Day 17
Day 17 AM
Head out today towards north of Houston. 110 miles today but after mid morning we will have hill country behind us. If possible I think most of the Alpha team is starting to feel stronger than we did at the start. Clearly flatter terrain will help in this area. Today is the last day that Antonio Coppola will ride with us. Tomorrow he heads to Houston airport. If you are planning on giving to MS because of his efforts now is the perfect time.
Johnson City is where we stayed overnight. It was the birthplace and home of President Johnson. We haven’t done the research but was the city named after him or is it just a huge coincidence? I am pleased they didn’t change the name of Hyde Park in New York.
Lots of time spent on this trip planning lunch spots. We continue to cover ground where for the most part services are few and far between during the course of the day. We sure wonder where the people in these areas shop for food. Must be a scheduled trip. Meanwhile for us (or at least for me) I have never consumed as many calories as I have the last 17 days. It seems I have an appetite that can not be satisfied. I believe I can now eat at the same level as my 22 year old son. Will be sure to modify once we are finished with the ride.
Other than a few truck drivers that have been reluctant to move over we have met mostly very friendly people in all the states we have traveled through. Gives me renewed confidence that things are ok in this country. The working person remains the most important person to me. This country was built by them and survives because of them. Huge shoutout to each and every person who puts on their shoes every morning or night and heads off to work. No country like the USA.
Now donate to MS!
Blog will get new seasoning as we head out of Texas and into the Bayou.
PM recap
Today finished with us cycling 107 miles and getting to our planned destination of Lagrange, Texas. For a while today it looked like we wouldn’t make it but Mike Halstead put me on his back for the last 30 miles and we got to the motel with daylight remaining. We have officially left the hill country of Texas. I am okay with the thought of waiting a long time before trekking this area again. Tomorrow will be the last day for map number 4 of seven! The very good news is that the last three maps are the shortest. Here we go baby!
Today was a day filled with unusual activities. Fortunately we did 20 miles of today’s scheduled ride last night otherwise this would have been a bear!
Today we had one more flat and I had a bit of a slight fall as I lost my chain on a hill. No harm done but there are now few parts of my body that wouldn’t benefit from an ice bath.
We rode straight through Austin today which is the capital of Texas. Known for its vibrant active lifestyle it didn’t disappoint. Plenty of bikers, runners and rowers even during the morning midweek. Some pretty unique buildings downtown. What really stood out though was the extraordinary amount of building projects under construction. The amount of money being spent in Austin defies the inflation situation.
Did a bit of bike trails in Austin and like other cities on our trip these pathways continue to be a haven for homeless. A nationwide problem.
Lunch was from a taco place where no one spoke English. Not sure what we got but it was authentic.
Another issue with loose dogs. This group was a bit challenging to get past and we ultimately dismounted and kept the bikes between us and the fangs.
Rode past Circuit of the Americas which is noteworthy for two reasons. It was built to host an annual Formula 1 race which is pretty cool. It was also the home for a couple of years for the HITS Endurance marathon and duathlon. That company was the predecessor to Alpha.win the sponsor of the Alpha team for MS. I like to think the endurance events held there were more meaningful.
About 40 miles from our final destination our map directed us through a 15 mile bike path through a park. All well and good except the fee to ride through was 5 bucks a person. We have a tight budget but one of us (who I will not mention) felt it was worth it for her to use their restroom. I guess with no state income taxes it makes sense. But it was a surprise nevertheless. Nice to ride with no traffic.
We crossed the Colorado River. That river is so meaningful to so many people in the United States. Coming from the Hudson Valley I am quite partial to the Hudson and some of you followers are fans of the Mississippi but hard to make a case the Colorado isn’t the most important.
Old friends and new ones are jumping in and donating to MS. Thanks to all and please pass it on.