On a beautiful Sunday morning in March, twelve Audi owners in Houston, and four in Austin, queued up for a caravan to the Southern Flyer Diner at the Brenham, Texas airport. Gleaming machines included two R8’s, two S7’s, two S5’s, an S4, an S3, a TTS and a TTRS. In Houston, a Sugar Land patrol car made its presence known in the Panera Bread parking lot, but the officer just ducked into the eatery for a 7:45AM snack. Drivers introduced several guests to our group, including three children, while conversations and new friendships happened quickly. Registration completed and necessary paperwork signed, the drivers’ meeting found everyone in high spirits and eager to get started. At 8:32AM, we exited the Panera Bread parking lot and were on our way. The Austin group, set to start at 9:00AM, had a slightly shorter drive to our meet up point, the Brenham Airport.
Quickly dispensing with the freeway portion of the drive, we headed into the countryside. Everyone felt the stark contrast between the noisy concrete jungles of the metro area versus the calming beauty of the Texas countryside. “This is why we drive” was going through people’s minds. Our leader was familiar with the route and took us through agricultural land and rural towns, a throwback to simpler times.
But we were not the only people enjoying the beautiful spring morning. Bicycle riders in training for the MS-150 were a little intimidated by the passing line of high performance autos on the very narrow lanes we were sharing. Some sections of the roadway had no shoulders and deep ditches, but we all coexisted without incident. We had radio communication, so we slowed when necessary for safety reasons. Towards more populous areas, police escorts would clear the way for larger groups of bicyclists. The initial sight of red and blue lights set the radios crackling, but it was soon clear that the officers weren’t concerned with us.
After reaching the next freeway section, we stopped to stretch and take photos. The bluebonnets are beginning to bloom at this time of year in Texas, and with them small crowds of people dotted the roadside along the way stopping for the obligatory pictures of their children in the fields of blue. But enough of a pause, let’s get back to driving! We mixed up the order of cars for mobile mutual admiration of our ringed chariots, but we made sure we had radios front, middle, and back so no one would get lost or left behind. Occasionally a red light or stop sign would trap a few cars, allowing us an opportunity to take in the scenery — and catch our breath!
But nothing would distract us from our primary mission – having fun! Another jaunt through the country back roads brought smiles to everyone’s faces. A few twisties and turns were really spirited, and drivers explored the limits of their taut suspensions — and traction control. You could almost smell the brake pads and tire dust as we carved our way through the winding rural roads. There wasn’t much time for distractions, though an occasional glimpse of the colorful farm houses and huge castle-like estates lining the roads reminded us — we are not in Houston anymore! We were getting near Brenham, the home of Blue Bell ice cream.
Meanwhile, the group driving from Austin to Brenham had new and old members. We drove through the countryside avoiding the closed roads from the rains that had fallen days before. Winding through small towns, finding new routes, trying to avoid the “normal” ways usually traveled, we arrived at Southern Flyer Diner a few minutes before the Houston Group. We met new fiends and saw old ones too, enjoyed the amazing view from the patio and made plans to meet up again on the next drive.
The Houston group soon passed through the gates of the Brenham airport, where our hosts Jack and Janet had cleared a staging area for us, and found that the Austin group had just arrived. All the cars were escorted onto the tarmac and lined up combat style. We took photos with the planes and runway in the background, and some of the young waitresses in their 50’s attire posed for photos as well. Then we headed in to the Southern Flyer Diner for lunch. An area on the outside patio reserved for us overlooked a lake and provided a view of small planes taking off. Though a bit windy, the weather was “Chamber of Commerce” perfect for our group of 25 people. The Diner’s 50’s-style theme was charming, with waitresses dressed in colorful poodle skirts, white blouses with black ties, and saddle oxfords. Food was diner-style burgers, sandwiches and snacks, and great-tasting homemade milkshakes. Old friends re-connected, and new members that had signed up just for this drive experienced the hospitality of this growing group. After lunch, the drivers were surprised with gifts, including Pirelli hats and lanyards. A Pirelli back pack and Audi Sport Customer Racing hat was the grand prize for a lucky driver who answered a pop quiz.
After lunch and some social time, we vacated the tarmac to accommodate a higher elevation, slightly faster vehicle — an incoming Lear Jet. But we re-grouped for more pictures and farewell wishes. Then some went on to visit the Blue Bell Creamery, while others toured and shopped in small towns on the way back home. After a safe and enjoyable trip, we eagerly look toward planning the next Fun Run for our Audi Club Lone Star members, their families, and their guests!