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Remember the Ala Mode
Aug. 7th, 2007 11:57 pmIt's been a busy couple of days back. I've gotten a little behind around here, but i would like to thank everyone who took time out to journal, or comment or text message or call, etc with wishes for a happy birthday.
By now you may know Chris and I tripped down I-35 to spend a long weekend in san Antonio. It was good to see old friends and acquaintances and meet a new person or two.
It took forever to get down there. I forgot how far it was between Austin and San Antonio. We first ate lunch in Waco at a McDonalds that suddenly was full of 50 or so day-camping kids. Loud as all get out. Later we ran into the infamous Austin traffic before stopping at Cabella's in Buda to check out some waterproof sandals and the guys who shop there. We always seem to find something we like there.
Finally we got to our hotel near the airport, and napped a bit until we got the word where dinner was. The place was a huge 4 story tall Chacho's. Chacho's is hard to explain - it's fast food mexican, and just about every dish involves cheese. This one, being a Super Chacho's also had pizza. The food is closer to authentic than Taco Bell, and not as nasty as Taco Cabana. The place had different dining levels, a patio and the largest "series of tubes" playgrounds for kids that I have ever seen. the kids could climb all the way to the 4th floor if they wanted. I'm sure it takes days for parent's to get their kids out of there.
I didn't really make much of a mention of my birthday, just saying that Chris and I were coming down. The friday night thing seems to be a regular happening for the San Antonio crew. Meeting us there were Alex (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
darke), Peter (texaspenguin). Will (pressedkhakis), Scott (xkot) and Ryan (inanityscout), who I got to meet for the first time. Will said that Nate (bigbearok) was off driving himself to Pennsic in Pensylvania that weekend. most of them knew it was my birthday, but I didn't want to make a fuss. Heck, we were invading their event, not creating one for myself.
After shoving down huge plates of Nachos, and maybe a margarita or two, we moved down the road to Starbuck at the Quarry which has some hunky bearistas. We talked for a little while there on a very nice evening with live music coming from one of the nearby restaurants. It's a very nice upscale area in what used to be an actual working quarry - one where my dad worked for a time.
On Saturday Jack (adminbear) picked us up and we went off to Schlitterbahn, the country's best waterpark, which is just north of San Antonio in New Braunfels. I should have known better to go on a saturday, but we got in and got to go on some of the attractions. One of the bus attendants said their were over 40,000 people there and they almost had to turn people away as their parking lots were full (actually, she said they did tell people about the crowds and many chose to go home).
We rode some of the rafting and tubing rides and rode around each of the three lazy rivers in the place. We got on some of the body flumes and such, but after waiting for an hour and a half for one ride, and another hour for another, we tried to find things that didn't have lines. Jack hurt his ankle in one line so we had to take it easy. Still, there was lots of waling both in the parks and going in between the three different areas. It was fun, but I'd love to go when the kids, and their rude parents who were busy with the beers, aren't around.
Since Jack paid for gas, parking and lunch, we treated him to dinner at the Canyon Cafe, back in the Quarry, and all had some great steaks. We were so tired that any chance to go out for fun at ACE Weekend - some leather event going on that weekend, was certainly out.
On sunday we woke up late and checked out of the hotel, and then went to this dive that Peter was talking us about. unfortunately it was closed, so we drug Peter along to our next destination, the San Antonio Riverwalk. All three of us had our cameras in tow, and you can see my pictures HERE, Chris' much better ones HERE, and Peter's HERE.
they are both better photographers than I, and they have bigger cameras. they are also better at getting the hot guy snipage than I am. Still, I wish i had a waterproof camera because there were lost of hot guys at Schlitterbahn. There was also one of the largest displays of tattoos there. does everyone have a tattoo but me?
We had lunch with peter at one of the oldest tex-mex restaurants on the Riverwalk. We also stopped by the Alamo, because you just have to. It's small and dinky and nowhere near as impressive as history would lead you to believe.
After giving Peter a goodbye smack we got back on the road and headed back north, stopping by the Under Armour outlet in San Marcos where I picked up one of those tight, clingy shirts they make (in my size, even). I can't wait to try it out this weekend.
Otherwise we got back home late, and Chris had to wait until monday morning to spring Joey from the Kennel. All is well, just, as I said, busy, and as normal, any trip out of town is going to be busy, not restful when it's up to me. There's a little bit of tiredness to both of us this week. Still, the trip was a very good way to start up my 40's.
By now you may know Chris and I tripped down I-35 to spend a long weekend in san Antonio. It was good to see old friends and acquaintances and meet a new person or two.
It took forever to get down there. I forgot how far it was between Austin and San Antonio. We first ate lunch in Waco at a McDonalds that suddenly was full of 50 or so day-camping kids. Loud as all get out. Later we ran into the infamous Austin traffic before stopping at Cabella's in Buda to check out some waterproof sandals and the guys who shop there. We always seem to find something we like there.
Finally we got to our hotel near the airport, and napped a bit until we got the word where dinner was. The place was a huge 4 story tall Chacho's. Chacho's is hard to explain - it's fast food mexican, and just about every dish involves cheese. This one, being a Super Chacho's also had pizza. The food is closer to authentic than Taco Bell, and not as nasty as Taco Cabana. The place had different dining levels, a patio and the largest "series of tubes" playgrounds for kids that I have ever seen. the kids could climb all the way to the 4th floor if they wanted. I'm sure it takes days for parent's to get their kids out of there.
I didn't really make much of a mention of my birthday, just saying that Chris and I were coming down. The friday night thing seems to be a regular happening for the San Antonio crew. Meeting us there were Alex (
darke), Peter (texaspenguin). Will (pressedkhakis), Scott (xkot) and Ryan (inanityscout), who I got to meet for the first time. Will said that Nate (bigbearok) was off driving himself to Pennsic in Pensylvania that weekend. most of them knew it was my birthday, but I didn't want to make a fuss. Heck, we were invading their event, not creating one for myself.After shoving down huge plates of Nachos, and maybe a margarita or two, we moved down the road to Starbuck at the Quarry which has some hunky bearistas. We talked for a little while there on a very nice evening with live music coming from one of the nearby restaurants. It's a very nice upscale area in what used to be an actual working quarry - one where my dad worked for a time.
On Saturday Jack (
adminbear) picked us up and we went off to Schlitterbahn, the country's best waterpark, which is just north of San Antonio in New Braunfels. I should have known better to go on a saturday, but we got in and got to go on some of the attractions. One of the bus attendants said their were over 40,000 people there and they almost had to turn people away as their parking lots were full (actually, she said they did tell people about the crowds and many chose to go home). We rode some of the rafting and tubing rides and rode around each of the three lazy rivers in the place. We got on some of the body flumes and such, but after waiting for an hour and a half for one ride, and another hour for another, we tried to find things that didn't have lines. Jack hurt his ankle in one line so we had to take it easy. Still, there was lots of waling both in the parks and going in between the three different areas. It was fun, but I'd love to go when the kids, and their rude parents who were busy with the beers, aren't around.
Since Jack paid for gas, parking and lunch, we treated him to dinner at the Canyon Cafe, back in the Quarry, and all had some great steaks. We were so tired that any chance to go out for fun at ACE Weekend - some leather event going on that weekend, was certainly out.
On sunday we woke up late and checked out of the hotel, and then went to this dive that Peter was talking us about. unfortunately it was closed, so we drug Peter along to our next destination, the San Antonio Riverwalk. All three of us had our cameras in tow, and you can see my pictures HERE, Chris' much better ones HERE, and Peter's HERE.
they are both better photographers than I, and they have bigger cameras. they are also better at getting the hot guy snipage than I am. Still, I wish i had a waterproof camera because there were lost of hot guys at Schlitterbahn. There was also one of the largest displays of tattoos there. does everyone have a tattoo but me?
We had lunch with peter at one of the oldest tex-mex restaurants on the Riverwalk. We also stopped by the Alamo, because you just have to. It's small and dinky and nowhere near as impressive as history would lead you to believe.
After giving Peter a goodbye smack we got back on the road and headed back north, stopping by the Under Armour outlet in San Marcos where I picked up one of those tight, clingy shirts they make (in my size, even). I can't wait to try it out this weekend.
Otherwise we got back home late, and Chris had to wait until monday morning to spring Joey from the Kennel. All is well, just, as I said, busy, and as normal, any trip out of town is going to be busy, not restful when it's up to me. There's a little bit of tiredness to both of us this week. Still, the trip was a very good way to start up my 40's.
