Enchanted Rock

Last Friday, I drove to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, about an hour and a half northwest of Austin--my final summer excursion. Maybe. Today, five days later, was my last first day of school ever. Maybe.

Hiking to the top of the 425-foot pink granite batholith rewards visitors with an expansive 360-degree view of Texas Hill Country. Beneath the burning sun and chandelier clouds, it's one of the most beautiful places in Texas. Not dramatic, but constant and solid. Parched, but with flora stingy enough to survive the oppressive summer heat.

I first scrambled up the gradual peak of Enchanted Rock itself. The roughly-marked trail is less than a half-mile so I continued through Echo Canyon then around Little Rock. The temperature was pushing 100, but that's the only way to fully experience the desert's arid allure.

After wandering for a few hours, I drove 30 minutes south to Fredericksburg, a touristy German town with folksy shops and overpriced wineries. I did one brief wine tasting, but was more impressed with the clear glass bottles than the dull, watery wine. A shop with hot sauce and various other condiment tasting opportunities on Main Street proved much tastier.