Remember my groaning about the hotel in Sanderson? The mother/son owners couldn't have been more caring of our group. Not only did they bring us some delicious Indian food for dinner AND breakfast, they drove 110 miles early this morning to catch us at our hotel in Del Rio to return some items our riders had forgotten in their rooms. The mother told us that in Bombay bicycling was a necessity, and that she had always wanted to do a long bicycle journey. Now too old and infirm to do so, she takes great pleasure in seeing us women do what she had wished to do. Here they are, with mama holding the bike of one of our riders.
Flat refers to the lack of significant "terrain features" as our guide likes to call the big hills. It also refers to the blowout of my rear tire - a good sized cut in the sidewall and the tube - from what, who knows...
It is a warm day in the mid 80s, some humidity, green grass, birds, maybe the end of the desert riding! I am starting to anticipate being back in Florida in a month.
No sooner had we put on a new tire and tube, and I rode a mile, than the same tire went flat again. Faulty valve on the new tube. I sat out there in the sun on the shoulder of Route 90 and changed it all myself! (big accomplishment)
Riding on from there was a lot less exciting. Because we are not far from the border with Mexico, there are a lot of Border Patrol vehicles out. This one is dragging some giant truck tires to smooth out the surface of a dirt road that parallels the highway. The next day, the Border Patrol officers will drive slowly down that dirt road looking for footprints in the dirt possibly indicating some illegal border crossers. Low tech, but it must work or they wouldn't do it?
Our accommodations for the night were billed as old army barracks. One more "modest" hotel and I thought I would scream. Phew! Fort Clark was an army base for 100 years from 1852 to just after WWII. It has been rehabilitated into a park, two golf courses, residences, a hotel, movie theater, post office, museum, etc. owned by a membership association. Lovely. Below are pix of the "barracks" and the spring fed giant swimming pool.
Sorry about all your flats but I love the story of the mother and son who drove 110 miles to return the lost items. She looks very happy to be with all the bikers. I knew Texas was a large state but it seems extra large with your day-to-day posts! You are making great progress, keep up the happy pedaling.
ReplyDeleteMeg
Really enjoyed your post from Austin.
ReplyDeletePhil A.