One Extra Day in Austin, TX

I have lived in Austin over 15 years and I am glad I am not the only one who noticed the change from a great place to a poser town. Hipsters have overrun the town (I should know, I work with some), tie-dye T-shirts everywhere, great food places being replaced with Chinese buffets and taco trucks, it simply isn't the same place it used to be.
And the traffic quote of the 3-lane road is perfect.
The Austin City Council decided not to expand roads in an initiative "If we don't build them, they won't come". Oh boy were they wrong. I think they should have put down the doobie and open their eyes.

Word of caution: if you plan on driving in Austin, there is a new city ordinance (stared January 2015) that drivers are not allowed to manipulate cellphones, tables, laptops or other devices while in motion. You can text or talk when stopped.

Btw, I too am based out of Austin Executive (kind of far for you from downtown) and I would offer a ride if the weather is nice but I will be working all next week, usually until sundown. If you would care for an after-sunset tour of Austin or the surrounding (flat brown dirty) area, you are welcome to ride with me too.
Or we could have a PoA fly-out one night, if anybody wants to organize one.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Austin Exec is staffed with some great people.
We landed and they treated us like royalty. Really good experience at that airport.
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They are great ...

BigBadLou said:
I have lived in Austin over 15 years

Btw, I too am based out of Austin Executive .
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Is there ANY way to land Austin EXEC and not have to be hit with the toll fees? I fly up there to visit as my child is at UT. I end up getting toll road bills from 3 different entities everytime I land Austin Exec. I don't land Bergstrom due to the $40 daily fee. Lakeside also has a landing fee (waived one time per month with fuel), but its a little far.
 
I don't recall getting hit w/ fees.
Maybe cause I filled the tanks :dunno:
 
danhagan said:
Is there ANY way to land Austin EXEC and not have to be hit with the toll fees?
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Yes. Do not get on the toll road (duh, rihgt? :) ) ... but instead continue under it SWbound on Cameron, turn right at the stop sign to stay on Cameron. Once you get to Parmer Lane, you can either take a right and it will take you to I35 or you can continue straight until you hit Hwy290 where you can turn right and continue toward UT.
Or if you have a smart GPS, you can type in your destination and select "no toll roads" in the options.

danhagan said:
I end up getting toll road bills from 3 different entities everytime I land Austin Exec.
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That's Austin for ya. All those "Keep Austin Weird" upside-down bumpers stickers are good for something. :)
 
This is great, I would enjoy a POA get together on Tuesday night if folks are interested! Thanks for all the information and offers, KenJr & Shane. I find it interesting that we have a couple of IT vendors based in Austin and I'll be at a credit union security conference there as well.

As for weather, well National WX service just piped in on my hand-held radio with a weather alert and just 5 minutes ago it was a white-out. Current temp is a balmy 14* with a wind chill of -2 and the sun is still up. Hopefully your weirdness is better than that.
 
Currently 63F in Austin, sunny. Forecast calls for 76 this weekend but then another cold front sweeps across, dropping temperatures to 50's. Tuesday is expected to be in mid 50's with plenty of sunshine, Wednesday 60F with sporadic clouds. Should be a great day for flying!
If I can get ahold of my T-6 buddy, you might receive a PM with an offer you cannot refuse. (I promise no horse heads)
 
I sure wish all the people complaining about Austin would stop visiting! It's crowded enough and we like it just the way it is!
 
danhagan said:
They are great ...



Is there ANY way to land Austin EXEC and not have to be hit with the toll fees? I fly up there to visit as my child is at UT. I end up getting toll road bills from 3 different entities everytime I land Austin Exec. I don't land Bergstrom due to the $40 daily fee. Lakeside also has a landing fee (waived one time per month with fuel), but its a little far.
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Yes, there is a back way out of KEDC to town:

 
danhagan said:
They are great ...



Is there ANY way to land Austin EXEC and not have to be hit with the toll fees? I fly up there to visit as my child is at UT. I end up getting toll road bills from 3 different entities everytime I land Austin Exec. I don't land Bergstrom due to the $40 daily fee. Lakeside also has a landing fee (waived one time per month with fuel), but its a little far.
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Land at KGTU, park for way less (not sure exactly but it's certainly not anywhere near $40) and probably about the same distance to downtown (maybe a bit more...and not fun if you are driving down I-35 in rush hour traffic...) as you are driving from out on the tollway. Super friendly folks, easy self-serve gas that's usually much cheaper than Austin Exec and WAY cheaper that KAUS. Right now KGTU has the cheapest gas in the area and is usually on 2nd to KAQO in Llano, but even lately Llano hasn't been able to keep the same price...presumably because we're going through 100LL faster at KGTU. The 100LL price got down to $3.25 when the pump gas was down in the $1.50 range here...but slowly climbing back up. Hard to find pump gas under $2.00 now. Funny how the crude prices haven't climbed all that much but in a matter of a few weeks the gas jumped .50/gallon.

Oh well, better than when it was almost $6/gal for 100LL about this time last year...
 
Lowflynjack said:
I sure wish all the people complaining about Austin would stop visiting! It's crowded enough and we like it just the way it is!
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Would you happen to have a cure for hipsters who keep voting Austin #1 place to live? If they stopped doing that, hopefully other hipsters wouldn't move here.
Heck, even Simpsons did an episode no hipsters ruining cities. :lol:
 
I am sick of seeing Austin on all the lists and then everyone acting like it so great......
 
Let me know about next Tuesday, I'd be game for meeting up.
 
Goodness, I didn't realize how many other people we have from Austin here.

I second Louie Mueller in Taylor for brisket. I like Southside Market in Elgin for sausage. You have to order it "dry" though, or else you'll have grease all over your shirt by then end of the meal. I'm actually a pretty big fan of Salk Lick in Round Rock for their pork ribs. Cooper's in Llano is overpriced and terrible, but I'm spoiled from the Cooper's that used to be in Round Rock.

I've been in Round Rock for 27 years and have been to Austin for recreation probably less than 15 times. It's not worth the aggravation to get there, navigating through the 10,000 people once you're there, and driving 40 minutes back home.

Austin Executive is spectacular. If I had a plane I'd look to put it out there.

It'd be great if we had a POA get together down here, I'd attend.
 
narchee said:
Meh. So what about the earlobes. I'm sure in your day there were some old codgers complaining about your style too. Disclaimer: My earlobes are intact. :D
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Nothing against it in itself. It was just something funny I heard and I started noticing the correlation... again maybe they're just trying to look dirty and poor and that's the thing...
 
Another Austinite checking in. Tons of great restaurants and things to do downtown... no need to go elsewhere to keep busy IMO. But if you do fly out, KEDC is amazing!
 
Too late. I work for a company that builds Apple products. Once they moved to town it was all over... maybe long before that, but it's locked in now for sure.

BigBadLou said:
Would you happen to have a cure for hipsters who keep voting Austin #1 place to live? If they stopped doing that, hopefully other hipsters wouldn't move here.
Heck, even Simpsons did an episode no hipsters ruining cities. :lol:
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N2124v said:
Let me know about next Tuesday, I'd be game for meeting up.
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It sounds like we have started something here! :)

Turns out, wife needs to be in New Braunfels on Tuesday nigh and she sure as he** does not want to drive through pot-smoke filled South Austin during the 4-hour rush-hour. So it seems I will be flying her. And then I'm free.

We could definitely fly up to Taylor or someplace.

Who wants to take a lead on this one, gentlemen?
 
I'd love to attend an Austin meetup Tuesday night. I've been in Austin since 1980 but living in Argentina for the last year, and I'll be back visiting tomorrow. I'm willing to help arrange it if necessary... just tell me what general part of town.

Also I'm flying an L-39 jet Monday morning in Santa Fe, so I'll have a story to tell (assuming I live through it). Earlobes intact.
 
I'll be happy to take the lead. If everyone who wants to get involved will email me at shoop96@gmail.com I'll get a string going and we can make a plan.
 
camel said:
Also I'm flying an L-39 jet Monday morning in Santa Fe, so I'll have a story to tell (assuming I live through it). Earlobes intact.
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How in the world did you score a ride in an Albatros?? Not many of them in this country but plenty more in Europe.
I will be thinking of you on Monday (full of jealousy, of course).
 
Dang... The one week I'm out of town and a GTG in Austin starts up... I'm actually down in Sugar Land but I regularly fly up to EDC (Austin Exec). It's one of my favorite airports (and my wife's sister lives in Pf'ville). Oh, well. I'll have to catch the next one.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
BigRed
GOOD LUCK finding a hangar within 90 minutes of Austin.
Executive stopped taking names for their wait list at 50.
Taylor is at 69
Georgetown hasn't had a hangar open up in years
I checked from Temple/Kileen to Smithville, Granger with nothing open

Found a fantastic Bonanza but will not tie any plane down outside
 
MD11Pilot said:
BigRed

GOOD LUCK finding a hangar within 90 minutes of Austin.

Executive stopped taking names for their wait list at 50.

Taylor is at 69

Georgetown hasn't had a hangar open up in years

I checked from Temple/Kileen to Smithville, Granger with nothing open



Found a fantastic Bonanza but will not tie any plane down outside
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I heard last week that GTU had some hangars open. I'll try and find a contact.
 
N2124v said:
I'll be happy to take the lead. If everyone who wants to get involved will email me at shoop96@gmail.com I'll get a string going and we can make a plan.
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This is great, looking forward to it if the jet's wheels aren't frozen to the runway up here! Email sent.

Greg H.
Cols, OH
 
MD11Pilot said:
BigRed
GOOD LUCK finding a hangar within 90 minutes of Austin.
Executive stopped taking names for their wait list at 50.
Taylor is at 69
Georgetown hasn't had a hangar open up in years
I checked from Temple/Kileen to Smithville, Granger with nothing open

Found a fantastic Bonanza but will not tie any plane down outside
Click to expand...

Fortunately for now I'm too broke to have an airplane. Maybe if I get on the list now I'll have a hangar open up around the same time I get one.
 
bigred177 said:
Fortunately for now I'm too broke to have an airplane. Maybe if I get on the list now I'll have a hangar open up around the same time I get one.
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That is my problem also. Too close to retirement but trying to justify the thing.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Also, Chuy's Sucks



:popcorn:
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BTW, anyone eating Chuy's, Franklins' and drinking PBR has no clue what ATX is about and where to get great food. Hipster schmipster, who cares. Are we really judging people by their beards now? Come on.

My wife and I are foodie's and I assure you, we have never been to or lived in a town with such a high quality of fantastic food. San Antonio "riverwalk" tex-mex can suck a rotten jalapeño compared to places like Morelia's here. Riverwalk tourist food really?

When you little boys are ready for some real ATX food and beer, come talk to Daddy. Hell, I'll only take you all to some food trailers that put out some of the best stuff!



Shane
The Squawk Shoppe
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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Have you checked Cameron? They just built some new hangars. I was at Kittie Hill and had been on the list at Taylor for years. My spot opened up just in time and I've been at Taylor for quite a while now.

As far as GTU having openings, don't assume because you were on the list that you still are. I have been on the list twice and both times my name eventually fell off. I don't know how it happens.

An infuriating practice most airports have is, if you tie your plane down n their ramp you move to the top of the list. I've watched several people bypass my friend on the list at Taylor by getting a tie-down spot. Just because he found a hangar in Temple, he doesn't get to keep his place in line?

MD11Pilot said:
BigRed
GOOD LUCK finding a hangar within 90 minutes of Austin.
Executive stopped taking names for their wait list at 50.
Taylor is at 69
Georgetown hasn't had a hangar open up in years
I checked from Temple/Kileen to Smithville, Granger with nothing open

Found a fantastic Bonanza but will not tie any plane down outside
Click to expand...
 
I've gotten a few emails. I'll post updates as we get closer. Those that emailed me, look for an email this afternoon so we can start putting this together. Thanks! Wade
 
If you want to eat Franklin BBQ, but don't fancy sitting outside in your lawn chair for several hours with a few hundred of your friends, you can do this.
 
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N2124v said:
I've gotten a few emails. I'll post updates as we get closer. Those that emailed me, look for an email this afternoon so we can start putting this together. Thanks! Wade
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I didn't email but if you do organize something and I happen to be around I'd be interested in attending so please do post any arrangements.
 
Archammer said:
BTW, anyone eating Chuy's, Franklins' and drinking PBR has no clue what ATX is about and where to get great food. Hipster schmipster, who cares. Are we really judging people by their beards now? Come on.

My wife and I are foodie's and I assure you, we have never been to or lived in a town with such a high quality of fantastic food. San Antonio "riverwalk" tex-mex can suck a rotten jalapeño compared to places like Morelia's here. Riverwalk tourist food really?

When you little boys are ready for some real ATX food and beer, come talk to Daddy. Hell, I'll only take you all to some food trailers that put out some of the best stuff!
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I might have to take you up on this. We live close to South 1st and Ben White. We love Austin and agree with you about the great food. There are excellent options for coffee, breakfast, BBQ, beer, tex-mex, etc. There is no reason to ever eat at a chain restaurant in Austin.

I own a Mooney and would be happy to join any POA meetup, flyin, fly to lunch, or other. I flew to Brenham for lunch today.
 
same here! I sent my email...but haven't seen anything yet. Someone PM me if something gets set next week to meet up. Hopefully the location is central. :)
 
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