While eating breakfast this morning, we were surprised to discover that our waffles were in the shape of the state of Texas. Ruth pierced her waffle with a fork on our location. We have miles and miles to cycle through Texas.
We began cycling on an I-10 frontage road just as the sun was rising over the distant mountains. On Easter morning we were blessed with a spectacular sunrise.
Ruth, Mary Jo, and Evelyn
After twenty miles, the frontage road turned into a dirt road and we were forced to enter I-10, riding on the smooth shoulders separated from the other vehicles by rumble strips. We sped downhill with little traffic passing us. We soon left the expressway and began cycling south on state route 118. The road surface was gravel and tar and we had a two thousand feet climb. The road was not extra steep but we had to keep cycling and cycling upward and upward. The heat continued to increase.
The guys again came to our rescue. They brought us Subway sandwiches with cold drinks, and later returned with more cold water. Bill suited up in his biking gear and joined us for 20 miles on his trusty old Schwinn bike, providing protection against the strong wind. After visiting McDonald Observatory, they came back to check on us yet again. We have the best SAG team ever.
Our expertise on tire changing continues to increase as we got to practice on two more flats, one for Evelyn and one for Ruth.
Finally our exhausted legs pushed us over the pass and we began the long descent through a scenic rocky canyon and dude ranches to Fort Davis, the highest town in Texas. Besides having one of the best preserved western forts, the town has a picturesque downtown. We capped the day by visiting the rattlesnake museum.
"It never gets easier, you just get faster." Greg LeMonde, former winner of Tour de France
(MJ and R's note: we just get slower!)
You are AMAZING! What a trip!
ReplyDeleteI was huffing and puffing pushing James in the jogger up clifton hill when he turned around and started imitating my breathing. Ha Ha :) Clifton is small beans compared to you're "hills". I love reading your adventure. This blog reminds me to be in the moment and to enjoy all that we are given each day.
The BEST to you 3!
That's 3 flat tires for Evelyn? Does she have the problem I had where the liner inside the tire was bunched up and leaving the spoke hole vulernable every time you ride over gravel or something that puts pressure? I kept getting flats on GOBA and this was the cause.
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying writing this blog as much as we are all enjoying reading it!
Just in case you run into one of those rattlers on the road:
ReplyDelete"All men possess in their bodies a poison which acts upon serpents; and the human saliva, it is said, makes them take to flight, as though they had been touched with boiling water. The same substance, it is said, destroys them the moment it enters their throat."
Pliny the Elder said that. He died in 79 A.D. Of snake bite? Also means you have to figure out how to spit into the snake's mouth. Maybe just keep pedaling.
Take care.
I advise you just stay away from the snakes. I know there are plenty of rattlers down there, but you really don't need to interact with them. Just get across Texas and back into the USA.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how many flats you guys have had. Must be going so fast that the friction is overheating them!
ReplyDeleteWhen you get home I will make you Texas Shaped Waffles!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI stayed in Bracketville and I know I swanm where that photo was taken! Cahterine