Day2: San Antonio to Waco via Fredericksburg and Llano
To start day two, we went to Fredericksburg, which is probably the best-known German enclave in Texas. Founded on May 8, 1846, by German immigrants, the city is now a major German-themed tourist attraction.
Fredericksburg lies 38 miles south of Llano, the last of Texas Monthly's Big Three of Texas BBQs, so we were perfectly positioned for a quick sprint north on TX 16. It was here, with the road clear, that for the first time since leaving Austin, we seriously exercised some of the SRT-10's horsepower. We took full measure of the power of the Viper's V-10 as well.
Arriving in Llano, we sought out Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que. As soon as we pulled in the parking lot, we knew we'd arrived at the Holy Grail of Texas BBQ. While our Ram attracted the typical crowds of pickup aficionados, my buddy said, "from the smoky parking lot filled with diesel pickups to the outdoor barbecue pits, Cooper's screams Texas, in a good way." Head outside and walk right up to the pit, where the boys at Cooper's will pop the hood, and you can pick from a wide variety of meat and chicken. You'd think that after eating BBQ for days I was getting tired of it. You're right, but I couldn't stop eating the brisket at Cooper's. It was that good and the clear standout of the trip.