Mighty friendly folks here in Blanco!

Texas is big. I know, surprise, surprise. You can drive for hours and never leave the state. So where can you go for a quick weekend get away? A place that takes both no time at all to get to, but gets you away from the daily grind? There are many places in and around San Antonio, Austin and Houston that both natives and visitors can get to with relative ease. Blanco, Texas is one such town. Nestled in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, this quant little town boasts quite a lot of history, beautiful landscape and fun things to do. Rivers, hills and lots of antique shopping. Plenty for everyone. For those who also partake in the pleasures of a American craft beer, Blanco is also home to the Real Ale Brewing Company.

Read More »

Main street. Picture courtesy of pittravel.com

When I was wondering what I would do on the Fourth of July, I of course had fireworks, grillin’ and fun with family and friends. The opportunity arose to take a training rise with my cycling team in and around Fredericksburg, Texas. I suddenly thought ‘wow, riding through the Hill Country on the Fourth of July’. The town of Fredericksburg as we know it today was originally settled in 1845 as a second settlement to that of New Braunfels, Texas by John O. Meusebach and within a few years had a thriving population of around 1,000 settlers. Houses were built, stores sprouted up and oh what fun they had! The area was perfect for their needs. Plenty of water, atone of trees. All was set.

Over the last 150 or so years since it started, Fredericksburg has seen a lot of growth. It even started the first celebrated county fair in Texas. With the advent of the San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern Railway in 1913, the town was no longer just a quaint little town for those in the know. The town was headed for more and more growth.

With arriving on the Fourth of July, I was in for a treat. After getting 40 miles of cycling in around the area, I needed lunch and a place to watch the annual Fourth of July parade. Knowing where I wanted to go, I headed over to The Fredericksburg Brewing Company.

Read More »

The Wimberley Brewing Co

Texas is a big place. I know.. you are shocked. So would it be any surprise to find that their is a little town tucked away in the Texas Hill Country, known as Wimberley? I thought not. Although Wimberley, Texas was home to many Native American tribes over the last several thousand years, it wasn’t until the mid 1800′s after Texas won its independence and received statehood in 1845 that we first see a written record. Wimberley has remained small over the last 150 years or so and certainly not lost its Hill Country charm. Located within a two hour drive of both San Antonio and Austin, Texas, it has quite a lot to see and enjoy. For the spring and summer, you can enjoy their market days; head over to nearby Cypress Swimming Hole in Woodcreek. Much of the area remains unchanged over the years from its humble origins.

A sign of the times however is the recent addition of the Wimberley Brewing Company. The self-proclaimed smallest micro-brewery in Texas has a down home feel, hand-crafted ales and pure Texas hospitality.

Read More »

These days San Antonio, Texas is quite the vacation destination for many people. We’ve hosted both the men’s and women’s NCAA Final Four; tear up the town each year with Fiesta; and then there’s the world famous Riverwalk. When traveling, I think most of us look to hit the tourist spots, see as much as we can of what we think we are supposed to when visiting a new city. While I love that philosophy, you really can’t go to Rome and not see the Vatican, I firmly believe in living like a local when on vacation.

San Antonio, Texas has many historical areas of town, many dating back two to three hundred years: The Missions, San Fernando Cathedral and of course The Alamo. Not quite as well known outside of San Antonio, but just as historic, is the King William District. The  area started as farmland, getting it’s water from the San Antonio River, owned by the 1718 Mission San Antonio de Valero. In the  the 1800′s each of the missions were controlled by the Catholic Church. One of the missions, Mission Concepcion, was divided into various pieces in the mid-1800′s, creating what became the King William District.  Although not around quite as long yet, the King William District is now home to a restaurant that everyone can call their own; The Friendly Spot.

Read More »