![\"Cold](\"http:\/\/blog.keloland.com\/lund\/files\/2014\/04\/texas-trip-speedway-sunday-cold.jpg\")
<\/a>Cold and rainy..waiting for the thumbs up or down on the race.<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>An optimistic selfie from our seats at the fourth turn.<\/p><\/div>\n
After sitting in the stands for about three hours, watching track dryers fail to get the job done, we all got word that the race was postponed till Monday. So, after inching our way back to the motel in a world class traffic jam, we returned the next day for the actual race.<\/p>\n
<\/a>That’s Joanie’s hand waving for her favorite driver Tony Stewart who led early but faded to tenth.<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>It turned out to be a nice day for racing Monday.<\/p><\/div>\n
We all agreed it was a great experience but really kind of a boring because there wasn\u2019t much action. \u00a0The day was soured too by the huge traffic jam that followed. Trying to inch our way through agonizingly slow traffic to our motel in Waco was so frustrating that we finally just had to laugh.<\/p>\n
We made up for it the next day on a toll road to San Antonio where the speed limit was 85 which, of course, means 90. So we really loosened Big Red’s reins and arrived in short order to our beautiful hotel..The DruryPlaza..right on the famous Riverwalk.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The view from our suite<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>What a suite bunch.<\/p><\/div>\n
It was built as the Alamo National Bank in the Art Deco era and beautifully restored into the hotel.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The weather was spectacular; perfect for a riverboat cruise.<\/p>\n The tower built for the 1968 worlds fair as seen from the river boat.<\/p><\/div>\n Just a lovely view. In fact our room had a painting of this very vista.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n A fellow passenger volunteered to take our picture.<\/p><\/div>\n Those familiar with Drury Inns know that guests receive three free cocktails daily as well as a huge hot buffet during happy hour and for breakfast.<\/p>\n We made sure to take advantage in order to justify the room rates which were a bit spendy\u00a0 but with four of us in one suite it wasn\u2019t too bad if you don\u2019t mind the noise. I didn\u2019t notice it but others mentioned I might have snored slightly.<\/p>\n Speaking of spendy, Linda and I decided to splurge for dinner one evening and found a place right downtown called The Palms. It\u2019s just what Linda wanted; an outside table, a delicious Texas steak and red wine. Perfection.<\/p>\n The filet looks a little rare to my liking but it tasted great. Heck, I even tried mussels on this trip.<\/p><\/div>\n We figured that walking is over rated so we boarded the double decker bus with hop on hop off privileges and took the San Antonio City tour. Great fun. Well, take a look.<\/p>\n First stop was the old market where Joanie and Denny tried on hats.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Drinks at La Margarita came with entertainment. At a price, of course.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Seeing the Alamo tucked in among all the big buildings comes as kind of a shock to some.<\/p>\n Linda has 7 brothers and sisters..three of whom live in the Austin area..so we\u2019ve been making sure they don\u2019t have a chance to escape seeing us. Our first stop was in Lyndon\u00a0B. Johnson\u2019s backyard; Horseshoe Bay, Texas. A man made lake near MarbleFalls that uses water from the Colorado River to power generators at a few dams and provides lots and lots of incredible water side real estate for filthy rich oil barons. \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Tom and Cynthia Tucker (Cyn is Linda\u2019s sister) are residents but are also the exception. They live on pensions from careers in electronics and nursing not big oil.<\/p>\n Tom and Cynthia’s patio view. Spent a lot of time chatting and imbibing here.<\/p><\/div>\n They don’t live directly on the water but do have a pontoon boat docked at the Marina which Captain Tucker took us aboard for a memorable ride around the huge man made lake for a look-see at all the high falootin mega million dollar homes bought and paid for every time you fill ‘er up at the gas pump.<\/p>\n Captain Tom Tucker at the helm appears to have been caught in mid yawn but I think he’s just providing informative narration to his South Dakota passengers.<\/p><\/div>\n ( \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 That’s Cynthia on the left and Joanie on the right.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We docked across the lake where Linda’s brother Chad and his wife Lisa have a home. We were joined for cocktails by Linda’s other sister, Shelle and nephew, Jordon. Just a terrific afternoon.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>