Day 56, 57 San Antonio TX rest days

Oh man, did Jacy hook me up solid. Possibly the most comfy bed around and just warm and cosy. Hospitality through the roof and fun times. Went out for sushi and a couple bars and watched the basketball game which was fun. It was neat watching and hearing about the local team. Spurs fever down there, catch it.

Overall it was just a great time. Been two years since hanging with Jacy at the blackfish so it was fun seeing him again. I'm also just super jealous of the real estate in San Antonio. Super jealous.

Day 55, Austin TX to salt lick barbeque

I woke up late. I was tired. I was hungry. It was a bad situation at the start. It was raining. I saddled up and started to ride, seventy miles isn't too far... I've done it before I can do it again.

Turns out I couldn't do it. I rode 0.4 miles before calling up cousin Jacy with a plan. Salt lick barbeque was a place I really wanted to go and was only 25 miles outside town. If Jacy could meet me there we can both eat a bunch of barbeque and then he can give me a ride the rest of the way.... Fingers crossed he answers the phone. I made the call, pride nowhere to be found and he completely bailed me out. We even met two people in the bar area that were so excited about my biking that they bought us a six pack AND left a selection of beers next to my bike. Cool people, love bike trip.

Also this barbeque was unreal. The best brisket I've ever had. Ever. My only regret is that it is so far away. I crave that food right now. With every waking moment I want that barbeque. Every. Single. Moment. I'm legitimately tearing up a bit thinking about it. Great Q.

Went back to Jacy's place and met his lovely pets (I'm on team Daisy I think) before heading out to a onesie party at his friends place. I bought a batman onesie which I might never take off. So comfy. Great people over there though, fine group.

Trip stats

Hours riding: 2:06.26

Day miles: 25.92

Total miles west: 1534.68

Average speed: 12.3 mph

Max speed: 36.5 mph

Day 54, Austin TX rest day

I'm going to start with the day prior also which was also like a rest day. Checking into the hostel went just a little bumpy but I ended up making a new friend as a result. The hostel wanted a ten dollar cash key deposit and I only had eight. I guess I speak pretty loudly because an English girl offered to spot me the two bucks sight unseen. Very nice start to my stay in Austin. I also find out that there is a pub crawl they are going to do that night which is convenient because I love pubs! Turns out it was five dollars cash also and my English friend spotted me again. I didn't roll into town looking like a big spender but I did meet some nice people.

We hit some bars that night and there was plenty of live music and just neat bars. Sixth street is where everything goes down and oh boy is it a time. Had a good rip on the town and eventually made it back to the hostel.

The next day I wake up late and have barbeque on my mind. Because I rolled in late I never actually had dinner so I was soooooo hungry and wanted big barbeque. I meet up with my English friend in the morning and we decide to hang out for the day. Twist though, she is super vegan! Double twist, she is fine going to a barbeque place with me first as long as I go to a began place after. Whew, dodged a bullet. I put some brisket in my mouth and it is good, life restoring good. Love barbeque.

Blah blah blah walk around town Austin is nice. End up heading back to the hostel to see what's happening there and chill in the common room. Put on a movie which leads to some hilarious "beer sipping, rye movie comment making" times. Hook, then evil dead then Jurassic park. It was a hilarious good time where everyone bonded over fun movies and decided to hit the town together as a result. Hilarious dancing ensured and I had to defend 2000 era hip hop because someone thought it was too old. Not true!

Possibly the greatest fun though, what a time.

Rest day!

Day 53, La Grange TX to Austin TX

I'm going back into my memory bank on this one but I remember it like it was yesterday... How could I forget.

The day started like most days, not that early but earlier than others. The difference with today was it was freezing. Like a couple degrees above zero with a wicked wind in the face. Terrible. I ride one mile and put on all my rain gear in an attempt to feel my toes again. Rode another six miles before stopping into a gas station to warm up. Tough start.

Stopped for lunch outside of Austin and for more heat. I think I drank an entire pot of coffee while a guy told me I should read a book about a guy walking across America. I told him I already met a guy doing it. Looks like it must be a good idea, everyone is doing it.

Mile by painstaking mile straight shot along the highway I made it to Austin and found my hostel. The whole day I just kept my head down and tried to not focus on how cold I was. First impression of Austin is that I could totally live there. There was a train and so many bike lanes! Just a good looking town also, pretty city. Best part about it is that I can get warm again, sweet heat.

Trip stats
Hours riding:
Day miles: 66.04
Total miles west: 1508.78
Average speed: 10.6 mph
Max speed: 27.0 mph

Day 52, Navasota TX to La Grange TX

A great day of riding but one where I was constantly chasing the dragon. There was a powerful wind blowing in the morning and I thought it would be right at my back. It was initially but then my route veered right and the wind was blowing across me. Normally I'm fine with a cross breeze, better than a headwind right? But this wind was so powerful and if I could only get it completely at my back I'd just blast through the day. It was another late start (11am) so I kind of needed some wind assist. My route eventually would bend to the point where I thought the wind would power me forward, just needed to go a few more miles forward.

It never happened.

I had maybe 3 miles where I can remember the wind actually giving me a solid boost. For the entire day it was probably giving me a very small boost and definitely not a hindrance. It wasn't bad but man, it sure would have been sweet to have that wind pushing me, gusts up the 15 mph!

My other gripe with the day is that hills here are so long and slow that it is hard to maintain momentum up and over the hill. The hills are usually about a half a mile where three quarters of it is a shallow gradient up and then the final quarter is much steeper. All my momentum is gone by the time I hit the steep part so there is no way I can just coast over a hill. Basically the hills are lame and I prefer one big climb instead of a hundred little climbs.

I've complained a lot in this post but really it was a good day. Powerful wind that carried some cold with it but still sunny and warm enough. Beautiful country down here, real Texas ranch country. Plenty of cattle and fields and just nice looking Texas.

A weird thing was four very curious horses that kept checking out what I was doing. They just kept eyeing me down, so I stared back. We looked at each other, the four horses just in a line for some time. Then I would start moving down the fence and the horses would run ahead of me. Then I would stop and we would look at each other some more. Strange beasts. Majestic beasts.

I also went through antique alley today. There were like five towns in a row that were just loaded with antique stores. Between the towns were barns loaded with antiques. One place was loaded with old gas station signs. So many signs for gas stations but no gas in sight.

I also saw many giant fake cows on people's yards, more than I'd expect. There was also a giant gorilla which made zero sense.

Trip stats
Hours riding: 5:22.45
Day miles: 71.11
Total miles west: 1442.78
Average speed: 13.2 mph
Max speed: 32.1 mph

Day 51, Shepherd TX to Navasota TX

Today was just an absolute grind, a grindy grind. I've been having trouble getting going in the morning but that is nothing new. Today though it might have finally got me. I was up early and had ever single opportunity to get ready. I remember thinking to myself, "brush the teeth and I'm out the door, so easy". Turns out not so easy, watched some highlights then got sucked into a weird movie where John Travolta was named wax. A quick Google shows it is called " from Paris with love ". Did I enjoy it? I think so. I wonder if I was so against moving that I would have enjoyed anything but I'm not sure. I want to think that I'm thinking clear enough to know if I'm enjoying a movie or not but who knows. I've enjoyed lots of movies because I was too tired to not enjoy them. Passively enjoying a movie is easier than either finding something better or getting frustrated about. "They said you were crazy for growing soy beans here... You don't look so crazy now." Not a great movie but I watched it anyway and I can't go back. Sure I thought it was insane that twenty odd people were going to try and pick acres of soy beans. Not possible, still tried to enjoy the movie. Soy beans. That guy was also way too short to be a star wide receiver. Weird movie.

Anyway, I stalled in the morning but still got going eventually. First thing that hit me when I got outside was the wind, then it kept hitting me for the next seven hours, right in the face. It was a strong wind, the type of wind that can really flap a flag. It was super annoying and there was plenty of hills to battle along the way also. Just the rolling type of hills that have a long slow uphill so it is impossible to carry momentum up the hill. Just had to grind it out. I would like to thank my power legs for taking me to the finish line. Legs, insanely strong calves.

Trip stats
Hours riding: 6:14.57
Day miles: 79.01
Total miles west: 1371.58
Average speed: 12.6 mph
Max speed: 30.0 mph

Day 50, Silsbee TX to Shepherd TX

Another pretty basic day of riding, not much to report. It was another smooth road which I find I enjoy fully. A school but honked at me while being me at one point and I yelled at it. At the time I didn't know it was a school bus so maybe I would have thought twice if I had known. In the end though I feel like I'm in the right, don't honk at me school bus, you've got kids!

Near my hotel the only food available was a subway that was inside of a gas station. I'm not too worried about it, I love subway. Quick subway note, they don't have barbeque sauce available all the time. Crazy. Anyway, I go into this subway and am waiting to order when I see this shirtless man gambling on the video poker machines also in the gas station. There was also a child wearing an extra large camouflage shirt running around the station. One guy who clearly was either taking a stance against the no shirt no service policy or had given up his shirt to his kid because he needed to gamble more. Either way, weird.

Trip stats
Hours riding: 4:26.03
Day miles: 60.04
Total miles west: 1292.58
Average speed: 13.5 mph
Max speed: 29.1 mph