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In lieu of being Earth Day, what better way to celebrate than to share some of God's splendid handiwork we stumbled upon over the weekend.
Saturday morning we met up with our friends who actually initiated this Austin trip and we found ourselves at Hank's for brunch. If anyone knows the Jackson's, they know we are the best 'taste testers' in all of Texas. But props to our gal pal, Denise who found this delightful little restaurant!
This cute, neighborhood cafe was exactly what we were looking for. The restaurant was bright, clean and simple. The grounds were much larger than expected but the elongated patio definitely gave it away. When you stepped inside, a gorgeous coffee shop was on the right, and on the left, seating for all. We enjoyed our brunch outdoors on the elegant patio but we were already on the look out for things to do for the rest of the gorgeous day! So, we paid our tab and we were back on the road.
Unfortunately, our friends had to get back to Houston so we decided to take a few minutes to decide where we would be spending the reminder of the day and what better place than a coffee shop to make definitive plans! We stopped in at Mazama Coffee Company in Dripping Springs to plan out the rest of the day.
Tucked away on the strip of Mercer street, this coffee shop made every dream come true! When you opened the door, the fresh scent of coffee beans rushed playfully into your nose. The ladies behind the counter were an absolute delight. Everyone laughed and thoroughly enjoyed working behind the counter. We instantly felt like we were home with this type of loving treatment. We sipped our hot tea and vanilla latte, and found out the two options we had planned out were already booked up. Dan decided to wing it and began looking for scenic options for us since it was such a magnificent day. Within minutes he says, "I know where we're going!"
We packed up tasty beverages and we made our way to Milton Reimer Ranch in the Travis County area. Unfortunately, I did not bring one, single pair of hiking materials with me for the weekend. It was completely out of character but we laughed it off and decided to coin our new adventure, Spontaneous Hiking! And guess what? It was absolutely gorgeous!
The air was crisp and every wildflower swayed to and fro. Butterflies, lizards and crickets jumped and flew dodging one another along the paths. The clear blue-green Pedernales River water trickled down the side of the hiking trails where you could hear girls giggling along the bank. Thankfully the grounds were not crowded, allowing Daniel and I to enjoy the scenic views and peek into the deep, dark canyons.
They had plenty of seating along the trails but I still do not recommend hiking in cute, white Converse! The terrain options are both gravel for light walks as well as moderate hiking for those looking to climb a little. They also offer rock climbing, mountain biking and fishing so we will definitely be coming back soon.
Though this hiking trip was not planned, it was perfect. If anyone is looking for a cheap adventure, this is where to find it. This little gem is hidden away because of the popular travel bugs around town but those of you looking for a calm, peaceful walk or an adventurous climb, check out Reimer's Ranch! This is a perfect place for day trip for a romantic picnic or a serene area for swimming with friends. It's a bit off the beaten path but worth the trip over to Dripping Springs!
Happy Earth Day folks!
