The Bartons visit Barton Springs, again!

A few of the Bartons at Barton Creek's edge.

Many, many years ago, on a trip to Texas, Bill took me to see Barton Springs (I don't think THESE Bartons had anything to do with the naming, but it's still a fun thing! Although apparently the first anglos that settled there were a William Barton and his family! Hmm, I wonder if they had a Scratty too?!). A refuge in the hot Austin summers, this popular spring-fed swimming hole formed when Barton Creek was dammed up. Like Balmorhea, Barton Springs just has the original, natural rock and gravel for its bottom and sides (way cooler than plaster! and speaking of cool, the water stays about 68 degrees all year - amazing that my coldwater-weenie husband could ever swim in such "frigid waters," but he did!). Also like its western cousin, you will be swimming with other entities in this pool, even if you're the only person there! All sorts of fish, eels, and turtles (including snapping turtles - oh my!) live there!

Unfortunately, this time the pool was closed for the season and being cleaned - we were just a few days too early! So the water level's lower than normal in this photo, and there are a lot fewer people than normal!!!!!!!!!

Barton Creek (below the dam).

Turtles ABOUND here!!!!!!! (Red-eared sliders in this photo)

Looking back upriver. If you were to look way down the other way, you'd see the skyscrapers of downtown Austin.

Nice walking trails on both sides of the creek.

Cruising through Zilker Park, which is where Barton Springs is located.

After our creek stop, we just mosied around Austin. There are some neat houses, with beautiful yards. I just like the look of ones like this.

And this.

Austin city streets, with the gorgeous capitol building in the background (more of that to come later...).