I went down to the truck stop for breakfast at 7:30am, the only place open in town  . . . still dark! On the way back I passed this house in Sanderson . . . work of art?

We all left town early, as you can see before the sun was actually all the way up, to beat the heat. Going to be 85 degrees today!

Ouch . . . this one hurt somebody!!!

Where the original saying came from . . . ?

Got to look over your shoulder once in a while instead of just into the rising sun. The sun is harsh in this area. This is where we came from . . .

Down the road I came to this air field . . . in the middle of nowhere!

Ends up it was a military base, built in 1919, to provide air support to protect the border. Today it belongs to Terrell County!

Soon three of us were in Dryden where we tied up with Mark and Julie. They had left before sunrise as had the Michigander’s. After a short refreshing break we were all back out on the road.

Here was someone’s dream coming to fruition . . . in the middle of Nowhere, USA . . .

Snaren, Every room will have a ‘million dollar view’!!!

The Dagger Yuccas are just starting to flower. . . nice!

It must get hot out here. This telecommunications building needs 6 cooling plants to keep it at operating temps!

One of thee first critters that hasn’t run when I stopped to take a photo. Cows, little doggies, vultures, ducks all leave as soon as I get the camera out. I wish I had had an apple for this beauty.

Friendly people in Cedar Creek!

This memorial seemed pretty elaborate. The latest thing in memorials seems to be solar powered lights.

Soon we met a bunch of folks traveling west, after staying in Langtry, which will be our home for the night. Here was Adam from Pennsylvania . . .

followed by Pete and Karen from New Hampshire. They went from NH down to Key West and up to Austin last year. They just picked up the Southern Tier in Austin, for 2015, and are heading  to San Diego and then up to Alaska. They are both retired foreign service workers. The bike, their gear and they all weigh in at 430 pounds rolling down the road!!!

. . . and soon I met Ricky and Amy, from Australia, who had also started in Key West. Nice young couple having the time of their life!

The Osman Canyon was VERY nice to bike through and very scenic .

. . . but as most places along the roads out here, don’t look down. Lots of JUNK!

. . . I guess everyone is not following this advice. Too bad.

The Border Patrol are busy patrolling these dirt roads along the highway. Looking for footprints from last night.

This memorial even had a special compartment for the individual’s belongings. The glass was broke but nothing looked like it was stolen (of course how would I know?)

Great geology along the way. Wish I had a ‘Roadside Geology’ book for TX!

There has to be water in these creeks, rivers, streams some time! A Border patrol agent I talked to in Langtry said he has seen water rushing under this bridge . . . but it never lasts for more than a few days.

Speaking of dry . . . I was down almost two water bottles and need H20. Thought I was hallucinating from the heat when I looked ahead and saw this truck  . . .  a desert mirage? . . . The dark-haired Bo Derek look alike from Bolero, with not only ‘The Hat’, but a new outfit too!!!!

We knew we were getting close to hour home for the night, Langtry, when we saw a billboard for it’s most famous citizen, Judge Roy Bean.

Our home for the the the Langtry Motel . . .

. . . six rooms.

Hey . . . wait a minute. I know that truck! It’s Selena’s, ‘The Hardest Working Woman in Sanderson’!

. . . ends up she is also the ‘Hardest Working Woman in Langtry’, too . . .  here cleaning our Room, Number 3!

Word had got out about the ‘Desert Mirage’ and people were coming from far and wide to meet her!

We toured the Judge Bean Exhibit in Langrty . . .

. . . here was the bar he ‘conducted’ business at . . .

both court proceedings and liquor business. Evidently he was known to interrupt one business to, tend to another, at the same time!!

Not sure what this mini guillotine was used to ‘cut off’!!!!

Here is the Opera House he constructed trying to lure his fantasy woman, the English Singer, Lillie to move to Langtry. She never appeared, before he died.

Nice cactus garden too . . .

. . . with some of the plants just blooming.

The Weather Channel on in the movie room at the Roy Bean Museum. Sorry to hear MSN got 6 inches of snow last night. Going to be in the high 80’s tomorrow  . . . as we head for Del Rio, TX!!!

It was a quiet might in Langrty even though the train track was close by AND Hwy 90 is the main drag for semi traffic on the way to El Paso. I think everyone was tired enough we slept through it all.

Here is the oasis of Langtry. 60 miles west to Sanderson, and 60 east to Del Rio.

As the sun set in the west last night we sat out on these stone benches for several hours watching the world of train, cars and semis roll by. Very relaxing, almost mesmerizing.

We had the AC running during the early evening hour but things cooled off enough I think someone started the  . . .

. . . furnace. Not sure the last time it was serviced!

Juanita was busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast burritos, so I helped out making coffee. Love the little vice grips for a faucet handle. I could use one of those for the trip!

Breakfast burritos all around for all-day energy!!

Look who got a new toy last night in Del Rio!!!! Less than $1,000. Selena was one happy girl. We’ll miss seeing her, she has almost become family!!!

Her landscaping touches helping bring some color to Langtry!

Soon we were down the road for a cloudy, misty 64 mile ride to Del Rio. The Border Patrol were already busy driving their ‘sweeps’ looking for footprints. Langtry is probably our closest point on this trip to the boarder . . .

. . . just over the sweep, was the highway fence, followed by the bluffs of the Rio Grande followed by Mexico!

This was a great scene that could have only been  made better by a steam locomotive going across the bridge!

We reached the Pecos River where one lane was closed because the crews were painting the bridge . . .

. . . no stopping on the bridge but WHAT A VIEW from the other side!! This is the most water we have seen in one place since the Pacific in San Diego!!!

Did I mention everything in TX is BIG!! Including the winds that blew this gas station overhead down. Hope no one was filling up at the time!!

We reached our half way point of Pecos, where Julie and Mark had stopped in for a burger. Mark had eaten a can of stew last night at their Warm Showers accommodations and was REALLY hungry!!

This may explain some the many roadside memorials we have seen!

Before we left, it was time for a tried and true cyclist recovery ‘pick me up’. Chocolate milk all around . . .

. . . but watch where you sit to enjoy it!!!

Seems like every little burg we have crossed through the last couple of days has a Border Patrol outpost and Pecos was no exception.

. . . as we were leaving a swarm of BP agents on ATV’s came swarming into town like a batch of bees!

On the way out was this mother and young one talking so loudly back and forth, you could hear theem from the roadway.

Soon . . . more water as we neared Del Rio . . . .

the Amstead Recreational  Area. LOTS of water and boating.

Really nice to see something  other than cactus and sage.

The clouds had cleared by noon and it was now HOT. High 80’s with a headwind. There is a difference between men and women cyclists. After a hot, windy day men want to hit the showers, change clothes and maybe have a cold one or too . . . maybe even a nap. But women . . . how about getting your nails done and haircut BEFORE you get to the motel. No time like the present when the mood hits! Gina called to say her and Margie were at Pro Nails getting their nails done. I thought she was kidding when I drove by because I didn’t see their bikes outside. Of course not . . . because they were inside with the girls!!!!

Samples . . .I guess??

Here’s Margie getting her fingernails done . . .

. . . and Gina getting her toenails done. Gina was in such a hurry she could even take her helmet off!!!!

We are staying at a GREAT family owned motel called named Whispering Palms. They have a GREAT art collection too.

Here the owner Bob , and his son  Sam , pose with our newly manicured and coifed ‘biking babes’.  What fun! Del Rio is about 30,000 in population, so we have some exploring to do!!!

The owner Bob , is a biker too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. . but before we out on the town we met Retha, who is a patient coordinator for an Alternative Cancer Cure clinic in Mexico. She stays at the Whispering Palms three days a week. Most of her patients do to.

We woke to our second morning of cloudy skies  . . . really cloudy, but no rain predicted the way we were going. Yesterday, the same thing happened and by noon it was crystal clear blue sky. We’ll see what today brings. We said good by to Bob & Sam at the Whispering Palms and to the other 30,000 Del Rioan’s as we headed out of town. Here was an interesting shop just down the block from our motel.

Right out of town was Laughlin Air Force base. Built in 1942 it became a training ground for the B-26, ‘Marauder’ bomber crews. Today . . . top secret!!!

The front entrance didn’t look to inviting to guest . . .

. . . and of course there is a LOT more to it than you can see from the road (red X is where i took the photo).

We are starting to see more splashes of colors along the road as we head east . . . spring is springing!

Rural subdivision . . . TX style!

Saw this memorial on the side of the road for soldiers committing suicide during, or after their tours. Not sure what the gorilla is all about?

Trying to figure out what this is . . . looks like a rolling shooting platform. Let’s safari!!!!

For Gina . . . .

The BP are still busy checking for illegal activity from last night . . .

. . . finally saw the device they use to ‘drag’ the trail to set it up for footprint detection.

More color along the way . . .

Soon we had 32 miles under our belts and we were at Brackettville for an early lunch. The only town along our route today . . .

. . . so much to B’ville they needed an annex!!!!

We FINALLY turned off Hwy 90 that we have been following for four days. There was an almost instant change to the topography and the flora and fauna . . . beautiful riding, well it would have been if the road surface wasn’t made out of ‘boulders’!!!!

It felt like riding on rumble strips for the next 32 miles . . . everybody was sore by the time we left Kinney County . . .

Here were some turkey vulture’s . . . maybe waiting for a bike with a tummy full of broasted chicken. They didn’t fly away!!!! We no more left Brackettville and the sky started breaking up, right on cue. Within 1 hour the sky was clear and the temps were climbing!!!

Spring is coming . . . waiting for the birds to return!!!

More local color . . .

Every ranch we went by seems to have an 8 foot fence around it and are members of the Texas Wildlife Association.

Here was an interesting river crossing . . . no culverts, I guess the river, when it does flow, goes right over the road!!!

We FINALLY see our first dead armadillo!!!

This is too funny! Are they serious? With the advent of social media, I think some cattle rustler’s would get a kick out of being posted online!!!!

Lambing time . . . every mom had two. VERY cute!!!! And they were curious and didn’t run away!!!

We FINALLY hit the Kinney County line and there was a definite change in the road texture. You can see the change in the pavement. 50% better for the next 20 miles . . . not that important when you are in a car . . . but on a bike at 15 mph. VERY important!

The Kinney County on the left, Uvalde County on the right!

Charlie, this one is for you. We see this kind of stuff all along the ride. I always wonder what happened that someone parked a rig like this years ago and never came back. Did they die? go out of business? what happened . . . .

More color . . . nice to bike by . . .

Linda was along the way with water and painting with water colors. Watch out which container you take water from!!! A retired art teacher she is VERY talented!!!!

Here she is painting a water color postcard she already has addressed to her man, Tim.

We were soon on State Hwy 55 where they were getting ready to DESTROY the road . . .

. . . we were all glad we weren’t coming through here a month from now when they will be spreading all this rock!!!

Nice scene as we rolled into Camp Wood, (funny name for a town?!)

A great little country church . . .

Yippee . . . more water right outside of Camp Wood!!!

Was this our place . . . no, we are at the Woodbine Inn!!

Gina went out for a smoke house brisket, Dan went for pizza and Tom, Linda and Margie and I went to the local burger place. When I saw the ‘JuJu (one of my favorite words) Burger’ I had to have one. So did Linda and Margie . . .

Yum! We needed it after today’s ride. Tomorrow, it’s another 80+ mile day with big two climbs, too!

I woke up early and was at the diner by 6:40am. It had rained during the night but as I stepped out of the motel room, I could see stars . . . a good sign. There is a fast moving cold front moving through that will keep the temps below 70 today . . .

. . . but is brining with it a STRONGGG 20-25mph north wind with gusts to 30mph!!! Guess which way we are riding. NORTH!! This could be our toughest day.

I was done with breakfast and on the road by 8:00am, just as the sun came over the mountains. Everyone else left within a half hour.

This is what greeted us right out of town. Two relatively good climbs, 80 miles and the wind . . . it ended up being a big day.

This was one good thing that happened early on . . . large aggregate to medium size aggregate. Much smoother riding conditions!

I looked back on the first climb  . . . big! You can see dome of the guard rail below.

Soon we were in Leakey, where I stopped for some water . . .

. . . and met Keith who was cuttin’ up some good vittles!!!!

Across the street was the The Hog Pen . . . TX barbeque!

. . . already smokin’ at 9:00am!

They are ready for the lunch crowd . . .

Just out of town, heading for the next climb ahead was this sign. A good reminder to the Harley crowd that frequents the Hog Pen and might spend a little too much time at the ‘water tap’!!

Got to find out what this is that grows on telephone lines and all over some trees!!!

The first cut of the next climb . . . long!!!

At the top was a memorial to  Pop’s . . born in 1941. Someone had left a beer!!!!  Nice view.

BIGGGG . . downhill, yippee! The headwind was so strong, and variable in the pass, one had to hold on for dear dear life, both hands!!!

TX voodoo . . .

I think they are wild pigs that farmer’s hang out as ‘trophies’ ???!!!

In the last day, we have really noticed the trees and shrubs starting to ‘pop’. Spring has sprung!!!!

After 55 miles of EXTREME headwinds, and many hours in the saddle, we came to a 90 degree turn, east onto Hwy 39. What had been a less than 10mph/average  ride soon became much quicker. YES!!!!

Afternoon coffee clache  at one of the old watering holes  . . .

. . . I stopped to say hi to these guys. The little one was very apprehensive and backed up. The one with the horns held it’s ground . . . never moved. The rest . . .couldn’t have cared less!!!!

TX rural humor . . .

After 15 miles we came to an impoundment and some very interesting bluffs. LOTS of summer homes along the river/lake as we headed to Hunt, TX.

From Hunt, we had a nice ride along the river to Ingram, our home for tonight. The trees are BIG in TX, too!!!

To bad we are not here this weekend. Would have been fun to go to this rodeo. First rodeo grounds we have seen!

This morning, I went to pull my camera out of my bike bag and when I pulled it out, had a cockroach like this one on the back of my hand. It jumped down on the floor and went under the bed. Tom and Dan track it down and wacked it. Tonight, as I stepped out of the shower and pulled the curtain back this big boy jumped onto the wall. It may have come out of my kit  bag. Probably a few of the critters we brought with us after our stay at Langtry. We saw ‘several’ of their relatives there.

 

It was a big riding day today. Most of it spent with your head down and just grinding into the wind. 80 miles, 5200ft of climbing, headwinds for 55 miles and 8 hours in the saddle. Had peach cobbler WITH ice cream tonight for dessert!!!

What a difference a day can make. The cold front pushed through, it was gong to be a beautiful day with highs in the upper 70’s a WEST tailwind and some beautiful TX Hill Country riding. Here was our morning . . .’How are we going to get everything in the truck’ discussion, prolonged by the fact it was only 39 degrees!!! Nobody really wanted to get started riding.

As we exited Ingram, we saw what is billed as the ‘World’s Largest Wind Vane’!!

Hard to believe this foreign car dealer couldn’t make it in Ingram, population 3,500!!!

Along the way I met Chelsea, from Colorado. She just finished her Peace Corp tour of duty in Senegal and started biking from San Diego, January 1. She will probably end her tour in Austin because she needs to find a summer job. She is a forester too, graduating from an upstate New York college.

Lots of sheep in this area, as we rode across some of the most beautiful ridges in the area. GREAT riding on paved roads that looked like someone’s driveway. No Traffic!!!

… but lots of cattle guards and open grazing.

Lot’s of great little cabins in this area . .

…looked like some might be weekend places . . .

. . . maybe for folks from the Austin area.

Never thought about whether your pumps gallon’s/minute could be a selling point, but in this part of the country it is!!!

I wish I knew the history of this place at a crossroad’s outside Fredericksburg.

Might be easier to scratch yourself with this ‘One Up and One Down’ set of back scratchers!

Things are REALLY starting to bloom the further east we pedal . . . in the trees

. . . and on the ground.

We had to make a 90 degree turn at Sandy, TX. From what I could tell . . . this was the whole town!!!

We have passed hundreds of these flash flood gauges on the side of the road, all the way from CA. This is the FIRST one I have seen with water involved. I think we will be able to get across this one!

As I came around the corner outside of Johnson City, I saw this cat/puppy container lying in the road. Looks like it had fallen off someone’s vehicle. I checked inside, no critter, checked the ditch, no critter . . .

. . . but there may have been one somewhere because these three turkey vultures were sitting out in the field looking hungry. I threw the container in the ditch and pedaled on. Soon a cream colored Escalade drove past me, did a U turn came back, did another U turn and left. They had an aluminum, trailer hitch mounted, mini trailer on the back of their vehicle. I tried to flag them down but they wouldn’t stop. Wonder if they lost Fluffy of the back end!!!???

Tonight we are staying in Johnson City, home of LBJ. It was another 7 hour day in the saddle, 77 miles,  but nobody was complaining. It was a beautiful day of riding!

We had a great dinner with the Michiganders at the Agave Mexican Restaurant. Margaritas, cerveza and LOTS of cheese!!!

In the morning we met this couple who were on their way to an old car show. The Burro was evidently very popular in the 80’s . . .

. . . of course we had to ask for a look inside. Karen and Paul have now joined us on the ride. Karen will be with us through Cycle Zydeco and Paul is going all the way to St Augustine with us.

Here was another party who stayed overnight at our motel. He wasn’t around but there was LOTS od cooing coming from the trailer!

Today would be an easy 55 mile ride into Austin, our overnight, and rest day on Sunday. Another warm BEAUTIFUL morning and day.

This was REALLY a pleasant site on the way out of town . . .

. . . and BEAUTIFULLY paved roads. No more aggregate!!!! My back still hurts from two days ago, can’t lift anything heavy and have a hard time getting out of bed. Walk around hunch over like an old man! Hope the next two days of rest will help . . . of course I am getting older. My Birthday today!!!!

This was our first water crossing . . . BIG fun. I’m wearing biking sandals . . . so no problem!!!

Oh . . . there are a few hills on the way to Austin . . .

. . . and some are sort of LONG! 3,100 ft of climbing by the time we arrive downtown.

SAG corner here, right outside of the Austin

Guess who found a new ‘collectable’ along the road?

This guy must be able to talk to anyone in the world with the ham radio setup he had. . . and he was on top of a hill!!!

Right as we entered the Austin suburbs we had two motorcycle cops go by us with their lights on. The third one that went by gave us a blast of his siren. We turned around and saw several hundred Harley types coming our way. We moved off the road to let them pass. mmmm . . . police escort? maybe they were running them out of town!!!

Austin City limits . . . the Austin Relays track meet, is going on this weekend plus LOTS of spring outdoor activities. Biking, skating, roller blading, Farmers Market, etc.

‘Rent a Bike’ program, just like in MSN.

We are staying right in downtown Austin so it was an interesting ride in from the ‘burbs!

I spent all day while riding thinking about all the years and history preceding today and how lucky I have been in my life to have the family I do, the friends I do, and of course . . . Smoochie, the love of my life.

By the time I got to our hotel in Austin, I felt I had stepped back in time . . . and guess maybe I had!!!!

The left photo is when I had left Johnson city this morning, and the right photo is after I had spent 5 hours reminiscing about my life and stepping back in time.  20 years younger?!!!!

THE REST OF THE STORY . . . .

Several of our riders have done a few ‘touch ups’ during the ride and I thought maybe I should too. In fact, I thought since it was my birthday, maybe I should do a whole makeover. Thanks to Margie for helping out!!!! Was supposed to be brown but the package ended up saying, ‘Auburn, Brown, Red Mahogany”. I think I look like Alan Calder, the announcer on the David Letterman Show!!!

Margie getting ready to do the ‘Full Monty’!!! 

See my stylist in action video above!!!

Got to let it sit for 20 minutes . . . even got the eyebrows . . .

And thanks so much to my honey for having a nice birthday present box waiting for me at the Super 8. Lot’s of goodies and chocolates. I’m saving the box above for myself. Love you . . .

We had a great night last night, so need to recap this morning. We ended up being close to Red River St which is similar to our State Street but as everything in TX it is BIG and larger than life. Interesting mix of homeless folks, some mentally ill, and the gentile coming downtown for barbeque and a good time!

Every place that seemed to sell barbeque already had a standing room wait at 6:30pm.

We ended dup at the Ironworks, which looked vaguely familiar to me. emJay and I were here several years ago on a visit to the Austin area with her brother Michael and wife MaryAnn. This is what it is all about meat . . .

. . . that has been smoked until it is ‘fallin off the bone’!!

Full tummies . . . but I did have pecan pie for my birthday treat . . .

Here is the old river bed outside where I think Michael had told us people used to tube through a culvert that runs under the street and feeds this creek when there is enough water to flow, until someone got trapped and drowned. No more tubing.

Colorful street art . . .

. . . and a whole area of food carts that probably didn’t open until after the bars closed . . . speaking of bars we ended back at Pernel’s, a tequila bar that Margie and Gin had discovered earlier, for mojitos.

Margie bought me a birthday martini and soon I met Michelle and Kristen, from Dallas, who bought me ‘several’ mojitos. Nice girls, Michelle is realtor and Kristen is in pharmaceutical logistics. Her startup company ships temperature sensitive drugs all over the world and supplies the devices that records the temps an other environmental factors during the shipping ensuring the products come through unscathed . . .

. . . Kristen insisted on a selfie . . . my first time! The were intrigued by my hair dying story and thought my drivers license photo made me look like Santa Claus,which they said was a good ‘married look’ but that my current color looked better for ‘meeting’ people. Told them I was not trying to meet anyone because I had Smoochie at home!!! They really liked the photos of Daisy, our pup. But alas, my hair color and the age of our group didn’t fool anyone. By the end of the night Michelle wanted to set Tom up with her mother!!!!!!

The boys were back in our Super 8 nest by 9:30pm. I was up for the 6:00am breakfast room opening, and was biking  down 11th Ave in time for 8:00am Mass.

Interesting experience. Holy Cross church ends up having primarily a black congregation. Of the 100 or so early riser’s like me, only 5 of us where white.

Palm Sunday today so of course there was the reading of the Passion of Christ. The Narrator part of the gospel, which is about 80% of the 8 page reading, was read by a guy who sounded JUST LIKE Barry White. I could have listened to him all day!!!

Some more local art on the way back . . .

I had noticed this place, Franklin Barbeque, on the way to church and notice there were about 50 people already lined up at 7:30am for the 11:00am opening. Including several looked like some ‘professional’ line sitters, right near the front of the line. . .

. . . when you turned the corner the line snaked back out into the parking lot.

Here was the manager telling the folks at the back of the line, it was now 9:25am, that they should expect a 2:00pm seating . . .

. . . but not for John and his son Chad! They were first in line . . . having cued up at 6:00AM!!!! It’s Chad’s 21st birthday tomorrow but Franklin’s is closed on Mondays, so they came today. Drove all the way over from Houston. They did the same thing last year on Chad’s Bday. I asked them if it was worth the wait and they both enthusiastically exclaimed . . .”YES”!!!!

Here is the ‘morning after’ of the ‘night before’, across from our hotel. When we walked back last night the lot was full, loud music blaring, cars cruising, and at least 4 or more police cars all with their lights blazing. One of the cops said things get a little ‘lively’ every year during the Austin Relays!!!

Oh . . . and here is a photo I took the morning we left Johnson City for Austin, that I just found. We met Dana and his 31 year old daughter, Jill, who are on the Southern Tier going east to west. This is about the half way point for them, and us, so it was fun to compare stories. They definitely have the ‘harder’ part of their in front of them. Interesting they are traveling REALLY lite. They each have only one bag, you can see Jill’s on the bike with the pink handlebars. In this shot they have on all their biking clothes. Hopefully the weather will be warming for them or they are going to need to buy a few more layers!!

Today was our rest day so beside to some wash and bike maintenance it was time to tour around Austin. I decided to go to the Capital and the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum located on campus.

The TX Capital is impressive BUT not as impressive as WI’s!!

The star directly under the dome is cracked and legend is that a worker fell from some scaffolding and broke it. Not true. The star has cracked due to seismic shifting . . .

. . . but in the past, a worker did fall to his death though a glass floor like this into a lower level!!!

For sports fans . . . you know what this is all about.

When I got to the Presidential library there was an entrance fee . . . I got my first official Senior discount today. Although I did have a little trouble explaining my new hair color!!!

The honorary . . .

. . . never met a horse he didn’t like or want to ride. LBJ meet Connie the Clydesdale!

Visitors can tour floor 3, 4 and 10. Floors 2-9 are used by archivists. You can see some of the volumes through these glass windowed floor fronts. very Impressive!

On the time line they had all kinds of ‘important’ facts . . .

. . .who knew, thanks LBJ . . .

. . . yes!!!

. . . not sure Smoochie was even born when LBJ came through IA!!!!

. . . looks a little like the D!

Some of the millions of people he tried to help with his Great Society program . . .

. . .as well as fighting communism and trying to end the Vietnam War. Here was a direct link to Moscow he had installed during his presidency.

. . . a mock up of his Oval office . . .

. . . complete with three TV’s to watch the three major networks. Wonder what he would have done today with all the news channels available??

Here is his beloved ranch we missed visiting, by 15 miles as we pedaled in from Johnson City . . .

. . . his office at the ranch where he spent 1/5 of his presidency governing the nation  . . .

Here was his unarmored limo he used for tooling around Austin.

He and Ladybird at their beloved ranch.

This photo sort of says it all . . . a great dog lover.

I’ve been over this overpass 6 or 7 times since our stay here in Austin and it is bumper to bumper like this every time. Like the name of that street!!!

We all slept well after our rest day in Austin. Up, packed, breakfasted and ready to ride at 8:00am. Another Tom is joining the group today, as well as Jerry and John. We are developing quite the peloton on this cross country adventure . . . and there are more to come!

This person rolled in after we went to bed last nice and what a fun surprise to see the car this morning . . .

. . . they had not emerged from their room by the time we left. Would have been fun to talk to them!!!

Coming into Austin from the west side was VERY hilly with lots of gated home developments and expensive homes. Leaving Austin, it was very flat, industrial with scattered modest homes. Not much to photograph and this one sort of tells the whole story!!!!

We stopped at an Exxon station to meet up with John, who is from Austin, and Jerry from Des Moines IA. After a few donuts and checking out the piñatas, we were on the road again. I should have bought one of these for my B-Day!!!

We went by a HUGE race track complex . . . .

. . . that featured a 230 foot tower you can ride up in an elevator, or climb the 413 steps, to get to the viewing platform. It has a glass floor . . .  !!!!

Soon we came to this interesting building. Common spelling and pronunciation . . . of course!

I could smell incense and hear chanting, before the ‘kick me dogs’ from across the street starting yapping and chasing us. The smaller the dog the louder they seem to be!!!

oh . . . we had some wide open country out in front of us today on our 70 mile ride to La Grange, TX, our home for the night.

Here was an interesting roadside attraction . . . a natural Burial Ground. A forested area where you pay for the right to dig a hole and ‘plant your loved one’ beneath a big oak tree.

Some interesting billboards along the way today . . . still trying to figure out what the pepper is all about . . . and so is the cowboy on the sign below!!!

TX humor . . . closed on Monday’s.

Haven’t seen one like this for the waterslide in the Dell’s . . .

. . . and I guess one just isn’t enough!!!

This VFW must have used their legislator’s influence to get this trophy parked outside!

On the TransAm, I developed quite a collection of photos of church signboards with witty announcements’. This is the first one I have seen so far on this trip!!!

Lots of great flowers along the roads in TX . . .

. . . things are REALLY blooming now.

The route was going to take us through two state parks today but when we found out bikers had to pay a ‘passing through fee’. We protested and took the local road that paralleled the park. In fact, it looked the the whole parked had burn 3-4 years ago!!!!

mmmmmmmmmmmm . . . who else do I know who has Clutter . . .

Flowers here . . .

. . flowers there, flowers everywhere. Especially beautiful on these sunny days . . .

mmmmmmm . . . wonder if this is named after Marilyn Monroe. It was a dirt road!

First oil rig I have seen since we entered TX, which seems like weeks ago!!!!

Had to stop and take a shot of this Cardinal that didn’t quite make it over the road, one last time. We love these birds. They mate for life and are always at our feeders, together, in the early morning and at dusk. Fun to watch then feed each other seeds. Very loving . . . if birds can be loving . . .

Thought this was a unique way to sell off used bridges . . . even with a car prop included!!!!

The last three miles into La Grange were on some awful road and we were happy to get to the motel. Got to check out this Kolache thing. I thought they were invented in NE Mpls.!!!!

I found a couple of shots I forgot to post the other night from when we were walking around Austin. I think the State Capital actually looks better at night than during the day. It looks white under the lights rather than the dull red color, during the day, due to the red granite construction . . .

. . . our happy and FULL crew. Went to a great Indian restaurant (might be considered heresy in the Land of Barbeque).

Time to leave La Grange and head to our home for tonight, Navasota . . .

. . . but not before a stop at Weikel’s, ‘Home of the Kolache’! 15 types of filling . . .

I needed to devour two for breakfast. Nice of them to put the ‘grams of fat consumed’ on the receipt so one knows when to stop eating!!!

. . . so I bought a dozen for the gang. Need to celebrate my Czech/Polish/Slavic connection . . .

What a nice little MG dealer we pedaled by on the way out of town . . 

. . . BEAUTIFUL!!!   I REALLY liked the chocolates and goodies Smoochie sent me . . . but honey, remember I am only 62 once!!!!

. . . of course, this is not such a big deal in WI . . . ‘Home of the Cow’!!!

We happened to pass through Warrenton and Round Top where twice a year, for three weeks each time, there is an Antique and ‘Collectables’ Sale, in each town. Literally, hundreds, maybe thousands of vendors selling everything you really don’t need (at least in my view). Seemed to be as many parking lot signs as vendors in Warrenton. One of the old boys pulled out a wad of money and told us he made more than $440 in parking yesterday. Probably more than some of the vendors’!!!

Stufffffffffffffff . . .

. . . aisle and aisles of stuffffff!!!!

Soon it was kolache time . . .

. . . two of our ‘babushkas’ enjoying a kolache!!!

Don’t meet a pick up under this bridge . . .

. . . lovely biking today on very quiet roads WITH a tailwind!!!! Nice rollers too!

Here is Holly Oaks, past home of the founder of Baylor University!!!!

Weiss Store was closed . . . so I guess it’s either Gay Hill or San Francisco for a water stop!!!

Very scenic riding, great temps, blue sky and a TAILWIND!!!

Would have been interesting to spend more time here . . . but since we were slowed down by all the antique sale action, we needed to get  on to Navasota . . .

. . . which has some nicely restored building’s!

BIG Mexican dinner last nice so everybody fell right to sleep dreamin’ of margaritas!!! Today would be a quick 66 mile ride to Cold Spring, TX, our home for the night. Quick because there is a 50% chance of rain by 3:00pm!

We were on a state highway with a VERY wide shoulder that was a smooth as a new born baby’s bottom. Nice!!!

Ouch . . . this on must had been a bumpy ride . . . semi maybe???

This is something you don’t want to see right after having breakfast . . . a two fer’

First stop down the road was Anderson . . . might still be fighting the war!

A little listing to the right on this foundation . . . but still livable!!!

Funny . . .

Looked like a turkey vulture convention . . .

. . . ends up it was a breakfast meeting, over a new fawn car kill.

Hey . . . it’s my town!!!

. . . complete with a dead man’s curve, two white crosses, one more lower in the ditch.

. . . and a thriving downtown area!!!!

We would ride through the tranquil Sam Houston National Forest today for about 40 miles. Nice, quiet riding . . .

Part of it is designated a Wildlife Management area . . .

where on the left side it looks like they are letting things grow as is . .

. . . and on the right side of the road they are prescribed burning to keep the vegetation knocked back.

mmmmmmmm . . . not sure what this was all about . . .

. . . or this one!!! Got to look it up!

More of the woody species are now starting to blossom . . .

. . . they smell nice, close up, too!

Walker County Line . . . we went from pavement as smooth as a baby’s bottom, to one with diaper rash. Bumpy . . . just like the political atmosphere in Wisconsin with Gov. Walker too!!!

One of my people. Stopped by . . . but no one home!!!

Our first major detour of the whole trip (couldn’t walk through this one) and we are half done!!!!  Hope it is the only one.

Smoochie!!!!

Not sure what this shipping container was all about but it was fun to see as I came around a curve in the road.

Interesting juxtapositioning . . .

If you need help . . . here is where to go.

Gaylord . . . thanks for not telling us about your summer place . . . !!!!

Met Kate and Reinert, from Germany, who are heading west from FL, on this 3 mile crushed rock road detour. Had a hard time talking because of all the noise and traffic, but they are enjoying their ride and the US!!

Who knew Jim has a twin brother of the cloth . . .

Water . . . again. See the movie.

Punkin . . .

. . . or Pumpkin like the ACA map says. The answer: Punkin.

Oh yeah . . . everything is bigger in TX!!!

Close to the right spelling . . .

Dan hit a home run reserving these ‘Sunday Cabins’ for our stay in Cold Spring, complete with free laundry. I was in by 1:00pm and the others soon after. At 2:45pm it poured for about 30 minutes. Beat that one!!!!  Tonight we are going to have a cookout in our little slice of ‘suburbia’!!!

Big salad made by Linda . . .

. . . and what has become our signature chicken dish prepared by Chef Tom!!   FULL tummies at only $6/person!!!! No Mexican food tonight. YEAH!!!!!