Fredericksburg to Austin, TX

78 miles of hills, hills, hills. Did I mention the hills?

Enjoyed a wonderful rest day in Fredericksburg.   Thank you to Sheryl J for traveling to Texas for a great visit.  The best part of rest day was enjoying a pitcher of Mango Margarita’s and enjoying the day!

Leaving Fredericksburg, we were told that we would have more of the same leaving Hill Country.. and that would be hills.   At some point, I will admit, that I thought we would be beyond them – but that did not happen today.   The day was chilly and overcast – and I could not get warm all day . Brrr.   At dinner tonight, I was told that we climbed a total of 4500 feet – that’s a lot of continuous ups and downs!    As I looked around the dinner table, everyone looked exhausted — we were not expecting such a tough day.

It was tough, but very enjoyable.   Early on we were treated to miles and miles of springtime wildflowers all starting to bloom!   Blankets of Texas Blue Bonnets lined the  roadside.  The colors were so vibrant – even in the gray overcast sky – I can only imagine how robust they look with a sliver of bright sun.  Mixed among the blue bonnets were several other wildflowers – yellows, whites, corals, pink!   I was struck by the contrast of the spring wildflowers, and the prickly pear cactus that continues to dot the landscape.   For some reason  all  I could think about as I looked at the prickly pear and wildflower mix was that even in nature opposites attract!

We continued to roll by many ranches- The ranches often have elaborate gates that mark their  entrances.  I thought of my Dad quite a bit today, as these gates are often crafted out of wrought iron.  Many have ornate ornamental iron work, and others are more functional.

Saw our first Longhorn cattle today!  I found one that was ready for a photo op!

And finally, a shout out to my nephews who love waffles!  Here in Texas, we get Texas shaped waffles for breakfast