Birds: Australia is Home to Very Clever Cockatoos

 

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Movies: Dune Trailer #2 (2021)

In case you haven't seen the new Dune (as in the 2021 version) trailer, you can watch it now.  The movie is expected to be released in October.

June 2021 Austin Residential Real Estate Market Statistics

 

Data compares June 2020 to June 2021.  Visit abor.com/marketstatistics for more information and for charts on additional counties in Austin's MSA.   

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

Air Travel: Southwest Adding More Austin Flights

 

Southwest is adding more flights from Austin to Lubbock, El Paso, and a few other cities.  

VW to Stop Selling Passat in the US

 

My 2007 VW Passat in New Mexico

I was somewhat disappointed to read that Volkswagen will be ending Passat sedan sales in the U.S. after the 2022 model year (the car will continue to be sold in Europe).  I probably would not have been surprised had I known sales had dropped to about 23,000 last year (down from 78,000 in 2015).  Why do I care about this mid-sized sedan I once called "the German Ford Taurus"?  I had a 2007 demo model I bought at a discount and proceeded to drive for the next 10 years.  It road tripped from Taos to Savannah to Asheville, and I put thousands of miles on it for business trips in Texas and Oklahoma.   It even drove down the long unpaved road from Hwy 550 to Chaco Canyon (though we thought it might become a permanent fixture) and survived a snowy mountain crossing driving it through the Carson National Forest.   It was great on the highway and deceptively large in cargo space.   To sum things up: it was a great car for 9 of the 10 years I owned it and the best value for my automotive dollar so far.  Had I sold it in 2017 I'd probably have even fonder memories.  

I've also driven the Passat's more exciting cousin, the Audi A4.  My brother used to have an A4 R-line which was quite fun to drive.  Assuming Audi doesn't kill the A4 to make way for more SUVs in the line-up, that's a car worth checking out.  

Trivia Update

 

Save the date:  The Floyd Real Estate Trivia Series will return live and in-person on August 25th at Lavaca Street Bar (downtown).  Stay tuned for more information.  

May 2021 Austin Residential Real Estate Market Statistics

 

Data compares May 2020 to May 2021.  Visit abor.com/marketstatistics for more information and for charts on additional counties in Austin's MSA.   

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

TV: Seinfeld Leaving Hulu

 I've been enjoying watching Seinfeld on Hulu for a while.   Apparently, Seinfeld will be leaving Hulu on the 23rd.  It will start streaming on Netflix, but that will be sometime in the Fall.  

[Update:  If you have Sling, you can watch some episodes through the On Demand feature.  Also, Seinfeld will be on Netflix starting 10/1/21.]

Road Trip Tips: Avoid I-40 Bridge in Memphis

 Maybe you have driven on the I-40 De Soto Bridge (aka M Bridge) over the Mississippi into Memphis and reveled in the glory of the giant pyramid that is a Bass Pro Shops (better or worse that the giant pyramid that is a casino? You be the judge.).  Unfortunately, you won't be able to do this until at least July (but probably for a while after that).  Why?  Because on May 11th a contractor found a large crack in the bridge which resulted in it being closed down.  Now the 40,000+ cars and trucks per day which usually cross the bridge are routed through West Memphis to the older I-55 bridge.  Why did I take the time to write about this?  Because on a recent road trip I was stuck in West Memphis for a few hours whilst on the detour to the I-55 bridge.  It was not pleasant.   I have another road trip (to Nashville) in the works and if the bridge isn't fixed I'll take an alternate route to avoid Memphis altogether.   If you have road trip plans through Memphis, I recommend you take the possible 1-3 hour wait into consideration when planning your route.  

You can visit the Wall Street Journal for more information about the bridge closure and its economic effects.  Like many things in the past year, it hasn't been good for supply chains.  

Air Travel: 50% Off Southwest

In honor of Southwest Airline's 50th birthday you can get 50% certain base fares for travel between September 15th and November 3rd (follow this link for more details or visit Southwest's site).  Act quickly, as this sale ends June 17th at 11:59 CDT.

Trivia Updates

 

There are a couple of trivia nights in the works.  

We're going to do one for The Creative Fund (which I co-host) in the next couple of months.  Details are being worked out at this time.  

Also, there is a Floyd Real Estate sponsored trivia night (which I host) in the works.  Not many details yet, but it will be live and in person.  

Stay tuned for more information.  

Austin Air Travel: New American Airlines Routes

 Check out this recent post from The Points Guy about new routes American Airlines will be opening to Austin later in the year.  

April 2021 Austin Residential Real Estate Market Statistics

 

                                                                        

Data compares April 2020 to April 2021.  Visit abor.com/marketstatistics for more information and for charts on additional counties in Austin's MSA.   

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

Colorado Road Trip Ideas

 The Wall Street Journal has written up a nice guide for a summer road trip in Colorado.   I've been to Denver many times, as well as Salida (it's where I've stayed while skiing at Monarch).   The road in between makes for a nice drive.  Telluride and the surrounding areas also make for a good drive.   One I'd suggest adding on to the list from the article is the "Million Dollar Highway" (aka US 550) from Silverton to Ouray.  That one packs in some amazing views and goes by a few trailheads worth checking out (with the caveat that it should not be done towing a large trailer or in an RV).    

Omega Mart - Art behind the Mart I Meow Wolf

I recently visited Omega Mart in Las Vegas (and interactive art experience by Meow Wolf).  It was fun, and the friends I went with also enjoyed it.   Check out the video about for a little history on how Omega Mart came about and some of the art inside.  

Otopia at the Otis Hotel

New Travis Co. Courthouse, Under Construction

UT Tower and Dobie Tower

 

Last week, we met a friend down at Otopia rooftop bar at the Otis Hotel near the UT-Austin campus (at MLK and San Antonio).  It apparently opened in early 2020, which is why I hadn't been yet.  I recommend it.  Great views, delicious old fashioneds, and tasty bar food.  Furthermore, the drink prices were reasonable considering the setting.    

There is a pool, but it is for guests only.  Also, if you are a UT alum and wondering which old landmark this hotel replaced, the answer is: the McDonald's on MLK.  In case you are worried about students getting enough fast food, you can throw a rock and hit Raising Caine's, Chic-fil-A, and P. Terry's from the site.  

Inflation Concerns

 Check out our friend and financial advisor Adam Flagg being interviewed by KVUE vis a vis inflation concerns:

All of his points are good.  From my own business' perspective, be sure to catch his comments on real estate as a hedge against inflation.  

Lyft Promotions

One Way to Spend Your $5

If you use Lyft, you may be interested in a couple of its current promotions:

• One is $5 back for three rides  (limited to one reward per month) you pay for using a "World Elite" MasterCard.  I wouldn't run out and apply for a new World Elite card to take advantage of this, but if you happen to have one then you're basically getting a free well drink/latte/Whopper/etc. on Lyft every month.  
• The other is Hilton Honors points at three per each dollar spent on rides.  

Disaster Supplies in Texas

This weekend there is a sales tax holiday on disaster supplies in Texas.  Follow the link for more information.  

March 2021 Austin Residential Real Estate Market Statistics

Data compares March 2020 to March 2021.  Visit abor.com/marketstatistics for more information and for charts on additional counties in Austin's MSA.   

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

P. Terry's Gives Back

 P. Terry's will be holding its first Giving Back Day of 2021 this Saturday.  They will be donating to the Central Texas Food Bank.  So, if you are craving a burger on Saturday now you know where to go.  And, of course, you can always donate directly to the food bank.  They could use your support.  

The Telephone Registration System TEX

Hearing the voice of TEX brings back some memories (e.g. "the class you selected is full, and all others like it are full").  We were still using this system when I went to UT in the 90's.   I recall having to buy a course guide book at the Coop, then charting out contingencies and backups for the inevitable situation wherein the class I wanted was full.  This was more of a problem at first, but things were much easier once I was able to register for upper division classes.  

I was elated when in law school registration was done by walking up to a desk and telling a person which classes I wanted.   

Austin Bike Map

 

The weather was great yesterday, so I pulled the hybrid bike and took it for a spin around central Austin.  I have found that the next 2.5 months are typically good times for afternoon rides; after mid-June, I usually shift to nights and the occasional morning.   

If you are new to bicycling in Austin or looking for some new street routes, check out the interactive bicycling map from the city.   Routes are not only mapped out, but rated on levels of comfort/danger vis a vis traffic.   This is a useful map.  I used a previous version about 10 years ago when I started to ride again and wanted to find good routes for getting around town.  

If you are curious about the bike:  that's my Trek 7.3 hybrid/fitness bike from 2012.  I use it for cruising around downtown and central neighborhoods.  It's also good for errands and trips to bars/restaurants/etc.    I don't know how the current iteration of this bike is holding up, but I've been happy with the 2012 vintage.   

February 2021 Austin Residential Real Estate Market Statistics.

 

Visit ABoR.com/MarketStatistics for more information and a full press release from the Austin Board of Realtors.  The above statistics compare February 2020 to February 2021.  Keep in mind, there was a winter storm disaster with resulting impassably iced over roads, power blackouts, and water shortages during this month.

Visit us at Floyd Real Estate, LLC, if you are thinking about buying or selling property (residential, commercial, or land) in the Central Texas area.   We would be happy to advise you on your real estate related needs.  

Floyd Real Estate is a Texas real estate brokerage, TREC Lic. #9003790

Power Inverter to Tap Yard Tool Batteries

Do you have 40v Ryobi yard tools?  Great.  It turns out you can pull power out of those batteries in a blackout (or, more positively, whilst camping) with the 300w power inverter for 40v batteries.

A month ago, I was enjoying day 3 of the "rolling" blackout in my neighborhood.  After the blackout, we decided to add a few items to our disaster kit.  During the blackout, one of my brothers had stopped by (in his 4x4) in order to drop off a few chargers.  Included in the charger bundle were a couple of Ridgid 18v batteries with USB charging adapters.  These were great for our phones (and better than running the car to charge them) but unable to help the laptops.  

We decided it would be good to be able to tap power from the tool batteries I have out in the garage.   One of the battery systems I have is the Ryobi 40v for my mower and weed eater,  thus the procurement of the above mentioned/pictured power inverter.   I wouldn't have bought this and a 40v battery on their own, but since I have 2 (and probably more soon) 40v batteries at the house the inverter seemed like a good accessory to add to the mix.  It would be frustrating to deal with another blackout and not be able to use all of the batteries in the house as reservoirs of electricity for our electronic devices (and, I will probably pack this on my next camping trip).  

Below is a chart of what it will and will not power, as well as how many phone/tablet/laptop recharges you can get from each size battery:

If you have another brand of yard tools with interchangeable batteries, check to see if an inverter is available.  I checked and EGO has them.  Other systems may have them as well.  

Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center is Open Again

Dead Electronics, Headed for Recycling

You may not know this, but you can recycle all sorts of household items in Austin.  These are things you shouldn't put into the curbside bin, but the city is happy to take off your hands.   The Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center had been closed owing to COVID, but as of March 9th has been re-opened (you must now schedule an appointment).  I have taken many old TVs, printers, and other office items (even an ancient photocopier) out there and found the process to be quite easy.  

• Check here for a list of accepted items.

Fly the Windy Skies

Last time I was in the Pine Springs campground in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, I thought this was going to happen while setting up my tent.   It gets windy out there!  As I said in the previous post, if you go to Pine Springs be ready to deal with the inability to stake down your tent.  Also, you should probably weight it down before it gains lift. 

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Everything You Need to Know to Hike Guadalupe Peak - The Texas State Hig...

Check out this informative video about hiking to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas.  I made it to the top back in 2007.  I had planned a return trip to the top during my last trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but I ended up spending my hiking day on the Bowl Loop (with side trip to the top of Hunter Peak) which ended up being a great time.  I'll post about that hike at some point, in addition to more about my trips to the park.

In case you are heading out that way now, here are some tips:

• Pine Springs campground is first come/first serve.  Also, the tent sites are hard (too hard for my stakes).  Come prepared to tie your tent down to rocks.  
• Pack in all of your food.  The park's gift shop may sell a few snacks, but the nearest places to Pine Springs campground where you can buy actual food are Van Horn and Carlsbad.  If you are on the western side of the park, there is a store (with pizza) in Dell City.
• Drink lots of water.  This is the desert and your body will lose a lot of water even when it is cool outside.
• Download the Hiking Project app, if you haven't already.  It works offline, so when your phone is in airplane mode or in a no service area the map will still tell you where you are.  
• Don't expect to find electric outlets.  In addition to using your car's charger, bring charging packs if you have them.  

That's all I have to say for now, other than I highly recommend a trip out to this fantastic part of Texas.  

Gus

 

Gus, Our Pyrador, and His Mr. Bill Toy.

It's hard to believe we've had Gus just a little over 6 months.  It's also hard to believe that the dog you see above was a stray back in July.  He has definitely settled into life at our house (and I'm fairly sure that he is enjoying it).   He's turning 2 this month, and while he has filled out to (what we think) is his full size we don't see him slowing down any.  

Gus is a Labrador Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix (aka a Pyrador) we adopted from Heart of Texas Lab Rescue in August.   He was a stray for an undetermined amount of time; long enough for him to be skinny and lethargic by the time the HOTLR volunteers rescued him.  Now he is the happy, furry, energetic 110lb beast you see above.   As I mentioned in a previous post, he's my first rescue dog and we can't be happier with him.  

Also, I think we hit a home run with the Mr. Bill toy.  It screams "On No!" when your dog bites on it.  Gus' was very entertained by the screaming while it lasted.  Unfortunately, it lasted about 3 days before he removed the noise box (which I had to throw out b/c of it being a choking hazard).  The (now silent) toy is still one of his favorites.  He gets a kick out of throwing it in the air and catching it.  

Trivia

 

Looking for  some fun on Thursday night?  Look no further than our Floyd Real Estate series virtual trivia night.   You can RVSP and get tickets links through the event page.   It is free to play, but we ask that you put a dollar amount on your fun and give it to the Central Texas Food Bank.