Days 12, 13, & 14 in Austin, TX - Part 1

Days on the road: 14.
Miles today: 92.
Miles to date: 2938.


Let me preface this entry with a note indicating how flattered I was to receive a number of emails requesting, nay, demanding more posts. It is a pleasure to have such a rabid following. I was having such a good time in Austin that I figured the posting could wait until I had lots to write. Perhaps in the future, I won’t let it go so long...

I will have spent 4 nights in Austin because I like the city that much. It is a great size - about a million people, easily navigable, fairly pedestrian and bike friendly, a great mix of bars and restaurants and really good music everywhere I went. I also felt a significantly youthful energy stemming from UT (go longhorns!) and an eclectic mix of competing factions. These factions include hipsters, politicos, musicians, artists, high tech geeks, business knobs, oilmen, former cheerleaders, dirty hippies, and a huge Mexicans. Of course, the further South I’ve driven, the better the Mexican food has become triggering Fusco family memories circa 1981-1984.
A few observations on Austinians (Austinites, Austininos?):
1) Women of Austin freely call me (and possibly others) “Sweetie”. I think I like it even better than “Darlin’”.
2) The “y’all” is softer in Texas, and far less annoying. Perhaps I’m becoming conditioned to it, but my hyper vigilance to that which annoys me doesn’t seem to agree with that.
3) There are an unusually large number of red headed women in this city. This is a very good thing. And while my observations are far from scientific, the visual evidence is abundant and a pleasure to study.
4) The people of Austin are the right amount of nice. Not so nice that I find them highly suspicious, but nice enough that the fine tradition of the bartender buy-back is in full effect. This is one of the most glaring omissions from Toronto culture – I could write 50,000 words on this, but its mention will have to suffice for now.

I met a nice (but not too nice) couple that had moved to Austin from Chicago last year. They were confused by my non-regional dialect and could not believe I was from Canada. In keeping with the “Ask a local” policy of this trip, they provided many suggestions on activities whilst in Austin. One of which was to tour the UT tower – site of a sniper attack on unsuspecting campus goers in the mid-60’s. The tower was only recently re-opened to tours, now conducted under very tight security involving a metal detector (which, of course, was set off by the lone Canadian), many security guards, and tour guides. The view of Austin from the top of the tower is expansive and the weather was terrific, but the metal cage for visitor safety impaired some shots (photos, that is).