Mayor Kirk Watson, who you may have seen on his motorcycle around town, is in his third term and hoping for a fourth. I caught up with Watson this month in a conference room outside of his office at City Hall. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What is your essential Austin rule?
“Any time you’re looking for happiness, joy or you’re having a period of sorrow and you want to be uplifted, go to the Butler Hike and Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake because it feeds the soul and it is itself essential Austin.”
What is your Austin origin story?
“I got here in 1981. Right out of law school, (my wife) Liz and I got here and were here for one year. I had a job that was going to last one year. We thought we’d end up in North Texas, and after about three months we said, ‘We never want to leave.’ And here we are.”
What is your favorite place to swim in Austin and why?
“Deep Eddy Pool. I love it because you’ve got all the people you have there but you can swim for exercise, you can play, the kids are there, and it is cold.”
