I love the smell of brisket in the morning.

Howdy from Texas! We’ve been on the road for about 6 days and we already have no idea what day it is.  We’ve said hello and goodbye to old friends as well as made some new ones. Here are some quick and dirty highlights of our first week:

• Cahokia and Woodhenge (Apparently North America’s version of Stonehenge)…an anthropology student’s dream made real.  Our first World Heritage Site!
  
• St. Louis and the Arch: Rainy! Time crunch and a fear of heights prevented us from going up in the Arch but we did get some St. Louis pizza.  Don't think it is going to overthrow Chicago or NY pizza as top pizza city anytime soon.
  
• Little Rock: Friend visit #1, fellow Sidley alumni Aaron. No sooner had Aaron educated us about the former “gang activity” in Little Rock when there was a shooting 2 blocks away. Things are getting shady earlier than expected (but continued a few days later when an army full of cops arrived at our Super 8 motel after a reported shooting).

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• Texas! Hosted by the wonderful, talented, dynamic duo Monika and Patrick! Monika and Patrick introduced us to all imaginable TX wonders: kitten nuzzles, Austin, Top Golf, Big Red Margarita and small town TX discos. Seriously, amazing hosts. They showed us the coolest parts of Austin and even cheered on the Badgers at Austin’s Wisconsin bar (this game shall never be spoken of again).
  

Snow’s BBQ.

Down a winding country road lined with blue bonnets and oil rigs in tiny Lexington, Texas is Snow’s BBQ, which has been ranked the best BBQ in Texas several times over the last few years.  It’s only open for a few hours on Saturday and usually sells out of meat before noon so we hit the road early.  We pulled up and could hear the cow’s mooing next door. (Not creepy at all). Not a meat aficionado myself, the boys ordered and chowed down.  Even though the building and accouterments are pretty simple (to put it mildly), the brisket is not.  Jed was still feeling the effects of a Big Red Margarita the night before, however, Snow’s cured all.

Other cool things about Texas. 75 mph speed limit, breakfast tacos and amusing bathroom graffiti.