Scott Davis Anderson

Day Thirty

Today I awoke to the sounds of hundreds of goats playing in the field next to the community center. They were so cute running around, and had no fear of me as I approached. Instead, they looked back at me inquisitively, beckoning me to jump the fence and play with them. I thought better of it. Instead, we rode from Kendalia, TX to Buda, TX.  We are only a few miles from Austin and excited to take the next couple of days off, but it is a little bitter sweet, because Alan will be leaving us in the morning.  He must head back to Anchorage for work, so he is going to push onto Houston, so he can catch a train back to San Diego for his return flight.  We plan on eating well tonight for his send off.  It has been an absolute pleasure biking with Alan, and I wish him safe travels on his return trip back to Alaska.  If I ever go on The Amazing Race, I want Alan to be my partner!  It feels like my days off have already started.

Starting point:Kendalia, TX
Ending point: Buda, TX
Total miles on this day: 66.08
Total miles to date: 1640.02
Average MPH: 12.8
Max MPH: 38.1
Saddle time on this day: 5:09:30
Saddle time to date: 157:49:55

Day Twenty-Nine

Today was another day in the Texas Hills.  We are grinding away as we approach Austin, TX and a couple of much needed days off.  We rode from Ingram, TX to Kendalia, TX where we are spending the night next to the community center and local library.  The landscape has gotten much greener and I have begun to sense the humidity.  Good night from the Hills.

Starting point: Ingram, TX
Ending point: Kendalia, TX
Total miles on this day: 55.77
Total miles to date: 1573.94
Average MPH: 11.0
Max MPH: 39.8
Saddle time on this day: 5:03:18
Saddle time to date: 152:40:25

Day Twenty-Eight

Today didn’t go as smoothly as I had hoped.  Soon after heading east from Leakey, I was confronted with a steep hill.  I geared down into the highest RPM gear I had available, and heard a loud POP!  I continued riding up the hill until I was able to get to the top and was pleased to see Carl and Alan waiting for me to catch up. I jumped off my bike and looked down at my tire and noticed that it was flat. I walked the bike over to where my friends waited and began the process of changing my tire. It wasn’t until I remounted the tire that I noticed that the tire was way out of true. I also noticed that a spoke was missing, which explained the loud pop I heard. I was able to deduce that the rear derailleur had rubbed against my spoke when I switched gears, causing the spoke to break and hit the stem valve on my tube. My tire was so far out of true, that I was unable to get the tire to roll through the rear braking mechanism. I was forced to release the tension on the brakes in order to continue biking on. This rendered my rear brakes useless.  I continued riding albeit at a much slower pace until we arrived at an RV park in Ingram, TX.  We are about 6 miles shy of Kerrville, where there is a bicycle shop that has received high praise from riders I have met that are headed west bound.  The bike shop opens at 10:00 AM, so I plan on sleeping in a little longer than usual.  I am hoping the bike shop will have time to fix me up, as I suspect the Woman’s Tour may be in need of some tune-ups as well.  I am hearing through the grape-vine that they arrived in Kerrville today, and will be taking a day off in town tomorrow.  It will be nice to see them again.

Starting point: RV Park in Leakey, TX
Ending point: RV Park in Ingram, TX
Total miles on this day: 63.68
Total miles to date: 1518.17
Average MPH: 9.3
Max MPH: 40.3
Saddle time on this day: 6:49:11
Saddle time to date: 147:37:07

Day Twenty-Seven

We pushed a little further today, as we headed into the Texas Hill Country.  We arrived in Leakey, TX before sundown and were given permission to camp at an RV Park/Pecan farm beside one of the log cabins on the property.  We were joined by a rider named Joe, who is headed West on his adventure.  We enjoyed a meal at a local BBQ joint, and shared stories into the night.  We plan on pushing on in the morning, with our sites on another 70+ mile day.  I want to thank Joe for giving me his spare tire, my tire had a gauged sidewall and would have given me trouble until I could get to a bike shop. I plan on getting a new tire as soon as I arrive in Kerrville, hopefully tomorrow. Good night from the Texas Hill Country.

Starting point: Hotel at Fort Clark Springs in Bracketville, TX
Ending point: RV Park in Leakey, TX
Total miles on this day: 74.05
Total miles to date: 1454.49
Average MPH: 10.9
Max MPH: 36.3
Saddle time on this day: 6:46:13
Saddle time to date: 140:47:56

Day Twenty-Six

Riding the bike was fun today, but we weren’t in the mood to push for extra miles.  We came upon an entrance to Fort Clark Springs in Bracketville, TX and something was beckoning us to explore further.  As we entered, we found a small community built on an old military fort, complete with golf course(s), communal (wild) turkeys, and deer.  After our short 40 mile ride, we decided to stay for the night in the inexpensive hotel.  Alan, Carl, and I dropped off our gear in the room and rode our bikes around the community to explore.  We made our way back  towards the golf course to see if the attached restaurant was open.  What we found was 3 gentlemen relaxing by the side of the club house, drinking Coors.  A spirited man approached Alan and asked if he needed some assistance, to which Alan explained that we were simply exploring the premises.  The man took interest in our bicycles and our journey to cross the country.  He offered us each a beer and told Alan that he can now tell his friends in Alaska that he shared a beer with Robert E. Lee.  The man pulled out his drivers license and showed us that the 82 year old man was in fact was named Robert E. Lee.  We made fast friends with Robert and were soon calling him Honest Bob.  Honest Bob was a name he gave himself years ago when he was selling cars, one of many fascinating lives I came to learn of.  After sitting with Bob for a little while, I came to realize why we were beckoned to explore Fort Clark Springs.  We were soon invited back to Bob’s house for some sausages, potato salad, and a few more beers.  Bob mentioned his wife as he headed towards his car and waved for us to follow him to his house on our bikes.  A small smile crept on my face as I imagined his wife’s reaction to Bob bringing home 3 cyclists he had picked up at the clubhouse.

After a short ride, we arrived at Bob’s house.  His home overlooks the golf course and has the best looking grass I’ve seen this side of the Mississippi.  Bob introduced us to Betty, who is the club champion golfer and an avid San Antonio Spurs fan.  We were also greeted by Sissy, the family dog and daddies little girl.  We all told stories and marveled in how great it is to be open to new experiences.  I looked at family photos and ate wonderful food.  Bob had a glimmer in his eyes that jabbed a “hook em horns” at me every now and again and Betty had a smile that made me feel right at home.  Meeting Bob and Betty is an experience worth remembering.  I took down their address and plan on sending them a post card when I arrive in Louisiana.  I also plan on cheering for the San Antonio Spurs a little harder, knowing that Betty is cheering along as well.  Good feed in Fort Clark Springs!  Good night.

Starting point: RV Park in Del Rio, TX
Ending point: Hotel at Fort Clark Springs in Bracketville, TX
Total miles on this day: 40.55
Total miles to date: 1380.44
Average MPH: 11.6
Max MPH: 26.3
Saddle time on this day: 3:29:34
Saddle time to date: 134:01:43

Day Twenty-Five

This morning we headed for Del Rio and the end of the section 3 adventure cycling map that shows the route for the Southern Tier.  It is exciting to have completed another stage of my adventure, but also brings with it the parting of Ron, one of the members of the Old Bones Crew.  Ron is waiting for his wife Sharon to meet him in Del Rio, where they will continue riding together for the next 3 weeks.  There is a chance that we will run into each other later on in the trip, so I look forward to that.  The winds have died down in comparison to yesterday, but they still are a cause for concern amongst the group.  I am hoping that the winds don’t act as a wet blanket, and instead we can collectively find value in being pounded in the face by 40 MPH gusts.  What’s the use if it isn’t a challenge right?

Starting point: Picnic Area west of Langtry, TX
Ending point: RV Park in Del Rio, TX
Total miles on this day: 67.72
Total miles to date: 1339.89
Average MPH: 10.8
Max MPH: 29.0
Saddle time on this day: 6:13:03
Saddle time to date: 130:32:09

Day Twenty-Four

As soon as I opened my big mouth, we were hit by a shift in fortune.  The winds blew hard from the east today, making it almost impossible to ride.  Topping off an already difficult day, Alan of the Old Bones Crew, was unable to patch his final spare tire.  Ron, Carl, and I waited for hours at a rest stop, but Alan was nowhere to be found.  None of us had cellphone reception, so communication was difficult.  We decided he must be having troubles with a tire, so I sent a spare tube with a driver headed west bound, hoping this would solve Alan’s dilemma.  It worked, as Alan appeared a couple hours later cursing the winds.  We pushed on for another hour or so, before we called it a day at a picnic area off the side of the highway.  The winds were gusting to 40 MPH, so we were unable to put up our tents.  We ate up all of our emergency rations and huddled in our sleeping bags for a windy night of tossing and turning in the concrete.  The winds continued throughout the night, as none of us were able to get much sleep.  I am still finding joy in the challenges of the day.  My spirits are still high, but I do on occasion feel like I am in a sort of “Sophomore slump”.  I don’t expect it to last, as I am now in Texas hill country, and trust excitement is just around the corner.

Starting point: Hotel in Marathon, TX
Ending point: Picnic Area west of Langtry, TX
Total miles on this day: 50.37
Total miles to date: 1272.17
Average MPH: 9.1
Max MPH: 27.7
Saddle time on this day: 5:29:30
Saddle time to date: 124:19:06

Day Twenty-Three

Today, we had a casual day as we rode from Marathon, TX to Sanderson, TX.  The Woman’s Tour rode the same route as us today, so I got another chance to say hello to the wonderful ladies.  This will probably be the last time I see them on the trip, because they are planning on riding 112 miles tomorrow into Del Rio.  We are planning on a much shorter day, breaking our ride into Del Rio into two more days.  It has been an absolute pleasure riding with the Woman’s Tour Group up to this point, and I wish them a safe and happy adventure.  I do hope to keep in contact, as there are so many wonderful people among the group.  I am hoping that the tail winds continue to prevail, as they have made the miles fly by effortlessly. I don’t expect to have too many easy days like today, so I am going to savor this one, because today was a breeze. That is all for now from Sanderson, TX.

Starting point: Hotel in Marathon, TX
Ending point: RV Park in Sanderson, TX
Total miles on this day: 55.68
Total miles to date: 1277.48
Average MPH: 14.1
Max MPH: 28.1
Saddle time on this day: 3:56:21
Saddle time to date: 122:45:57

Day Twenty-Two

The temperature has taken a drastic turn.  As I am sure many across the country can attest, the weather has been unpredictable.  We are hearing news of flooding in Fargo, and snow in northern Texas.  The weather is not terribly uncomfortable, but it is a little colder than I would like.  Luckily, I still have some of my colder weather clothing.  After a chilly ride, I arrived in Marathon, TX, where Alan and Carl were waiting at a hotel.  Ron arrived shortly after, and we all decided to get out of the cold and wind.  We watched some of the Sweet 16 games as we cheered the lone Big 10 team, Michigan State to victory.  We found Marathon to be an overpriced tourist town that brought out a little bit of the bitterness that was festering from the cold windy day.  We are all hoping for better things from the wind gods tomorrow.  Good night from Marathon.

Starting point: Camping at The Davis Mountains State Park in Fort Davis, TX
Ending point: Hotel in Marathon, TX
Total miles on this day: 55.67
Total miles to date: 1221.8
Average MPH: 11.5
Max MPH: 39.2
Saddle time on this day: 4:49:26
Saddle time to date: 118:49:36

Day Twenty-One

When we headed to bed last night, we did not know what today had in store.  The last couple of days were pretty easy rides, making me temporarily forgot about how hard climbing could be.  The Uphill climbs were once again steep, but the head winds made for an extremely difficult day.  After fighting the winds and hills for the first 30 miles, we took a short break at the McDonald Observatory located in the Davis Mountains.  After the brief rest, I felt amazing.  I pushed hard as I began to decline in altitude and my speed began picking up.  The final 15 miles seemed to go by extremely quick as I arrived at The Davis Mountains State Park just west of Fort Davis, TX.  We decided to stay at the park, where we were able to get showers and a meal at the park restaurant.  I maxed out my top speed at 44.3 MPH today, as I am growing more and more comfortable on the bike.  I was also pleased to see the ladies from the Woman’s Tour tonight at dinner.  It is always great to run into them, as they are so encouraging when we talk.  Good night from Davis Mountains!

Starting point: Camping behind the Mercantile in Kent, TX
Ending point: Camping at The Davis Mountains State Park in Fort Davis, TX
Total miles on this day: 54.53
Total miles to date: 1166.13
Average MPH: 9.2
Max MPH: 44.3
Saddle time on this day: 5:54:42
Saddle time to date: 114:00:10