This morning we woke to a cold and rainy day. The temperature had dropped nearly 40 degrees and was hovering around 49 -50 and it was raining. We bundled up with extra clothing, planning to get out with the rest of the group, when the ride leader pulled me aside and said, you should probably skip the first climb. Woo hoo — you don’t have to tell me twice! Rob and I climbed into the van, fully planning to join the group at the end of the first climb. But, when we got to the 10 mile mark, we learned that there was a second climb! And, by now the riders were coming in cold and clammy. We decided to wait until the lunch stop, after the second big climb. I felt guilty at lunch even eating, as we hadn’t done anything yet. After lunch, we joined the group.
We are now in Texas Hill Country, and the terrain has changed. It’s much greener and more populated. The hills are rolling — you go down a hill as fast as you can to gain momentum to go up the next one. Once we joined the group, we rode along the Guadalupe River, and, as the road meandered, we crossed back and forth the river at least 8 times. As it turned out, the road had been completely redone, as it had been washed out by last year’s floods. It was all smooth asphalt, and we loved riding on it, but it was still sobering, knowing the lives of the young girls that had been lost at Camp Mystic. Today’s featured picture shows the makeshift memorial in the girls’ honor.
We finished the last 40 miles of today’s 80 mile ride and met up with the rest of the group in Kerrville. Tomorrow we ride to Fredericksburg and have another day off. Yay!
I was captivated by your blog posts! Keep up the good work!
THANK YOU for joining us each morning during breakfast on cushy seats in a climate-controlled environment 🙂 You mentioned earlier that you didn’t know what your expectations were for the trip. From an outsider’s point of view, you’ve seen amazing sights, met interesting people, and accomplished incredible feats. This is despite hills, wind, cold, rain, sore butt bones, dogs chasing you, and the welcomed perfect days. So much to reflect on and be proud of!
Keep moving and enjoy every moment!
PS – Remembering Camp Mystic choked me up. They say a picture is worth a thousand words . . .
So sad….Camp Mystic. And a rainy day didn’t help! But we are cheering you on. You are doing so well! 1500 miles by now! I look forward to reading your blog every few days!