Day 32-33, 4/3-4/19 —1700 miles total—Austin TX—We are half way across the U.S., baby!! The ride to Austin from Johnson City is a 50-mile orienteering feat of turns and different types of roads from if you are on a bike.There are Texas Bluebonnets (lupine) and Indian paintbrush blooming everywhere. Longhorns and exotic deer are behind high wire ranch fences. Here’s this biker’s view of the last nine days:
Day 24-27-3/26-29/19- to Marathon, Sanderson, Seminole State Park, and Del Rio TX- This area is all along the border in Southwest Texas. The high desert is unchanging. The headwinds whip our bikes by day and our tents at night. The clouds keep it cool; dead-looking ranch follows ranch, and we see abandoned towns deserted when the “new” diesel railroad came to town (the hotels remain). The birds are happy and loud—Vermillion flycatchers! The white pickup trucks of the border patrol whiz by going to and from their elementary school-sized compounds. A state trooper stops us to tell us to stay “far right” on bone jarring chip-seal roads (the truckers are complaining). The Seminole SP is beautiful...up a big hill. Judge Roy Bean ruled this area in the mid-1800s. Our day to Del Rio is the last day we will see brown desert. We wind down across the Amistead Reservoir with RV compounds and stay at a Motel 6. The laundry breaks down after 4 loads of wash and we discover a Texas favorite: Whataburgers.
Day 28-29–3/30/-4/1/19-to Camp Wood and Vanderpoool, TX - Flowers! Grass! Stunted Oaks! We’re still up 1500 feet and are using all our winter clothes and sleeping bags and liners. We are in “hill country” which can be as steep as the Santa Cruz mountains. We attack with gusto and enjoy the views. Both Big Oak and Lost Maples campgrounds are green with good, hot showers. We start to see wineries. The ranches offer exotic animal hunting. The weekend brings out strange Honda clubs and Harley groups.
Day 30-31–4/2-4/3/19- to Ingram and Johnson City TX -A beautiful day of hill riding, through more exotic animal ranches with solid, large limestone houses. We ride along the Guadalupe river with summer estate after summer ranch. We stop at a great little town named Hunt, close to our campsite along the river. Next morning we are frozen with frost on the tents and our hills to Johnson City (Lyndon’s home town) just seem like too much. Paul’s bicycle rim fails and my nose blowing gets worse. I see a Mercedes on the road—we must be getting close to Austin!
More on our group—Gayle asked if there were only five left in our group of 13? No, we are all here! We are all retired, ages 58-74, most married with 40 offspring total (lots to discuss):
Alan-Health Inspector, married to NPR’s Corva Coleman, from MD. Andy-Gear Box manufacturer, from MO. Dan-Areonautics engineer, Cal-Poly grad, very strong rider, from CA. Dave-Sacramento sheriff, x-marine “been married all my life, just to different women” good humor guy, from CA. David- realist Accounting professor, from MT. Denise-Physical therapist, strong rider, from MI. Glenn-Accountant, worried from DE. Greg-medical device engineer, things always breaking, strong rider, from MN. Howard-Intl Tax Lawyer, efficient from MD. Kimo-Consultant for UN, strong rider, very helpful from NY. Shannon-Mines manager and county manager , strong rider from AZ.
...and then there’s Paul and I, doing well although needing fresh horses and a rest day. Finally, our leaders, Tom and Joe are just the best. They are organized, thinking ahead and have a plan for everything. They are also retired.
