In search of adventure in this town, but not wanting to spend any money, I consulted partner-in-crime.  After two hours of sitting on the couch doing nothing, we hit the road in search of the 17 moonlight towers still in Austin.  Since I didn't know what they were until recently, allow me to fill you in:  the city of Austin put up 31 towers in 1895 to help light the city at night.  Each one stands 165 feet tall.  Over time, several have been removed.  The most famous one is in Zilker Park and was the site of the party at the end of the movie Dazed and Confused.  If you're interested and/or are a history buff, you can read more about them here and here.

I won't bore you with alllll the pictures, since each of the towers is identical, but here are a few shots from a rarely-experienced tour of Austin. 

First up, our stop #1.  This is the tower at 41st and Speedway.  Nothing special, but it gives you an idea of what the towers look like. 

East Austin is known and loved for its artistic spirit.  I spotted this house on the way to the tower on East  Side Drive at Leland.  This is an actual house in an actual neighborhood where people actually live.  I love it. 

Here is the East Side tower, just a few hundred yards from the Dr. Seuss house. 

Aww, look at that tower hiding behind the trees on Chicon...

... and the same one peeking over the red brick building. 

The sun was setting as we went on our hunt, so it made for a few difficult shots.  I love the way the sun looks in this one, though, and how the top of the tower just disappears inside its light. 

I never knew what a difference angle makes - here is that same tower, without the sun shining in from behind it. 

Another east side staple: hipsters.  Check out the one that P-I-C spotted!

Crossing I-35 into downtown, I discovered that 2nd now pays homage to our favorite formerly-pigtailed country star. 

Last, but not least, here is what the base of a tower looks like right in the middle of downtown.

I tend not to be very observant about my surroundings, so it was fun seeing these towers that I've driven past and not once noticed.  We capped off the trip with a bite to eat at Eastside Cafe.  Delish.  The wild mushroom crepes were fantastic.