Day 226 March 13, 2017 Silsbee to Liberty, TX

Tough day for us today. Might have been the rough chip and seal on the shoulders, might have been that we had a cross/head wind for the first 40 miles. Whatever. We are in the motel, showered and fed, with a beer in hand.

Today's route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19431375

This is the office of the Garden Inn & Suites in Silsbee, TX. We have been seeing this star in a circle motif since crossing the border into Texas. Nice, low cost motel.


Getting ready to ride this AM. This is the most sun we saw all day.


We have been generally happy with the roads in Texas. If you are on a highway, you will have a wide shoulder. The traffic might be going by at 75+ mph, but you do have a shoulder.



Shoulders, however, are not a free ride. Riding on a shoulder requires you to essentially negotiate an ongoing slalom course.There is glass, bits of wood both large and small, dead animals both recent and ancient, uncertain pavement quality - sometimes very dangerous, and bits and pieces of sloughed radial tire belts. These belts come complete with multiple bits of wire which love to penetrate your tires and cause flats. We have had three flats on our trailer, all have been caused by wires from radial tires. You need to weave around and between these hazards while watching your rear view mirror to check that you can or can not enter the regular traffic lane to your left.

While we have left Louisiana, we are still in bayou country. Lots of standing or sluggishly moving water. Looks rather picturesque now, probably less beautiful when the temperature and humidity are over 90, and the air is full of insects.


We also see a lot of logging trucks. We still rely on paper.


The east Texas chapter of our fan club was out in force.


As we approached Liberty, TX today, we passed a field full of yellow flowers. Really an awesome sight. Much better in person than we can show you in the picture. But since you weren't here, the picture, and your imagination, will have to do.


Tomorrow we ride into Houston TX. I would be dishonest if I told you I wasn't apprehensive about riding in such a car-centric city. We will do fine, I know, but this city intimidates me more than the City of New York. The route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19553065

Good night.