Pedaling for Patriots

We left Austin this morning, headed for Dallas  and our meeting with George W. Bush.  The trip was uneventful and we got there in time to stop for something to drink and to stretch our legs.  Our meeting lasted about an hour and we talked about a number of different topics.  He was surprised to learn that children of military members killed in the line of duty receive tuition and a stipend for schooling (based on Congressional legislation passed in 2009) , but the children of CIA officers killed in the line of duty do not receive the same benefit.  He spoke very highly of the officers in the CIA and fondly remembered his briefings by them each morning when he was President.  He mentioned many officers by name and said he was always impressed by their knowledge, saying that they were some of the most comprehensive briefings he ever received.  We took a few photos and hopefully we will have a copy of those very soon!  The President’s Chief of Staff has promised to post them on their Facebook wall as well.

We then drove by the Texas School Book Depository building, where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the rifle that killed President John F. Kennedy.  We continued on to Mineral Wells, Texas, where we will start our ride tomorrow morning!

Today was “Explore Austin” Day!  But first, a wonderful breakfast, overlooking the canyon, and then my manicure and pedicure (do they give discounts when you only have 9 toenails?).  We spent the day exploring downtown Austin and were surprised by how “bike-friendly” the city is!  Bike lanes are everywhere and the motorists are very courteous.

We picked up our bikes from Bicycle Sport Shop and were very happy we got them here when we did!  Both bikes needed to have their chains and gear cassettes replaced and my bike had two large gashes in both the front and back tire (from the pothole probably).  Rob’s bike had a broken spoke.  Both bikes were cleaned and lubed and ready for the next 1,700 miles!

Now for the BIG news:  We have been given the opportunity to meet with President Bush (43) in Dallas tomorrow!  Thus, we will drive up to Dallas and continue our ride west from Dallas instead of Austin.  While this will add a few miles to our ride, the opportunity to meet with President Bush and discuss the ride obviously outweighs a few more hours on the bike saddle.

What a great day today!  We biked from Sunset Valley into the Barton Creek Resort and were met by many people clapping hands, waving pom-poms and cheering us on.  To top it all off, they offered to let us stay here for free for 2 nights, along with offering me a massage, manicure and pedicure!  A grand gesture for sure, and certainly very appreciated.  Along the way, we met up with a gorilla named Sam!

We then took our bikes in for their own “spa” treatment – to Bicycle Sport Shop in Austin.  They were very friendly and offered to do the work quickly so that we could pick them up the next day.  We then came back to the Resort to relax and unwind before my massage at 6pm.  (Which was heavenly – thank you for asking.)

We decided to go to dinner at Threadgill’s – the original one on N. Lamar.  “It was here that Janis Joplin developed her country and blues hybrid-styled voice that would blur the lines between country and rock n’ roll.”  The food was very good and the pictures on the walls kept us all entertained!

When we got back to the hotel the Bears – Packers game was on, so we watched the last quarter (GO BEARS!!) and then fell into a deep sleep, knowing we didn’t have to get up in the morning!

Stats:

Live Animals:  Deer, 2 Hawks, Big Beetles, Sam the Gorilla

Dead Animals:  Armadillo, Snake

As we were getting our bikes ready this morning, a man came by and asked how far we were going.  After chatting for awhile, he offered us money for food or supplies.  We told him about the Fund and why we were riding and he said, “That’s even better!” and gave us a cash donation for us to send back to the Memorial Fund.  What a great way to start the day!

We decided to go off the route again.  Since the farm roads are 70mph with no shoulders, we decided to take a more direct route, on a busier road but with wide shoulders.  The first 10 miles were very bumpy, but after that we had a smooth ride.  We passed the “Cowboy Church” which had people riding up on their horses!  We also passed over the Colorado river.  It was probably the most beautiful day we’ve had for riding; overcast, temperatures in the 80’s.

About 20 miles from our stopping point we caught up to a young man who was biking in the same direction.  Evan Moore is 18 years old and has bicycled from Vancouver to Newfoundland, down the east coast of the US to Miami and is now heading west.  To date he has bicycled over 10,000 miles!  (You can read his blog here.)  Please remember to include him in your prayers as he makes his way to California and eventually back home.

For dinner, we went to Bess Bistro on Pecan, the restaurant owned by Sandra Bullock.  The food was really good and it was nice to be in a big city again!

Stats:

Live Animals:  Red-Tailed Hawk, Deer, Horses, Cows, Chickens, Dogs, Raccoon (in the hotel garbage can)

Dead Animals:  Deer, Fox, Frogs, Snakes, Opossum, Skunk

Today was the first time Rob had to ride by himself.  He said he was lonely – but he made much better time without me!  I think that’s because I hold my breath and stop pedaling every time a truck passes by!  It was very hilly today, but without the GPS on his bike, we’re not sure how much he climbed.  He also took a wrong turn and went 10 miles out of the way. (Guess he really DOES need me!)  He also had to pedal through about 15 miles of craziness, as it was the annual “Round Top Texas Antique Festival“.  Both sides of the road were filled with tents and tables, people were crossing the street without looking and traffic was at a standstill.

A few weeks ago we received a note from Wade Jackson (who saw our story on CNN), letting us know his friend was biking from CA to FL and that we may pass him somewhere along the way.  Because of the magic of Facebook and AT&T, Joey Paul and I were able to connect and today, in La Grange, TX, we met him!  He is riding, totally unsupported, sleeping where he can and riding at all times of the day and night.  What an adventurer!!!

We had dinner at a great place called “Paddy’s Texas Kitchen” which had all kinds of barbecue, seafood, homemade potato chips, buns and apple pie.  Yum!

Stats:

• Time:  6:30
• Distance:  84 miles

Live Animals:  Horses, Cows, Donkeys, Hawk, Dogs (chased by 4)

Dead Animals:  Armadillo, Opossum, Snake, Frogs, Deer

Our day started out very eerie, surrounded by fog.   Unfortunately, it didn’t make it any cooler.  It was almost 80°!  We thought that going on farm roads would help with the traffic, but it was still very busy and the speed limit was 70mph.  Luckily, everyone was very considerate and gave us plenty of room.

We stopped for lunch about 65 miles into the ride at Richards Grocery, in Richards, TX and had a great sandwich.  It was already 100°, so we needed the break!  There was an antique store next door, but it wasn’t open.  We finished up our day in Navasota.  It was a fairly boring ride day, as we were mostly in the Sam Houston National Forest and there was little to see.

As we were leaving Coldspring (about 20 miles into our ride), I hit a hole and as I bounced out and tried to keep the bike upright, I hit my tailbone on the seat.   I was in quite a bit of pain for the rest of the ride, so Rob has grounded me from the bike for tomorrow.  It’s probably best that I let it heal, but I’m worried about Rob riding by himself.

Today was also our 27th anniversary and we shared a great Italian dinner this evening!

One business note – if you have mailed a check to the Memorial Fund and do not see your name on the sponsor list, please let me know.  We do not get regular updates from those who manage the fund and the only information we receive immediately is from PayPal.  We want to recognize everyone who has donated, so please send a note to info@pedalingforpatriots.com and tell us you have sent a check and we will put your name on our list!

Stats:

Live Animals:  Horses, Cows, Longhorn Cattle, Hawks, Giant Grasshoppers, Dogs (including 4 mean ones that chased us!)

Dead Animals:  Turtle, Armadillo

Today was an unexpected down day!  We were looking at the map and read, “narrow two-lane road with no shoulders, ride defensively, you’ll encounter logging trucks”.  We have had too many bad experiences with logging trucks to risk going on these roads, so we have rerouted ourselves onto even smaller roads.  This means we will, most likely, lose the nice, wide shoulders, but the traffic should be lighter, and more importantly, safer!  As you can see by our photos, we have had a chance to wash the van, eat good food and get some much needed rest.  I was also able to take a good look at my big toe, which wasn’t a pretty site, so don’t look at that if you’re squeamish!  Back on the road in the morning!

See text and view video here.

This was the day of crazy weather!  It started off hot and muggy, then the clouds came in about 10:00am.  By 1:00pm, it was about 10° cooler and we had been rained on for 5 miles.  Then the sun came out and the heat came back.  By 2:00pm, we were biking into 25mph winds and looking at very, very dark clouds.  The rain started again soon after that and we were sprayed by trucks for the next 20 miles.  By the time we reached the Texas border, it was back up to 90°!

However, the roads were perfect for biking; wide shoulders with a rumble strip separating us from the highway.  We were able to go 17-20mph for most of the day!  Our first stop was in Oberlin, where we met David Wolfe at the Main Street Diner.  He very kindly let us come in for a drink, even though he wasn’t yet open for the day, and wouldn’t let us pay for them!

We continued 35 miles, past lots of farms and rice paddies, until we reached Deridder, where we had a quick lunch.  We had 28 miles to go until we crossed the Texas border!  It is hard to believe we were in Florida just five days ago.  But, we will be in Texas for about 2 weeks!

Stats:

Live Animals:  Hawks, Cattle Egret, Tricolored Heron, Horses, Cows, Miniature Horses, Goats, Donkey, Texas Longhorn Cattle, Muskrat, Snake (pretty blue one)

Dead Animals: Bullfrog (biggest one we’ve ever seen!), River Otters, Hawk, Turtle, Opossum, Snakes

Today was one of our toughest riding days so far.  We left St. Francisville, LA at dawn in order to make the ferry across the Mississippi.  It only took about 10 minutes and then we were in New Roads.  The route took us on back roads along the levee for about 15 miles where the shoulder was smoother than the road!  We saw sugar cane and cotton fields along the way.  We then turned onto a much busier highway and toward a mile-long bridge with no shoulder.  We made a joint decision to climb up onto the trestle and walk our bikes across the bridge, even though we weren’t supposed to be up there!

For the next 25 miles, we were on more back roads with no shoulders but little traffic.  We crossed over the Atchafalaya River Bridge in Simmesport and then had some lunch.  (There were frog legs and gator bites on the menu, but we didn’t order any!)  We heard a lot of Cajun spoken, but didn’t understand much of it.  Luckily, a smile means the same thing in every language!

When we started again, it had gotten considerably hotter (95°) and much windier.  We had 25 mph winds pushing us backwards for the next 30 miles.  Add that to the rough road conditions, the dogs chasing us and more logging trucks, and we were ready for our day to end!

We stopped in Lebeau for something to drink and found out the local restaurant is somewhat of a natural history museum!  There was a stuffed alligator, rattlesnake, bobcat, an alligator gar fish (which I thought was made-up, like a jackalope, but it’s not!), and a huge snapping turtle, all caught locally.  I think the locals were very amused by our reactions to them all!

Stats:

Live Animals:  Snakes, Horses, Cows, Hawks, Cattle Egret, Brown Pelican, Too Many Dogs to Count

Dead Animals: Owl :(, Snakes, Armadillo, Raccoon