Austin Revisited

On the fence: Should we go home, or should we just continue driving?

We left Lake Medina about 8:00 this morning, after hugs and pictures, right behind Barb and John!

Since we took the longer route here, we decided to go back the shorter route through Dallas and Highway 30 just to be different. We will probably still take four days to get home! This gives us an opportunity to revisit Austin and see the Whole Foods Store, which is the flagship store and headquarters

Can you believe this? 18 bins of different salts and peppers!!

and the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas. No picture taking allowed, but these links have good pictures! This museum has, on permanent display, one of five Gutenberg Bibles in the states, one of 48 existing in the world. It is the first complete book printed with moveable metal type, Prior to 1454, books were either copied by hand or printed from engraved wooden blocks. It could take months or even years to complete. Also on permanent display is the "First photograph". Taken by a frenchman who experimented with photography around 1816, this photo was taken in 1826 or 1827 from a window. He set up the pewter plate with bitumen of Judea, a petroleum derivative, and left it exposed for eight hours. He removed the plate and washed it with a mixture of white petroleum and oil of lavender. it produced the image which he called helio-graphy or sun-drawing. It was really interesting.
In addition to the permanent exhibits, the center had two traveling displays we found very interesting. The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam in several different versions, shapes and sizes, including miniatures, including the smallest. You could not read it even with magnifying glass. Several other antique books were displayed. Read the news article about one of these books from the New York Times April 21, 1912.
A broad variety of black and white photographs displayed honored Frit Henle's 100th birthday. His art ranged significantly from images of 1930s and 1940s around the world, innovative nudes, famous personalities to being a major contributor to such magazines as LIFE, Harper's Bazaar, Popular Photography and U.S. Camera. He was known as "the last of the classical freelance photographers.

The state campground we stopped at is just south of Austin, at McKinney Falls State Park. After visiting Austin, we explored the park to see the falls. Click above to actually see the water falling. It has been drought time in Texas right now, so there is not enough water for the falls to even be present. It reminded me of CA with very little water. But the contrast of rock versus water and greenery was fabulous viewing.
Upper falls
The water should be coming over this rock formation, as in the picture on the link.

but it is only a trickle

you can barely see it!

Lower falls
This is where the water should be coming over

Just puddles, no falling water


Like today, we probably need to go at least 124 miles tomorrow. Our intention really is to go home. Unless of course, Paul falls off the fence!