is big – or better; handshakes, smiles, waves, conversations, and fortunately for me – the shoulders of any road (some shoulders are wider than some of the roads in LA.)
If it’s not already apparent, outside of clicking off as many miles as I can each day, I am always out for a nice chat over breakfast, lunch, dinner – at a campsite, bikeshop – really anywhere. It wasn’t a goal before leaving, but it is very much the main goal for me at this point.
Because of this, I’ve tried to avoid the standard food chains because of the food and also the local crowd seems to avoid them. The local family restaurant “serves” for a nice place to meet and greet.
This morning, after starting my trek out of Silsbee Tx, where I stayed the night (in an AWESOME rv park… – clean, warm shower, a plot of freshly cut grass on which to set up my tent, and QUIET) I was really hard pressed to find anything close to a family restaurant, and had to go into – cough, cough – the dreaded golden arches. It so happen, though, that everyone in town comes to the same place. After about ten minutes into my conversation with Mr. Reggie Richardson, I realized that the world is roughly the size of a golf-ball. Reggie is a native of LA, but was stationed in Edgewood, MD (about 20 minutes north of where I grew up) while in the Army. Second to that, he’s a fellow Terrapin - which was music to my ears. Reggie was good enough to give me his address, cell phone and home number should I ‘need at anytime while in Texas…’ Thank you as well to David and Dorothy for the words of encouragement.
Texas is going to be here for a while, as some of you have noted. It’s very strange looking at the map and realizing I’m sometimes riding in a straight line for 10 to 15 miles, before veering slightly 10 degrees north or south for another 10 to 15 miles – straight ahead. It makes it easier to expect to go somewhere close to 70 or 80 miles per day given the flatness of the landscape. The too weather has been especially good – sunny, with low wind. Portions of yesterday’s trip were super windy.
My plan today is to make it to Coldsprings – or rather the Double Lake Recreation area.
And Noel, I’ve not yet had the chance to weigh myself properly, so no idea what I’m down to. I’m eating what I guess is enough, so who knows – usually an hourly bottle of poweraide (orange rocks…) plus something with a peanut in it, then a meal every few hours…
Cheers,
J
