Today was tough. We started out at 7:30am in a pretty consistent rain and 25 MPH head and cross winds. A few interesting points along the way, however. We passed through a border patrol checkpoint, and had to stand in line while officers and a K-9 inspected and sniffed each vehicle. I felt sure that the dog would get one whiff of my socks, and either pass out, or bite my leg off. The officer only asked if we were US citizens, and did not seem to be amused when I answered “Si”, and quickly motioned us through.
Just up ahead, we came to a one lane bridge. The tour company “re-directed” us ACROSS the highway, and asked that we ride on the shoulder of the other side of the freeway, in the face of oncoming traffic. If that wasn’t scary enough, the cross winds we experienced were so heavy riding over some overpasses that we actually chose to dismount and WALK our bikes 1/4 mile or so, until we came to a group of trees on the side of the road, which helped reduce the impact of the cross winds. This was truly a first for me. These cross winds were so strong that I felt I would either be blown into the face of oncoming traffic, or would be blown over the guardrail.
In a moving experience, we cycled to Uvalde, TX, site of the mass shooting at an elementary school there. Here, we ate lunch at a very popular local diner, and saw many posters, pictures, and signs commemorating the children and teachers who lost their lives in this travesty. The town itself seems to be thriving, with a very active business district and some very interesting neighborhoods. Though not tremendously large, I would recommend anyone passing through the stop and visit the memorial, and see some of the town. There is still a strong police presence here, despite the fact that it has been quite a while since the tragedy occurred. A truly moving experience. As a quick side note, John Nance Garner, known as “Cactus Jack”, who was Vice President of the US under Franklin D. Roosevelt, was from Uvalde.
After cycling through Uvalde, the fun began. Beyond dealing with flat tires and a chain that became dislodged from one of the bikes, we endured 25 MPH headwinds and extremely rough roads for the remaining 35 miles. If this wasn’t enough, I also experienced first hand the impact of “rolling coal”, which is a practice of a pickup truck driver blowing out thick clouds of black exhaust smoke on purpose, as a sort of a derogatory “salute” to cyclists on the side of the road. This happened not once or twice, but actually three times just today. It’s not the most pleasant sensation, but alas, we did survive!
On a much lighter note, we have definitely moved out of the desert, and appear to have entered the Texas Hill Country. Having lived in Texas for over 30 years, I am truly surprised to see just how green and lush some of these areas are. I never have really traveled much west of I-35, and was amazed at the size of the trees and the foliage along the sides of the road. While the Hill Country certainly does add an element of challenge to a cyclist, the beauty and serenity of some of the areas we went through today really softened the blow of such a difficult day, weather wise.
We are staying in cabins at the Riverbend on the Frio in Concan. Despite the fact that there is no heat in these cabins, it’s nice to actually be indoors, if only to make it more difficult for the bears to eat you in the middle of the night. I admit that I have never experienced a bear in such circumstances, however the security of having a secure door separating the critters on the outside with the four weary cyclists on the inside offers a distinct measure of comfort. And besides, it’s probably too cold for bears in here, anyway.
Tomorrow is an “off day”, so I will attempt to clean the grime from my bike and ready it for our next destination, Kerrville. Hope all is well with you all. Sleep well! (I know I will!).
The Walking Machine 
You must sleep like a baby!!
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