Austin Christmas 2009

I finally made it to Austin yesterday. I loved spending time with my family and friends in Houston, I really did. But I shed no tears for leaving Houston itself. Though, I must say that Houston has really come a long way in the last ten years or so. Many of the ghettos have been redeveloped and are now quite nice. I'm just not a city guy. During the three hour drive from Houston to Austin, I felt my stress melting away as the urbanization dwindled and the rolling hills appeared.

Last night I had a fantastic dinner at East Side Cafe and walked around our beautiful capitol. This morning I immersed myself in Texas culture. Among other things, I bought a proper pair of boots, handmade in Texas of course, and ate barbecue at Rudy's. Then I spent an hour looking at and test driving the new Super Duties. I know, I know. I didn't buy one. I wasn't even tempted. But it doesn't feel right to come to Texas and not spend at least a little time behind the wheel of a truck. I actually found my dream truck - the one I'll be driving when/if the day comes that I get my ranch. But the $60k price tag, the 12 mpg fuel economy and the fact that I live in Boulder rather than on a Texas or Colorado ranch, ensured that, for now, the environmentalist in my head got his way and the cowboy had to keep his mouth shut. The cowboy has at least found some consolation in those new boots.