Held my breath and prayed for safety as we came into Austin. We were on the expressway with 3 lanes of bumper to bumper fast traffic in both directions. We were so high up on the last overpass I was wishing I could've taken a picture from up there. No one would believe bicycles are allowed on these roads. We couldn't get to the exit we needed for the motel that we had booked so kept going. We just couldn't fight our way back so lost $100.00 on what they wouldn't refund. We found a run down motel 6 and grabbed the last room they had. All we could think of is how in the world do we get back on that road on Sunday morning.
We showered, changed to our one outfit that we wear everywhere and headed out to find lunch. We ate at a wonderful Indian Restaurant near the motel. Since they had a small buffet for lunch we had a chance to try several different foods. They had a great vegetarian selection. Bob was afraid of the spices so only ate a Ceasar Salad. We then headed out to try our skills on the Austin transit system. Several transfers later, we were in the big city.
A friend of Dean's told him that the place to go was the Barbeque House. So that's where we headed. Highly over rated place and not a thing for vegetarians. You order at a window then they give you a paper plate of food on a red school lunch tray. Even plastic forks and knives. I ate a small plain salad and a beer for $10.50. The walls were filled with autographed pictures of famous people who have eaten there including Bush and Obama. We decided to walk around town and find a an elegant place to have a birthday dessert for Bob.
A couple told us that 6th Street was where the night action would be found. We walked all of it but not quite the style we were looking for. Pretty young crowd and wild like Bourbon Street. Not "elegant" ! We found a hotel with a fine restaurant and went in for coffee and dessert. dean and I only had a hot fudge sunday and Bob and Ron some pie. They hit us fo $45.00! I guess the price comes with elegant. We caught the last busses home.
This morning Dean went for a haircut while Bob took apart the tandem to try to correct a wobble in the back wheel. He found a broken axel! So much for playing in Austin today!
Nothing to do but head back through the transit jungle to a bike shop. I went with Bob. It took two hours and when we got back he realized they gave him the wrong size.
The bike shop had no other size! So several calls later we spotted a taxi at the motel. We paid the price to save time and headed to another shop. He gave us a nice tour of Texas University on the way. Bob has been busy rebuilding the back whl all afternoon.
Nate, who rode with us for a day, called to say he was in Austin with a friend. He came over to the motel by bike and needed a map from Dean. He's joining us for dinner tonight back in the city.
Bob has the bike mostly put back together now but says that there is some wear on some other part because of the uneven pressure of riding with the break. Hope we can finish the trip. Pray that we don't break down for good.
Dad, I spoke to Maria on the phone. She is actually an hour outside of Austin. She tried to get her son to help us get the part for the tandem but he was out on a bike trip himself. She is going to try and meet us tomorrow or Monday on the road at an exit. She seems so nice and really wants to connect with me. She is moving from her home into a new construction and was in the midst of packing when I talked to her. Hope our meeting works out.
Back on the road tomorrow, I hope! We will be riding on I 10!
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