On our way to our first campground, we stopped in downtown Austin to have a look around and some lunch. We found a relaxing swing in front of the Children's Museum.

My boys, urban hiking in downtown Austin.

Hell called, they want their heat back!

Our little home at Inks Lake, a beautiful spread right by the water. What else could you ask for?

Our first hike of the trip was a scrambler. The landscape was amazing; Texas wildflowers and cacti as far as the eye could see. With the sun beating down on us and temperatures over 100 degrees, Marc and Lucy were panting like a couple of dogs.

The next day Mother Nature smiled on us and gave us the best gift possible, clouds. We have never been so happy to see clouds! We hiked to Devil's Waterhole where we swam with the puppies in a beautiful spring-fed pool.

We even got our first bumper sticker for our collection.

Next it's on to the Canyons in Northern Texas!

Houston, TX

We had a great time in Houston! We wanted to say thank you to our wonderful hosts JR and Courtney for making us feel at home and giving us the luxury of a real bed (and a really comfortable bed at that) for what might be the last time till Colorado.

A special thanks to Dusty for fulfilling a long standing dream of Marc's by letting him beat him in an arm wrestling match. And thanks to his wife Natalie for the much needed cheer-leading, "Let's get sexy!"

We even made it down to Galveston for the day to take in some sun, sand, and a whole lot of seaweed!

The first two days of our trip have been a success. Now it's off to Austin, where we break out the tent for the first time and the real fun begins. 

And here we go!

All packed up and ready to go. Branson West, MO to Houston, TX- the longest drive of the summer (hopefully).

First heated debate of the trip before we left with Mama and Papa Stokes. Go North to the highway or South through the hills? Highway won out, we are saving our car sickness for the Rockies!

Max and Lucy- stoked they didn't get left behind in Branson!

Rock down to...

We made it to Houston, by the skin of our teeth. And after almost being run off the road by every truck on I-45 (apparently 65 mph is not an acceptable speed in Texas), we came up with a new motto for our road trip - "If you don't like it, pass it!" 

Sounds like a bumper sticker in the making to me.