Navasota, TX April 9

We have arrived in Navasota, TX for another rest day. We will be in Texas only two more days and then we arrive in DeRidder, Lousianna on the 12th. Texas is a very big state, and I know it first hand now after biking across it!

Today I was able to visit with my Uncle Bud (James) and Aunt Mary Jane and their son-in-law, Gama. It was a great time to visit with them, and they enjoyed seeing what these amazing ladies are doing. Tomorrow, my cousin Margaret Ann will drive up and join me for dinner when I arrive in Cleveland, Texas.

Yesterday's ride took us through some of the prettiest country that we have seen in Texas, as there were lots of wildflowers in bloom, and lots of big oak trees. The Texans are very proud of their Blue Bonnets and talk about them a lot. It was a very warm and humid day with temperatures in the high 80's. That is hard to fathom when the weather back home in Lynden is still cold and wet. We rode 70 miles yesterday, and it is hard to believe how we all just do this like it is no big deal. We have all gotten stronger (and thinner!). We have also all managed to get some very funny tan lines.

It is hard to believe that we have been on the road so long, and that we only have about 3 weeks until we reach our destination in Florida. As much as I am looking forward to getting home, I am wondering about how hard it's going to be to say goodbye to all my new friends, and leave this life of eating, riding and sleeping. It has been quite the experience!

We've Reached the Half-Way Point!

After riding through the Texas Hill Country for the past two days, this group of strong women has reached the half-way point of our ride. Here we are getting ready for a nice restaurant meal in Kerrville, TX the site of our layover day. The last two days has challenged our hill climbing ability to the max! I am feeling stronger as a result, and less intimidated by the hills. We were informed that the ride we did yesterday from Vanderpool, TX to Kerrville, was over the same hills that Lance Armstrong and the U.S. Olympic Cycling team uses to train. Many of the grades and climbs were over 10 -12% grades, with hills that had sharp hairpin turns and climbed for 1 or more miles!

One of the things that motivated us was the promise of a cute little apple pie shop in Medina, the halfway stop for the day's ride. It was very cute, and had the most wonderful apple pie, strudel, and coffee. We all enjoyed the treat, and the wonderful hospitality. See the picture on top.

When we left Vanderpool yesterday, the sky was dark and cloudy and it was very windy. I was very nervous about the ride, thinking that we were going to get poured on. Although the weather was misty at times, and humid, the rain never did open up on us, and the cloud cover kept the temperatures down. We were all very thankful for that. This morning we found out that just a few hours after we left Vanderpool yesterday, it hailed with ping pong ball sized hail! How thankful we missed that! I continue to be amazed at the "bubble" of good weather that we have gone through--barely missing storm systems, staying dry for the most part. Thanks for all the prayers for safety and good weather that so many of you have been faithful to pray for us.

I'm Back! No April's Fool Joke!

Hello! Today is April 1, and we have just arrived at CampWood, TX. If you wondered why I haven't been posting to my blog, the reason is that hotel computers have been non-exixtent since we left El Paso. As a matter of fact, there have been motels that have not even had water when we arrived! That was in Van Horn, TX. The riding has been good. We have been on a lot of highways that have very course chip seal, which makes riding very difficult.

So, a few highlights of the last week include the ride from Sanderson, TX to Del Rio, TX. It was a 110 mile day, which is significantly long in and of itself. Add to that the weather was a slight misty rain at the start for about the first 40 miles. Then it dried out and just got hot. Then the roads began to get rougher with the chip seal just before lunch. We had a lunch break at 60 miles, and I was feeling terribly tired--to the point of not being able to eat and fuel properly. The winds began to pick up (strong headwinds!), and the hills began to get tougher. I flagged down our SAG driver and got a lift for 10 miles, some fuel and water and a brief rest. Then I decided to ride the rest of the way in, barely making the 100 mile mark by the time I arrived at the hotel. It was the hardest, longest century ride I have ever done! For many of the women, it was the first time they had ever done a century ride, and it was quite an accomplishment. We were one very tired, beat group--glad to get to bed early.

We are now out of the dry, desert part of TX and have come into warm, humid weather. Today's ride from Brackettville to CampWood started in a mist, then warmed to hot and humid. We crossed the Nueces River, and many took the opportunity to jump into the water and get cooled off. I enjoyed getting my feet in the water at least.

I hear that the wildflowers ahead are supposed to be beautiful. For now, it is time to get ready for a hilly ride tomorrow into Kerrville, TX and our next layover day. I'm still dreading the hills, but am more prepared to just take them slow and easy. We have now reached the half way point of the ride, and have settled into quite a routine of riding, eating, sleeping, riding, etc. I may need to have time for re-entry when I get back home! God Bless, All!

Easter Day in Major Winds

Sunday's ride took us into El Paso, Texas, our fourth state! I drove the SAG vehicle, and was happy to do so as the wind whipped at up to 30 mph. It was a hard ride for those who persevered all 67 miles of it. Many opted to take the ride in the van to escape the wind, and I can't blame them. As you can see above, Micki and Ann (a mother/daughter team) are having fun with their bunny ears blowing sideways in the wind!

The fun part was that someone bought all of us rabbit ears and so our riders had ears on with their bike helmets. It was a comical site. We were all feeling very festive until the wind started whipping up. Today's ride is a short 47 miles on flat road, so we are all trying to relax and not hurry off this morning. It's amazing how perspective changes. 47 miles seems like nothing now, and we are in no particular hurry to get going. We have 20 days across Texas, so might as well take a deep breath, and smell the roses along the way.

I am especially thankful for all my friends who have been praying for me as I make this journey. We have had great weather, for the most part. I have felt good, slept well, and enjoyed each day, and the new friends I have made. God is good! Blessings to all!

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Today was a fast, fun, and long ride. After spending the night in Kingston, New Mexico, we quickly dropped in elevation and had a mostly flat ride, except for one little 3 mile climb. Highlights of today's ride included seeing elk in the early morning hours as we started out, crossing the Rio Grand river, going through chili growing area, and having frozen yougurt at the end of the ride. I'm amazed at the changing terrain, as today we rode through mountain, desert, and pecan groves. It is extremely dry here and we saw lots of evidence of fires.

The total milage today was 88 miles. Tomorrow we will ride to El Paso Texas--now our fourth state. It will take us 20 days to ride across Texas, so it will be a while before we have another state line crossing party.

Random Observations from this Biker Lady

I have had the opportunity to learn a few things as I've been on this trip. Here are a few of them--in no particular order.



1. Chamois butter is well worth the high price they charge.

2. Never say "that's the last hill!" There's always more.

3. Some people actually like riding through the mountains up strenous hills!

4. I'm not one of those people mentioned above.

5. It's amazing how you can bond with a group of people when you are sharing a destination like riding cross-country.

6. Age is no barrior when you are on a trip of this nature. You would be amazed at what some of these women can do.

We've reached the highpoint!

Today we left Silver City, New Mexico, and headed for the little town of Kingston, past the "Kneeling Nun" rock formation, past copper mines, and up the mountain. The views were spectacular and the climb was challenging (a major understatement!!). We had a 40 mile climb up to Emory Pass, at 8225 feet elevation--the highest point of our tour. Let me just say, I found it quite challenging, at one point was wondering if I could complete the ride. I heard later that we were on some 10% grades and climbed a total of 4700 feet. Of course, what goes up--must come down. We had an 8 mile downhill ride into the tiny little town of Kingston, where we are being housed at Black Mountain Ranch Lodge. The view at the top of the pass was very rewarding. You could see all down the valley into Kingston.

Tomorrow, we have one of our longer rides--88 miles into Las Cruces. Hopefully, there will not be hills :-)

Eating on the Road

For those of you who wonder what we eat on a tour like this--let me assure you we eat well. Linda, our traveling chef prepares the most wonderful meals out of the back of this trailer. The "kitchen" area is the 6 foot section in the back of the trailer, and Linda is very creative, making great use of this kitchen and Dutch ovens for cooking gourmet meals for 30 women, with options for those who have food allergies, or who are vegetarians. Linda will be featured in the May issue of Bicycling magazine. Her meals are healthy, tasty, and geared to fuel the needs of bikers who are putting out lots of energy on their bikes. And the really amazing thing is she makes it look easy and does it all with a smile.

Now in Silver City, New Mexico

Yesterday's ride took us up over the Continental Divide and into Silver City, New Mexico. It was only a 46 mile ride, but was so hilly, it was a very challenging ride. The climb out of Lordsburg was so gradual that it was deceiving. We then entered a mountainous area with steep, steady climbs. The fun part of the trip up was that my cousin Karen was driving to Silver City, and found me amidst the other bikers on the road, so she pulled over, took my picture and cheered me on. Then she drove up farther and waited for me to reach the Continental Divide, where there were lots of riders and photo ops.

The ride into Silver City continued to climb, with our total climb being over 3500 feet. Silver City is a town that has a lot of memories for me, as my Aunt Modeen and Uncle Carroll live here, and we visited here often during my childhood. Besides that, there are lots of cute shops, and places to explore today on our day off. I'm looking forward to going downtown today, and then going out to a favorite place called the City of Rocks. It has lots of fun rock formations that make for interesting exploring and hiking.

Tomorrow promises to be another great climb when we go over Emory Pass at about 8000 feet elevation, and probably about 3000 feet of total climbing. So, pray for me! I am not fond of climbing, but can do it. It is hard work for me, but feels like such an accomplishment when it is done.

We're in New Mexico

Greetings friends! I'm now in Lordsburg, New Mexico. I drove the SAG vehicle today, and had a good time making sure that everyone made it in today. It was a beautiful day as we left Safford, AZ this morning, in cool weather. It was a 75 mile ride straight down HWY 70 into Lordsburg, New Mexico. There was quite a tail wind at the end of the day, so all the riders were having a wonderful time flying down the road at top speed. I sure wished I could ride with them, but tomorrow is another day.

I will continue to try to post pictures as I get a chance, but I suggest that you follow the links on my page to some of the other sites where there are pictures. You will get the drift of what we are seeing.

Tomorrow, we ride across the Continental Divide into Silver City. I am looking forward to spending time with my Aunt and Uncle, and two cousins. Should be a great time together for my layover day. Hope all of you are well. Debbie