We certainly earned our rest day tomorrow. And we need it! The past three days have been a test of our mental and physical endurance.
Here are the numbers for today:
Start City: Brackettville, TX
End city: Concan, TX
Miles: 74
Total miles to date: 1403
Pedaling time: 5 hours, 16 minutes
Avg. speed: 14.0 mph
Feet climbed: 2250
Fatigue factor: 8 out of 10
Wind: SE 5-10 mph, headwind for first 40 miles, tailwind for the rest
Road condition: 2 out of 5
Temperature extremes: 66 at ride start, 75 at ride finish
Number of dead at the Alamo: between 182 to 257 Texans
Traffic, serious chip and seal and miles have taken a toll.
Today is the first day (in 25) there is moisture in the air. It doesn’t rain but it’s a heavy mist and we are pretty damp by the end of the day.
The highlights of the day include a Border Patrol check point.
Lunch at Ofelia’s Real Mexican in Uvalde.
Did we earn the burger and rings? Yes!
A left turn off of Highway 90 takes us onto Highway 83.
After 5 1/2 days and 380 miles, we finally leave Highway 90. Here’s what we learned on Hwy. 90:
–there are three types of vehicles on the road: semis, RVs and white pickups.
–semi truck drivers can be real jerks.
–chip seal sucks everything, including energy and morale.
We return to Hwy. 90 in Florida, where the road is much smoother. Ironically, Hwy. 83 has a surface that’s just as bad. It does improve as we get closer to our campground.
The return of agriculture and lush greenery. The crops are planted and spring has sprung here in Central Texas.
The reality of the day is a good dose of headwind to go with our shake and bake road surface for the first 40 miles.
For the next two nights we are at a 1950’s era “resort”. We are staying indoors in a cabin with our own bathroom, which is sort of a luxury!
Excuse the mess.
It’s a big week ahead as we hit the halfway point of the trip. Coming tomorrow, we rest and we get a chance to brag about our incredible chef, Anne!
Eve and Roger's Cycling Adventures 
We await your blog every day and are so happy that you are escaping the bad weather. All we can say is that old chestnut that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Really, you guys! You have inspired us 73 year olds to bike 30 plus miles in wind and heat, but not what you are enduring. Unthinkable. See you in Valdosta!
Makes you appreciate just how nice our roads are here at home! Enjoying the updates!!
Amen!
Enjoy the indoor plumbing!
Our own flushie tonight!
How wonderful, a turn in the road!
Glad for your day off and hotelin’ it too!!!
What WONDERFUL smiles those are… in front of Ofella’s! So very impressed!
Texas BOULDER seal…..cuz well, everything is bigger in Texas!! Give Ann a big hug for me, you have a gift for writing I have really enjoyed your blog! The further East you get….the flatter the terrain and the better the roads! Wishing you fair weather, quiet roads and a favorable wind!!
Thanks for the nice words, Joe and thanks for reading!
Hopefully when you get to Central Texas, the Pick Up Trucks and RVs will be nicer. No accounting for the semis. We just try like hell not to ride on any roads that have semi trucks… they can scare the p!$$ out of you. You pictures show that you don’t have much shoulder to ride in. I am guessing you guys have had to come up with some additional short hand communication on this trip. True?
Sorry for our roads here in Texas. To quote a line out of David Bernes’ 1984 movie “Stop Making Sense”… when referring to Texas, God said “I will just make some people that like it this way”. No worries, The Donald said he will “immediately fix our roads” all by himself. Just think how happy you will be on these roads when you do this ride next year. 🙂
Please stay safe. Your friends are with you.
Shoulders have been wide enough. Remember, we have none in GA. It’s just that the chip seal is usually worse on the shoulder than the main road surface. We shall see what’s next in Central Texas!
Thinking of your strength and perseverance as I start my day in
luxury with our own “flushie”, sipping tea, and no chip seal ahead!
Your trip is an inspiration in many ways, and as tandem couples
know it takes two who work well together and boost each other
when life gets rough, literally when on roads like that! The flags
in your pics tell a lot too!
In Indiana and Florida we have found men in pick ups seem
to be the most resentful of bikes along the road.
Keep on keeping on and as Mark said, we are with you.
SD
Nice cabin,enjoy your day off!
Well done! The rest day is yours to enjoy.
Darn! Now I am craving a burger and the most yummy onion
rings like your lunch! No riding today, so chicken it will be
and a veggie…NO fun there! But no chip seal riding
or any riding at all today. Valdosta looms ahead…gotta be better
weather here soon!
SD
Loving your daily updates. So glad you have some “free” time to write them. I can only imagine the “bad” words coming out of your mouths as you hit the headwinds and chip seal surface. Can’t wait to read about Chef Anne’s cooking – her menu boards have some great meals posted. Continue to pedal on and and be safe.
That looks like an old Plymouth with those big-a$$ fins on it. (Chrysler?) Could you be a lamb and ride back and see if it could be bought? Thanks in advance.