March 12, 2011 -The Great Texas BBQ and March for Education Road Trip

I will be in Austin on the 12th to March my little heart out and attempt to make the voices of our students, teachers and parents heard. Hell, I am going to make a day of it. A friend and I are going to do a little Texas BBQ and March for Education Road Trip. We might even get t-shirts made.

But first, we'll have to get some energy.  Our plan is to drive to Snow's Barbecue in Lexington, Texas (ranked #1 BBQ in Texas by Texas Monthly) for breakfast. They are only open on Saturdays and only from 8:00 A.M. until they sell out...usually around noon. It's like the Everest of Texas BBQ and soooo worth the climb. 'Cause if I am gonna march on Austin, I want to do it on a full stomach. Menu- All served in the standard tradition of Texas BBQ- butcher paper, plasticware, Butterkrust bread, and a small Gerber baby food jar of barbecue sauce...

the brisket is sublime...juicy, marbled and delicate...fall apart tender- cooked to perfection. And the sausage...well... exquisite...loose packed and smoky with a slight burn. And the ribs, pork and chicken? I don't know. The last time we went we arrived too late to try them- They were completely out. And that was at 9:30. We'll be ready and early this time...Hopefully my navigator is prepared this time.



Next we'll head back to Austin to get our spot up in the front on the steps of the capitol. Hopefully, I'll still have some sauce on my shirt as I chant and scream and holler at the people who aren't even there- do they work on Saturdays?

I may make a sign, though I can't think of anything to say to the legislators in Austin that doesn't have colorful language in it. "Save Texas Schools" sounds so cliched. I need something with more "POP!" I'll let you know what I come up with.


After the March, we will be off again for more 'cue. This time we will be off to Taylor, Texas to Louie Meuller's Barbecue. A friend has said that it was the best in his opinion (though Texas Monthly ranks it in it's top 5), and since we'll be in the area we may as well hit it up too. I always get brisket...the STANDARD in Texas BBQ, and am planning on doing so here. I am also going to try the Pork Ribs and Sausage...I have heard great things and I look forward to trying it out. And then we will head back home with some 'cue in tow for our loved ones wrapped in tin foil, wrapped in a towel and tossed in an ice chest.

Hopefully it will be a memorable and worthwhile trip- both for the barbecue and the March. What it boils down to is that I am sick of waiting for the State to pull their heads out. I am reminded of a saying from a favorite film of mine "The Shawshank Redemption," "Get busy living, or get busy dying."

I love to take roadtrips and eat barbecue. I also love to teach. But with so much negative news and shock doctrine out there, I need a break. I am tired of hearing about it all. It's all speculation and it's exhausting. So I'm getting a playlist together, cleaning out the ice chests and checking the levels and tires of my truck- and getting ready to take that Great Texas BBQ and March for Education Road Trip- to make a difference...to me.