In conjunction with Dave's 2010 Bum Tour, The Time is Now Tour seeks participant hosts to become part of a documented "trail of accomplishments." Invite Dave to visit, and then it's time to take action! As you--and possibly your spouse, significant other, family member, or friend--set about your undertaking, I'll join along as either an observer or participant. All experiences will be captured in writing and collected for future publication. Some experiences will be captured in pictures and/or video, also for possible publication.

You've got something you've been wanting to do or try, right? Maybe it's something grand like bungee jumping, sky diving, or white water rafting. Maybe it's something a little less extreme like visiting a museum or hiking a trail. It's even possible that you've just been wanting to try out a new (or new-to-you) restaurant or cook a new dish at home. However grand the idea, Dave is saying the time is now!

If you would like to be a part of this fantastic trail of accomplishments, just contact me and include your idea and the location.

IMPORTANT NOTES: Dave's "The Time is Now" Tour will not be providing any funding toward your endeavor, but Dave will pay his own way as a participant wherever applicable. Hosting expectations are outlined in Dave's 2010 Bum Tour "note" on Facebook, or contact Dave directly for details.

Following the Tour

As dates and locations are added to the tour, they will be posted to this calendar. Blog posts will periodically chronicle tour stops and adventures. Go to August 2010 to see the current schedule.

Tour Schedule

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Austin/San Marcos, TX (August 17-19)

On Tuesday (August 17), I departed Pulaski Tech for Austin, TX. I decided to play Jimmy Buffett tunes the entire way (I have almost 400 tracks on the iPod). The trip was uneventful, which is always good news. Thanks to Garmin, I passed through many small towns in northeast Texas along a state highway, avoiding Dallas traffic at rush hour. I did stop for soft serve at a Dairy Queen on the way, which was a wonderful break. I arrived at Janice and David's house around 9pm, and Janice treated me to that evening's dinner: pad thai noodles--yum! We enjoyed some conversation for the evening and chatted about possible activities for the next day (with no real decision). I also met the dogs, Lucky and Heidi.
Lucky, the dog
On Wednesday morning, after David went to work, Janice and I developed a plan for the day. We put together a loose plan, including Mt. Bonnell, eating from a street vendor cart, and floating the San Marcos River. We started with Mt. Bonnell, overlooking Lake Austin and the Colorado River valley. This is another stop on the "time is now" tour since it was a first for Janice. Reaching the summit involved a car ride to a parking area, and a short but steep trek up a stone staircase. The view of the valley (and the ridiculously extravagant homes) was spectacular, and the various outcrops along the rock ledge provided exhilarating points for photography.

Staircase to Mount Bonnell
Summit of Mt. Bonnell
View from Mt. Bonnell
View from Mt. Bonnell
Me & Janice at Mt. Bonnell
Crazy-ass drop into crazy-wealthy homesteads
Next stop was David's office in San Marcos, and then lunch. We did not have time for the street vendor, so we ate at the River Pub and Grill on the San Marcos River (it turns out this was a second time for me--I ate there several years ago). After lunch, we stopped at the grocery for beer and went on to Jennifer's house (Janice's sister). We geared up for an afternoon on the river and then headed to Don's Fish Camp in Martindale. This was another new experience for both Janice and me. I'll save the details for some more…creative?…writing, but suffice it to say we had a fabulous 3-hour float on the San Marcos River. The river is spring fed, maintaining an average temperature of 72F degrees year-round. Sorry--no pictures--too difficult while floating on tubes.

After the float, we changed back into our clothes at Jennifer's, and then Janice and I headed back to the house to meet David and head out to dinner. We went to Trudy's Tex-Mex Restaurant and Bar, where I enjoyed scrumptious (and spicy) beef fajitas and absolutely amazing cheesecake flan!

That was pretty much the Austin/San Marcos leg of the tour. I went to bed that night falling into a food-induced coma. Right before I went to sleep, though, I did book a hotel room in De Funiak Springs, FL for Thursday night.

On Thursday morning, I packed up, said my goodbyes, and hit the road for Florida with my good friends, Garmin and Jimmy Buffett.
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