The Van Horn park was a converted KOA that had an associated cafe and pleasantly, a decent wifi ! An early rise the next morning allowed for a quick bite at the cafe. Other travelers were commenting how on the prior day's journey east bound they noticed an unusual amount of HWY patrol and other law enforcement vehicles heading West towards El Paso. Theresa and Kevin had also noticed this. The consensus conclusion was it was all related to the Pope's visit to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Glad too be past any traffic issues from that event, the Smitanic continued east with the next destination, Caverns of Sonora, “Deep in the heart of TX”. The destination was about 6 miles off I10 on a narrow 2 lane road that was home to open range and oil pumps. The RV park was adjacent to the Cavern gift shop which also served as the check in desk. Theresa was surprised at the door by a rogue peacock that was lounging in front of the door. She excused herself (Theresa that is) and entered the door to pay for a pull thru site for 1 night, and inquired about the Cavern tour. The soft spoken, less than enthusiastic 60+ gentleman warned that the Caverns are very hot, extremely muggy and the tour is 1.5 hours of this environment. Everyone could enjoy the natural steam room for the non-discounted price of $20 per person. The RV 'sites' were newly renovated and barely had enough room to park and put out slides. The toad was left parked in the gift shop lot as there was no room for it anywhere near the RV. Kevin did not see the value proposition of the Cavern tour in the heat and humidity after his long days drive. He opted instead to trouble shoot the Satellite TV. The Satellite had plagued him since arriving in Hemet, CA. This was the only hope of any connections with 'civilization' since there was no cel service, no cable TV nor antenna channels, and no internet, just stars and a family of deer that visited a corn feeder.
Kevin Reviewed the PDF documents of how to set up the Satellite based on the Service provider. The Smitanic is serviced by Direct TV. The instructions did not provide any indication that different Satellite configurations might be required based on Lat/Longitude location. Kevin tried the current configuration. 20 min later he concluded this was no longer the proper configuration. He then scrolled thru the multiple satellite design/configurations noticing that there were 3 variations of the preferred configuration for Direct TV. Thinking about the hemisphere the Smitanic was currently docked at, he chose a configuration that would look more directly over head. 20 minutes later the Satellite dish and Direct TV had confirmation that the angle of attack on the satellite was within the signal limits. Lesson learned as the Smitanic reaches the SW edge of the USA the Satellite configuration must be modified to look more directly over head. Houston we have Contact!
There was a quick escape in the morning as there was no desire to delay and the travelers (Kevin) were anxious to see what the next destination of Austin had to offer!
Arriving in Austin area after the noon hour proved to be beneficial as traffic was good resulting in no delays. After 250 miles the 2nd Bastrop exit off I10 East of Austin was made. The KOA was a small 'park' (aka Resort but the pool was closed for the season.... if pool is closed is it still a Resort?). The Smitanic was forced into a sharp turn with a steep decline at the entrance. Kevin skillfully maneuvered the RV, with tow, down to the gate, Theresa exited the vessel and went inside to check in. The lady behind the desk asked how many people, Theresa replied 2. Then she pointed to the 4 bikes in tow. Theresa explained 2 mountain and 2 touring bikes and there were more bikes left in the garage at home. The lady understood , as she was a cyclist also, and was competing in a race on Sat in the Senior Olympics! Then she lamented “When a cyclist is asked how many bikes do you need, the reply is 'One more'! “ She must know Kevin!
After a quick set up, the mission turned to planning activities for the next 3 days. Hungry from the long drive Kevin had a yearning for Steak. A local steakhouse, Piney Creek Chop House , seemed to fit the bill. The thought was that, while there more intel could be compiled from the locals.
Once seated the waiter, Michael, quickly bantered with Kevin as orders were taken. The Manager, Rhonda, also stopped by to insure the quality of the experience and took the opportunity to participate in the banter as well. The Smits asked Michael if he knew of the best places in Austin for Local Music. He mentioned that he is a Musician. He was excited to supply his knowledge of several club options that were known for the quality of live entertainment. The food was top notch. The Steak was cooked to perfection along with green beans and asparagus. The venu had a relaxing ambiance, that was complimented with the demeanor of the staff and Manager. The extra entertainment was a local Bat that had entered the establishment and darted about until coaxed back out into the wild. SO Cool. When Theresa and Kevin were challenged with picking a Desert they challenged the Manager to make a recommendation. Rhonda provided a great story of one of the local regulars that had sampled all choices, That person had suggested that the best choice would be a MASH UP of two of the offerings. Rhonda went on to describe the result as a combination of Their Bread Pudding combined with Banana's Foster. The Smits suggested that sounded fantastic and requires a proper Name on the Menu. “Bring us the “Rhonda Special”, the “Michael Angelo”, the “Fostered Monkey”, the “Help Me Ronda”, the “Burning Man”.......
Once seated the waiter, Michael, quickly bantered with Kevin as orders were taken. The Manager, Rhonda, also stopped by to insure the quality of the experience and took the opportunity to participate in the banter as well. The Smits asked Michael if he knew of the best places in Austin for Local Music. He mentioned that he is a Musician. He was excited to supply his knowledge of several club options that were known for the quality of live entertainment. The food was top notch. The Steak was cooked to perfection along with green beans and asparagus. The venu had a relaxing ambiance, that was complimented with the demeanor of the staff and Manager. The extra entertainment was a local Bat that had entered the establishment and darted about until coaxed back out into the wild. SO Cool. When Theresa and Kevin were challenged with picking a Desert they challenged the Manager to make a recommendation. Rhonda provided a great story of one of the local regulars that had sampled all choices, That person had suggested that the best choice would be a MASH UP of two of the offerings. Rhonda went on to describe the result as a combination of Their Bread Pudding combined with Banana's Foster. The Smits suggested that sounded fantastic and requires a proper Name on the Menu. “Bring us the “Rhonda Special”, the “Michael Angelo”, the “Fostered Monkey”, the “Help Me Ronda”, the “Burning Man”.......
The Desert MUST be Properly Recognized for its Pure Pleasure and Calorie Count.
If anyone finds themselves near Austin Texas. This team Highly recommends the Piney Creek Chop Shop in Batsrop Texas.
The team rolled into the park with a stop at the administration building to pay the park entrance fee. The fee allowed the team to traverse the park and enter the next park at the end of the road all for the same fee. The likelihood of making it the second park was slim to none. The roads in the park were smooth allowing for easy biking. After 3 miles the team was attacked by the first of many challenges. The first challenge was a steep curvy down hill (this will be uglier on the way back). The team passed campsites that deserve consideration for Smitanic dockage next time in the area. What goes Down MUST go UP. Kevin was in his middle chain rings on both the front and rear clusters as the road began to gently rise. Theresa was right with him as he began to respond to the increased impact of gravity. Push and Pull, keep the rpms high, look ahead for the optimal time to shift before rpms are destroyed. SHIFT rear cluster...RPMs still high, pull on handle bars, sit back in the saddle, Lower heals, Push down and pull up on the cleats, monitor rpms and Heart Rate. SHIFT rear chain ring. SHIFT front chain Ring. SHIT.....CRY..... Heart Rate Unknown. Crest the Hill. Sit up, Spin, Smile, Pretend it was easy. At the top of the small rise just conquerred was an outlook. Kevin leaned left to enter the parking area for the overlook, coasted to a stop, attempted to gracefully dismount the bike. Thank goodness no one saw the results of his exhausted dismount. Theresa entered the area within seconds of Kevin's clumsy dismount. Theresa was all smiles and was heard saying “ That was not so bad”. Kevin considered the comment to realize that Theresa had spent the last 4 – 5 months doing Tony Horton's Beach Body's “Piyo Pilates and Yoga”.
From this location the team was able to observe the complete devastation of the Parks fire charred timbers. It was sad that a massive blaze in 2011 wiped out pretty much the entire park's flora. After reflection, and Kevin's time to bring heart rate back to within the MAX Zone the team headed out further into the park. They were meet with more undulating hills. They recalled the Senior Olympic cyclist's warning that it only gets harder the further into the park one travels. At the 9 mile mark, and at the top of an elevation that clearly transitions into a long steep down grade, the riders elected to turn back so there was time to prepare for the evening in town. That is the best excuse they had for not giving up the high ground and to justify whipping out. In addition they had planned to attend an RV show in Austin prior to exploring the night life of Austin.
The team returned to the RV by enjoying in down hills and paying the price for having giving up the high ground on the way out. At the RV, Zin was walked for one of her daily duties. The Duo readied themselves for a trip into Austin.
The next morning provided new adventures. Theresa had scoped out a bike ride in a nearby State park that was an out and back 30 miles from one park to a neighboring park. The route was described as a strenuous interval training by the camp host cyclist. Kevin and Theresa committed to attempting the road trail on their Mountain Bikes. The objective was to ride into the park, experience the hills, views, and to be back to the RV by noon. The route did not disappoint. The team rolled out to the RV park into a local neighborhood followed by a crossing of the Colorado river on a walking/Biking Bridge. The team then road past the Piney Creek Chop House only to be challenged with the first of what would be many challenging hills. At the top of the first hill was the entrance to the Bastrop State Park.
The team rolled into the park with a stop at the administration building to pay the park entrance fee. The fee allowed the team to traverse the park and enter the next park at the end of the road all for the same fee. The likelihood of making it the second park was slim to none. The roads in the park were smooth allowing for easy biking. After 3 miles the team was attacked by the first of many challenges. The first challenge was a steep curvy down hill (this will be uglier on the way back). The team passed campsites that deserve consideration for Smitanic dockage next time in the area. What goes Down MUST go UP. Kevin was in his middle chain rings on both the front and rear clusters as the road began to gently rise. Theresa was right with him as he began to respond to the increased impact of gravity. Push and Pull, keep the rpms high, look ahead for the optimal time to shift before rpms are destroyed. SHIFT rear cluster...RPMs still high, pull on handle bars, sit back in the saddle, Lower heals, Push down and pull up on the cleats, monitor rpms and Heart Rate. SHIFT rear chain ring. SHIFT front chain Ring. SHIT.....CRY..... Heart Rate Unknown. Crest the Hill. Sit up, Spin, Smile, Pretend it was easy. At the top of the small rise just conquerred was an outlook. Kevin leaned left to enter the parking area for the overlook, coasted to a stop, attempted to gracefully dismount the bike. Thank goodness no one saw the results of his exhausted dismount. Theresa entered the area within seconds of Kevin's clumsy dismount. Theresa was all smiles and was heard saying “ That was not so bad”. Kevin considered the comment to realize that Theresa had spent the last 4 – 5 months doing Tony Horton's Beach Body's “Piyo Pilates and Yoga”. 
From this location the team was able to observe the complete devastation of the Parks fire charred timbers. It was sad that a massive blaze in 2011 wiped out pretty much the entire park's flora. After reflection, and Kevin's time to bring heart rate back to within the MAX Zone the team headed out further into the park. They were meet with more undulating hills. They recalled the Senior Olympic cyclist's warning that it only gets harder the further into the park one travels. At the 9 mile mark, and at the top of an elevation that clearly transitions into a long steep down grade, the riders elected to turn back so there was time to prepare for the evening in town. That is the best excuse they had for not giving up the high ground and to justify whipping out. In addition they had planned to attend an RV show in Austin prior to exploring the night life of Austin.
The team returned to the RV by enjoying in down hills and paying the price for having giving up the high ground on the way out. At the RV, Zin was walked for one of her daily duties. The Duo readied themselves for a trip into Austin.
The trip into Austin was planned to avoid peak traffic time with the highlight of the RV show, followed by the night life of Austin.
The RV show had many dealers and manufactures. Kevin and Theresa met a Tiffin Regional Manager and discussed the best place with inventory of 2016 45' Allegro Buses as well as obtaining direct phone numbers for Tiffin recall information. Another discovery was that Tiffin now makes 5th wheel RVs with the same quality of their motor homes! The model is named Vanleigh after one Son of Bob Tiffin, Van and his son Leigh. This would be a nice alternative for a more stationary (like 4-5 months) lifestyle. Kevin still has RV envy for a Bigger Allegro Bus. Yes his is compensating for more personal issues he has.
Reservations had been made at The Brass House for the Happy Hour show with dinner. The Jazz Trio had a smooth vocalist, schooled Jazz guitar player, and supportive upright base player.
An Irish bar had a lively group that brought back memories of tours with The Mighty Regis! (Irish punk rock band that Kiehl was in for 4+ years) The team entered and a pint of Guinness was ordered to be shared. The band lead shared rude toasts at each interlude. Once the Guinness was empty the team headed back out on to the street to explore more culture.
The next venue was “Friends” where the team was treated to a Rock Blues band. It was still early by the music scene standards as Kevin and Theresa strolled back to the car and headed back to the park. Back at the car Kevin approached a band that was unloading their gear. “Guys were are you playing? What is your style? When do you go on?” “Man were are Reggae. We are playing just over there, We are headliners We go on at 11 pm.” “RATS.... Our dog is waiting for us to get back, we can't stay that long”........ actually Kevin is SPENT. Zin was waiting for her last walk for the evening before she settled in for the night.
On Saturday, Theresa had used a Groupon for the first time to acquire a 2 for one Austin SegCity segway tour in the afternoon. This mode of seeing a city not only covers a large territory in a short time, but also provides for a guided (historical) tour, and is so much fun to do! After a very brief refresher lesson from the guide,on how to control the Segway, the group of about 10 lined up single file and slowly rolled down the sidewalks of downtown Austin. Segway skills (stoping, starting, racing, navigating inclines, and panic stops) were enhanced as the group navigated through crowds, across intersections, past famous hotels and monuments.
They quietly entered the balcony door and listened as a vote was taken... the Nays have it. They then made a quick exit and rounded the rotunda to the other side of the capital to observe the house. There was another vote being taken, this time the Yeahs ruled. Wow real work being done :) Once everyone returned back to the segways, the tour continued to the front of the capital. Here the group parted a large protest line complete with signs and banners, that was marching to the capital steps.
Reservations had been made at The Brass House for the Happy Hour show with dinner. The Jazz Trio had a smooth vocalist, schooled Jazz guitar player, and supportive upright base player.
After red pepper soup, beet salad, a glass of wine (or more) the team headed out by foot to explore additional music of Austin. As the team strolled down the famed E 6th street live music was exploding from the open air clubs with barkers making invitations to all who pass to come in and enjoy a beverage.
An Irish bar had a lively group that brought back memories of tours with The Mighty Regis! (Irish punk rock band that Kiehl was in for 4+ years) The team entered and a pint of Guinness was ordered to be shared. The band lead shared rude toasts at each interlude. Once the Guinness was empty the team headed back out on to the street to explore more culture. 
The next venue was “Friends” where the team was treated to a Rock Blues band. It was still early by the music scene standards as Kevin and Theresa strolled back to the car and headed back to the park. Back at the car Kevin approached a band that was unloading their gear. “Guys were are you playing? What is your style? When do you go on?” “Man were are Reggae. We are playing just over there, We are headliners We go on at 11 pm.” “RATS.... Our dog is waiting for us to get back, we can't stay that long”........ actually Kevin is SPENT. Zin was waiting for her last walk for the evening before she settled in for the night.
On Saturday, Theresa had used a Groupon for the first time to acquire a 2 for one Austin SegCity segway tour in the afternoon. This mode of seeing a city not only covers a large territory in a short time, but also provides for a guided (historical) tour, and is so much fun to do! After a very brief refresher lesson from the guide,on how to control the Segway, the group of about 10 lined up single file and slowly rolled down the sidewalks of downtown Austin. Segway skills (stoping, starting, racing, navigating inclines, and panic stops) were enhanced as the group navigated through crowds, across intersections, past famous hotels and monuments.
The guide paused to give and accounting of a historical event or some local fable. The group rounded the grounds surrounding the capital building and parked at an entrance to allow for a brief tour inside to view the state senate and house. After passing the security check, Kevin and Theresa marveled at the towering rotunda and selected to go right and up the three flights of marble steps to the Senate.
They quietly entered the balcony door and listened as a vote was taken... the Nays have it. They then made a quick exit and rounded the rotunda to the other side of the capital to observe the house. There was another vote being taken, this time the Yeahs ruled. Wow real work being done :) Once everyone returned back to the segways, the tour continued to the front of the capital. Here the group parted a large protest line complete with signs and banners, that was marching to the capital steps.
Rolling on the group navigated thru the downtown streets where other Segway tours were lined up like lemmings following their guide. The final POI of the tour was across a river to a park on the other side with lots of open paved walkways and obstacles to test advanced segway skills. Back over a sister bridge the guide led the now confident riders at a much swifter pace back to the start of the tour. The tour was two hours long but Kevin and Theresa could have gone on for more if allowed :) They will continue to seek out segway tours anytime they are in a city that offers it.
Next on the foot tour it was time to stop at a wine bar (Max's) that was spied earlier to have a snack and continue Kevin's search for live Blues. It was around 6 and way too early for any of the clubs to be hopping. With that understanding the early bird Seniors, walked up and down nightclub streets hoping to be drawn in by the sounds of live entertainment. They did find a dive bar that had something to eat but sadly no live music. Disappointed Kevin left with the Blues. Next time later nights will be planned.
The 30 mile trip back the the RV had a construction back up for 3 miles by the airport that added 1 hour to the drive, so Zin had to wait a bit longer for her evening walk.
Next day would start a series of 3 one night stops concluding at the Mississippi side of the 'redneck riviera'.
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