Trying to apply all the lessons from this trip, I carefully repacked my suitcase to ensure every small thing except the tent was removed and stuffed into the slippery pillowcase or my backpack. Breakfast allowed for one more taste of Texas, courtesy of its Eastern European settlers: Kolache. They were delicious, and I enjoyed sampling different flavors.
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| Kolache |
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| My eclipse trip |
The damp morning made me grateful I was able to pack up my tent the day before, and it was a little bittersweet leaving the ranch. I knew I had plenty of time for the drive back to Houston, but had planned stops along the way. First up: the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It was the perfect time of year to be there and fun to explore.
I wrapped that up just in time to try Torchy's Tacos for lunch, and was not disappointed.
And there was also one last scoop at the Blue Bell Factory (unfortunately, missing that observation deck a second time). I was starting to cut it a little close, so Anna kindly met me at the airport to transfer all her camping gear back to her car, but then we got to talking…
It was only once I was on the rental car shuttle heading to the terminal that I realized just how close I was cutting it. I hoped for a bit of grace, and was able to self-check my bag, but the ticket counter staff said I was too late and refused to check my bag. I also noticed the grief they were giving passengers whose luggage was just a pound over the weight limit, and thought of what my bag might weigh. I was frustrated to spend the money to be rebooked on a flight the next morning, but Anna graciously let me stay with her again, and as a consolation we had another Blue Bell tasting. For all the flavors I’d enjoyed on this trip, Pistachio Almond was a novel one and became a favorite.
The big day started with some clouds and a lot of hope, and I spent time after breakfast walking the ranch with a friend to look for the cattle and enjoy the wildflowers before the party really got started.
The sisters promised a party and delivered–complete with plenty of lawn games and a band playing music appropriate for the occasion (e.g. “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” “Here Comes the Sun,” etc.). “One More Moon Dance” was the one that got most of the crowd up and dancing.
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| The band warming up the crowd |
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| dancing with Jenell |
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| ready and hopeful for totality and clearer skies |
The clouds got thicker as totality approached, but through eclipse glasses and then sunglasses, you could still see the eclipse’s progression. Unfortunately, the cloudy skies meant we couldn’t see the crescent-shaped shadows leading up to it, though. It was disappointing after so much effort and knowing what we were missing, but we still experienced a darker sky during totality and the night sounds of frogs and insects. But as a bit of grace, the clouds thinned just enough and I looked up at just the right moment to see the diamond ring effect, just as it was ending and only for an instant.
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| our view of near totality |
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| darkening skies but too many clouds |
The party continued with delicious tamales and desserts that included a selection of Blue Bell Ice Cream. And as a reminder that the weather could’ve been worse, the freezer that held the ice cream was dented from a hail storm just a few days earlier. It helped transform my perspective into this being a great trip overall, with just one (keystone) aspect of it not working out.
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| themed dessert |
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| Blue Bell ice cream buffet |
Later that afternoon, a few of us hopped in the truck for another drive, this time to the nearby LBJ Ranch. It was too late in the day to go inside any of the buildings, but I saw the runway they built for Air Force One to land, and we spent a bit of time picking up pecans from the grove of trees by his boyhood home.
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| view just outside the ranch |
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| longhorns at the LBJ Ranch NP |
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| Runway at the LBJ Ranch NP for Air Force One |
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| Pecan grove and LBJ's boyhood home |
My friend and tent-mate was eager to get home so she changed her flight and left that afternoon, and as the lone solo camper I was able to sleep in one of the casitas again.
The early night made it easy to wake up early, and I’d read about a scenic drive nearby that was rumored to get packed on the weekends during springtime–how crazy could it get with a boost from eclipse crowds? Trying not to wake anyone else up, I did manage to spot their longhorn on the way to the car.
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| Sunrise with cattle at the ranch |
On the drive there I started fiddling with the radio, and sure enough had my choice between modern and classic “Jesus jams” for a Sunday morning. Stopping at a field of bluebonnets, I tried my hand again at a photoshoot, with mixed results.
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| Blue bonnets by the roadside |
The Willow City Loop lived up to its reputation, both in beauty and in their fear of crowds. Just as I was starting to drive the loop and admiring a scenic overlook of cliffs and the valley below, a police officer stopped me to explain the rules: no stopping, no getting out of the car. I could totally understand that if there was a traffic jam and thousands of people, but for once I was the early bird and had beat the crowds. Other than the occasional car approaching from the other direction, I practically had the road to myself. And it was a glorious drive–more bluebonnets, other wildflowers, the occasional cows, some rock formations, etc., etc. When “All Creatures of Our God and King” came on, I cranked up the volume and rolled down the windows to soak it all in. Soon enough, the loop was over and I returned to the ranch via different backroads and saw the locals going to their morning worship services.
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| Overlook at the start of the Willow City Loop |
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| Willow City Loop |
The day was spent with my friends at the ranch, and in the afternoon we began the work of assembling my tent. I’d been carefully scouting the ground for the most level, clear spot I could find, and wanted to make sure I claimed it before the others arrived. Papa Koenig had found this unclaimed 8-man tent at church, and while most of it was a standard tent setup, the last few poles truly took a village to figure out how they came together. We also lucked out that their golf cart could get close enough to the tent that we could use its power source to pump up the air mattress inside the tent–a detail I hadn’t considered ahead of time but could only really be done that way. I continued to help them prep, pausing when I heard President Nelson was about to give his talk at the close of General Conference. I didn’t think there would be any reception at the ranch, but as I sat on the steps of their casita looking over the ranch and the distant hills, I was grateful to listen to his words and the stunning announcement of more temples. I’ve come to expect it from President Nelson, yet it still stuns me every time both in number and in locations. And it was kinda special to be in Texas as a second temple was announced for the Houston area.
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| Tent with a view |
As the other guests started arriving that afternoon, we introduced ourselves by how we were connected to the sisters. I know my friend through an interfaith friend group that we’ve dubbed St. Charlie’s Angels after the church we met through (St. Charles of Borromeo Catholic Church), so naturally my faith came up early and often. At sunset, my friend drove a group of us to a grove of oak trees including one they dubbed the “mother tree,” sharing stories of her visits growing up and coming to visit her grandparents. Enjoying the golden hour of light, a few of us opted to walk back to soak it in, and arrived in time for a brisket dinner with the fellow campers. It turns out the group I sat with were avid cyclists and one was also from Arlington, so we had plenty to talk about.
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| Golden hour at the "mother tree" |
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| the angels |
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| Walking back to the ranch house |
It had been sunny and clear all day, but the weather forecast was uncertain for the big day. Still, we went to bed hopeful, and feeling the hard tufts of grass under my tent I was so grateful I’d opted for the air mattress to absorb all those bumps.
The morning was overcast and drizzly, but the house I was staying at had an outdoor pool I was determined to use before leaving. One detail the owner omitted that I discovered the hard way: said-pool was not heated. Chilled but ready for the day, I headed toward San Antonio where I started to see the traffic I’d expected. I made a stop along the way at a Buc-ee’s, marveling at the sheer number of gas pumps, and clean stalls in the ladies bathroom. The store also made for some fun perusing, but I didn’t linger long as there were other sights to see.
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| Buc-ee's |
When I thought of places in this part of Texas to visit, the Alamo was the first thing that came to mind. I arrived in the crowded square and as I was taking it in, got an alert about General Conference. I knew I’d have limited internet access all weekend, but asked to be notified when they were going to sustain our newest apostle, Elder Kearon. I tried to find a slightly less busy spot under a tree, but I can only imagine how it looked to see a woman raising her hand every few moments–truly a Conference moment I’ll remember. Shortly afterward, I met up with a friend’s family who was also there for the eclipse, and it was fun to meet up with them briefly before beginning my tour. Admittedly, the most iconic spot is the front and it doesn’t require a ticket, but I did appreciate learning a little more about its history as I toured the rest of the grounds.
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| Meeting up at the Alamo |
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| the Alamo! |
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| "Big Tree" in the Alamo courtyard |
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| Davy Crockett |
Not knowing when I’d return to San Antonio, I made time for the other thing I knew about the city: the River Walk. Waiting at the stop closest to where I parked, I had the good fortune to skip much of the line as a solo rider and hop aboard. The captain did a great job of explaining the history, and there were some beautiful spots I would’ve missed otherwise.
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| River Walk boat cruise |
On the way out of town, I made a slight detour to see the San Antonio temple, arriving just as the afternoon session of Conference was starting. Of course the grounds were closed, but it was still beautiful to see through the fence.
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| San Antonio Temple |
From there it was a race north to Fredericksburg, and I managed to arrive just before their city museum closed, but too late to be allowed in. The main street, like many others I’d seen on this trip, was darling, and from the (outside) signs, it was interesting to learn about its German heritage. They’re clearly proud of it, and it endeared the place to me. As I walked around their round church in the town square, though, I made an unexpected discovery: for a brief time there’d been a Mormon settlement there! The colony of “Zodiac” only lasted a few years, but the Church had plaques commemorating it.
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| Vereins Kirche, one of the oldest buildings in Fredericksburg |
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| Zodiac Memorial |
My friend’s family ranch was a few miles outside of town, and I wanted to be sure I found it during the day, so I headed in that direction with a brief stop at Wildseed Farms for the obligatory photoshoot with fields of poppies and bluebonnets.
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| Poppies at Wildseed Farms |
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| Blue Bonnets at Wildseed Farms |
Once I’d arrived at the ranch I was warmly greeted by the sisters, and had a chance to pitch in a little bit as they prepared for the weekend. Then it was back to Fredericksburg for dinner at a German restaurant (naturally) called Auslander. I connected to the wifi to catch part of the evening session of Conference, and was delighted to catch Elder Uchtdorf’s talk while eating German food!
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| Dinner in downtown Fredericksburg |
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| Guten appetit! |
After dinner I strolled the main street a little more, and picked up a few snacks at HEB before returning to the ranch. As the other guests wouldn’t start arriving until the next day, they graciously let me delay pitching my tent and instead sleep in one of the casitas that would become communal. It was so quiet out there, and easy to fall asleep after a long day.
The day started with a bit of logistics, as I borrowed as much camping gear from Anna’s family as possible, picked up the air mattress I’d ordered online from their nearest Target, and tried to remove the smell of cigarette smoke that came with my rental car. But it also included breakfast tacos at a place called Titas Taco House in Humble before hitting the road. Titas was popular, and we clearly were the only newbies who didn’t know what we were ordering. I pointed at a few options and wasn’t disappointed–I think it was chorizo that was my favorite?
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| My friend and awesome hostess, Anna |
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| Pre-trip breakfast |
Hitting the road and hoping to beat the expected eclipse traffic, I caught my first glimpse of bluebonnets on my way to Brenham. They were so lovely! I arrived in time for lunch at Truth BBQ, per Devan’s suggestion, and enjoyed a sample of their food before heading to the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory. The brand got its start in this town, and they had a small museum. Unfortunately I missed the hours when their observation platform was open, but the other draw was their ice cream counter where I sampled a fresh scoop of cookies and cream. I was also intrigued by their distribution map–spreading in all directions, but nothing to speak of in ice-cream-loving Utah? Maybe someday.
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| First BBQ stop |
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| Lunch! |
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| First ice cream: Cookies and Cream |
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| Why not Utah? |
Thoroughly full but not done yet, I continued on to Lockhart, the BBQ Capital of Texas. You could smell it as you arrived, and from the town square there appeared to be an option in every direction. Per Devan’s recommendation, I attempted a BBQ Triathlon with a stop at the 3 major places for a sample at each: Smitty’s Market, Kreuz Market, and Black’s BBQ. Each had their own vibe, each had a massive stock of wood in the back, and each was delicious. They were also within a short walk of each other, which was helpful to digest between rounds. But I ordered so much at Kreuz, that by the time I got to Black’s, I could only muster ordering a single slice of brisket to go.
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| Welcome to Lockhart |
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| County Courthouse |
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| Smitty's Market |
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| Lockhart Stop #1 |
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| the woodpile behind Smitty's |
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| Lockhart BBQ Stop #2 |
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| BBQ #2 (with sauerkraut for balance) |
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| Lockhart BBQ #3: Black's |
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| Keeping it in the family, the owner at work |
From Lockhart, it was a short drive to San Marcos for an eclectic stay on the outskirts of town.
