Another nice day of touring.
Now in Coldspring TEXAS, 65 miles closer to the border and 2200' climbing.
We reallyreally could have endured another 22 miles but couldn't get confirmation at the America's Best Value in Shepherd. Besides, we've found our best riding is from after breakfast, to about an hour after lunch.
Traffic and heat increases as we ride later in the afternoon.
So many ask how fast we're going and how many miles we do each day. I've mentioned the spacing between towns, but it also depends on the extra considerations.
For example, today we started out in tights and jackets this morning, then stopped to strip down and apply the obligatory white paste sunscreen, stuff gear in panniers and check for possible dragging brake. Factor in water, snack and restroom breaks (you cannot hide in the woods here) and we're spending a fair amount of time off the bike.
I have heard about a father/daughter tandem who rode 100 miles each day on this route and put up a roadside tent for the night, wherever they reached their daily goal.
Good for them!
For us, we're happy to absorb this experience as it happens. We never know what's around the next bend
Today's route took us through miles of national forest, relatively peaceful, only a few logging trucks. We also passed through Cagle Recreation Area and Lake Conroe. Wildflowers all around. Hello Texas spring.
NO roadside carnage, either.
We also want you to know we have unconsciously adopted the Atkins Diet, with way too much protein and too few carbs. Our available breakfast options are eggs and/or sausage, ham or steak. The potatoes are always fried, so we've been going easy on that side. Lunch salads have ranged from decent to "Is head lettuce the ONLY thing grown around here?" Dinners: this is red meat country. Chicken gets mutilated. I ordered a baked potato last night, and it was heaped with sour cream, butter, cheese and bacon.
The result: a little retirement/winter waistline spread has disappeared. Talk about reward for bad food choices.
But David still gets in his red wine and I explore the beer selections, so I guess it balances out.
Can't wait to see what my Mother's Day meal is. Enjoy yours.
About Us
- Karen, David & Bill
- Based in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, we three are longtime single cycle riders. After early retirement, Karen and David bought a jumbo-sized Cannondale tandem. It's white (very), trimmed in red. We call it the Pillsbury Doughboy. We were joined by Bill, an old friend, on his 14-year old single Cannondale and made the call that started this adventure. He's supposedly retired but continues to find real work when he chooses.We planned to pedal self-supported across the U.S. in Spring 2011 from San Diego CA to St. Augustine FL. In beginning this adventure we agreed philosophically with Jean-Jacques Rousseau: "The person who has lived the most is not the one with the most years but the one with the richest experiences."
No comments:
Post a Comment