Let’s Go to Luckenbach Texas

 Today was a nice day of relaxation.  We were still up early, but it was great knowing we didn’t need to pack up the RV and drive anywhere! Our typical M.O. is to closeup the RV, hit the road, and enjoy a PBJ while on the way.  Today we took advantage of being in Fredericksburg and went to a German bakery and restaurant for breakfast.  We were absolutely stuffed by the time we left, and decided we will pick up some pastries on Monday morning as we continue west.  

We went back to the RV for a rest - no kidding, that breakfast took it out of us - and then decided to drive the short distance to Luckenbach.  It’s really hard to describe this place.  We were here once before with our friends Hank and Jen, and we looked forward to returning. I guess it has been designated a town, but it really looks like a music venue nailed together with old barn wood and license plates.  We took Maggie with us, and after arriving and grabbing a couple of beers, we joined a small group of people around a small stage where we listened to two very talented guys sing covers from everyone from George Straight to Matchbox 25. They were great, and one of the guys actually talked to Maggie during the set. She actually perked her ears up which was really cute.  We had seen yesterday that the band Asleep at the Wheel was going to play tonight, but unfortunately it was sold out.  We spoke with one of the security guys about how we could go about getting a ticket last minute, but he was really more interested in showing us pictures of his dog.  Despite a lack of all his teeth and his interest in sharing stories about his dog, he was very nice and told us we could try and come back before the concert begins to see if we could snag a no-show ticket.  We both knew it was unlikely we were going to do that, but we appreciated the tip.

Luckenback Texas… with Steven and the boys 

Live music in Luckenbach

From there, we dropped Maggie back off at the RV and drove again into Fredericksburg.  There is a bar called Pioneer that we have visited every time we have visited Fredericksburg.  One of their specialties is a smoked Old Fashioned, and we looked forward to having another.  There was a singer playing who made the mistake of asking for requests. Steve asked him to play a Ray Wiley Hubbard song called ‘Snake Farm.’  You will have to search it on YouRube or Apple Music. I couldn’t believe the guy had heard of it and even played a version of it.  Steve was so happy! 

We were getting hungry so went to a restaurant nearby called Hill and Vine.  We shared a couple of appetizers and it really was delicious.  The place was packed and had a fun vibe.  It was a really nice end to a fun and relaxing day.  We really enjoyed not having a 5 hour drive today! 

Westward ho!

 I wish I had something exciting to say about yesterday’s drive, but it was just a drive.  And it was a long one.  I guess the only thing to report besides road construction, is a little insect called a Love Bug.  It’s a real thing.  We were stopped in traffic for a while in Louisiana and all of a sudden a gazillion bugs started swarming the RV.  We weren’t moving so fortunately they weren’t splattering across our windshield.  Upon closer look, it appeared that each bug was actually two of them.  I quick opened my Seek app and it said they were Love Bugs… and in September they mate and stay stuck together for DAYS OR WEEKS! We were sitting in the midst of a giant orgy! They fly this way and word is they can really damage the paint on your car if you don’t get them off quickly.  Yuk.  

We arrived at our campground around happy hour time, thank goodness!  This campground was pristine.  Each site was mowed and edged.  There were beautiful trees and the roads looked more like big sidewalks than a road.  Each of the sites had been laser-leveled.  Our RV jacks hardly knew what to do without bumps and rocks and unlevel ground.  The dog park was huge and Maggie enjoyed sniffing all the foresty smells.  

Today’s drive was 6 hours and 45 minutes.  It was a long one, but honestly this part of Texas is beautiful.  Lots of rolling hills, ranches, and little used highways… until we hit Austin.  We have been to Austin several times, and we have always commented on the crazy traffic and construction.  Today was no different.  It was only 1:30 in the afternoon when we drove through, and anywhere else it would have looked like rush hour. We passed through an area where they are building a whole new multi-level freeway interchange… it was crazy!  Steve got us through it safely and we were on the final stretch to Fredericksburg.  This town was started by German immigrants back in the day, and it is a wonderful mix of German restaurants, breweries, and many many vineyards and wineries.  So many, in fact, that we wondered why we never see Texas wine in stores.  These wineries are HUGE.  They are very grand, with long sweeping drives, large outdoor areas for tastings, live music, and I could go on.  We hope to inspect some in a little more detail while we are here.  We plan to stay in Fredericksburg for three nights.  Steve really needs a driving break, and we both have enjoyed this town when we’ve been here before.  This will be our last multi-night stay on our trip.