Bumming it at Barton Springs

  Austin, Texas, United States
Saturday, August 25, 2007

When I got the news that Flugtag was going to be in Austin, I was pretty excited since it was so close.  I had seen it on TV before and it was pretty dang entertaining.  So Rick and I, along with my friend Angela from work and her friend Brewer, decided to motor on over to Austin to check it out.  We got to Austin around lunchtime, and since Flugtag didn't start until 6:00 that night we had some time to burn.  Plans to go water skiing at Lake Travis with another co-worker of mine fell through, so we decided to go hang out at Barton Springs instead. 

Barton Springs

Barton Springs is a large swimming hole located in Ziker Park fed by the natural springs in Barton Creek.  It's really cool since is has natural rock walls and bottom.  It's also surrounded by a nice grassy area under these huge pecan trees.  So we unloaded our stuff in a perfect shady spot, and went for the water.  I definitely recommend just jumping in, because the water is friggin' cold!  Since it is spring fed, it is a balmy 68 degrees.  It about took my breath away when I got in, but felt good on an August Texas afternoon. The pool is full of crystal clear, blue water, and you have fish swimming at your feet.  We even saw a huge crawdad, that ran into Angela's leg and scared the crap out of her.  After a while, the water got a bit too chilly and we got out and lounged in the grass under the trees. 

So did I mention the Austin is one of the best people watching places ever?  They don't say "keep Austin weird" for nothing.  Waking into Barton springs we encountered a man hanging out in the park, and then he just busted out not one, but two bull whips.  He started cracking them and swinging them around, trying to do tricks?!  Uh, okaaaay.  Then inside Barton Springs we were treated to more Austin weirdness.  So at the pool I expected at least one guy to be in a speedo, but I was not prepared for what actually awaited.  Oh, yeah the oldest, fattest, most wrinkly guy in the place.  Oh and what he had on wasn't even a speedo; no no, think more along the lines of a g-string.  More like some shoelaces and a sock. (I can't and WON'T post that photo!) And he wouldn't just lie there either; he would get up every 15 minutes or so, jump in the pool, and come back out, and make sure you could see every nook and cranny. *Shudder* 

As if we hadn't gotten enough nudity for the day, I look over and some weird chick comes bouncing down the hill towards the pool topless.  I'm pretty sure that was illegal, not to mention inappropriate since there were tons of kids around.  (Rick didn't see her at first and I gave him a heads up.  Am I a great wife or what?)  Somehow the lifeguards never spotted her and she pranced around with her girls out for all to see.  Oh, and I almost forgot about the bongo guy.  There was this guy sitting next to the creek with this 4 foot tall bongo drum, just drumming away for hours.  You gotta love Austin.