream shop along with quirky gift and clothing shops. A fun place to hang out and another great people watching area. We checked out the retro Continental Club which is featured on Sirius Outlaw Country Radio.

Neon is everywhere in Austin and virtually every bar and restaurant has a neon sign either vintage or made to look vintage. They are very cool!

We also took our photo at the "I love you so much" graffiti wall.









That night Robert and Holly made us a list of everything we should do in Austin and on Tuesday we tackled and conquered a lot of the list. We got up fairly early and hit the road and had a great day of sightseeing.

We parked downtown and the whole area is full of interesting old buildings, with vintage signs. Our photos don't really capture the complete essence of Austin as there are hundreds of bars, restaurants and stores downtown. We're sure the nightlife is hopping!

Austin is motorcycle friendly and we learned that if you park in a paid metered space...motorcycles park for free! Yes, free! If only Salt Lake City could take a cue from Austin!


We checked out Buffalo Billiards, first to enjoy the air conditioning and secondly because Randy likes to play pool. If we lived in Austin, you'd find Randy hanging out here, free parking and billiards. The lunch special included an an hour of free billiards. Great deal, plus it was nice to see my friend Jack Daniels again.





Just walking downtown, 6th & Congress we saw the Texas State Capitol, great cool building sitting majestically and surrounded by lots of modern buildings. We didn't have time to tour the capitol but I'm sure it's equally gorgeous inside.


The Driskill Hotel is an incredible old building built in the mid 1800's. It's said to be haunted but we didn't see any ghosts! We did walk around the entire hotel looking for them, but I bet that after a night of haunting, they rest up during the day.

The lobby area and stained glass are incredible, note the Texas star in the stained glass. The floors are highly polished and there's soft light, leather couches and Texas artwork everywhere. The bar area is warm and intimate and I could just imagine Texas oil barons and cattlemen sipping whiskey and making deals.






We lunched at the Hula Hut on Lake Austin and with the grass huts, made us feel a little like we're in Hawaii! We were in the shade and the breeze was fabulous. The restaurant was built over the lake giving us a great view of the huge carp and turtles swimming below.








To cool off we jetted over to Barton Springs Park to cool off in a natural spring river. Perfect for a hot afternoon plus the sign stated that it was the "soul of Austin".

The park wasn't crowded however on the weekends or when school is out, I bet this place if full of people. The water is around 70 degrees, and even though we were extremely hot, the water was COLD! I was so hot that I couldn't believe that it was too cold to just dive in! Randy immediately hit the water and it took me awhile to venture in.






On the other side of the pool area, is the free acess river and it was packed! Not just with people but with dogs too! We watched the dogs both huge and teeny scamper in and out of the water.









After our dip in the river, we wanted to try some local bar culture so we stopped off at Red's Porch (I like the name a lot) to enjoy their upstairs deck. The view was cool and the beer was icy cold! This bar was awesome! They had board games and lounge areas with couches and TV's - you felt like you could be in your own living room. They also had a huge TV screen that showcased all the beers they had on tap but the interesting thing is that it also showed each keg and the amount in the keg. We loved it.

One of our favorite decorations was the type cases filled with board game pieces - a great way to use vintage type cases and old board games. Very cool!











We had a full day enjoying the Austin sights and we didn't even get through the whole list! We'll have to come back to finish it up.

That evening we hung out with Robert & Holly. Holly is a hair stylist and she gave me a fresh new "do" great color and cut off all my raggity, dry ends. This trip has been hard on my hair. After Holly worked her magic, it looks fabulous!

The next morning we packed up and headed to San Angelo, but before leaving we did a fun selfie with Robert, Holly and their daughter Scarlet. We all just woke up and I think we look great for an early morning. We also grabbed a quick shot of Otis, the labradoodle...he is sweet but he is huge!
Thanks Robert & Holly for a fun visit! We loved Austin and we'll be back soon!

Reconnecting with old friends in Lousisana

We were excited to go to Louisiana to see Margaret and Robert Rougeau in Benton, Louisiana a suburb of Shreveport. Robert and Randy have been friends for over 20 years and we haven't seen them in over 10 years! Much too long!

Riding into their home we rode a bridge over the beautiful Cypress Black Bayou Recreation Area and Lake. It was an amazing lake with houses right on the lake. My kind of place, and I was disappointed that we didn't have more time to really enjoy the lake.

As we got closer to the Rougeau's I was excited to find out that they live on this amazing lake! However, driving through their neighborhood we stopped at what we think is their driveway but all I see is dirt and gravel and no house. I hate riding on gravel or dirt and on this trip I've done it all! Randy, my night in shining armor, rides down the 1/3 mile gravel driveway to check it out. While waiting I'm sure it's not theirs and I look around at all the other houses with short paved driveways, expecting Robert and Margaret to walk out. Then, my knight cruises back up the driveway and just my luck, the gravel driveway leads to their house! Knowing that I'm moments from seeing our friends and their lake, I biker-up and make it to the house.

We were excited to see Robert and Margaret and to meet their dog Macy but more excited to see the view from their kitchen! Even though our trip is short, we're going to enjoy this remarkable lake.

The evening was memorable. Margaret made us cajun red beans and rice with sausage. We sat around the kitchen table and just talked for hours. We also got a great tour of their 12 acre property and we sat on the boat house and watched the sunset.










We were up until the wee hours of the morning and we all felt bad because Robert had to go to work the next day. It was an amazing evening; good friends and good conversation.



We were sad that our schedule only allowed one day with them. It was great to reconnect and we all agreed that won't let so much time pass between visits again. If Margaret and Robert aren't careful, we might just come to visit and never leave!

Memphis BBQ at Ray's Famous BBQ

Even though we bypassed Memphis, we still had to eat and Memphis BBQ was on our menu that day.

Using his trusty GPS and not YELP, Randy found "Ray's Famous BBQ". Like a good rider, I followed my road captain right past Ray's . It was was located in an industrial area, in the middle of nowhere and I had no idea that was our lunch destination.

We regrouped about a 1/2 mile away, circled back to Ray's. The door was open, but there weren't any cars in the parking lot. Perhaps we missed the lunch rush? The door was open, and although the sign said "closed" we ventured in. Ray met us at the door, ushered us to the counter and we were the only customers.






We think this is his smokehouse. The truck below doesn't deliver anymore, check out the flat tire...it looked like it's been flat a very long time.



Randy ordered rib tips and I ordered baby backs both with cole slaw and tea. We got the right meat, however it was with potato salad and they were out of tea. The soda fountain only served water so Randy had water but I grabbed a canned coke out of the refrigerator.

Rays has been a fixture in Memphis forever. It's located off the freeway, in an industrial area. There's probably 6 tables, seating 4 each and the tables are covered with plastic tablecloths, that I'm sure have been there for years. Ray himself served us, and he ate his lunch at a table close by. We did learn that they were closed that day, but since the door was open, he serves people who come in. While we were there, another guy came in for a to-go order.

Rays is a little dumpy, looks kinda dirty, but it's filled with certificates and accolades honoring Ray. There was a broken 1950's style juke box on the wall, a broken down air conditioner and lots of old memorabilia and posters on the wall. Ray said that they are only open 3 days a week in the summer cause it's too hot inside. Perhaps if he got the air conditioner fixed, it would be ok inside.



Although I can't believe we actually ate there, our ribs were really good, I just tried not to think about my surroundings. I didn't dare use the bathroom!

Randy was pretty happy that he had his Memphis BBQ but I'm not sure I'll let him pick another restaurant only using his GPS.


Ray was a nice guy and seemed genuinely concerned that we were OK with our meal. I think Ray's is best enjoyed as a to-go order, pick up great ribs and go home and eat them in the comfort of your own home.

Arkansas & Construction Traffic

We left the Tennessee HOG Rally on Wednesday, May 28 and made a b-line for Little Rock, Arkansas. Originally we were going to stay in Memphis, but we had several people tell us that Beale Street has changed and that we'd need to go through a metal detector to enjoy the music. We also were told by Memphis locals that the town isn't really biker friendly and that our bikes might not be safe. That kind of news called for a change in plans!

I've already written about the crazy rain in Little Rock but I forgot a couple of things. In Arkansas as soon as a microburst hits, the semis and cars stop right on the road bringing traffic to a standstill; then slowly starting up again. We were in another microburst going uphill on a two-lane highway, and right in front of us, the semi's started slowly changing lanes moving into the fast lane, blocking all traffic and slowing it down to a crawl. We couldn't figure out why this happened but we only experienced it in Arkansas. It must be the truckers code to slow traffic in rainstorms.

Now wait til you hear about the the crazy Arkansas construction!

The ride to Little Rock was uneventful, however the traffic and construction in Arkansas was awful. Their department of transportation doesn't know how to route traffic because twice we were stopped in traffic because of construction. When I say stopped, I mean for over an hour, bumper to bumper and stop and go. No detours either. It was crazy! We were stopped so long, that we had time to take several pictures.





Imagine sitting on a hot, burning motorcycle engine...it was torture. We ended up turning off our bikes often just to cool down. I'm surprised I'm still smiling, cause I wasn't happy! My bike runs really hot.




Once we got going, the cars on the opposite side of the freeway were stopped completely and we saw lots of overheated cars, people out of the cars, walking dogs, chatting and visiting with each other. Once we came up on the construction area, we discovered that they were working off the main road. The road we working on wasn't being worked on or even blocked by construction workers; weird! We couldn't figure out why we were stopped.

On this trip, we've been through a lot of states with construction and we've had to wait and ride pretty slow all what you expect when road work is happening. However, we give Arkansas the prize for the worst traffic management ever! So next time you're stuck in traffic and UDOT or CalTrans is causing you grief be glad that you aren't in Arkansas! Unless, you live in Arkansas and I feel sorry for you!

HOT in Texas!

Today we're in San Angelo, Texas and getting ready to head out to Roswell, New Mexico. Randy has wanted to check out the site of the UFO Incident for a long time and today is his day!

We'll be heading to the UFO Museum in the afternoon during the heat of the day. It's forecasted to be 107 in Roswell! We rode from Austin, Texas to San Angelo yesterday and it was around 95 and we were HOT!

Kickstands will be up by 8:30 am at the latest! Check out the forecast!

2014 Tennessee HOG Rally

Memorial Day found us heading east to Cookeville, Tennessee to attend the Tennessee State HOG Rally. For non-Harley friends, HOG stands for "Harley Owners Group". Every summer most states host a HOG Rally which is attended by lots of Harley Owners and is coordinated and organized by a group of local volunteers. In 2004 and 2007, Randy was the coordinator of the Utah State HOG Rally and he's also been on the State HOG Rally Committee a few other years.

Each year, the State HOG Rally Coordinators go on a week-long training, hosted by Harley Davidson Corporation. In 2004 we went to Florida and in 2007 the training was held in Puerto Rico! Two nice vacations... sponsored by Harley! In Puerto Rico, that year, we met Candy and Gary Bagwell. Gary was the coordinator fo the TN HOG Rally in 2007 and again this year. In Puerto Rico, we had a blast hanging out with Gary and Candy and always thought we'd connect again in the future but we didn't, until this year.

In planning our trip we discovered that the Tennessee HOG Rally would be the week we were going to be near Tennessee and Gary was the coordinator. We decided that we should sign up and go visit them.

We knew they'd be busy with the Rally, but it was still fun to see them and spend some time catching up. That's one of best things about Harleys... they bring people together and you're always connected. I thought I had a picture of the four of us together, but I don't! I'm so disappointed!!!

We only spent a couple of days at the Rally and went on a guided ride to Alvin York State Park which was a great ride. It was fun to meet lots of riders when we were lining up for the ride and it's great to check out everyone's bike and even more fun to see the license plates. Two plates got my attention and I had a fun conversation with Jane! By the way, she owns Tarzan!

The ride was a couple of hours long and we road through rural Tennessee. It was a little stop and go, and pretty slow, which always happens with large guided rides. The area was beautiful and the park had an old grist mill and country store.

We were only able to enjoy the TN HOG Rally for a couple of days but I'd like to go back. The 2015 Rally is in Cookeville again and there is a ton to do in that area. Also, most HOG Rallies are usually just a weekend and this Rally is a whole week long and included a ride to an old prison, drag races, lots of parties, and closed with a Montgomery Gentry Concert. We were bummed that we missed the skills contest "HOGS vs "PIGS" which is Harley Riders vs cops. That would have been a great contest to see! This is one Rally where you are never bored! Maybe Randy and I will go next year.... who's going with us?

Screaming for Ice Cream in Cookeville

We're in Austin, Texas today (June 4) at the Cowboy Harley Davidson servicing our bikes again. A week ago around May 26 we were in Cookeville, Tennessee for the Tennessee State HOG (Harley Owners Group) Rally.

After checking into our hotel we ventured out to explore Downtown Cookeville. It's a typical small downtown, quaint, lots of brick buildings and a historic train stations.

The train station was cool and there was even a brick making machine which only made one brick at a time. Randy tested out, because he's still deciding on his next venture. We decide that perhaps brick making wasn't for him.







There were lots of restored buildings, housing shops and office space. "The Della Ateliers" would be perfect for a beer or wine tasting venue. It's was sleek and attractive and the restoration was incredible.

But what immediately caught my eye was a huge vintage neon sign "Cream City, Ice Cream" with an arrow. Randy completely missed it but since I love ice cream I was magnetically pulled toward it.






We didn't get to see the sign at night but I found a great photo online. I think it's beautiful. We learned that it was erected in 1950, and it was the largest neon sign between Nashville and Knoxville. People came from far and wide to see it and I'm sure have ice cream! Drive all that way just to look at a sign and miss ice cream. No way!


After our quick tour of the historic Train Station, I convince Randy that I'd rather have ice cream than lunch and he reluctantly agreed. However, I wasn't going to indulge if it was Dryers or Blue Bunny. I wanted homemade and Cream City didn't disappoint me. It's a small ice cream shop that sells hand made ice cream made for them in Nashville. (Nashville's a couple of hours away). Most of their flavors are made just for them. So far, so good.

I lingered over the ice cream counter having a hard time choosing from the 20-25 different flavors. I tried the Pralines and Cream which was delicious but then coconut (my favorite) caught my eye. This wasn't just coconut, it was fresh and toasted combined together in creamy vanilla. That was it for me and combined it with a rich dark fudge chocolate swirl creating a frozen version of a "Mounds" candy bar - my favorite.

Randy with his aversion to chocolate, searched for something simple and with fruit. He select a rich berry sorbet with creamy vanilla.

We stayed in the cool ice cream parlor enjoying our double scoop cones just like kids. It was a perfect summer respite and since it was Memorial Day, it was a fun way to begin our summer.



















The decor was comfortable and cute but we really liked the art work and snapped a picture. Being on this amazing journey of ours, the saying describes what we have always know, but rarely live.

"There's a lot more 2LIVING than just taking breaths" We also had our photo taken of us, in front of the sign, with our ice cream cones. Look at our smiles! I'm not sure if were joyous, because we're anticipating our yummy ice cream or because our journey is helping us figure out our life and that sign reminded us what we're doing on this adventure. be.