Day 25, LaGrange to Navasota, Texas 71 miles

Guess where we ate last night's dinner and this morning's breakfast? We are waiting for the sponsorship.

We began in a mist and cycled to Round Top, an antique mecca of southern Texas -shops named Clutter and Excess.

We had gentle rolling hills and were rewarded over and over with beautiful vistas of wild flowers. We did not see a long horn steer in bluebonnets but for Catherine we were able to photograph some angus standing in the wildflowers.

Today many pink primroses intertwined with the Indian paintbrushes and bluebonnets.

We cycled passed cattle ranches and some more oil wells.

Upon arriving in Independence we found a small grocery store and were able to eat on the patio. The owner has a book for cyclists to sign in and indicate whether they are riding east or west. For today we were the only cyclists that had signed-in. We found out from another customer that the goats devour Starbursts and Ruth happened to have some with her.

Independence is a small village of historic buildings. Sam Houston lived in Indpendence along with other wealthy plantation owners. Texas was an independent country from 1836 to 1846. However, Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas, advocated the annexation of Texas to United States and it became a state in 1846. (Elaine, we hope we have our facts correct.) When the railroad avoided Independence, the village declined.

From Independence, we cycled on lovely back roads lined with live oak trees into Navasota.

Tonight we are staying at a new Comfort Inn and are enjoying the comforts of the inn - hot tub and pool, laundry facilities, and new beds.

"Don't buy upgrades; ride up the grades." - Eddy Merckx

Answers to the sweepstakes!
1. Mary Jo drank the glass of white wine.
Ruth had the margarita and Evelyn had the cosmopolitan.
2. Evelyn rode 764 miles - more than one fourth of our whole trip. She did all of her cycling in Texas.
3. Lance Armstrong named his bike shop "Mellow Johnny" because when the Tour de France lead cyclist wearing the yellow jersey approaches, the French yell "maillot jaune"(yellow jersey in French.) To American fans it sounds like "mellow Johnny." Lance had all seven of his yellow jerseys on display in his shop.

The declared winner is Maxanna. She may collect Evelyn's bike in Maryland and Ruth and Mary Jo will deliver the two luna bars and one water bottle; and we hope she forgets about the pump because we still need it. Bon voyage! and take your vitamins!