March 21, 2017.  Lost Maples State Park Texas to Kerrville Texas 50 wonderful miles, and 1518 miles from the Pacific.  I am just a little over halfway to the Atlantic.  I need to tell you about the stars last night.  The sky was unbelievably clear.  I saw constellations that I had never seen before and they were easy for me to pick out.  Orion’s belt shined like a silver warrior and the big dipper with its handle facing downward towards the mountains to the east was just beautiful. I could’ve stared at that sky all night long but my eyes were too sleepy.  Just before sunrise I pack up camp happy and eat a light breakfast.  The map shows a big climb right away this morning so I try not to eat too much.   I leave the state park and turn left onto Highway 187.  Deer and turkeys are dancing around in the early morning light.  There is a cool light mist in the air as morning clouds move in.  I put horse in low gear and start to climb.  My legs muscles refuse to cooperate.  I swallow my pride and push horse and all my gear up the mountain.  We get to the top of the first pass and my legs are warmed up and feeling better. Beautiful wildflowers line the roadside and to bend towards the morning sunlight.  It’s an up-and-down ride all the way to The small town of Hunt for lunch.  With the help of some locals I find the some of the best food in Texas.  Crusted trout with pasta and vegetables and then a chocolate pecan pie with ice cream for dessert.  Life becomes wonderfuller.  The ride into Kerrville follows the Guadalupe River.  Traffic is light and the afternoon sun becomes hot. But Horse and I are cooled by the shade of the huge trees that line the road next to the river.  It feels as air-conditioning as we ride through a green tunnel somewhere in utopia.  I arrive in Kerrville and get a room at the local Motel 6, do some laundry and take a nap.  Life on the road was good today.  I hope you got a chance to experience life with dessert today too.
Cheers, Freebird

March 19, 2017.  Brackettville Texas to Camp Wood Texas. 50 miles.  1424 Miles from the Pacific.   I unzip the tent fly and crawled out of camp happy.  It is still dark.  I hazy moon shines overhead.  Mosquitoes come after me for breakfast.  The tent is wet from last nights dew.  I pack up and head into town for breakfast.  Horse and I head up Highway 334 and into the Texas Hill-country.  The chip seal road is very rough and soon my hands turn numb from the constant vibration of this gravel, stone, and tar combination. Horse complains, but I reminded him that at least we don’t have a headwind today.  There is always something to be grateful for.  The local sheriff stops by as I take a break beside the road.  He is very nice and asked if i need anything.   He warns me about the illegal human trafficking in the area and tells me to be aware what’s going on around me.  I ride past a large solar installation producing electricity for part of Southwest Texas.  This is a big ranch country.  It is lush and green and full of cattle.  I start to climb into the hill country and it becomes even more beautiful.  Some cactus flowers are in full bloom and there is a flowery smell in the air.  I know it is not me.  The Early-morning clouds quickly burn off and the intense Texas sun quickly warms to 90 degrees.  Just before town there is a county park next to the Camp Wood River.  It is beautiful.  I get a campsite, empty my pockets and jump into The cool refreshing clear water.  The soothing cold water suddenly makes life all better.  The memories of today’s rough roads and long climbs quickly disappear and once again I am living the dream.  I hope you get a chance to disappear into one of your dreams today too.
Cheers, Freebird

March 17, 2017. Langley Texas to Del Rio Texas 60 miles. 1336 miles from the Pacific.
A great day to be on the bike. I saddled up Horse long before dawn trying once again outsmart West Texas headwinds. Turns out it didn’t take a break even at night. So onward i must go. I meet up with Per (pronounced P-air) that I met a couple a days ago. He is from Norway and in his middle 60s. Former helicopter pilot and all-around great guy. To get in shape for the ride across the southern tier he a told me that he rode across part of Australia. And I thought a couple hours in the gym every day for eight weeks was impressive. Per has an awesome headlight and I have a good tail light so we make a good team. One advantage of Climbing these hills in the dark is that you can’t see how big they are. Coming down hill is a bit on the hairy-scary. All that is soon forgotten as we ride into an amazing sunrise. Bright Colors of every shade of orange and yellow lit up the Horizon. The day stays cool as clouds moved in and we get a sprinkle here and there. We cross the Pecos River just before lunch. Judge Roy Bean and the law or lawlessness west of the Pecos
Is famous around here. We take several rest stops and try to pace ourselves against this wind. It seems better than yesterday-less gusty but still a force to be reckoned. We make it to Comstock just as the only lunch café in town opens. The food is delicious. I haven’t had a good meal since El Paso. We fill our bellies and our food containers and then turn south and then east over the Amistad national recreation area bridge. It is the damned up a Pacos River where it meets the Rio Grande. We arrive in Del Rio after 10 hours on the bikes. I am feeling tired but not exhausted like yesterday. I get a room at the local motel 6 and find a pasta buffet within walking distance. I stuff myself until my belly looks pregnant. I am so grateful to meet my new friend Per and share stories as we rode together. I hope you had a chance to meet A new friend today. Happy Saint Patty’s Day to everyone. And Remember that Irish saying “don’t ruin a good story with the truth” ? Cheers, Freebird

March 15, 2017. Marathon Texas to Sanderson Texas 55 windy miles. 1216 miles from the Pacific. I crawl out of camp happy and it’s still dark. The moon lights up the desert like a city streetlight. The stars are unbelievably bright. It’s like I can reach up and touch them. A coyote howls in the distance hills and a local rooster signifies that dawn will arrive soon. I pack up the tent and sleeping bag and chow down some cold pizza left over from last night. My hunger is unrelentless. I ride into town and stuff my food bag for the long ride to Sanderson. There are no food or water stops on the way. These long distances between towns is something I’m beginning to get used to. I can carry a maximum of 4 liters of water. Water is a precious commodity in West Texas. As I leave town the sun pops over the horizon. It’s still in the low 30s and the temperature is expected to rise to 95° today. I have put on all my cold-weather gear to start this day. Within the first 10 miles I take it all off and slather myself with sunscreen. The sun is intense and brings the temperature from near freezing to 80 degrees in less than two hours. Not many people or cars out here today. Just me and horse and some roadrunners. I sing them the old cartoon song “road runner, the coyotes after You. Road Runner, if it catches you through”. They don’t seem to be amused. Entertainment is cheap out here. And I have become easily amused. I spot a group of wild boar just off the highway. They are huge and look dangerous. Once they see me they quickly run into the desert and disappear into a cloud dust. Horse goes in to Gallup mode as we climb Lemons Gap. It’s the only real climb of the day. A strong headwind greets us on the other side of the mountain. I catch up to another rider named Jerry snd we trade off pulling for each other. He is in his 70s and has legs of steel. We arrive in town, have lunch (number two for me) and then find a campsite at the local RV Park. A cold wind settles in the valley as I smile and crawl into camp happy. Life on the road was good today. I am grateful to have had someone to ride with most of the day. I hope you are feeling grateful for something or someone today. Cheers, Freebird

March 13, 2017. Rest day in Marfa Texas . 1104 miles from the Pacific. I caught up on some rest, did some laundry, walked around town, and gave horse some much-needed maintenance. Currently in my tent preparing for a cold night in West Texas.

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