Day 21: Free paper goggles + real showers

Austin, TX
8.21

WHERE ARE YOU?
Austin, TX

WHAT'D YOU DO TODAY?
Slow morning up. Eventually found out that we were in the MOUNTAIN TIME ZONE.

Despite the long drive ahead, we decided to stay put for a little bit to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse in its (75%) totality at Guadalupe Mountains. We were directed to a V COOL + BEAUTIFUL hike with some springs + oasis (thanks Sam) and watched the moon cover the sun as we made our way around the loop.

At the end of our hike, we climbed in our car and drooooooveeeee.

After many hours, we finally made it to Austin(!), Texas and checked in our hostel.

HOW YAH FEELIN?
A tad exhausted, but excited for our first interview in Austin tomorrow.

sahm

WHERE ARE YOU?
Big ol' Texas

WHAT'D YOU DO TODAY?
Woke up to a beautiful landscape. Texas has been a really pleasant surprise so far, it's nothing like what I imagined it to be. At all.

We stopped at the visitor center on the way out to pay for camping, and good thing we did because not only did we get glasses for the eclipse, we also got junior ranger booklets! Before leaving for the trip, we looked up the path for the eclipse and were disappointed to see that we won't be anywhere close to it on the day of. So it was a very nice surprise to hear we actually would be able to see it.

In the spirit of the eclipse we decided to stay back and do a hike in the Guadalupe Mountains. It was a beautiful hike through unexpected Texas scenery and we even got to see the eclipse which was pretty cooool.

After looking at the clock and realizing what time it was, we realized we had to leave. And we drove.....a lot.

I played some annoying music that I'm pretty sure only I enjoy, sorry guys.

And then, many hours later, we made it to Austin!!!! Woohoo!

HOW YAH FEELIN?
Tomorrow is an interview day and I'm excited to be talking to people, exploring new places, and to be out of the car.

- Dana

WHERE ARE YOU?
Texas on Texas : The mountains to good ol' Austin

WHAT'D YOU DO TODAY?
I’m into this dark camp set up, morning surprise thing.  This place is GORGEOUS. Some more great rocks. Texas really isn’t looking the way I thought it would. A whole lot of emptry space and good rocks, big ol’ rocks.

In the spirit of the eclipse, we decided to hang around and go for a hike outside Frijole Ranch. The ranger gave us the supes cool glasses and junior ranger booklets and we hit the trail. There was some good stuff: two springs (Smith and Manzanita), big rocks, fossils, an oasis, a rattlesnake. We were able to see the eclipse to just over ½ coverage. So so so cool (I didn’t think we’d see any of it…). Excited to hear how it looked in Washington/Oregon. Since the eclipse took its sweet time, so did we so we ended up leaving the park pretty late.

The we drove.

I practised spanish.

And we drove.

We’ve made it to Austin and are living it up with real showers and hella wifi (oh and free bread out the wazoo).

HOW YAH FEELIN?
REALLY SLEEPY. But loving how much we’ve gotten to enjoy the parks we’ve stayed in and loving that we’re getting to camp so often. This roadtrip’s really living up to its title.  

- sam the gamgee