Austin, Texas

On Saturday our drive from Jackson to Austin was mostly uneventful. We encountered heavy rain as we passed through Shreveport, Louisiana, but as soon as we crossed the state line into Texas, the sun came out. We didn't stop except for gas and restrooms, because we were eager to reach the city whose motto is "Keep Austin Weird."

Our hotel in downtown Austin was just steps from 6th Street and its colorful and quirky clubs, bars, and restaurants. And our hotel room had a great view.

But the best part of Austin was that we could see Danny! He and his buddies Yash and Arthur had just moved to Austin less than two days before our arrival. Between their move and their startup company, they had a lot to deal with. So we were grateful that they made time to join us for Sunday brunch. It was fun catching up on each other's adventures.

Allow me to brag a little, because I am so incredibly proud of these young men. After college, they stayed in touch despite being so far apart (D.C., San Diego, and Seattle). They left excellent jobs to start a new company together. They are all incredibly talented, in different and complimentary ways, so they make a great team. It's no surprise to me that they were selected by Y Combinator on their first try.

I can't resist sharing these photos - one from three years ago, and one from last Sunday. Take a good look at those faces - they are going to go far!

Anyway, after brunch we explored Austin with Danny. We saw (parts of) the Cathedral of Junk, did some bat watching on the Congress Avenue Bridge, and tried a local brewery. We also tried to help Danny find some things needed for the new apartment, which involved trips to Costco and WalMart, both of which are a bit like foreign countries to Steve and me.

It was nice having a full day off from driving, but we had to get back on the road. Steve and I definitely plan to return to Austin for a longer visit some day.