Anyway, enough about lack of customer service, you are here to read about our travel exploits. Thursday morning we ate breakfast at La Cabana and had much better service this time (Deja Vu?). Once our hunger was satiated, we left for E-Roc, or Enchanted Rock as those not in the know call it. E-Roc is a giant rock formation made of solid granite that juts out of the land. What is interesting is that the large formation you see is really just the tip of a larger rock that is hundreds of miles long that is just under the surface. It got it's name from the Native Americans who used to live in the area. When the white settlers came to well...settle, the Native Americans were NOT happy and chased the settlers who ran to the top of this rock formation. The Indians were afraid of this rock and thought a higher power lived at the top because at night it would make loud creaking noises and would glow from the light of the moon at night. We later know that these noises was the rock expanding and contracting due to the changes in temperature and the glow came from small pools that would collect rain and reflect the light of the moon. Lucky for the settlers I guess.
For $6 you can climb to the top of E-Roc which takes about 30-45 min. depending on physical ability and need for breath-catching and water drinking. There really are no plants or vegetation on E-Roc so you are constantly in the sun and whatever wind wants to whip at you. This could not be more fun to experience though. When you get to the top (probably the height of a 20-30 story building) the views are breathtaking. You can see for miles over the rolling hills of the area. Mads took the pics with her camera so I'm sorry I can't show you anything until she gets them posted. But believe me, if you are in the area, it is definitely worth a stop. Once at the top, if you keep going to the other side, there are two caves you can explore which are pretty fun. Also, there are trails that run around the circumference of the formations and throughout the hills of the natural area. It really is a fun time, but bring water and sunscreen and a hat. Trust me.
Earlier in the week when Mads and I were making tentative plans as to what we wanted to get accomplished this week, she mentioned maybe if we were ever in the area, to go to a small town called Luckenbach, Tx. Now when I say small I'm not talking like Westmont, I'm talking like a population of 3 people. I mean it. Luckenbach, Tx has a dance hall, post office, and a bar. It was formed in 1849 by farmers and later was bought by a gentleman who went by the name of "Hondo". "Hondo" was a folk satirist, similar to Will Rogers, so he and two of his buddies bought Luckenbach since it basically was a ghost town for some reason. His reasoning was he always wanted to have a place where he could get a beer whenever he wanted. Fun Fact, "Hondo" also bought the land that Mads' camp is currently on. How crazy is that? What was fun while in Luckenbach was there is always live music being performed everyday there. Willie Nelson wrote a song about Luckenbach, you should check it out. But anyway, we sat outside listening to this older gentleman play all these old country songs (the Nelson song, "Luckenbach, Tx" included) while we sipped on Shiner Bocks. It was a great relaxing time.
Now when I arrived in Texas and Mads asked if there was anything I HAD to do, there was only one request. BBQ!!! I've heard so many good things about Texas BBQ and the fact that it's mostly beef bbq, really got my mouth watering since I had never had beef bbq. We were recommended a place called Cooper's BBQ in Llano (lah-know) by Mads' co-worker Wiggy. He said it was ranked in the top 10 for best bbq in the state of Texas. That got my attention and thankfully it was on the way home from Luckenbach. Pulling up, it's just a red, one level, barn looking building. Right out side the front door is what looks like a covered patio area, but actually instead of tables they are all the smokers for all the meat the cook!! The smells emanating from this place were unbelievable and if they made a perfume out of it, any meat eating man could not resist the charm of the woman wearing it. Mads and I walk up to the two men standing in front of a large bbq grill (for a lack of a better term). They ask what would we would like to eat to which I reply, "Whatcha got?". He opens the lid and I swear I heard angels and trumpets in the distance. On the grill is just piles of various cuts of meat and I am wiping my mouth on my sleeve hoping not to drip any on the grill. The man begins rattling off what he has, "We got regular smoked sausage, jalapeno smoked sausage, pork ribs, large pork chops, beef ribs, regular steaks, brisket, and half chickens". I just look him in the eye thinking are you kidding me? I came for beef bbq so I just pass over everything that doesn't have beef in the title. The beef ribs look like the brontosaurus ribs that tip over Fred's car!! I ask him for two ribs and a strip of brisket. Now, what I mean is I literally asked for 2 SINGLE RIBS!!!! Not slabs, just two ribs. He dunked everything in their bbq sauce and placed them onto a tray to take inside to be weighed. Yes, here you pay for your food by the lb. We bring it inside, where other men take it off the tray and wrap it in butcher paper and weigh them and put it on a cleaner tray. The total including soda drinks cost us $23. Not bad for two people and the amount of food seemed small but we left more then satisfied. The ribs themselves were a foot long and the meat on the bone was over 2 inches thick and lined the entire bone. AH-MA-ZING!!!
It was fun driving home with that food coma overtaking our bodies. Needless to say, we slept well that night. Well kiddos, that's it for tonight. More to come tomorrow!! Hope you guys are enjoying this stream of thought trip blogging. I know it's fun rethinking about all the fun we had partaking in it! Doughnuts and Longhorns tomorrow!!
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