Fall 2023 outings

For once, we had slightly more than our goal of one monthly outing this fall, and it was really nice!

In September, we went to North Star Mall and I finally (finally!) got my picture taken next to the biggest cowboy boots in the world. It was like playing tourist in our own city, and I actually feel like I checked something off my bucket list, because I had been waiting so long to do that!

In October, we went to Canyon Lake to ride the Cliff Carver, the first (and, so far, only) alpine coaster in Texas. We bought our tickets in advance, and even then, there was more of a line-up than expected, but we really loved it! Without a lineup, I’d consider going twice in a row. The ride is roughly 10 minutes, with three points at which you are pulled uphill. You control the speed of your cart, though there are points where it’s obviously safer not to go beyond a certain speed. (I have no good pictures, sorry!)

In November, we finally went to Enchanted Rock State Park. (This is also definitely a place where you should buy tickets in advance!) The cooler weather and overcast sky were actually nice on the way up, though I could have done with a bit less wind. The climb was faster than I thought it would be upon looking at it, and there were interesting rocks formations on the way as well as ponds at the top. (I didn’t see any fairy shrimp, but I didn’t look thoroughly.) We only climbed on Summit Trail, but we felt like we had conquered the place.

After that, since my mother-in-law was visiting, we also went to the Doseum and we also went horseback riding at Westcreek Trail Rides. The ride itself was fine, though the guides failed to make the whole thing interactive (and this is coming from an introvert). The stables also have ponies, chickens, and goats for smaller kids to pet. It was a fun experience, though I’m not sure I’d necessarily recommend that place over another one locally.

In December, we made a last-minute decision to go see the Cirque du Soleil’s Bazzar, because it’s not every day that Quebec’s Cirque du Soleil is in San Antonio! There was ample parking, though we didn’t realize until we got there that we had to pay for parking in addition to the circus tickets... I really enjoyed the show itself, though the sound was much too loud (we were in the second-to-last row, not even in the front). It was loud enough that the Little Prince had to leave with the Engineer pretty quickly, and they returned after an attendant gave them a pair of ear plugs. I have to say, though, that the Engineer and I enjoyed it more than the kids – the Fox thought it was okay, and the Little Prince actually said he was bored (after he was done being overwhelmed by the noise). Oh well, we tried.

 
Finally, we didn’t get around to seeing Christmas light displays, though we did see an amazing installation at a private home near where we live – they probably had as many lights as any neighborhood, but concentrated in a single house, and it was amazing. We also took a walk on a nearby trail to get some air. A good way to end the year!