Austin, Tx. (Pop. 984,567)

MoMo's Coffee was the last chance to redeem our impression of Del Rio. We loaded up and headed downtown, hoping this coffee shop might be something worth writing about. Of course, by now you know I can—and do—write about things that aren't always worth writing about.

We pulled up in front of the coffee shop, and it looked promising. We ordered our drinks, and they turned out to be stellar. We were definitely in the minority, as most of the patrons were of Hispanic descent. We enjoyed our time there—it had good vibes and felt like a small win for Del Rio.

Afterward, we headed out toward Austin. On the way, we passed through Uvalde—a name you might remember as the scene of the Robb Elementary School shooting in 2022, where 21 lives were tragically lost in that horrific event. As we drove past the school, we noticed a police officer stationed in a vehicle out front. The building itself was hidden behind tall black cloth barriers, likely intended to block the view and preserve some privacy.

It was deeply saddening to think that the children who attend school there now have to face those black barriers every day. The trauma of the event stole so much from them, and now even the physical beauty of their surroundings has been taken from them. I can only imagine how profoundly this experience has shaped their worldview.

In front of the school, white crosses stood, each bearing the name of a victim. It was sobering and heartbreaking. A while after we left the city, Dana did some reading and learned that murals have been painted around Uvalde in honor of each victim. We were so disappointed we hadn't known about them earlier—it would’ve been meaningful to see those murals and take a moment to reflect and remember. Although we didn’t get to see them in person, we've included a few photos we found online to share the beauty and emotion of the artwork.

We arrived in Austin around 1:30 PM and headed to Lady Bird Lake. There’s a 10-mile biking and hiking trail that loops around the lake, so we got our bikes and set out. The path was busy—lots of walkers and quite a few cyclists—so at times it was slow and a bit chaotic, weaving around people and dogs on leashes. Still, it felt good to be back on the bikes, even at a leisurely pace.

We’ll be in Austin for at least two nights. Tomorrow, we’re meeting my nephew for dinner—he recently moved here, and it’ll be awesome to catch up on his life. We’re not sure yet if we’ll head out on Sunday, but we’ve got plenty of time to decide.Read more