Here we are in San Diego California. I remember when I was thirteen
years old. We were living in the Carribean at the time and I had a
surfing magazine subscription. I remember dreaming of the beaches and
the west coast. The surfers with long hair and beat up cars. It is the
west coast, the one the Beach Boys wrote many songs about: California
Dreamin', one of my favorites.
Well here I am, sixteen years later. I used to dream of coming here
to surf and as we drove down to Dog Beach this afternoon, I had no
interest in the waves. We drove all the way out here, over 2600 miles,
so that we could turn around and head east. Crazy huh?
San Diego seems to be a nice town. We went down to the Gas Light
District for dinner. The restaurants with outdoor seating have gas
powered lamp/ heaters to keep the patrons warm.
The trip from Las Vegas was pretty, more desert land. Passing just
south of the legendary Death Valley, we came over a mountain pass and
saw a huge cloud of what looked like fog. It turns out that it is smog.
Welcome to Las Vegas!!
Tomorrow is the day we have all been waiting for. I will start
riding at Ocean Beach, also called Dog Beach. We went down there today
and Texas really enjoyed it. It is a beach designated for dogs to run
without a leash.
We will head east for about sixty miles and spend the night in Live Oak Springs.
This will be the last time for a while that we will be in a hotel.
That means that I don't know when we will be able to post newsletters.
So, continue to check back and watch our progress.
Correction: The smog that I talked about was in Los Angeles not Las Vegas. Las Vegas has very clean air.
Friday morning I started riding. We hit the road around 9:30 and within
2 miles I got lost. I found my way though. The weather was good. I
had an elevation change of at least 4500 feet. I am sure I climbed more
than that because of all the ups and downs.
I think I hit every red light coming out of San Diego. The roads are good with wide bike lanes.
20 miles into the ride we finally got out of the city. I meet up with Rhonda every 10-15 miles to get water and to chat.
We end up with 56 miles and spend the night in Pine Valley. Camp is
at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. This means " the place where it rains".
As the sun goes down the cold moves in. The temp. is in the mid
30's. It is a cold night. Around midnight the almost full moon rises.
At first I think it is our neighbors headlights.
We both hear strange noises in the night, there are supposed to be mountain lions in the area!!!!
We roll out around 7:30 and head to Majors Coffee House diner for
breakfast. I had some of the best bacon I have ever had, along with
hashbrowns, eggs and toast.
As we are sitting in the diner, a couple starts a conversation with us and they end up writing a check to YAP for a donation.
Today the terrain is more mild but the wind is crazy. There are
gusts up to 50 miles an hour. The terrain is more desolate, and we see a
couple of vagrants with shopping carts in which they keep everything
they own.
I get a long downhill but with a 20 mph constant headwind, it is not
real exciting. I ride 76 miles with a 14.3 average. riding into the
wind most of the day really takes it out of a person.
We stop in Seely, CA and since there are no campgrounds nearby we opt for a Motel 6 in the neighboring El Centro.
Rhonda and Texas are doing well. Rhonda is the best support vehicle driver I have ever known.
Tomorrow we hope to make it to Palo Verde, 84 miles away.
The day starts out like any other day. We make our way to the only
Starbucks this side of the desert and drive to Seely, CA. where we
stopped last night. Seely is a so-called one-horse town. It is made up
of a crossroads, a building on each corner and irrigated hay fields in
the background.
We were getting everything ready to ride, when I saw a woman in her
40's pushing a baby stroller. I thought, " How nice". She stopped,
said "good morning", and made small talk. It was then that I realized
there was no baby but a bag full of who knows what? I figure she is one
of the many homeless people that walk this desert. We offered her some
Girl Scout Cookies and she accepted. We chatted some more and when she
found out that we were doing a fund-raiser for youth she pulled out $10
from her pocket and insisted that we take it. I was torn because I
knew that this was probably all she had. She had next to nothing, yet
she gave. We said our goodbye's and she walked off. As she was
crossing the street, I noticed she was only wearing socks!!! She looked
about the same size as
Rhonda so I asked her what size shoe she wears.
She started to say "seven", and then stopped somewhat embarrassed.
Rhonda wears size 7. I turned to Rhonda and asked her to give the woman
her shoes. As she accepted them, she said with childlike wonder,"
Ooooh, I needed some shoes".
What a testimony, she gave knowing that an All Powerful God would provide for her!!!
Well, after that Rhonda and I started on our path. It was a very humbling experience to say the least.
The day started out quite well. No wind!! I made the first 20 miles
in 1 hour. As soon as I got out of town the wind kicked up. Our route
took us back into the desert!! We passed the Algodones Sand Dunes and
headed for the Chocolate Mtn Range.
The wind was blowing around 20-30 mph. Nearing the mountains the
terrain turned into rocky ravines which caused the route to dip up and
down the ravines. The ravines are so large that they could swallow a
whole RV and I couldn't see it until it started up the next ridge. And
this was only 40 ft ahead!!!!
We finally reached Palo Verde. 90 miles later. I decided to ride to Ripley so I could have 100 miles.
We ended up driving another 14 miles to a very nice KOA campground in Ehrenberg, AZ. Can't beat $10 per night!!!
We slept in this morning, and then went to town for breakfast. We are
taking a rest day today. Rhonda drove me to Ripley and dropped me off
so I could ride the 14 miles to the campground, where we will stay again
tonight.
We are in a beautiful valley, surrounded by a mountain range.
Tomorrow we will head to Harcuvar, AZ. We should be in Phoenix in 3
days.
Rhonda is doing well and enjoying seeing the countryside. She will be putting in updates now and then.
Wednesday, March 6, 2002
3/5
Ehrenberg- Harcuvar AZ 56 miles, 3.5 hrs
Rhonda has had the nasal drip for a day now and I woke up with it
this morning. I have headache and sinus pressure. We think it is from
the different climate and from the cold nights.
Hence, the ride today was rough. The first half is was on I- 10
east. I had to ride on the shoulder and for about the first 10 miles
there were gouges dug across the shoulder to wake up the wandering
driver. The gouges were spaced every 20 ft. so every 20 ft. it was
bump- bump. How annoying and rough on the tires, bearings, rump!!!
So I decided to ride in the right lane of the interstate. Traffic is
pretty thin out here so anytime something was coming up behind me I got
over. And here I am, still alive!!!
The route took us up through some low mountain passes and into wide
desert plains. It is very beautiful yet desolate. We also started
seeing more cactus today.
The ride is mostly uphill, and by the time I reach the Desert Gem RV Park I am feeling quite ragged.
The owner of the park has allowed us to stay for free!!! So, if any
of you are ever in Harcuvar, AZ., please stay at the Desert Gem!!!! It
does have hot showers.
So, we were in the tent by 6 pm to try to get some good rest.
3/6
Harcuvar-Wickenburg AZ
We did rest well and I felt much better this morning. It is only 56
miles to our next stop. And the exciting thing is that we have a free
hotel room at the Rancho Grande Best Western in Wickenburg. So, if you
ever come to visit Wickenburg AZ, stay at the Rancho Grande Best
Western. They have a heated pool and hot tub. The rooms are very
comfortable.
The ride today was much better than yesterday. It was only half
uphill and the second half was up and down with the last six miles all
down!!!
The weather has been great. Highs in the 70's and lows in the 30's.
We stopped at Ginny's Vitamin Village to get some zinc for our colds.
The ladies there got all excited about the trip and ended up donating
our medicine to us.
The following is from Rhonda:
Hey there everybody, this is Stephen's other half, his wife, companion
and support AKA "The Sag Queen". These past 6 days of our ride has been
so amazing. The terrain out west is so beautiful and unique. I have
been so excited and proud of my husband. His strength in these winds has
been so amazing. I just admire his perseverance. I would have quit 5
miles outside of San Diego.
Yesterday was the first day that I actually felt a little bit lonely.
We were in the desert, out in the middle of nowhere, all day and spent
the night in a Campground....out in the middle of nowhere. It's amazing
how people find these places. Anyway, the vastness of the desert made me
feel so little and insignificant yet it made me appreciate my life and
my home in Shelby, NC. I am so thankful for these opportunities to
reflect, which I have a lot of time to do. Today we arrived in
Wickenburg and the hotel room has been an oasis. I love camping out but
it's nice to sleep in a bed and have a bathroom 5 feet away from it.
Thanks so much for reading our journals and I hope that whoever reads
them enjoys them and also learns from them. Until next time......
Friday, March 8, 2002
3/7
Wickenburg-Scottsdale: 69 miles, 16.7avg
We woke up today feeling a lot better. Thanks to Ginny's Vitamin
Village. And to Best Western, or it could have been the $2.99 Original
Grand Slam from Denny's for dinner.
Anyway. We stopped by the Pony Espresso for breakfast. Rhonda had a
bagel and tea and I had a latte and Gatorade bar. We were on the road
by 8:15 am.
I felt better today than I have in a while. In the first 20 miles I
had an average of 19.9 mph. ( it was not all downhill either). The
terrain today was more scenic with a lot more knolls, buttes and cactus.
The road was very smooth for the first 40 miles and not rolling hills
but long ups and long sloping downs. When we got near Phoenix is when
things went crazy. Traffic got worse and the road we were on was two
lane and had been there for about one hundred years. There were also a
lot of semi's, although most of them were very courteous, it is still
nerve wracking.
So we get to the Arizona Canal Bike Path which cuts across this city
and we part ways. On the path I met another cyclist, Tom, a local vet,
who helps me find my way. Periodically on this 14 mile stretch I
wonder how Rhonda is doing. At least I don't have to deal with traffic,
yet. After about 45 mins. I reach our appointed meeting place and
Rhonda is not there. I call on our handy dandy cell phone. We were to
meet at Bethany Home rd and 18th st. 18th st. turns out to be one of
those roads that is divided in two by neighborhoods and one way streets.
If you wanted to travel the whole road in one continuous trip you
would have to know how to travel in another dimension.
So, it turns out that Rhonda is on 18th and Bethany and so am I only in two different places?!?!?!
Anyway, we talk on the phones, I ride around and finally find her.
By this time I have ridden in traffic 6 lanes wide, not including
turning lanes. We decide that it is better to skip the next 14 mile
section or the "Phoenix Phourteen", than to risk being crunched under
some city slicker's SUV that will never see a dirt road!!!
We load up the bike, get some lunch and head to Scottsdale in the
relative safety of the Honda. (It has 2 airbags, my bike only has one).
We are staying with Jim and Susan Hawthorne here. It is great to be
in a home. We enjoyed a homecooked spaghetti dinner with peach pie a la
mode.
Tomorrow we are taking the day off. We plan on seeing some of the sites here and relaxing.
It is a long way to El Paso where we have another home waiting for us!!!!
Monday, March 11, 2002
3/9
We get on the road at the edge of Phoenix and Mesa. Mesa is the longest
flatest neighborhood I have ever been in. I rode for about ten miles
in a straight line. Amazing.
I rode for a couple of blocks with four kids who of course had a ton of questions.
The scenery went from flat to large sized rolling hills.
We ride to Superior for the night. It is a quaint little town with
towering mtns. They also have a Dairy Queen which is refreshing. For
dinner we have freeze dried Mexican chicken and rice. It was yummy.
Around 7 pm as I was headed to bed I heard a noise down a couple of
sites. I looked up and there was a cyclist with a trailer. I thought
at first it was the couple we have seen for the past week, but it turned
out not to be. Her name is Stephanie and she is traveling solo. She
is with the Peace Corp and visiting Peace Corp people around the nation.
She had been riding in the dark for about the last half our and since
it was dark I told her she could pitch her tent at our site, which she
did. Then, I headed to bed.
3/10
This morning was warm. Around 50 degrees with highs to be in the 80's.
We started out thinking we would go 56 miles and halfway through we
decide to go all the way to Safford: 102 miles.
After climbing the mountains on the east side of Superior we enter
the lush high desert. We reach an altitude of 4,500 ft. the desert up
this high is still rocky and barren but it is also more green. The
trees and shrubs have a more irrigated look about them. There are
several long climbs.
We got to a town called Globe. rhonda was ahead and I was taking my
time because the wind is blowing about 20 mph. As I am riding up a hill
on the east side of town, I see a boy walking his dog on the sidewalk.
Right when I am beside them, the 50-60 lb dog lunges at me. I barely
had time to react. I threw my arm up and leaned on my left foot. The
dog missed biting me but did manage to get a paw on my right butt cheek.
He left a small scratch and ripped a huge hole 8-10 inches in diameter
in my riding shorts. The phones weren't working, so I had to ride the
rest of the way to Rhonda with one cheek exposed to the public!!!
Since the dog did not bite me, only a small scratch, I didn't call
the authorities. We cleaned up the wound and put disinfectant on it,
changed shorts and hit the road.
Usually when I ride with friends I tell the dogs to go after them. I
gues my turn finally came. We are thankful that there was no severe
damage.
Later, we stopped in Peridot for lunch. We were sitting outside a
grocery store in the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. an indian
walked around the corner and struck up a conversation. He was very
friendly, as are all of the locals in this area. He ended up sending
his wife in the store to buy bananas, Gatorade and water for us. Thanks
Ano Hoffman, my indian friend.
Well, after this we I rode another 50 miles to the town of Safford.
Here we treated ourselves to a hotel and buffet at Golden Corral. We
will take the time on monday to visit the local bike shop for a tune up
and a new pair of shorts.
We should be in New Mexico in 3 days.
Monday, March 11, 2002
Safford - Buckhorn 79 miles
Today was great. for the first time on the trip I had a tailwind. How
exciting!!!! This does not mean it was on easy day. I climbed two
passes, one 5000 ft and the other 6275 ft.
The second one took us up above the desert floor and into a huge pine
forest. Then we crossed over into New Mexico and everything opened up
into high plains. This is the most scenic day I think we have had. It
is very beautiful.
We got to Buckhorn, which is another town with two buildings, one of
which is the RV Park we stayed at!!! We walked 200 yards to the other
building: "Last Stop Liquor". It was actually a general store with a
tack shop and everything.
A guy at the RV park told us it would not get below forty degrees
that night. I guess we should have known being at an altitude above
5000. It did get real cold. We stayed warm, but in the morning on the
way to a cafe for breakfast, there were a bunch of pretty icicles on a
fence where someone had left the sprinklers on!!! Brrrrr!!!
I had breakfast burrito with bacon. It was huge. They must have
used 5 or 6 eggs to make it. I finished that off and considered
ordering some pecan pie. I still had 30 miles to ride, so I didn't.
Buckhorn was also the place where I got my first flat. I think it
happened as I was riding in some gravel going to the camp site.
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
Buckhorn to Silver City
We got to Silver City, finally. We had lunch, dropped the bike off at
the shop for a tune up and lube, then headed north in the car. The
destination: The Wilderness Lodge-Bed and Breakfast.
A friend gave us some cash before we left Shelby and said, " This is
for you guys, do something not logical with it". Well here we are.
Enjoying some hot spring tubs, and a huge bed in an old schoolhouse!!!!
The drive up here was very pretty. The road winds through the high
pine forests and into valleys, up onto ridges where you can look down
1000 feet. It is kind of scary.
We stopped at the Gila rive and let Texas run and play. He loved it.
The water was chilly and it was good to soak the feet in it.
Today we will be going to see the Gila Cliff Dwellings and the head back to Silver City.
Thursday, March 14, 2002
Silver City - Arrrey
Breakfast at Daylight Donughts. They were fresh and tasty. It turned
out to be a mistake though. I felt great for the first 5 miles, and
then my body used up all of the sugar. From there it took a while to
recover but I finally did.
I had my second flat tire today. The rim tape slipped exposing a
sharp edge on a spoke hole. So I filed it down and covered it with duct
tape.
The route took us up and over Emory Pass. The elevation is 8,225
feet. This is the highest I have ever ridden and it was quite an
experience.
To start the wind was gusting up to 45 miles and hour. This made the
wind chill in the teens to 20's. Then there was the lack of oxygen.
Whenever my heart rate rose, I started to get lightheaded. A weird
sensation with the wind trying to push me over the mountain.
I finally reached the pass and put on a fleece jacket which I wore the
next 10 miles. I finally got back down into the valley and warmed up.
I think aat the top of the pass I might have paid $10 for a fresh cup
of Starbucks dark roast.
In Kingston I had my first run-in with some cattle. For days now we
had been passing over cattle guards which resemble ten sets of railroad
tracks scrunched up into 5 ft of space.
I came around the corner and there were two bulls and a cow. There
were guardrails on both sides of the road and as I neared they turned as
if to cut me off!!! So I turned around and they started following me
back up the hill. It was kind of scary. I didn't know if I could
outrun them. Rhonda was only 100 yds down the road watching the whole
thing. She ended up driving back up and we rode past the cows side by
side, with the car between me and them.
The next twenty miles I had the 40 mph tailwinds pushing me along at 30 mph.
We stopped in Arrey for the night at an RV park.
Friday, March 15, 2002
Arey - Las Cruces 56 miles
I got up a little after 5 am in order to beat the headwinds. It worked.
I made it the 60 miles to Las Cruces in a little over 3 and a half
hours.
We went to La Mesilla, an neighboring town for the afternoon. It is
the town where Billy the Kid was tried to be hanged, but he escaped.
It has been great staying at RV parks. They all varyin quality but
every now and then we get on with a hot tub. See the picture on the
web-site. They only cost $6-10 a night too.
Saturday, March 16, 2002
Las Cruces - El Paso TX 56 miles
The ride went smoothly today. We made it to Texas!!! There was no sign
the way we came in so it was pretty anti climactic. Oh well. Today we
passed through a lot of pecan groves.
We are staying with some friends of family in El Paso and we will be
here unti lMonday when we will head toward Del Rio. We estimate we will
be in Texas for 1.5 - 2 weeks. This place is huge.
Monday, March 18, 2002
We leave El Paso today after a nice weekend of homecooking. Bob and
Carol McDonald took good care of us. We were able to go to Ciudad
Juarez and barter with some merchants, they took us out to a great
mexican restaurant, and they took us up the Franklin mtns. to the the
city lights. Thanks to Bob and Carol.
The next 450 miles to Del Rio has mostly tumbleweed and cattle. Not
much else. We are counting on several 70+ mile days in a row just to
make it to the next campground. Not only that we will be dealing with
wind up to 50 mph. This should be interesting. Have a great day,
Stephen and Rhonda
Monday, March 18, 2002
El Paso - Van Horn 116.89
After a great weekend in El Paso, we head east once again. Our goal
today is Sierra Blanca, 80 miles. The route took us through old
Sorrocco. It is a cool western town with lots of old buildings. After
this we enter the barren desert once more. There are a few small three
building towns and farms, but that is about it. Most of these town do
have a post office in them. No Starbucks though.
Today the forecast was for winds up to 40 with gusts to 50.
Thankfully we did not get those but we did encounter our first rain. It
was scattered showers. At one point the wind kicked up a little and
there was a shower coming in from the side so I drafted behind the car
to get past it. Another time we waited for about 15 minutes under the
front porch of a building.
After about 40 miles the route took us onto I-10. The problem was
the construction. The left lane was closed and they had the concrete
barricade going down the middle. This left the right lane open, but the
trucks still had to ride on a bit of the shoulder. And now that you
mention it, the shoulder might as well have been a gravel road. Crazy.
At our next meeting spot, I told Rhonda that that was crazy and we
loaded up the bike. Looking at the map it was only 3 miles to where
there was a frontage road, so we drove up to that point.
We arrived in Sierra Blanca which is named for a big white mountain
that stands 6,800 ft tall. There is nothing here so we decide to go to
Van Horn 40 miles down the road. Everything is going well until I run
out of daylight. 12 miles left, the route goes back on the interstate.
I go over the pass into the valley and it starts to get dark. 3 miles
from the Van Horn exit, I get flat number 3. I am carrying a spare tube
and repair kit so I change it right there. 2.5 miles later, I get flat
number 4. ARRRRGH!!! I can see the Rhonda up ahead, so I ride on the
flat the last 300 yds. I load the bike up satisfied with 116.89 miles,
but disappointed that I missed a double metric (120 miles) by 3 miles.
Oh well, I'm sure I will have more opportunity to try again.
We get to Van Horn for the night. We will stay here tomorrow, the
19th so I can recover. I will ride 20-40 miles and Rhonda will come out
and bring me back. The next town is 75 miles so I don't think I will
try for that.
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Van Horn TX.
I set out to ride 20 miles so that tomorrow I only have 70 instead of 90
to ride. I have a tailwind so the ride is not bad, my body is tired
from yesterday though.
While I am gone Rhonda visits the Best Western in Van Horn TX, we
wind up with a free room for the night. How great!!! That makes the
rest of the day a chill day. An added bonus is the Dairy Queen across
the street!!!!
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
Van Horn TX. - Ft. Davis, TX. 71.58 miles
We are on the road by 9:30 AM. I am really dragging plus the skies are
gloomy. Very overcast and a headwind to boot. The first 20 miles is
also on I-10.
I make it to the exit alive and the sky starts to clear up. There
for a while I considered packing up and driving to a Cracker Barrel!!!
The suns begins to shine and my spirits rise. This area is real
pretty. The hill country of West TX. Lots of high hills, cactus,
shrubs , grass lands.
Today we pass numerous cattle guards and a sign that says " Loose
Cattle". I don't see any though. I do see my first roadrunners dart
across the road. We also see what I believe are antelope.
We stop by the McDonald Observatory for a short visit and the head down to Ft Davis, TX. "The highest town in Texas".
Thursday, March 21, 2002
We generally use the dog's water bowl as an indication of the
temperature. This morning the water was frozen solid. This puts the
temp between 25-30 degrees. This was later confirmed!!!!
We manage to stay warm but are slow getting started. We only have 55 miles today so it is alright.
We pass through the small town of Alpine and stop at a bakery. It is
delicious and the baker ends up donating some goodies!! Yum!!!
I am feeling much better today. I am able to push a little bit and
we get to Marathon by 2 pm. We set up camp at a quaint little RV park
and then tour the town. That takes 3 minutes. We were directed to a
spring fed pond at the county park. Texas went for a swim and loved it.
We finally met the couple on the tandem that we had been hearing
about. They are really nice. They are having a rough day though. He
has food poisoning and they cracked a rim on a cattleguard.
Things are going really well for us. We should be in Del Rio, Texas
in 3 days. We have been covering one state in 4-5 days. Being in TX
makes me feel like I am going slow. It will take us about two weeks to
get through.
Saturday, March 23, 2002
Marathon TX.- 30 miles west of Langrty TX. 85 miles
I laid in my warm sleeping bag waiting for the golden yellow of the
son to light up the side of the tent. It never did. It was then that I
remembered the overcast sky at 3 am when I went out to take care of
business. It is about 6:30 am. I crawl out of the tent and begin my
morning ritual. It is rather cold.
I go ahead and have a Cliff bar. Later we are going to the Burnt
Biscuit Bakery. I know to get my real nutrients into my body.
We are aiming for Sanderson 55 miles away, but we end up 10 east of
Langtry, 85 miles away. Sometimes we come to a town and decide that we
feel good, and that there is nothing here that we want to stay for.
Then we move on.
This side of Texas there is not much to move on to. Very desolate.
So at 85 miles in the middle of nowhere my body tells me that it is time
to stop.
This is one great thing about a supply vehicle. We load up into the
car and head 27 miles east to the next town with camping, Langtry, TX.
This is the town that Judge Roy Bean " The law west of the Pecos", ran.
His sentencing was often something like, " Your fine is $45 and a
round of drinks for the jury"! He also owned the bar so this worked out
great.
We camped in the parking lot of the community center. We were really
roughing it tonite. No showers and the available toilets were open
from 8am -5pm. So, I get my first sponge bath on the trip.
30 miles west of Langtry TX- Del Rio, TX
Another uneventful day of headwinds. They are up to 20 - 30 .
Hence, my 11.5 avg for 85 miles!!! Long day. We finally made it to Del
Rio though!!!
Some good news. I was on the 10 pm news in El Paso on Monday night. I guess now I am famous!!!!
Sunday, March 24, 2002
Wow. We have made it to Del Rio Texas. I am so glad. Texas is a HUGE
state. I am still having a good time and having adventures from day to
day. There is one thing I want to address to all of our "fans" out
there. I have been getting some emails asking what I do while I am
waiting for Stephen. This is basically what I have been doing. I have
been driving east 10 miles and park on the side of the road or in a
picnic area. Then I usually get Texas out of the car and leash him to
the car or play fetch with him, depending on where we are. I also read
my Bible, write in my journal, listen to music (all it has been lately
is Waterdeep's worship album), I have been communicating with God alot, I
sing, I think, or just sit in the car and wait. These are the basic
things that I do while I wait. The time really does not drag by either
which is nice. Once I get to where we are staying the night, I usually
go get the tent site and set up the tent, or check into the hotel room
(which averages about once a week...we need a treat every once in a
while :)). **Praise God we have had 3 nights donated to us which is
great. He is really taking care of us.** Once Stephen gets to the car, I
fill up his water bottles, make him a sandwich, or just stand there and
watch him do whatever. Hope this gives you a better idea of what I am
doing. Thanks for reading our journals and keep praying for us. We need
it. Please pray that God will continue to provide rooms for us for
free, friendly people along the way,protection, and good health. I
think my body has had a hard time getting accustomed to the water here.
But it's slowly getting used to it. Thanks again for all your thoughts
and prayers. Talk to yawl later.
Rhonda
Monday, March 25, 2002
Del Rio , TX.- Campwood, TX. 81 miles
One of the best days yet. The mildly rolling hills contain more
trees that we have seen on this trip. I saw wild turkey, antelope,
black squirrel, a zebra, sheep, goats, and cows.
The first 60 miles I had a side/ tailwind. I was able to make great
time. The the route turned straight into the wind for the last 20
miles. This slowed me down to 10 mph.
We camped out in Campwood, by the Nueces river dam. We haven't been
around much water on this trip either. This is very refreshing to us.
Sharing the campground, are two men, one in his 50's and one in his
70's. They are on a trip to Michigan. They left the west coast in
February. They are self- supported , meaning they carry there own gear,
and they are going 40-50 miles a day.
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
Campwood TX- Kerrville TX 85 13.1 avg
A slow but very scenic day. We are in the heart of hill country, and
it reminds us of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is very pretty and a lot
of short but steep hills. The wind is strong but the road winds so much
that it does no slow me too much.
The biggest problem I have is my gears shifting on their own!!!
The weather has been good. It was cold this morning, so we started around 9 am.
Tonight it is supposed to get in the upper 30's. The moon is almost full.
Texas has had a cold or something the past few days but is doing much better.
Be sure to check out the web-site to take a look at some pictures.
Friday, March 29, 2002
Lockhart- LaGrange TX
Not a bad day. Good weather. Almost hot but not quite. More
rolling hills and farm land. A lot of Texas Blue Bonnets along the side
of the road.
We got to La Grange around 3 pm. I decided to call some restaurtants
for some donations. We ended up getting a seafood buffet for 2 donated
at Olsen's Kountry Kitchen. It was very delicious and appreciated. So
if you ever come through La Grange TX, stop by Olsen's Kountry Kitchen
for a great home cooked meal. At the junction of hwy 71 and hwy 77!!!
Saturday, March 30, 2002
Today I slept in till 8 am. ( My body is telling me it is time to
take a break). Then we went and got breakfast and headed to Round Top
to check out the antique fair. Lots of stuff!! The rest of the day we
will relax.
Sunday, March 31, 2002
La Grange TX- Navasota TX 71 miles
The thunder and hail storms that were supposed to hit nevert did. So,
there are no exciting stories about getting crushed in our tent and all
that.
It is good to see that Big Jim has joined me my buying a stationary
bicycle. Jim if you are going to be just like me you need to sign up
to be a mentor with the Youth Assistance Program of Cleveland Co.
704-482-2315!!!!!
The ride from La Grange was great. A lot of rolling hills through
ranch land. The roads were good. The temperature was in the 60's.
The wildflowers are out in abundance. Purple, red , pink white, all
over the shoulders. Sometimes it gets distracting and I find myself
heading into a ditch!!!!
Sunday night we spent at a home in College Station TX. Bryan and
Valerie are a young couple who house some college students. One of the
students gave up her bed for us.
It worked out well, since my wound on my buttocks from the dog attack
two weeks ago has not healed. We will be going to the doctor for some
tests. A doctor friend of theirs was over last night and he said that
it looked infected, maybe getting close to a bone infection. He said
that there was only a 50 % chance of rabies at this point.
Ok, Happy April Fools Day!!! Everything ecxept the last paragraph is true. Have a great day.
