Day 33--San Marcos, TX

Today was our chance to get together with Laurel and Andy in San Marcos. The GPS took us via some FM “Farm Routes” through the rolling countryside. We saw alpaca, miniature horse, and quail farms on our way. Part of the time we drove along the top of a ridge with spectacular views to each side. We met Laurel, Andy and Nathan at their house. After chatting for a few minutes we took their van to pick-up Anna at her preschool. Andy drove through some of the old neighborhoods of San Marcos and past the Texas State University campus and then went on to the small town of Kyle. We stopped at the Railroad Bar-B-Que for a great lunch of brisket and sausage with their yummy sauce. The restaurant is in one of the old railroad buildings right on the tracks and there is nothing fancy about it with its long picnic-style tables, rolls of paper towels and walls hung with old license plates, which added to its authenticity. It’s just exactly what we like to do when we’re exploring a new place! From there Andy drove us to the back gate of his grandparents’ 300 acre ranch along the Blanco River. His affection for the area was very evident as we drove along the two-track, spotting deer along the way. We drove to the Blanco Chapel on the ranch property. It was built in 1865 and served as a combined schoolhouse and chapel in the area. Andy’s grandparents were awarded a state recognition for their restoration of the building. A family Christmas celebration is held each year and several of Andy’s cousins have been married there. It was a beautiful, sunny day but the temps were in the high 50s with strong winds so we didn’t linger long. We returned to the house so Andy could pick up their friends from Seattle, coming for the weekend, and we left at the same time, taking with us a large jar of Laurel’s homemade granola. We took a slight detour to drive to Blanco River State Park. The green-blue water must be very inviting on a hot summer day, but we weren’t enticed. Nearby we found a Laundromat with a strong Wi-Fi connection and car wash so we could take care of two tasks we needed to do. We got back to the campsite just before sundown for another light supper.