3 weeks, 3 maps ridden, 1 map trained.

Giddings TX to Navasota TX

OK for starters, today I completed the 4th of 7 maps after exactly 3 weeks on the road. I obviously have 3 more maps and 3 more weeks to Friday July 1st in Hilton Head Island. Actually, it's pretty cool now when people ask "Where'd ya start?" and I say, "San Diego", and their jaw drops. If you have the Google Earth application on your MAC or PC, you should be able to download the file in the link below and open it with Google Earth to see where I've tracked. Download the First Half of Trip for Google Earth Ap. That's pretty cool visual of the trip so far right?

OK those were not roses I smelled yesterday, my bad! That was just the sweet smell of State Highways, flatter, smoother, ( at times treacherous, but overall a "leisurely ride" ). Nope, today was back on the Bike maps (after 20 miles or so) and country roads that are thrown in to the earth any way needed. This picture says it all, right about the 1 hour 30 minute mark where the arrow is on the bottom graph. To the left, State Highway, to the right, country roads. I think I counted 40 ups and downs in those spikes.

Man I was dragging after 25 miles today. The 424 miles the last 6 straight days caught up to me and I would get my spurts of moving right along, and then I'd get that "what ever, I'll get there when I get there" going on in my head and legs. There weren't as many, but there were enough "Come on are you kidding me, another hill to go down and up?" moments out there today. Also had a 15 MPH wind that was across me to in front of me most of the day. Pretty tough ride today, especially in that 12:30 range when it kicked into the 95 degree day. Certainly wasn't anywhere near the hardest day though so far. I just looked at the route, I took their route, but could have shaved 12 miles off ( that's it the phone's coming out more often now ).

Rolled through Independence TX around 11:30 ( Check it out here I did not take the bike tour, but probably should have stoped and smelled the roses here. ) Had lunch in the General Store that was probably the General Store 160 years ago ( This page ). Got a picture of 3 generations, I just missed getting the 4th generation in the picture, great grandma was there earlier in the day. I did see cotton on the road, was wondering what that was about, now I know from the website.

Kudos to my Uncle Al!!! The hotel rates here were steep. Al dropped what he was doing and whipped me up a $39 room instead of an $89 room for 2 nights. Friends and Family for me at the Comfort Inn and Suites!! Thanks Uncle Al. Now if I can find something to do Saturday ( oh yeah, I've got about 100 emails for work to catch up on!!). There will be more BBQ and beer though for sure.

So now, there's a little less pressure, a little less work during the day. Probably going to be some John White sarcasm (humor) going along with the pictures ( or maybe a little more than what I've had so far ) from here on out. I hope I offend somebody out there enough to comment on the blog :)!! (is that sarcasm or real?? I don't know.)

Stats - 67 miles (1,305)
Calories - 3590 ( 72,200 )
Time - 5:32 (108:03)
Total Climb - 1801 ( 47,910 ft )


State roads as smooth as glass, I could hardly hear a car coming up behind me ( especially a Prius)

Anyone remember Uni, Roy and Al? I do.

Dear Heaven Road. Wait is that for the deer or the hunters?

Massive sign for the Texas Basketball Museum. I forgot to look for the museum by the time I got to it. (Indiana easily kicks Texas a** on this one ).

Little retirement idea for us Kelly??

And roads not so smooth as glass.

Shortcut Road? Not for me, but who then?

Break time ( aka pee by a tree time). I can not tell you how much I sweat today. The AZ desert, nothing! Here, my hands were slipping off the handlebars. Now I remeber why I bought the do-rags. Can't wait till Louisiana.

Big ole house, complete with second story flaggery.

Yep, there was a warning for 9'-6" clearance 3 miles earlier. Damn that's short, but good traffic control. Maybe this limits commerce but that's what they seem to want here.

A little church action ( rest stop again, but not to pee on the lawn, that's wrong! )

Country road construction. Just start all over, take the whole road back down to the original rock and do it over.

Cute little log cabin in Independence.

Love the store!

Long rolling hills of TX.

Geeze, another break, somebody's tired!!