Bike Friendly Austin and Mellow Johnny's

I've finally recovered from my trip to Austin over the New Year weekend. I've never eaten so much comfort food or felt so deprived from the lack of biking this past weekend. There were

moments where I had to catch the drool spilling over my bottom lip not only from the delicious (but totally unhealthy) food in front of me but also due to the presence of bikes. They were everywhere from the most secluded of highways to the busiest roads with ricochets just littering the hipster side of town. If there's one thing I learned about Texas, if they like something, it's serious business. Food, football, biking, it's legit.

2010 started off with the ultimate question, "Have you ever had meat sweat?" Um, meat sweat!? Apparently, it's what happens when you BYOB and eat Salt Lick BBQ. It's the sensation you get when you eat so much good BBQ that you sweat it out from your pores and reek like the deliciousness your stomach is having a heck of a time digesting. Don't worry folks, this wasn't all I had to eat--this plate was my "appetizer." I ate plenty more after this plate. How could I not? It's all you can eat! Topped off with the best blackberry cobbler a la mode I have ever had!! (I would seriously fly back just for the blackberry cobbler......) The rest of the day--well it was a blur. Exhausted from a late night of drinking and eating as much as I could....

In order to feel a little less guilty about stuffing my face with Salt Lick, we walked around downtown Austin and of course I started taking pictures of all the bike racks and bikes that were around. Check it out. It's a Specialized even in Lance's hometown! :) I do have to say that I'm pretty disturbed with the lock up job of the bikes below. I guess Austin is way friendlier and bikes don't get stolen as often as they do in LA?

Next stop was Chuy's. Their awesomeness of the queso matched the cheesy decoration. I'm now hungry for Chuy's as I write this....

And of course Mellow Johnny's was awesome. I was grinning ear to ear at all the cool stuff Lance has in his shop and spent a limb to buy way too much merchandise. Here's a video of my journey to my mecca:

The damage (this picture doesn't even include everything I got that day...yikes):

Of course after all that shopping and eating, I had to relax with one of these from the cafe adjacent to his shop:

Next time I go back to Austin (because I will go back), I'll need to take my bike with me. The roads are so rideable...It's now on my bucket list of things to do. What better way to justify eating all that goodness than to bike it off in a (bike) friendly city? Anyone else want to join me?

Oh, and one last thing, special thanks to Jordan and Shirley for making my Austin experience. :)