...where I did not stop, due to this thing about getting lost in large, unfamiliar cities when without a purpose, I cut up TX-71 to Austin. Has anyone ever noticed, incidentally, that there's a highway ring around all the major cities in this country? Check out a map. Each one looks like a jellyfish, with an arterial around it, and a bunch of major highways going in and out in different directions. From space it must look like giant Portuguese Man o' Wars have taken over the country. (Well it looks like that on Google Maps.) I loved watching my progress on the GPS around the jellyfish, in all the major cities I did not stop. Sometimes when there's so much available to do and eat...one just wants to pass by, and quickly get to a quiet suburb for some Wendy's. Weird.
Austin
Sad story, Austin - a place I did want to stop and eat. Unable to find these supposed street vendors, I instead drove around in a circular fashion looking for one Mexican restaurant that Google swore up & down existed, which I can assure you does not exist. The neighborhoods looked fresh, though. I also could not find the DOUGH Pizzeria Napoletana because it is, apparently, in San Antonio (perhaps good I did not know this at the time, or else might have easily turned south for the extra 1.5 hr drive to get some "authentic" Naples pizza).
In a sorry state at this point, and nearing starvation, I stopped at a local grocery store and bought Laughing Cow cheese, crackers, and a bottled Starbucks Frappuchino (another tradition in the making...seriously, every single gas station in the U.S. has Frappuchino, one can't not buy it). So, that was my big Texas meal...pretty ironic, considering Tex Mex is probably my favorite food. It was really, really hard leaving Austin with nothing but cheese, crackers and coffee. With four more hours of driving to go....story of life, on the road.
The trip up U.S. 183 to Abilene was actually quite peaceful and pretty. I was a lone car on the road, passing through the heart of Texas, and it looked very authentic! Farms, Longhorns, a bunch of creepy trees that look like they've been struck by lightening...yup, TX was pretty cool.
One day, Austin...we shall meet again, and you will know my appetite.
~A
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