Departure: Austin, TX Finish: La Grange, TX
Distance: 78.3 miles
Elevation gain: 2,407 feet
Winds: ESE at 4 mph (not a factor)
Weather: Overcast, Cool, with light rain. Departed at 51 degrees. Arrived with 68 degrees.
On bike duration: 5 hrs, 18 minutes.
Average speed: 14.7 mph
Total Accumulated Miles: 1,657.6
We departed the urban core with the threat of rain. We wound our way out of town on the edge of the road, with bike paths littered with debris and gravel. As we made our way Eastward, the wildflowers went with us. We saw fewer Blue Bonnets. The roadsides were dominated by Indian Paintbrush. I have learned that “first lady” Claudia Johnson (better known as Lady Bird) is responsible for the hundreds of miles of roadside wildflowers we have enjoyed. In 1965 she influenced Congress to enact the “Highway Beautification Act”. My only memory of that action was the sudden building of solid fences (walls) around every salvage yard - to hide the unsightly junk. She was also responsible for the beautiful Texas roadsides we see today. As I have been told, the Texas DOT spreads 30,000 pounds of wildflower seed into the roadsides every year. Works for me.
As we rolled on, beyond the Austin-Bergstrom Airport toward Bastrop, the view was mostly of run-down clapboard houses and mobile homes. This prompted one of my companions to remark that we may have seen the best of Texas - from the Far West to Austin. As we continued after our lunch stop in Smithville, however, we were greeted by the most beautiful, wooded pastureland I have seen. Big, fat cattle munching contentedly on lush grass that Fort Davis and Del Rio bovines can only dream of.
Approaching La Grange, I was surprised to see the pastures give way to thicker forests of Cedar and White Pine. (Something else I didn’t know about Texas.)
I want to tell you about another one of our riders - Rahul Razdhan; one of the world’s most interesting men. His parents emigrated to the U.S. from India when he was seven. He lives in Ocala Florida, about 60 miles west of our final destination. Rahul is a scientist, a consultant and an accomplished public speaker. He has run 10 marathons. He has been to the summit of Kilimanjaro. In 2017 he was a featured “TED Talk” presenter on the subject of the “Future of Education”. (You can find it on YouTube.) He’s curious about everything. He finds something in each town to research, and shares it with the group.
We all stopped at DQ this afternoon; a mile & a half from our hotel. Rahul picked up the tab.
When I was preparing for this adventure, I researched all the equipment I might need to ensure my success in crossing the continent. My bicycle is specially designed and engineered for endurance. The tires are specifically made for durability. My cycling shoes have rigid soles for efficient power. They clip into the pedals, like a ski binding. I have a headlight, tail light, phone mount and computer to give me all the data I have been recording in this journal.
Rahul, on the other hand, is riding a 25 year-old bike that he bought at a pawn shop. He doesn’t have traditional road-bike clothing - none of the skin tight stuff for him. He wears basic running shoes every day. He’s not a cyclist. He’s an Explorer. But, he has cycled on several tours up and down the east coast. Every day, he powers up the hills and often leads the pack on a straight, level road. He savors the downhills as well. The man is one of the strongest riders in the group.
Tonight I am in room 142 of the River Valley Motor Inn, nestled snuggly between a Ford dealer and a liquor store; just up the street from the Colorado River.
