Daytrippin'

“Texpert” Howie Richey’s answers: “Just as NY is about being rich And LA is about stardom, Austin is about self-expression. Austin has an unusually high percentage of locally owned businesses. Add to that the liberal influence of the University of Texas and Texas state government, and you’ve got a melting pot of rugged individuals.

Memorial Day is upon us, school will soon be out for the summer and its time to think about fun things to do with our young children or grandchildren. Among my fondest childhood memories are afternoon drives from Denver into the Rocky Mountains. We would hike and splash in the streams while our grandmother, in her cotton dress, would spread a tablecloth out on the rocks and fill it with the contents of her carefully packed picnic basket.

Recent sunny days with bluebonnets popping out of the warming earth remind us that the time has come to plan some outdoor excursions, perhaps even an outdoor art class. The Wenmohs Ranch is a great place to get away for a few nights with family and/or friends. It is a 435 acre working cattle ranch that has been in the Wenmohs family for eight generations.

The cold windy days of the past few months have inspired me to take Daytrippin’ inside. Writing Daytrippin’s museum series has opened my eyes to a number of unique and fascinating museums in our area, and the list keeps growing. Last week I revisited one of my favorites, Austin’s Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, and I hope it will become one of yours too.

Looking for an adventure to brighten up these grey winter days? Grab your binoculars and take the short drive to the eagle nest in Llano County on Highway 29. The locally famous American Bald Eagle pair arrived back in their winter home in early October, and now have two eaglets who are nearly nine weeks old.

The Highland Lakes CAF Air Museum has something of interest for everyone. Children from elementary school age and up will enjoy the several hands on exhibits and the opportunity to climb into some old Warbirds that are kept in pristine condition by the Highland Lakes Squadron volunteers. Many of the planes on display are flown to air shows around the country by HLS members.

Tired of cold, dreary weather and no golf? Are all of your drawers cleaned out, you’ve read your Christmas cards twice, even the Christmas letters? Ditch the rainy day blahs with a visit to area museums. A good place to start is The Falls on the Colorado Museum at 905 Third Street in Marble Falls (next door to Darci’s Deli.) Though this museum is small, there is a wealth of interesting information here to explore concerning Marble Falls’ rich history.

Take a short daytrip to Dan Pogue’s sculpture studio, just seven miles from Marble Falls, and tour the home base of one of the most talented and versatile artists in our area. Several of Pogue’s sculptures will be on display at the 3rd Annual Marble Falls Sculpture on Main show, which Dan and his wife Marti helped create with the help of their friend Russell Buster, owner of the Marble Theater.

Put on your boots and two step just 1 1/2 hours down the road from HSB to Gruene (pronounced “Green”). This historic town is the perfect getaway for a day or weekend, which you can spend dancing on the same wood floor where cowboys and their sweethearts have romped and stomped for 125 years, and eat in a restored cotton gin while overlooking the Guadalupe River.

Heat got you down? Take a short trip to a cool dip. There are several natural swimming holes in our area that are lush with geological wonders and tropical beauty, fed by creeks and springs, and open year round. I revisited two of my favorites last week, Hamilton Pool and Krause Springs, all in the line of duty of course, and recommend you try both of them.