So Far

Well, we just spent three delightful days with old friend Debbe Kucaj and her husband Michael Brooks reliving old memories, making new ones and touring the Austin area.  Great friends.  Great hosts. Great weather.  Great city.  Great food.  Great time.

PROGRESS.

Austin marks the mid-point of our trip.  We left home just shy of two months ago on what we expected to be a four month trip and yet it's hard to believe it's already half over.   To get here I've put over 1,000 miles on the odometer and have climbed over 40,000 feet.  I think it's the climb that most surprises me.  My knee is back in order and I bike along now unencumbered by this old bag of muscle and bone.

Now what's with this?  We chose a west to east route for one critical reason:  we are lazy and expected to be swept along by a prevailing west wind.  West wind, where art thou?  I can count on one hand how many days we have had a tail wind and still be left with four extra fingers.  Usually there is a southerly and easterly component to this meteorological phenomenon and when the weather gods offended, straight out of the east.  What's with that?

The roads out here are paved with boulders (see photo).  Some days my hands, arms and shoulders are more sore than my legs.  Road shoulders?  Generally pretty good.  Traffic?  Generally not too bad.  Tired of my complaints?  I just don't want to give the impression that I'm having too much fun.

Come on.  You call that a road?

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY.

In the course of a day's ride we transitioned from desert to the Texas Hill Country.  The change was a welcome one.  It was nice to see trees and grass after a month of sand and scrub.  Only one complaint.  Texas Hill Country is full of hills.   Do something about that Texas and you've got yourself a winner.  The rest of the story I'll tell in photos.

Welcome to Texas Hill Country

Are those Trees?

Gotta be Texas, thems long horns partner

Texas Bluebells

Still pumpen water with old fashion windmills

OH THE PLACES  YOU'LL SEE.

Gila Hot Springs.  Tucked in the Gila Mountains are the Gila hot springs, natural "sweet" springs.   The term sweet is used to indicate that the water doesn't contain sulfer which is often associated with such springs.  Just regular old water.  We camped there on the way to the Gila Cliff Dwellings.  Three pools full of the stuff at a temperature of over 100 degrees awaited the weary cyclist.  I credit the rapid healing of my knee to the magical healing power.  Despite temperatures below 20 degrees at night it was glorious to lay about the pools and stare at the unobstructed night sky.

Hillsboro.  On the other side of Emory Pass we found the town of Hillsboro.  A small town of about 200 full time residents and free camping in the city park.  We made fast friends with a few of the locals.  Gretchen became our official guide letting us in on all the local secrets.  The cafe in town served a great breakfast and I even picked up a new Maine joke courtesy of a transplant from New Hampshire.

When in Hillsboro don't forget to stop at the only café in town

Las Cruces.  Great little town in New Mexico.  Visited the weekly street market on Main Street, enjoyed a local pub and some great pizza.  The folks at the local Chevy dealer accommodated to get the van in for an oil change.

Marfa.  Famous for the "Marfa Lights".  Mysterious lights in the desert no one can figure out.  Come on kids- put away the flashlights!  Famous for the filming of the movie Giant.  And now famous for being famous.

When in Marfa be sure to stay in the tee-pee.

Hatch.  World chili capital of the world?

Are you feeling chili?

(sorry, couldn't get my pictures up for the other towns.)

and so many others.

THANKS.

Here's a note of appreciation to all that are looking after things at home.  Thanks, Paul for keeping an eye on things at the house. Thanks, Peg and Becky for all you're doing in the wake of Jim's death. Thanks Doug for getting our furniture delivered.  Thanks, Ed and Paul for your trip up from New Jersey to see Mom.  And, of course, thanks to Bill and Lee.  Thanks Bill for getting us on the road with the camper and thanks Lee for your kind attention to Jim, he really enjoyed your visits.   Thanks all for your phone calls.