For those of you following along on our rail adventure, we recently left you from a delayed train on our return ride back to the RV parked in Texas. Fear not – we eventually arrived at McGregor Station only seven hours behind schedule thanks to a debilitated freight train blocking the tracks overnight, followed by a potentially damaged bridge that required inspection before we could safely cross. The bridge, which was maybe six feet long over a ditch about four feet deep, turned out to be fine and we crossed (very slowly) without incident. As I wrote in the previous post, train travel can be convenient and relaxing but you absolutely cannot be in a hurry if you choose this method of transportation. Also, pack something to do that has the potential to entertain you for multiple hours. Some decent food and fresh water stashed in a bag wouldn’t hurt either.

We returned to the waiting RV, happy to be back “home” and looking forward to sleeping in our own bed once again. Newly formed memories of our recent visit with family and friends continued to dance through our heads as we planned our route to the Florida Keys for the winter. But before we retracted the slide, unplugged the cord, and fired up the engine, we had one more side trek to complete. Thanks to the endless generosity of my aunt in Waco, we procured a fuel-efficient borrowed car to make a short road trip through Austin to San Antonio to meet up with one of my good friends from college.

I attended Lebanon Valley College in the sleepy town of Annville, Pennsylvania. My main reason for choosing the school was for the opportunity to study saxophone with Tom Strohman and pursue a degree in business through the well-respected program offered at LVC. I met Mike through the jazz band and became friends thanks to similar interests and a shared dorm building – a likely story shared by many to some degree, I presume. We played together often, booking occasional events as a small jazz group with other musicians, holding down a recurring gig playing for waiting patrons at the local single-screen movie theater, and recording impromptu sessions in various locales throughout the campus music buildings.

While I remain an enthusiastic amateur, Mike has grown into an accomplished bass player, having pursued a career as a professional musician and recently enlisting with the US Air Force after successfully auditioning for a position with one of the Air Force bands. Although we’ve stayed in touch over the years, visiting face to face has been a constant challenge due in part to our differing geographical locations, mismatched work schedules, and general lack of free time. Now that Ashley and I are enjoying a mobile life on the road, we generally have more flexibility and time to meet friends and relatives when opportunities arise. So when we finalized our route to Florida, I got in touch with Mike to arrange a visit to San Antonio before we fired up the RV to once again hit the road.

San Antonio is a fairly easy three hour drive from Waco by car, but not necessarily a journey we’d choose to make in the RV. While we’d like to someday explore more of the Texas hill country, this trip was all about making a beeline to San Antonio to maximize our time visiting Mike and his wife Michelle, rather than trundling down the road with the RV seeking places to park overnight and new locations to explore. We did make one pit stop in Austin, but we didn’t stay long enough to get an accurate feel for the city. Our initial impression evoked a similarity to Denver, with new construction happening all over the city, congested streets, and tons of breweries and restaurants scattered amidst fancy apartment and condo complexes. We chose to stop at Lazarus Brewing on a Monday because it was one of the few breweries open that day of the week and before 4PM. Lazarus has the unique distinction of opening at 7:30AM because the location also serves coffee. It’s a brewery, coffee shop, and taco joint rolled into one relaxed location with ample indoor and outdoor seating. Locals tend to use it as a remote workspace and meeting room, as the number of active laptops spotted around the brewery could attest.

We ordered one of each breakfast taco on the menu (it was only five, don’t get excited) to share while sampling some of the available brews. The tacos were delicious, and while not authentic street tacos in the strictest sense, they were packed with flavor and loaded with ingredients. I enjoyed a beer flight while Ashley chose the nitro porter, each selection fantastic. After tacos and a brief respite from the road, we purchased three crowlers to share in San Antonio and hit the highway. If you’re passing through Austin and can only choose one brewery, Lazarus would make an excellent choice. With impressive operating hours and tons of seating (but limited parking although there is free parking a mere two blocks away), you can easily fit a visit into almost any schedule and likely find something to please most everyone in your group.

We arrived in northwest San Antonio on a drizzly gray afternoon to meet Mike and Michelle at their apartment building after work. After an evening spent catching up over dinner, music, and a game, we loosely planned the events of the next few days and turned in for the night. Mike and Michelle are members of Top Flight, the premier regional rock band of the US Air Force, and had a week-long show scheduled in town during our visit. We accompanied them to a performance and enjoyed a backstage view of the concert and a behind-the-scenes tour. I joined them for a second show later in the week to view the performance from a different vantage point in the balcony – the show was great and the audience of schoolchildren joined in with singing nearly every song. Mike and Michelle later took us on a driving tour of Lackland Air Force Base where they’re currently stationed before introducing us to their favorite Mexican restaurant for barbicoa and al pastor tacos – Taqueria Tequila Jalisco on Military Drive. Top notch and completely delicious, for sure.

San Antonio is the seventh largest city in America, home of the Alamo and the famed River Walk. I’m pretty sure it’s a requirement when in San Antonio for the first time that you get your photo taken in front of the Alamo. So we did.

Before our visit to the Alamo, we sauntered into the tavern in the Menger Hotel for a fortifying glass of whiskey since it seemed like an appropriate thing to do. The Menger boasts the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi. Bellying up to the polished wooden bar surrounded by historic photos and Western memorabilia was more of an experience than just having a drink. Built in 1887, the Menger Bar is an exact replica of London’s House of Lords Pub adorned with a paneled cherry wood ceiling, beveled mirrors from France, and the original brass spittoons provided for use by patrons from a time long past. I can only imagine what it might have felt like to walk into a fancy city saloon in the Old West, but I’m pretty sure this is as close as you could get. My photos simply can’t do it justice, so check out the decent photos online or even better, see it for yourself someday.

We later strolled through the Alamo, snapping a few photos outside (no photography allowed indoors) before wandering along a portion of the River Walk. Yes, it’s a touristy attraction but it’s a defining aspect of the city and definitely worth a visit. The weather wasn’t great, but plenty of people were still seated outside at the numerous waterfront cafes and restaurants as water trolleys puttered along the river carrying sightseeing tourists.

Since we get together so infrequently, I couldn’t pass up the chance to play with Mike when he had some free time. I broke out my mandolin and fumbled through a few songs while he humored me and laid down a solid foundation with his double bass. Michelle even succumbed to my requests and gave me a few pointers on improving my singing, since she’s a professional vocalist. I can only hope that we can all make music together again at some point in the future when we’re not pressed for time.

 

 

Even though the days spent together flew by, as is often the case in these situations, we made the most of our visit and enjoyed conversation and laughs, excursions into the city and afternoons cozily cooking at home, and catching up on recent events while making new memories. I won’t bore you with more details, but it was time well-spent and long overdue. And like any big city, there’s plenty to do in San Antonio and we barely scratched the surface. If you’re new to the city, peek into the Alamo and take a stroll along the river. You’re sure to find something of interest and if you’re lucky, you might even catch some live music or a festival taking place.

We reluctantly bid our friends a fond farewell later that week and began the interstate trek north to Waco. Armed with a ringing endorsement from Mike, we stopped in San Marcos along the way to sample the barbecue from Kent Black’s. The restaurant is located just slightly off the beaten path, tucked beside a narrow road and enveloped with the welcoming aroma of smoking meat. We’re far from barbecue experts, knowing only the very basic differences in regional styles. But we both agreed that this was the best barbecue we’ve ever had, without a doubt. Patrons order from a walk-up counter and help themselves to homemade sides set out buffet-style and priced a la cart. Barbecue is sold by weight, and you can order that way or simply ask for a slice or two and pay accordingly. We ordered fatty brisket, smoked sausages, and pork belly, along with green chile creamed corn, red cabbage with bacon, and pinto beans.

The brisket was what we’ve always been hoping for when ordering brisket, yet haven’t found until now. Well seasoned, perfectly tender, and richly smoked. I could have eaten it all day if money, my health, and sustainability weren’t considerations. It really is fantastic and something you should seek out if you like barbecue, specifically brisket. The smoked sausages were good too, as expected, and the pork belly was silky and delicious. The sides were all perfect, although Ashley wasn’t a huge fan of the creamed corn but I thought it was great and greedily emptied the little bowl. I’m still considering living in San Marcos and getting a part-time job at Kent Black’s just to eat the barbecue. Maybe they’d even let me play my mandolin and possibly sing a bit when they didn’t have a respectable musician lined up for the day. I’d even make a sign – “Will Sing for Brisket; Will Stop Singing for Pork Belly”. Everyone needs a dream.