San Marcos, TX

We Made It!

Day 4 and the road again...

We were up early and on the road for our last two hundred miles.  The view changed.  There were rolling hills, wildflowers and green grass.  We guessed from yesterday's rain and the green grass that Texas has been getting a lot of rain.  Texas and California were both experiencing drought conditions.  Nana told us, "The last two summers were very dry.  I've never seen wildflowers, except on the prickly pear cactus."  The sun was shining and the temperatures in the low 90s.  It was a lovely day.

As the miles rolled along, I was getting more and more excited.  I could hear the same excitement in the voices of my travel mates.  We turned off the main highway and headed toward the town of Fredericksburg, TX.  Auntie Carol was looking up places to eat on Google.  She learned that we had just entered the hill country.  Nana was driving and Papa was noting the pecan groves out his window.  We passed several groves, corn fields and animals such as goats, cows, horses and deer.  We could see many large ranches, some for sale.

Auntie Carol read to us, "Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 10,530. Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia." (Wikipedia)  She was most excited about the German Bakery.  Hearing our stomachs growl, we had to agree with her.  Food was what we needed!

Fredericksburg finally appeared.  The streets were full of cars and the sidewalks with people.  We later learned that this is a popular tourist site.  Many people come to enjoy the history, galleries and boutiques that lined the streets.  We had to find just the right parking place for the car and trailer.  As luck would have it, there was empty parking right behind the bakery.  The bakery turned out to be the perfect place for me.  I had flat German pancakes with applesauce.  The others had Ruben's and potato salad all around.  Nana tried sweet tea for the first time.  From the frown, I could tell it wasn't her favorite. 

Before long, we were back on the road.  We traveled a two line highway through many miles of open land and small towns.  A quick text to my round mom and sister warning them we were close.  I was bouncing up and down.  "We are almost there!  We are almost there!" I chanted.  We pulled off the smooth highway onto a gravel road with several cattle guards.  The car and trailer bumped along.  The thicket was full of cactus, trees and low growing bushes.  Soon we were pulling through a gateway.  I could hear dogs barking and the crunch of rocks.  The car stopped.  I was pulled out and waving in the breeze.  Before my eyes appeared my mom.  What a wonderful sight!