Hey everyone!

Last weekend I was on a mini-adventure out to Georgetown, Texas. The “city” of Georgetown is cool because it’s completely powered by wind! I put city in quotes because it’s hard for me to think of it as a city after living there, especially compared to Austin. It’s pretty small, and has such a quaint, old Texas feel. I went to college out there, at Southwestern University- the oldest university in Texas. It’s about a thirty minute drive north of Austin, so it has its own distinct flavor and isn’t just a suburb of ATX.

It’s so charmingly country out there!

There is a park called San Gabriel where Scott used to ride bikes while I was busy in class (gettin’ that sociology degree) and where I used to run. I never ran too far down, and so I had no idea that San Gabriel Park went for miles and miles! The paved path goes all the way out to Lake Georgetown, where people like to fish and even paddle board.

We parked and headed out on our bikes- me on my Fairdale Flyer, Monty II, and Scott on his BMX bike. He can’t sit on his bike and stands the whole time, since it’s a BMX, and has professional hubs, so he can go MUCH faster than me even when I’m pedaling my hardest. Only at one point was I in the lead!! I don’t know why everything turns into a competition with us, anyway. Maybe it’s because we’re both the eldest children in our families, but we turn everything from leisurely bike rides to board games competitive. Haha.

The San Gabriel park is so beautiful! If you live in the area, you have to check it out.

We connected with a few other trails, I think. We were riding for over two hours, and rode a paved path with mile markers for most of it. We rode past Lake Georgetown, where people were fishing, and through another park, and out into the neighborhoods of Georgetown.

The roads were nicely flat, which made me miss living out there as a runner.

For a lot of the trail, we were riding by the river. It is so relaxing to be by the water. It just sets my mind right.

While we rode, we saw TONS of animals. Looking for animals is one of my favorite pastimes- when out on a walk, I’ll try to count how many I see. In my old neighborhood, it was hard, because I’d only see like, cats and dogs. My new neighborhood is incredible for this. But Georgetown took the cake.

We saw: chickens, birds, a heron, lizards, dozens of deer, cows, a mini horse (!!), a frog, a SNAKE in the river, ducks, dogs, large and small fish, and turtles.

At one point, I was hanging out while Scott took a work call and suddenly noticed a TINY FAWN LAYING IN THE GRASS right in front of me! I immediately fell in love. She was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. She was just chilling.

SOOOO CUTE!!!

I could barely pull myself away from looking at the baby deer.

I love the narrow bridge connecting one side of the park to the other. This is where I saw the snake in the river, right near a school of fish.

Then, we rode back out of the park and towards my alma mater! Southwestern University is a really great school- it was ranked in the top 100 best universities in the nation while I was there. It’s also really beautiful! I took a pic on the bridge like I’d always meant to as a student.

I also rode my bike across the inlaid bronze school seal, which I steadfastly avoided the whole time I attended. Legend had it, if you walked on the school seal as a student, you wouldn’t graduate. I’m not superstitious, but EVERY STUDENT walked around it!

Scott always says he feels like he’s at Hogwarts when he’s there!

Next time I want to ride out to the Randy Morrow trail, and check out Blue Hole Park. I NEVER realized all this was just outside my door while I was in college. I wasn’t in the best place mentally back then and usually spent my weekends in Austin, dreading going back to Georgetown. When I did go for runs, I’d run through the little graveyard next to my college. I wish I could go back and do things differently, but I guess we just do our best at the time. Either way, now I can’t WAIT to get back out there and ride some more gorgeous paved trails.

Do you enjoy riding bikes? It’s my fave!

-Taylor