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LBJ National Historical Park

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the colder months are definitely a hindrance to getting out and seeing something new when we are confined to a days drive from austin. once the waters cool our places to go are basically cut down by at least half, if not more. in the summer heat it's easy, not sure where to go, head to the nearest swimming hole and you're set for the weekend. 

we've passed the lyndon b johnson national historical park numerous times in our travels but were always on our way somewhere further west, this weekend we finally made it the focal point of our day.

the day was spent wandering around the ranch, farm and historical buildings before heading a little further west to check out old tunnel state park.

Field Trip - Hill Country

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it's nearing the end of november and the sun is still beating hard on texas, and although we'd love to enjoy some cooler weathered hikes, we couldn't pass up the opportunity this past weekend to enjoy the heat. 

with no real destination in mind we just meandered through hill country taking in the sights and pulling over to explore if something caught our eye. 

around the highland lakes, through the town of llano, and finally ending up on the banks of the colorado river. we had not planned on swimming, but after a day running around under the sun the water was calling our names.

 

 

Texas National Forests

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small towns and big trees lined the farm roads as we made our way through the national forests of east texas. most of our travels lead us west where the landscape goes from desert to red rocks and back again, beautiful scenery for sure, but all in different shades of brown. the green of the towering pines and the occasional yellow or orange spot of autumn foliage were a welcome change for the weekend.

we spent the day exploring davy crockett, sabine, and angelina forests before making a quick jaunt across the toledo reservoir into louisiana. even though taylor was feeling a bit under the weather, our plan was to find a spot to camp in one of the forests. but after six hours in the car we decided that sleeping in a tent in the chilly fall air would be a little too much. 

so we turned right around and headed home. twelve hours of driving for a few hours of exploring may seem like a little much to some, but we enjoyed every second of it.

Caprock Canyons, Texas

after a much needed hiatus from traveling and camping, the allure of the road came calling this past weekend. a month away from what has come to define us, in our own eyes and the eyes of others, gave us a new perspective on the future direction of our travels.

the drive, the park, the trails and the sights of this past weekend were all familiar to us, we've made this exact trip twice before, but the feeling within us was new and exciting. we are learning that the beauty of all our travels this past year comes not from the places we've been, but instead from the fact that we were able to experience them together. 

Field Trip - Sunrise at Enchanted Rock

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an early morning alarm wakes me from my slumber, in my groggy state i make some coffee and head out into the darkness. two hours west through the texas hill country to enchanted rock state park, and just as i pull into the parking lot the first glimpses of sun begin to kiss the giant granite formation. i hustle up the rock and make it to the top right as the sun fully shows itself over the eastern horizon. i sit in solitude, snapping photos and taking in the sweeping views amidst a whipping morning wind. 

i make my way over to the "caves" which are actually just passage ways created by massive boulders when i run into a group of early morning rock climbers. we exchange pleasantries before going our separate ways.

as the park begins to fill up i head back down enchanted rock and up turkey peak directly across from where i just stood. upon reaching the top i again sit in solace watching, from a distance, the hoards of people making their way up the rock. 

i spend several hours rambling around the park, watching the sun illuminate the land. and before the heat of the texas summer begins to pick up i am already on my way home. 



Field Trip - Inks Lake State Park

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 texas never ceases to amaze us. 

with the water levels of our normal haunts forever dwindling we set out in search of something new.

driving through the winding roads of the texas hill country we came to a vista and before us lay inks lake, one of the bigger bodies of water we've seen in the past few years. surprisingly this lake is almost untouched by the multiple year drought that we are currently in the midst of. 

boats, canoes and kayaks making their way through the middle of the lake, swimmers lining the shores, and tree covered peaks in the distance. it was actually a scene quite reminiscent of lake winnipesaukee in new hampshire where we both grew up. 

we made our way to devil's waterhole where we spent the afternoon jumping off the surrounding cliffs and basking in the big texas sun. 

 inks lake is only an hour outside of town and yet this was our first time there, it is truly inspiring and surprising that texas has so much to offer. even after two years full of exploration there is still so much of this big state that we have yet to discover and experience.