A Weekend with the Family

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

This past weekend we drove to Kyle to attend Kaylee and Garrett’s (our grandchildren) Band O’Rama Fund Raiser dinner for their marching band, attend the football game to watch both play and then a lunch with the other two sets grandparents (all visiting for the weekend), daughter and family and us at a place called the Salt Lick. Quite a place.

Kaylee in her band uniform.  We think she's adorable. 

We elected to stay in a hotel rather than have to pack up the RV which we had done two weeks ago on our way to Livingston, drive 90 miles for a night and then return the next day.  Hotel appeared on line to be a decent place at a decent price for the area (we all know how different pictures can be from the real thing), but we were not prepared for the stripped down room we found.  If we had known we could find another place, we would have done so, but hotels were at a premium for the weekend due to events occurring in downtown Austin even though San Marcos is a good 40 miles south.  We made the best of it, but elected not to partake of the continental breakfast included in our room rate.  Can’t imagine why we did that!  There is a great I-HOP located in Kyle where we had breakfast.

We met up with the rest of the family for an early lunch at a place called Salt Lick which is located out in the country in a town called Driftwood where this cute old station is located.

The restaurant opened in 1967 located on what was once a ranch where the owner was born with the buildings made of locally quarried limestone.  The owner’s wife was of Hawaiian heritage that inspired the sweet barbeque sauce used in the restaurant.  Today the Salt Lick is owned by the son of the original owners.  The primary cuisine is beef, sausage and pork ribs. 

Kaylee, brother Garrett and Dad Kyle enjoying dinner

Ron and daughter Laurie

There is also a banquet facility and an open pavilion located along the Onion Creek as well as the original mansion built by the owner and used for parties, weddings and the business offices.  A huge dirt parking lot is available for parking.  Live entertainment is also provided at times.  This cute phone booth was also found on the property.

We arrived around 11:30 a.m. and were seated immediately even though there were 10 of us, but arriving after noon, means you stand in line and have quite a wait even though the facility is very large. 

Just inside the door to the main dining room, you pass the huge pit where all the meat is cooked. 

You can order individually off the menu or order at a set price per person family style with an all you can eat meat (you specify the kind you want), rolls, potato salad, cole slaw, cowboy beans, and dessert (large cobblers served with ice cream in a soup bowl).  If you want other than tea and soft drinks, you can purchase them at the Salt Lick Cellars located next door and bring it into the dining room.  The Cellars sells locally made wine and Texas beers.  A delicious, very filling meal with family and a nice way to spend the weekend.

Ron and I left after lunch since the restaurant is a good 15 miles from Kyle and on our way back to Kerrville.  We noticed outside Fredericksburg on our way to Kyle that Trade Days was occurring this weekend and decided we would stop on our return home.

While many of you have attended large flea markets like we have in Albuquerque or may have been to the Mesa Marketplace in Mesa, you ain’t seen nothin’ til you’ve been to Trade Days (held once a month every month of the year for  Friday, Saturday and Sunday).  This is basically a flea market of used merchandise as well as vendors selling new and located on several acres of  grassy open fields with security people directing traffic first to the ticket booth ($5 per car) and then to a particular part of the field where you can park.  It is huge like everything else in Texas

After parking we walked up the dirt hill and through some grass to where the vendors were located.  Very rustic long barns with tin roofs (not sure just how many since we didn’t cover the entire area), outdoor booths with canopies or not, live music, and many other buildings, etc. make up this facility.  If you want it, they probably have it somewhere.  

There were even some vicious looking long horn cattle reclining behind a fence behind one of the  buildings.  I don't think they were for sale, however.

After our large lunch and walking around for over an hour or more, we were tired and retreated to our car for the remainder of our journey back to Kerrville.  I’m looking forward to attending this event again while we are here though Ron may decide to stay home.  It is about 35 miles  from where we are.  Not much different from driving to Santa Fe for an afternoon but much prettier countryside along two and four lane highways.   

Signing off til the next venture.