Since at least 1997, I had yearned to attempt a cross country bike ride. That summer, my friend Warren rode from LA to Boston. He called me from Winslow, AZ; I rode with him when he passed through Indiana, and I celebrated his accomplishment when he returned. But I, too, wanted to “explore” the USA. I had always loved Charles Kuralt and his tales of small towns off the interstate. What better way to see our great country?
With children, a job, and a widowed mother in failing health, the dream was put on the back burner of life for 15 years. Early in 2012, when I asked my husband if he was interested in such an adventure, he declined without hesitation. And I “discovered” WomanTours – a wonderful “girly group” that seemed to have great support (before and during the ride) and reasonable daily miles (reasonable if I train well).
So in March 2013, the dream – and adventures – began!
I turned 65 while on the ride – it seemed like a fitting way to celebrate – in El Paso, Texas, where my 100 year old mother passed away in December 2011. I think she would have been nervously excited for me.
- April 2, 2013
April 2: Fort Clark Springs to Camp Wood, TX On the road by 8 am today, as it was suggested we make Camp Wood before 2 pm when the local cafe closes. Still not enjoying the chip seal of Kinney County, though the surface of Ranch Road 334 did not seem as rough as US 90 ...Continue reading → - April 3, 2013
April 3: Camp Wood to Vanderpool, TX After dinner last night, we were treated to quite a sky show, thunder, lightning, and plenty of rain. The skies were threatening this morning, but the weather report suggested we would not have a storm. We did get a few drops shortly after we left town, but the roads ...Continue reading → - April 4, 2013
April 4: Vanderpool to Kerrville, TX Didn’t have the best sleep last night: my bed was actually a lumpy daybed, but also there was a metal rattle overhead, I think caused by the wind. We did sleep in some this morning, as it was cold and, due to our location in the hills, it took a ...Continue reading → - April 4, 2013
In several of my blogs, I have mentioned my friend Barb Stayton as my inspiration for fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Here is a photo of Barb and her daughter, a lymphoma survivor, and an article which appeared last spring in the Indiana chapter’s newsletter. A Story of Gratitude and Survival Barb Stayton’s journey with The ...Continue reading → - April 5, 2013
April 5: Kerrville, TX *Having Tim with me for 3+ days *Breakfast at McDonald’s (just a change of pace) *Haircut by Emily at Awesome Cut and Color *Tim doing my laundry while I was getting my hair cut *Leisurely drive to Fredericksburg, then casual stroll on Main Street *Learning Admiral Nimitz of WW II Pacific War fame was from Fredericksburg (we ...Continue reading → - April 6, 2013April 6: Kerrville to Blanco, TX Just plain tired tonight, so no blog. Total 66 miles, average 10.6 mphContinue reading →
- April 7, 2013April 7: Blanco to Bastrop, TX Arrived at hotel at 5:50 pm for 6 pm dinner with Jacque and Carl Ward. Jacque and I went to Radford School for Girls in El Paso, TX, graduating in 1965 (we have seen each other since). Delightful, relaxing dinner at Bastrop Brewhouse on the Colorado River. Tomorrow is a short ...Continue reading →
- April 8, 2013
My apologies to loyal readers for my recent negligence in writing. I will try to bring everyone up to date. As I mentioned, Tim arrived Thursday evening, April 4, and I had a super Rest Day on April 5. I didn’t mention that Tim had borrowed a bike from Houston friend Garth Blackburn, so he planned ...Continue reading → - April 9, 2013
April 9: La Grange to Navasota, TX Today may be my most favorite biking day so far, because of the scenery, though the wind was a distraction. We had been warned of a possible storm this evening, so the winds were swirling, and at times quite strong. Of course, we enjoyed the few times it was ...Continue reading → - April 10, 2013
I started this entry on our Rest Day in Kerrville. Today, April 10, we have another Rest Day, and I plan to finish. As of April 6, we were halfway through our cross country tour, in terms of days. According to my bicycle computer, we are more than half way in miles. And my legs hope ...Continue reading →