Lost Adventure #7: But It's a Dry Heat...

This Labor Day weekend my boyfriend and I went on our first vacation to Austin, TX.  He flew from Wisconsin to Dallas, while I flew from Boston to Dallas and then we snuggled together on out flight into Austin.  After always being alone on a plane flying to see him or him flying to see me it was breath of fresh air to be flying together somewhere. We got in late Friday night and I had a chance to meet his sister and her husband before we went to bed for the night.

The next morning we quickly got up and I met my boyfriend's 2yr old niece, who is absolutely adorable and probably the best behaved 2 yr old I have ever met! We played with her and after a yummy breakfast of Blueberry muffins, bacon and spinach scrambled eggs, we were off to endure the weather. 105 degrees isn't exactly my idea temperature as pale faced ginger.

The hot weather wasn't as terrible as I thought and my boyfriends sister had found this neat hiking trail at the Westcave Preserve that led to a cave that was around 68 degrees inside. The entire trip I drank copious amounts of water which my boyfriend kept supplying me. The amazing man he is, also periodically dripped water on the back of my neck to help keep my core temperature down while sacrificing his water.

The Westcave Preserve was a neat experience due to the fact there is a guide that leads you down to the cave all the while explaining the geography, greenery and wildlife.... At this point I should mention the guide's other job was to make sure there weren't any Water Moccasins in or near the trail. For those of you that don't know, Water Moccasins are poisonous snakes that if you are bitten you need to be rushed to the hospital. This information was given to us at the beginning of the hike and kept me right on my toes! Luckily we only saw one Water Moccasin which was curled up and under a rock a few feet off the trail.

At the beginning of the hike down to the cave.

The outside area surrounding the cave was lush and green due to water that seeped out from between the layers of rock. This water created a pool at the base of the cave, which then led into a small stream that the trail followed. Once in the cave we had a chance to touch a formation and cool down while the guide told stories of old hippies that once used the cave for the deep pools of cool water.

After that we wandered back up the trail to the main building, where we looked at fossils found at the preserve. There was also gorgeous photography on the walls which I found myself oogling for some time. My boyfriends little niece was along for the whole trip and was such a trooper. She stayed quiet when the guide was talking and kept well behaved in her fathers hiking pack. While back at the main lodge I helped entertain her by reading her some books they had as well as taking her to look at the colorful images on the wall.

On Sunday we went to Longhorn Cavern which was another guided tour. This tour was much longer and primarily inside the cave the entire time. Our colorful, Texas native, guide regaled us in stories of how the  Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) dug out the cave back in the 30's, stolen and lost gold, how the Indians used to hold captives there, a cowboys and indians fight that led to a love story, a speakeasy, the first "air conditioned" church/ town hall, and even profiles of past presidents.

Not only were these stories interesting to listen to, but the view inside the cave was breathtaking. There were huge common rooms that you could hear your own echo in and 200' hallways that were only 4' tall and a few feet wide. One room looked like Martha Stewart went crazy with her glitter paint, while others were sandy yellow identifiable as limestone. The cool 70 degrees cave was a marvel all on its own and definitely a site for anyone passing through the hill country of Texas.

With all our tummies rumbling The Salt Lick was the next destination on our trip. This BBQ joint was one of the best Texas has to offer. My personal meat of choice was the brisket and it certainly did not let me down as always. My boyfriend chose to go with a medley of meats including the brisket, sausage and pork ribs all covered in a delicious layer of house BBQ sauce. I tried them and they were also excellent choices! 

Waiting for food at The Salt Lick

Waiting for the food to come was probably the worst part. The entire place smells of the amazing food and as you walk in to sit down, you get the chance to see where all the meat is cooked. Atmosphere at The Salt Lick was definitely one of good music, good friends and good times.

BBQ Spit at The Salt Lick

Monday being the day we flew out, we had little time to do much. Texas State Capitol Building tour was squeezed in between packing up and our trip to the airport. There was a quick guided tour that showed us the House of Representative and the Senate, but after that we were allowed to wander alone.

They weren't kidding when they said "Everything is bigger in Texas!". The star at the top of the dome is 8 feet wide!

Dome inside Capitol

Paintings of Texas Politicians 

 I am a huge history buff and really enjoyed the architecture of the building. There were many details spelling out Texas right down to the hinges on the doors that said Texas Capitol. Even the chandeliers that hung in the Senate were in the shape of the "Lonestar" and spelled out Texas.

Hinges on all of the doors.

Chandeliers hanging in the Senate.

Both my boyfriend and I had a tough time leaving. His sister and her family were amazing hosts and made us feel right at home. Getting out at the airport was even tougher when my boyfriend's niece started crying because we were leaving. Luckily, we were on the same flight once again from Austin to Dallas so we had a shared layover where we had a nice dinner together. But once again when it was time for Shane and I to part ways, I was a cry baby as my mom put it. I wish I could say it gets easier but it never really does. Shane was so sweet he waited with me till I mostly stopped crying before he went on his way.

I loved every minute of this vacation. I'm not sure if was the fact we did so many cool things or getting to spend some time away with my favorite man, but I did not want to leave. Anybody looking for a fun vacation  spot I fully recommend Austin, Texas!

*I will be adding new photos to this post as soon as I get them from my boyfriend.*