After a breakfast of Round Rock Doughnuts, we packed the Crown Victoria and headed off to Colorado Bend, which was only a short distance from Austin. We arrived shortly after noon and prepared to backpack to our campsite which was 0.8 miles from the trailhead. It proved an easy trip, and we packed light and set up camp in a grassy clearing near the mud-brown river. After setting up, we went back and drove down to the other end of the park for the suggested Spice Wood hike. We hiked by the river for some ways before we came to the designated swimming hole, which was well populated. After wading acrss there, we criss-crossed the river several times proceeding up the canyon. We only passed one group of hikers, they were probably discouraged by the flimsy crossing stones which lead to Sparky drenching himself several times. Upon "finishing" the trail, we were dumped out on the main road, where we hiked over a mile back to our car. There we ate a belated lunch and Sparky and Sugar changed to go swimming (I had neglected to bring one, assuming it would be too cold.) We didn't go to the original spot, but a beautiful one further on. Unfortunately, it proved to be actually quite shallow, and by this time, very cold. We hiked back and returned to our campsite. We were supposed to have ravioli for dinner, but the can opener that we purchased on the Big Bend trip didn't seem to have made it back into our equipment. We weren't too hungry, so we all decided to lie down. Sparky and Sugar had also neglected to bring the 3rd sleeping bag, so we used one a pad and another as the blanket, while we slept with our clothes on. This arrangement worked fine until nightfall, when the temperature dropped rapidly. Back pains and cold feet plagued me throughout the night, although a cyclobenzaprine helped with the former. Sparky said I routinely stole the covers all night long, and no one slept very well.