Bats

Eight years ago I was invited to visit Austin. Kidding around, I asked what was so interesting that I should fly 1/2 way across the US to see Austin. The answer was BATS. He had me at bats. My tattoo is a bat. Where ever I travel the bats are with me.

Austin is home to over 1 1/2 million Mexican Free-Tail bats, mainly pregnant females. They migrate to the Congress Street bridge to have their babies late in March and stay through the end of August. Every night they forage out in search of mosquitoes and other annoying critters with wings. They exit the bridge in formation that would make the Blue Angels envious. There is a daily schedule posted to make sure you arrive on time. It's a must. There is also a great ride that Jack and I did last year out of Fredericksburg to see more bats. It's about a 7 mile climb to the top of an old railroad tunnel where another colony of bats summers. The downhill is awesome!

Austin is also home to fabulous restaurants, great music, miles of beautiful lakes, and really friendly people. Favorite restaurants: Zoots for an intimate, upscale experience; the original Salt Lick for historic, remarkable BBQ. Favorite music: Willy Nelson's Farm Aid concert in 2002, and Austin City Limits if you can get tickets. Memories of my times in Austin are as big as the Texas sky.

The tour starts tonight. The staff is gathering as I blog. We will head out to McKinney Falls State Park in a couple of hours and the feeding of the tribe begins! Tonight's menu:

Spinach salad with fresh strawberries, toasted almonds & honey mustard dressing

Honey glazed pork chops with homemade apple chutney

Potato and eggplant curry (keep those vegetarians happy!)

Steamed fresh asparagus

Basmati rice

Chocolate banana cake for dessert.

Tomorrow we ride to Blanco. There's a cool micro brewery there. There is hope for good beer in Texas! Don't you wish you were here? If you have not ridden this ride, another must. See Ya'all!