OK going to be brief, I'm tired!
First 20 miles, piece of cake. 1:30 minutes, smooth roads, no hills. Just like you'd hope. Next 20 miles was a fun winding bumpy, hilly where you out ride.
Then at lunch break, I met Ali, she's a going to be in 5th grade. She was helping her newly adopted Grand Mother at her corner store in Waring TX ( Ali just lost her real and last Grand Parent :(. Ali politely listened to my stories and she shared some of hers. Like how she was born with 6 fingers and toes and had them cut off when she was young. And how her Dad was a World Champion Horse trainer. John - "Do you call him The Horse Whisperer?" Ali - "No I call him dad". Of course :).
Then off to the Road Construction lesson. After narrowly missing a new project taking out a bridge ( I got to go over the old one). On to the learning how they make crappy Texas roads! It was a 10 mile long construction project. 1 lane road with a "follow me" vehicle carting traffic from one end to the other. So while we're waiting I'm talking to the signal guy and what appears to be the "boss" ( he was actually #2 man)... John-"Don't you have to take that truck to the other end?". Boss - "Nope, I just gotta stay here Lance Armstrong". John-"Dang, cause it looks pretty brutal". Boss-"Go on ahead just stay on the right, you got some big hills up there".
Gee thanks... Then after riding 2 miles and dodging the traffic line and still 2 miles from the road pavers..here comes the boss. Come on I'll take you through, I just had to clear it Boss #1. John - "Great cause this really sucks, I really appreciate it". Saved me 10 miles and probably 90 minutes and maybe even an accident getting through construction. Anyway, here's how you make bumpy roads, it's easy. 1 spray a bunch of tar ( you'll need semi tanker loads of it). 2) sprinkle on some 1" rock. Eventually it'll flatten out. That's it.
Ralph and Deb are the in keepers, shot the sh*t with them for an hour or so and enjoyed stories about the locals, the area and their Inn.
Stats - 66.7 miles (1,116)
Calories - 3811 ( 61,885 )
Time - 5:23 (92:19)
Total Climb - 2257 ( 42,235 ft )
This is Ali posing for me ( putting up with the creepy bike guy)
Morning goodbyes to Kerrville TX.
The Guadalupe River and I spent some more time together. What a lovely little place if you want something totally different for a vacation. It's hot and dry here if that's what you are looking for.
South Fork or the WhiteHouse, not sure.
Tiny little Vineyard, I think people retire out here and make up something to do.
Bridge that will be closed Monday. Saved me a 5 mile detour cause it was still crossable !!
Yep, I didn't like seeing this pile of rock, but then I did cause I got a ride.
Fresh, brand spanking new BUMPY ROAD!!
Flying through the tar pits in the back of the truck.
Ralph and Deb and their wonderful Country Inn!
Juan Blanco crossing the Blanco River.
Wow, the temps are really terrible this week! Hope you are keeping hydrated. Thankfully, you are not in Arizona where the fire is out of control; looked at the map and you were just south of the forest that is on fire (north of Safford).
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you got schooled by a 5th grader AND a road crew boss all in one day!
ReplyDeleteI can practically hear my ten-speed bicycle tires popping on the hot tar. Texas and Indy you do know how to chip and seal!
I read your last paragraph as "Raph and Deb are keepers" and thought when did he talk to Raph and Deb?