Guys Weekend Out is always a good time with Chandler. This year we didn’t drive too far. With my father out of town suffering in Maui at the time share, Chandler and I escaped to their abode for some good ol’ father-son hang time. Friday night we found a new little café to chow, play some pool and a video game as well. On Saturday, we awoke to a Triathlon running down my father’s street. So, as we turned onto Nasa Rd 1 to head out to the Classic Café (a wonderful place for breakfast), we watched the cycling portion of the triathlon pass us. Naming the bikes as the sped past us with all of the riders in aero position, I soaked in the moment with Chandler.

Following the fajita omelet I scarfed down and Chandler’s pancakes, we cruised out to Galveston where we gazed at the scenery. I pointed out a number of old homes, the Bishop’s Palace, the Moody Mansion, and many other legendary homes down the main drag while driving into Galveston. I took us down to East Beach, the hangout when I was in high school for a lot of the youth group. Well…what can I say? It is gone!!! It is now a resort with only one pocket beach that you have to park and then walk to! No more driving right up to the beach, parking in the sand and having your car just a few feet away from you. From there, we drove out to the Strand and cruised down the street. I pointed out some places we would hit after lunch.

Chandler was aching for Rainforest Café. I was the skeptic as I had heard from a number of people that it was over priced and the food bad to mediocre at best. I was pleasantly surprised. There were salt water aquariums everywhere. Chandler and I took pics of a cool eel and then sat down to eat our fajitas which, surprisingly, turned out to be really good!

Off to the Strand we go. I promised to take him to the candy/ice cream/soda shop. It has been around for a long time and is always a must go-to place. I inhaled a sundae and Chandler enjoyed a milkshake. The great thing about this place is that you get the entire milkshake. They give you the canister that it is mixed in, so you really end up with two full milkshakes.

We bought a couple of t-shirts for Spencer at Big Dogs (which is going out of business!), strolled through Col. Bubbies and other shops and I ended up purchasing some new specs at the Sunglass Hut that were 60% off. They will be my new cycling shades.

By the time we finished, we were getting tired and it was really hot. We drove down the seawall and watched people roast and ended up eating an early dinner at Tortuga. We split the Quesadillas (obviously I was cheating big time yesterday!). We went to a pocket beach from there, threw around the football, collected shells, chased crabs and then proceeded to get eaten alive by mosquitoes after the sun went down. Following this day of gallivanting, we strolled back up I-45 to Grandpa’s house.

On Sunday we awoke and decided to not go to Schlitterbaun. Chandler wanted to take it easy. So, we went to the local putt-putt place and had a blast. After dousing ourselves in Off, we played 18 holes on the artificial greens and then it was off to Laser Tag. He destroyed me in both of course. From there, we played some video games and another round of mini-golf. We followed this up with Star Wars: The Clone Wars at the theaters. Then it was off to clean up, pack up, load up and drive back up to the Livable Forest.

Now it is time to plan for next year!