Escape to the Hills

Productive. One of the things I love about living in Texas is the near infinite list of places I'd like to see and things I'd like to do. Also, the fact that I can still chip away at that list even in the middle of winter is a huge advantage. So, in my usual style, I took off for a weekend this last February and headed down to the hill country of central Texas. My excuse was that I was going to visit my little brother in San Antonio, but I took a roundabout way to get there, and I didn't even see him until Sunday. Instead, on Saturday I took a leisurley drive west of the Capitol and saw as many sights as I could fit in.

I'd been itching to get back into one of the hill country caves since the last time I visited San Antonio, so on my most recent trip I made a point to stop at Longhorn Cavern State Park. I arrived just in time for a tour, so I tagged along and explored the cave with a group of twenty or so others. If you've ever read my stories about other cave tours, you'll know that I dislike the structure and the crowds, and that I'd rather just go my own pace. I don't need to hear all about the formations in a cave, or how a cave is formed, or any of the typical information a guide usually imparts; I know the majority of it so well I could give the tour myself. The only information I enjoy hearing is any history associated with each cave, and this one didn't disappoint. Apparently, Longhorn Cavern used to be a speakeasy during prohibition, and had once been completely full of mud and debris until the CCC excavated it during the Great Depression. Now that's the kind of thing that's neat to know! There were also adorable little bats in the cave, and I have to say I got way too excited to see them. I spent only a couple of hours at the park, then moved on up the road.

Actually, I only went right up the road. The next park on my to-see list was Inks Lake State Park, a lake surrounded by gorgeous pink gneiss granite that was fed by a little stream that had a waterfall along it's path. Naturally, I made my way up the trail to see the falls, but found myself disappointed when I got close enough to hear a multitude of voices even louder than the falls. Apparently the warm February weather had brought out everybody else in central Texas, and they all had decided to swim and sunbathe around the falls. I kept my distance, having no desire or patience to fight the crowd. Instead, I walked back toward the lake and was able to watch some brave souls cliff jumping into the lake from atop a boulder.

My next stop, after a bit of a drive, was my last stop for the day. I snagged one of the last campsites at Guadalupe River State Park and settled down to make dinner and call it an early night. I went to bed a very happy girl, surrounded by the night sounds of Texas hill country, internally thanking Mother Nature for a fantastic February day. I have to confess I was a little disappointed when I woke up and found a low blanket of clouds obscuring the sky. I had been looking forward to a gorgeous sunrise, but instead received fog with the threat of rain. Counting on the weather keeping everyone else in their tents for a bit longer, I packed up and headed straight down to the river. I had it completely to myself. I spent a long time there, wandering the riverbanks, getting my feet wet and drinking my fill of the lonely, wild river.

Eventually, though, I needed to move on and finally go see my brother. We met at the riverwalk in downtown San Antonio, and spent an hour just walking and talking. Then we sat our butts down on a restaurant balcony overlooking the river, and ate and drank our fill as we continued to chat and people watch. We also checked out the Rivercenter Mall, but before too long it was time for me to go. My hill country get-away was fantastic, and it only made me want to go back again during the "off" season. Maybe next time I'll get to go for longer than just a weekend!