So this urge to tour by bicycle has been a life long dream. I realized, if I was going to wait for someone to start these adventures, I could be waiting forever & missing out on something I have the potential to enjoy. So, I conquered my fear of traveling & camping alone & went for it. The first time I made the reservation, I had to cancel it within 3 hours (forgot to check that Sunday's calendar) so I made a new reservation & knew I would be going come hell or high water, just something I had to do!
So for the first time in weeks, there is a good chance of rain on Saturday & Sunday, I decided if it was still raining by 11:00AM on Saturday, that I wouldn't go, at 8:30 AM, so I'm out the door at 9 to go eat at MiV. Still a good chance of rain Saturday night & Sunday morning, but I decided to take my chances, I could always call for help.
Here goes nothing.
First stop MiV, our new nickname for MiVictoria which shows up as La Victoria on FB, but the sign out front says Mi Victoria. Plus LaV doesn't sound as good as MiV. Place was a little bit more busy than usual and since I wasn't getting the food to go, I had a chance to sit & look around at the festive decor for diez y seis and then I discovered baby Jesus.
the festive decor
Baby Jesus?
I've been reading a bike touring book by Willie Weir "Spoke Songs" and he always talks about the people he meets, so I was wondering who I would meet. At the light at North Loop and Lamar, I had my first 'stranger'
guy on a motocycle at Lamar & North loop commented that I "sure was carrying a lot on my bike" and asked where I was going, so I told him & he said to "have fun" Within 1/2 a mile I was past by a cyclist who asked where I was coming from & where was I going, this could be fun.
I past through I-35, over 183, I came to a big hill that back in 2009 would kick my butt as I road the road bike up it. I'm sure I was in the granny of all gears, well, with my loaded down bike & less gears, I made it up the incline! It's always good to see progress being made. After the hill, I was breating so hard, I decided I would take a break every 10 miles, I had a choice between a Chevron on the right or Double M Grocery on the left, I chose left and enjoyed looking around. I also decided to buy a lottery ticket and eat something I normally don't: a full butterfinger bar.
Stopped to search for a geocache at the Hornsby Bend marker, crossed under 130, then saw a sign pointing to EMP! A new way to EMP since Blake Manor road is off limits to bikes, too bad no one is playing soccer. I did find a geocache on the road to EMP. About at mile 20 at this point.
Next stop was Webberville grocery, bought another lottery ticket & an ice cream sandwich. Very colorful people at the grocery store, especially loved the man w missing teeth telling me to be careful especially if it rained because the roads would get very slick.
After the grocery store, went to find the next geocache which took me to a very cool cemetery and church. I was a "good looker, poor finder' at this cache, but enjoyed the old fence around the cemetery.
Almost made it to Bastrop County, but my front tire decided to go flat. Changing a flat w/ all the panniers is a pain, you have to take off all your bags. It looked like I was having a yard sale! Of course I'm on a driveway and the owner comes home, was kinda shocked she didn't say anything, but the next 2 people made up for it. Melinda who was searching for her chocolate lab 'Girlfriend' stopped to ask me to keep my eyes open for her, then another guy stopped to help me w his air compressor, note to self, find a presta to schrader adapter for this bike.
Sitting just outside of Bastrop County, mile 24, first flat.
After the flat stop, it was smooth riding. Stopped at the Colorado river crossing for another geocache. There were several markers indicating the high water mark for December 1991 (it's at the top of the orange marker next to my head)
I started messing around trying to take pics of me riding. Will definitely need to use the big camera & timer for that in Missouri.
Seeing a longhorn on game day is always a good thing.
Then the flats hit. I could tell my left tire was low, so I added air, road 1/4 of a mile, added more air, kept this up until I saw a safer place to hold my yard sale, then I walked. Changed the rear tire, even got the tire on the rim w/out using the tools. Put it on the bike, added air & it went flat. darn it. took it off, saw that I had someow pinched the tube, patched it, etc, got the bike ready to roll, rolled across the street & it went flat again.
By that time I was so angry, all I could do was walk. I had probably spent 1 hour changing those flats. I was 4 miles from the park and HUNGRY, so I knew I needed food, so I kept walking. I had missed my turn to get me to the underpass to cross 71, so I walked back. I probably would have taken a ride if someone had asked, but alas no one did. I did get some stares from horses.
Around the corner & through a parking lot, I was in civilization, but no bike shop or sporting goods shop, so under 71 I went & I saw a Taco Cabana, I could recharge the phone there so I could search for a Walmart & I could recharge myself w food. Mission accomplished and I was off to walk to Walmart.
Bought 4 tubes and a 15 pack of CO2, figured that should get me home.
I set up to change the tire under a tree in the parking lot, think I had 3 people offer to lend me their tools, very sweet of them, I just smiled & said thank you, I have everything I needed, which if you think about it is pretty amazing all you need to change a flat is 2 tire pry bars.
Then I'm off to the Park!. maybe only 2 miles away. By the time I get there, the office is closed, so I self check in, finally find the Deer Park area. Set up the tent, which amazingly set up, thought I might have to take others up on their offer to crash at their place.
Went to dinner w Tricia & Doug, It was great catching up with them, always good stories. Once back at the camsite it was time to sit in the restroom & charge the batteries. While waiting 2 little girls came in that were camping next to me. I started talking to one & found out she was from Mexico & they were in Bastrop because they had Monday off from school. Her English was excellent, I didn't even try my Spanish. I don't think I slept at all that night, I looked at the clock at 7 & thought I'd sleep in til 8, then I realized it wasn't raining & I better get going...
I missed out on exploring the park thanks to all the flat tires, but I'll be back to check it all out again.
next blog will cover the way back....
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Total miles for this ride: 44.23
Total miles for the month of September: 226.53
Total miles for 2012: 2005.87
Miles to go: 6.13 miles til 2012
One way commutes in September so far: 4
Total one way commutes: 62 (I've reached my goal)
Odometer
Cross: 825.2
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