I Warned You, More Food

After an overnight along the way we ended up in Llano, TX, why, for food obviously.  Llano is home to Cooper's BBQ, a place we have been to quite a few times over the years.  It is real Texas bbq, briskets done in wood fired pits for 14 plus hours, along with many other things, such as beef ribs, pork ribs, prime rib, huge pork chops, sausage, cabrito, etc.  Now the way it works is you line up, usually, but this visit there was no real line, but still busy.  You walk up to a pit that has all the offerings in it, and tell the man what you want and how much of it you want.  This is a racket, because no matter how careful you think you are being, you buy way, way, way too much.  But that's okay cause it makes for at least 3 meals for us.  We decided this time it was going to be mostly brisket, with a small piece of prime rib for me, and a beef rib for Jan.  He puts in on a plastic tray and then you enter the building where it is cut and weighed, you pick out your delicious cobbler, you have to:-)  Then move on and pay by the pound, then you find a seat and go get the amazing pinto beans in huge cauldrons on the side, eat yourself silly, then wrap up everything extra and take it with you.  A great experience, we highly recommend.

This picture really doesn't do this justice,
there is about 4 pounds of brisket here, juicy moist, terrific brisket

Not fancy, in the rough, but great!

Texas is in bloom right now, wild flowers everywhere, we took several rides around after replacing our truck battery:-(  When we pulled into Llano and went to unhook we found out we couldn't unlock the doors, so we actually had to use a key!!!  Then it was dead as a doornail, we asked our neighbor if he would jump us, he came right over, and we got it started, but we couldn't get the electronic transfer case to operate, fiddled and fiddled until we were able to move it enough to get it disconnected.  Since it moved, I tried to drive it a bit to see if it would fix itself, but it was actually stuck in 4 wheel low, not good, because now we can't drive it anywhere, nor tow it.  Also none of the ridiculous amount of electronic gobbly-gook worked either, caution messages all over.  After we let it idle for about an hour, I crossed my fingers and shut it off, let it sit for a bit, and restarted it, and thankfully that must have reset the transfer case so we were able to get it in 2 wheel drive, but still nothing else worked, no cameras, no climate control, caution messages, etc.  I drove over to a parts store and they had to order a battery that would come in the next day, it did and thankfully it started up and they installed it.  I started it back up and still no electronics, camera, climate, etc.  We took a several hour 100 mile ride and it still didn't come back!?!?!?  When we got back we shut it off and let it sit for a couple hours, and when we started it back up, all was well, everything restored.  Sure tells me I don't understand much about these new fangled vehicles.  Anyway, we're all set now.

We were close to Fredericksburg, so we wanted to head that way for a ride and to get some German food.  It is a town and area with German heritage, and lots of German restaurants, plus Jan wanted to go to a large grocery store there.  As we made our way through town looking for the restaurant we picked, we saw a Stetson hat store.  I have looking for a new fishing hat for some time, my original Stetson straw hat has a bunch of holes in it.  But first to lunch, we went to a place called The Auslander, and were very pleased.

Jan's bratwurst, sauerkraut, and potato salad

My Jaeger Schnitzle, pork with mushroom gravy, red cabbage, and potato salad

After lunch we walked around a bit and headed for the hat store.  I want to mention one other thing, our experience here in Texas, in fact not only here, but everywhere we have been so far this year is a return to normality, very few masks, lots and lots of people, I know for us the vaccine has given us a feeling of freedom and comfort in these situations that had always been normal until last year.  It is nice to see it.

I was even able to find a hat!

We took a roundabout way back, enjoying the views and all the flowers.  But our time here is over and westward bound we go.

The view from our campground

Jan even found time to make an awesome apple fritter coffee cake!