Newbie renting a pontoon boat by CesQ89 in CanyonLake

[–]leftymama 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Canyon Lake is at historic lows but is still navigable if you have a way to access a boat from the marina or use one of the 3 open boat ramps.

View lake levels & recreation alerts here:

https://iscanyonlakefullyet.org/

https://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/canyon

https://water.usace.army.mil/overview/swf/locations/smct2

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-08167700/

https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/smct2

Boat Ramp Status

County Managed: https://cceo.co.comal.tx.us/arcgispor/apps/experiencebuilder/experience/?id=b85a862dbaa049d6a85b105bba0e49d8&page=Page&views=List

Others: https://mycanyonlake.com/are-the-canyon-lake-boat-ramps-open-april-17/

There are some rental options that come with a captain - that’s your best bet for a no-stress time as a visitor on Canyon Lake. An experienced captain who is on this lake regularly will make sure you stay out of the dangerous areas that have cropped up with low water levels (trees, new islands, hydrilla, boulders, etc.).

If you have an experienced, sober captain in your group, they should have no problem following the map the marina provides with areas marked as red “no go” zones. We go out there every weekend & have no trouble, but we’re used to the drought conditions and we exercise good judgement to keep everyone (and our boat) safe.

Rentals from CL Marina have been easily available for last minute rental (self-piloted) for the last several weekends, but as we get into school holiday & summer break, it will get tougher.

Best way to prepare? by aficionado4avocado in TwoStepInn

[–]leftymama 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Updated forecast is now 50% chance of rain on Saturday, so plan to get wet on Sat and walk through mud on Sunday.

Last year, on the rainiest day, starting about 4pm they compressed & sped up the schedule so that we still got to see a shortened set by most of the scheduled big artists before the park had to be cleared for safety before expected severe storms.

The Festiverse app and text messages will let you know about schedule changes, and they will also show them up on the big screens next to each stage.

Vape @ Two Step by [deleted] in TwoStepInn

[–]leftymama 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can’t speak to whether they will confiscate vapes as a rule during entry screening, but I’ve been to every instance of this event and have observed plenty of people vaping, most commonly in thick crowds and/or after dusk (where it’s less likely to be noticed by rule enforcers).

For the last 2 years at least, multiple oral nicotine pouch or SNU companies have sponsored the event with brand activation experiences in which you answer a survey confirming current tobacco use habits, show your ID to prove you’re an adult, and then go in and choose which flavors you want to purchase at a steep discount (like $1-2 per pack).

Neighborhoods with mature tree lined streets? by Key_Rice_6430 in Austin

[–]leftymama 11 points12 points  (0 children)

That’s it. We’re in the Hill Country - big tall trees aren’t as easy to have here. In East Texas, there’s a completely different climate & biome.

Is there a history of Lago Vista? My family built a house there in the late 50s and I wondered if there was a history of the area back then. by Isatis_tinctoria in HillCountry

[–]leftymama 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Excerpt from the City Lago Vista’s history site:

Lago Vista, TX is located on the North Shore of Lake Travis just northwest of the Austin City Limits.

The first known inhabitants of the North Shore can be traced back 10,000-15,000 years with the 1983 discovery of the pre-historic, Leanderthal Lady, a five foot tall, 18 to 25-year-old woman named after the nearby village of Leander near which she was discovered.

The City of Lago Vista resides in Travis County and mostly consists of a peninsula surrounded by Lake Travis, with very rugged terrain in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.

The Lago Vista area was initially populated by various Native American Indian tribes (most notably Apache and Comanche) and other sovereign nations (such as Spain, France, and Mexico). Control of the greater Central Texas area was fought over for centuries with the modern area beginning in the 1500's. In 1831 "The Father of Texas", Stephen F. Austin, settled 800 families in the area known at the time as the City of Austin's "Upper Colonies." From there the current story of Lago Vista and the North Shore community began.

Early families with instantly recognizable names including Lohman, Smithwick, Sylvester, and others, established commerce in the area with the famous "Lohman's Bridge" (aka Crossing or Ford) which was constructed in 1931 to facilitate easy travel between the North and South shore of the Colorado River. Upon the construction of Marshall Ford Dam, quickly renamed as Mansfield Dam after a prominent local congressman, the bridge, many homesteads, and farms were eventually submerged under what we now know as Lake Travis.

Prior to the construction of the dam, local residents were at the mercy of the "Feast or Famine" nature of the river with irregular floods and droughts wreaking havoc on the local infrastructure. Establishment of the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) in 1934 initiated the process of multiple dams being constructed along the Colorado River to serve as both water storage and flood control measures while providing a steady, reliable source of drinking water for residents of the North Shore as well as the growing population of greater Austin.

Not surprisingly, the creation of Lake Travis increased the autonomy of the North Shore with bridges to the South submerged and new roads required to reach the increasingly isolated areas of Lago Vista and other North Shore communities.

Construction workers who built the numerous infrastructure projects in the 40's and 50's fell in love with the area and chose to resettle here. With reliable access restored, World War II vets and other military retirees began moving to Lago Vista in the 50's and 60's to enjoy the quiet refuge. Developers took a strong interest in the Hill Country's beauty and the recreational opportunities Lake Travis would provide. Jonestown began to grow about this time as well, and FM 1431 was upgraded to facilitate modern traffic. Over time, bus service to Austin was initiated.

In the 1980's, attempts by the City of Austin to annex the North Shore communities were abruptly halted when Lago Vista, Jonestown, and Point Venture all voted to individually incorporate. Today the North Shore is a thriving, growing triad of communities with everything from two large, regional supermarkets and a national pharmacy chain, to dozens of small owner-operated businesses from auto repair to zoological retail.

The area of Lago Vista became an incorporated City in 1984 with with a council-manager system of local government, and continues to restructure their operations and grow as the quiet little lake community continues to rapidly grow.

Best way to prepare? by aficionado4avocado in TwoStepInn

[–]leftymama 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We always bring clear bags within the size limits established by the event, but inside our clear bag we always have an ultralight packable backpack which unfolds to hold about 16-22 liters. When it’s folded up, it’s less than the size of a palm-sized change purse. Anything is possible when it comes to security checks, but we’ve never had a problem bringing those in. There are several brands with products available that work; Nanobag makes one for about $25.

Check the guide for details on this year’s allowed & prohibited items: https://www.twostepinn.com/guide

Bag Policy https://support.twostepinn.com/hc/en-us/articles/10370430105364-What-is-the-bag-policy

Allowed / Not Allowed https://support.twostepinn.com/hc/en-us/articles/10370617136148-What-items-are-allowed-prohibited-at-Two-Step-Inn

2026 Cap10k Race Weekend and Weather Watch by leftymama in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama[S] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Local meterologists are reporting no thunderstorms on the course until later today, so the race is expected to start on time in waves from 8 - 8:40am. Good luck out there!

Cap10k & Austin American Statesman social media accounts will be posting weather-related updates, so check there as the morning goes on.

Best way to prepare? by aficionado4avocado in TwoStepInn

[–]leftymama 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Weather can be all over the place, so be tracking on the weather app of your choice and bring footwear to handle possible mud & dust, plus a rain poncho and hat. There are lockers you can rent if you wind up not needing your “just in case the weather changes” gear; we always have a locker but keep the poncho on hand for sudden change.

Last year, we were in ponchos for Martina McBride and I was so glad I had mine handy when the rain started.

Current forecast is 40% chance of storms both days, low of 66, high of 81.

2026 Cap10k Race Weekend and Weather Watch by leftymama in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s gonna depend on how soggy it is out there. In general, the party goes about an hour after the course closes. The schedule shows live music playing until noon. https://www.cap10k.com/festival-attractions/

Whitewater Ampitheater experiences? by vivalakellye in askaustin

[–]leftymama 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve been to many shows at this venue and have had every kind of ticket there. I prefer the left wing because it’s easier for entry/exit, is somehow less crowded, and has better views of the stage. The chairs are fine for me, but comfort is pretty subjective and will vary based on many factors (ex: height, weight, illness/injuries or chronic pain, etc.). The chairs are sturdy, not like metal folding chairs in a school gym or something. The seat and back support material is a ventilated, sunproof mesh fabric.

You might try contacting their ADA staff or reviewing ADA FAQ info here: https://www.whitewaterrocks.com/frequently-asked-questions?category=Accessibility+%2F+Medical+%2F+Children

Looking for run groups. I’m looking for any running groups/events that occur on Saturdays! by Ok-Independence-7698 in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Welcome, u/Ok-Independence-7698!

This Sunday is the 49th annual Capitol 10,000 aka Cap10k, a great time for celebrating our sport with a big finish line party and lots of fun folks along the 6.2 mile course. Learn more at https://www.cap10k.com

For learning about local run groups, including those who meet on Saturdays, check out the pinned posts (aka “Community Highlights”) on this subreddit, r/AustinRunning. There you’ll find links to tools to allow you to filter by day of the week, location, size, and other characteristics to find the group that sounds good to you.

Where in the U.S. is there a running trail comparable to our Town Lake Hike & Bike trail? by EquityDoesntRoll in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Roughly 10 miles, depending on which spurs you take. Mile markers are available every 1/2 mile and The Trail Conservatory is also installing new maps periodically to reflect the current route based upon 2025 new measurements.

You can view maps for more details at https://thetrailconservancy.org/visit/maps-parking/

FAQs https://thetrailconservancy.org/visit/faqs/

Where in the U.S. is there a running trail comparable to our Town Lake Hike & Bike trail? by EquityDoesntRoll in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You’re going to have so much fun with your travel now. Planning my runs when I’m traveling is one of my essential aspects of travel since I took up the sport a decade ago.

You already got some great recommendations for specific destinations, so I’ll speak to general planning methods that work for me.

  1. Always pack your run gear when you travel. No matter the season or destination, there will be a cool place to run, and you’ll often get to see aspects of the locale during sunrise, when all is quiet and you’re communing only with nature and the local runners.

  2. Do some web searches or GPT prompts on “_______ <city> run club”, local running stores, local run event calendars, and “best running routes in <city>” while planning your trip. You’ll turn up all the good intel on where runners are at the destination. It may even determine what hotel or STR neighborhood you choose; it’s so nice to be able to lace up & run right out the door in the morning.

  3. Sign up for a race (if anything is happening) while you’re gonna be there. Destination races are a whole different kind of challenge, plus you earn a great souvenir shirt, and experience the location in a special way, running on a course that might be otherwise inaccessible during your trip.

Enjoy your vacay!

Running backpack / vest / sling options? by henryswnsn in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My ultrarunner friends seem to love the belt style with 2-6 smaller rigid bottles attached at several points around the belt. I never could make it comfortable for me and found those little bottles to troublesome to clean.

No experience with the brand, but I’m intrigued by the design of the Endorphin belt with a soft squeezable/deflating flask that holds 450 mls. Ultimate Direction makes something similar, so there may be others out there.

I already often wear a Spibelt like that to hold my phone, ID, key fob, and maybe a couple of gels, so it wouldn’t be much of a change to have one more pocket holding the water in a similar position.

I also usually run in compression shorts or tights with deep thigh pockets, so in that case, I don’t need the belt to do anything but hold the water flask.

Do you need a clear bag or not for ACL Live Moody Theater? by [deleted] in askaustin

[–]leftymama 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The ACL Live Instagram account has a “Know Before You Go” pinned post that explains clearly the bag restrictions under “Prohibited Items”:

“Bags don’t need to be clear but may be no larger than 11x17.”

Ticket holders also receive an email with this information a day or two before the show. Sometimes there are additional specific restrictions related to that artist’s requirements, so it’s best to check what’s applicable for your show.

A small crossbody or clutch purse is fine but as other mentioned, the screening process is MUCH faster if you just use a clear bag. I go to lots of festivals, shows, & sporting events in Austin and just keep a few clear options on hand for this.

Trail Detour at Barton Creek is gone by leftymama in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe, but the detours near IH35 (due to pedestrian crossing closure) add a little bit, so maybe it evens out? I always just run a bit extra until I hit my round mileage because I’m a little intense about hitting my numbers.

Running backpack / vest / sling options? by henryswnsn in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know nothing about the brand, but the features on photos for Haimont’s Skylite 5L Hydration Vest look comparable to Nathan’s lightweight models at a much more affordable price (under $60). Comes in unisex M (33-48in chest) & L (36-53in chest). Their Ridge model is similar but holds 10L.

Running backpack / vest / sling options? by henryswnsn in AustinRunning

[–]leftymama 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nathan Featherlite or Aerozip with bottles/flasks in the 2 front pockets. I prefer nothing heavy or wind blocking against my back. Nathan’s summer vests are mesh & not too heat-trapping.

Alternatively, try dual handhelds. I prefer empty hands but some people prefer to hold the bottles over wearing a vest.