Day 34: Alpine, TX to Marfa, TX

As Liz put us in contact with people in Marfa we have a day of only 25 miles today.

We drop by the bike shop and both get new chains. It was easy to forget how many miles have been covered and that parts will need replacing.

We relax at Liz’s for the remainder of the morning, another wonderfully comfortable interesting place to stay.

The wind decided to spoil the party and made it slow going up the hill out of Alpine and onto the plateau.

Our destination in town was Marfa Public Radio to meet Mia, an intern there. A minute into the town and we’re on air and I’m making my radio debut, broadcasting to Odessa for a fundraising drive. Ken and I extol the workings of the BBC like good Brits. Watch for the spike in donations.

Tom, the founder of the station, and Katherine kindly invited us to their place for dinner and to stay the night.

Tom set the station up 8 years ago. We took a little look around and it's a great alternative presence in an area which seems like there isn't a whole deal going on. Dinner was a treat and it was great to hang around with Tom and Katherine.

We're going out for a few beers with Mia.

Day 33: Sanderson, TX to Alpine, TX

We had the prospect of the longest unserviced section of road to date this morning - 53 miles a constant gentle incline from Sanderson to Marathon. Route planning is easy now.

Thoughts last night were to get away early and beat the heat of the early afternoon. Thankfully there was cloud cover so we could waste away another morning in another person's kitchen and cook a monstrous pot of porridge. Dessert was 10 eggs scrambled, I threw in the towel at 2 to leave Ken the trooper to mop up the remaining 8.

There is still a slight tailwind and the scenery is beautiful, so vast. Wildflowers have started to appear on the roadside. The only drama en route to Marathon is a slow flat for Ken so we've now figured it's an exact 8 pumps per psi for him to inflate the tyre. I know you were all wondering.

Marathon serves as an entry junction to Big Bend National Park 60 miles south - I would've liked to visit but it's a three day detour and the roads there are even more isolated. We arrived and the town is closed for business, the lunch places and coffee shop closed at 3. How can places wish to prosper when they open half a day? Though there is grocer where I could finally buy an selection of FRESH FRUIT!

Onto Alpine, another 30 miles and we get our first wet roads since Austin.

128 carriages

We reward the easy day and toast civilisation with a milkshake. No Sonic (sob) so it's a Dairy Queen. The intrigue of this shambolic looking fast food chain is increased by the Amish and Mennonites all queueing to get an ice cream cone.

We arrive at Liz's house in Alpine where she's waiting outside with a glass of wine. We talk for an hour and then eat fantastic roast squash and salad and curry and drink more wine. A tall and assertive Texan, Liz used to work as a Public Defender around these border parts, working mainly mainly drug trafficking cases. She's a fantastic lady, an exciting presence and it was interesting to hear her experiences.

Luckily for us it seems she knows everyone in West Texas and has mapped out our next few days. Tomorrow we'll visit her friends at the radio station in Marfa. This Rogers hospitality is unparalleled.

Day 32: Langtry, TX to Sanderson, TX

Today, wow, what a day.

A fantastic night spent last night under the stars surrounded by the miscellany of our spot in Langtry.

We make 200m and stop at the local hangout - a gas station sorta cafe run by an elderly couple. The comfort of a toilet seat welcome.

Ken's wheel is fucked, for want of a better phrase. The spokes are pulling out of the rim which is cracking all over the place. It's been a constant worry of his for the past few days but we didn't realise it was quite this bad. He calls ahead to various bike shops, none more a few days riding, and it's the weekend which doesn't help matters. Hitchhiking imminent we feel.

A troop turns up wearing printed t-shirts: Coast 2 Coast 2015. This must be the supported touring group we've been told to expect to cross.

Big Bubba, an affable bloke who organises the annual supported W-E tour of 45 or so riders has a incredulous look on his face when he sees the wheel. They have a mechanic (in addition to masseuse, chef, helpers. Jealous? Nah.) whom he calls. He may have a spare wheel or two. We doubt suitability as the riders are on light road bikes. Chandler arrives in 15 minutes and approached with wheel in hand.

This is in Langtry, town of nothing, the middle of nowhere. It's a spot on perfectly suitable touring wheel.

Bubba insists to Ken he doesn't want payment. Just pay it forward. Pay it forward, again. New motto? Maybe THANK YOU SO SO MUCH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Thanks guys. (Have I shrunk?)

Langtry, TX. forever in our minds. I wouldn't make it your next destination.

On to the riding part. I do still do a bit of riding. It was an extremely hot day when we set off in the mid-afternoon but Ken was understandably grinning ear to ear.

Another few miles on and a truck and caravan has pulled in ahead of us, a lady standing outside. We approach and slow. "Are you the two Brits?"

It's Liz Rogers, Alice's sister. Alice, who we stayed with in Montell a few days back, had told her to expect us along the road.

"You are going to Sanderson tonight, you are going to stay at my house there. Tomorrow you will get to Alpine and call me and stay with me. Here, have some cookies."

See you in a bit Liz

Everything seems to be on such a great roll for us. It's lovely to have the prospect of not only one, but two nights of hospitality lined up.

Thankfully the tailwind continued, helping us up the slowly climbing road, otherwise today's cycling would've been super tough.

We reached Dryden after 40 miles, where there was nothing. The shop was closed so we took water from a garden hose. Lunch will have to be peanut butter scooped with a cookie.

It's almost as bad having a town with no sign of life as not having one at all. At least you're mentally prepared for a solitary road, a town closed for business sucks.

Downtown Dryden

Another 20 miles to Sanderson.

Civilisation! Still no food though: all restaurants are closed. We arrive at Liz's house in Sanderson which has a lovely little side house for us to stay in. Probably my least enjoyable meal followed, consisting terrible $10(!) frozen pizza and crisps from the petrol station. Jus' eating for cals.

Day 31: Del Rio, TX to Langtry, TX

We get up early and head for a first McDonald's breakfast, mainly interested in the WiFi. Ken has realised that his rear wheel has a spoke pulling out of the rim so heads over to the bike shop to find a replacement. It's not well stocked so there wasn't anything suitable. Ken decides the best option is to order a replacement online and get it shipped to ahead to Fort Davis in a few days time. We'll chance it and keep on riding until then.

After the setbacks and lunch we leave Del Rio at half 2. Luckily a very generous tail wind carries us at speed over the beautiful blue of Amistad Reservoir and the vast Pecos River.

East Texas seemed to feel sorry for us when we say we're going west. West Texas, that'll be fun! Hahaha!
Ken and I are both of the opinion that we've never experienced a desolate landscape like it, so are quite looking forward to it. Indeed, there was was a whole lot of nothing today.

A Border Patrol checkpoint (a big presence on this stretch of the highway as Mexico is only a stone's throw away) is such a welcome stop for water. Silly me, I really should have picked up another couple of litres in Del Rio.

We arrive in Langtry. You'd struggle to call this place a town - it's a collection of abandoned outposts. We find the caravan listed on Warm Showers open for cyclists to stay in. Olive and Rachel from California and Stephen, a Brit living in France, both heading W-E from California to Florida have beaten us to the beds. We cook tinned chilli and cous cous on the caravan hob and eat and chat outside on the bench in the fading sunlight.

Unfortunately we didn't get to stop off earlier and meet Alice as we were running so late. Ken and I set up our camping mats under the moon's reflection. What a beautiful evening.

Day 30: Montell, TX to Del Rio, TX

Alice is such a lovely person with a genuine warmth and passion for entertaining. We had a great evening with her. Her family used to be ranchers in Montell, a small collection of properties in Uvalde County, but have now spread over the Big Bend.

She left early and gave us free reign of her kitchen for breakfast. It's wonderful how trusting people are with us, strangers, in their homes. The point has been made though that bicycle tourists probably aren't the highest risk for making off with your possessions. We obliged and cooked a 5 egg breakfast before leaving around 11.

It was predictably hot and completely cloudless. A flat day comprising three roads. Unfortunately yesterday's wind had died down but it was still a welcome easy day.

40 miles of nothing at all until Bracketville. The trees of the Hill Country now becoming fewer and noticeably decreasing in size. We join the old friend Highway 90 to take us into Del Rio with a slight tailwind.

Elk's Lodge #837 is listed on the Adventure Cycling map as a place to stay for cyclists. The sign on the entrance lists a Secretary and Exalted Ruler. Interesting... cult?  A few knocks on the door, a lady shows and says we're welcome to camp under the pavilion around the back. We make our way and let them get on in their bizarre social club.

We have no idea what type of organisation this is until a bit of research shows it's one of those vague organisations with vague mission statements of benevolence and probably a bit of religion thrown in the mix. Apparently they're a recognised thing though, not quite the cult we first thought, so thanks for letting us stay. Still a bit culty though.

Alice is also heading west tomorrow for a wedding, which is along our planned route out of Del Rio so hopefully we can cross paths.

Day 29: Vanderpool, TX to Montell, TX

Good job we slept on the patio last night as it rained heavy a few times. The morning started off cool and cloudy.

It was another short day to the next Warm Showers host, although full of climbing since we wussed out on the hills yesterday. A killer breakfast was inspired by the abundance of breakfast tacos that have appeared through central Texas.

A 90 degree bend out of Vanderpool and we start climbing the first big hill of the trip. Another one followed immediately afterwards and then a descent down into Leakey.

Since we have plenty of time a lengthy Mexican lunch happens. I imagine Mexican grub will be the theme for the coming couple of weeks; it’s cheap, filling, damn tasty and nutritious(?). Though it does strike me that 90% of the menu is a slight variation of meat wrapped in a tortilla - I’m glad Ol’ El Paso hasn’t miseducated me too much.

Another big climb out of Leakey and then it was all downhill into Camp Wood. A lot of bikers out on the route today, it’s apparently a popular one and I can see why - the 337 road winds up and down through the forests always keeping you close to the overhang. We stay about at a little chocolate shop and chat to owner for a while.

A turn south from Camp Wood puts the wind right on our back and we coast the remaining in the late afternoon sunshine. Definitely the easiest 10 miles of the trip.

We arrive at Alice’s house who’s just now handed me a big ol’ glass of wine with the Texas barbecue smoking a feast out in the garden sunshine.

Down to the Mexican border at Del Rio next. Till tomorrow.

Day 28: Kerrville, TX to Vanderpool, TX

Fred comfortably sets a new record for pancake size this morning. Fat and full of banana and pumpkin and all things I’ve come to appreciate before a day cycling. The morning sun burning through the garage as we’re prepping our bikes signals it’ll be another hot one.

Evan turned up late last night. We head 50 metres, Evan turns east, Ken and I turn west. The road follows alongside the Guadalupe River for a while which was quiet and pretty.

Barely ten miles further we pull into the roadside and a business owner rushes over to offer us supplies. Jennifer hotfoots it back to her house and reappears with a tray of orange juice, breakfast tacos, bagels, fruit, the works.

It's a really lumpy road ahead so we start off fairly steady. We meet another cyclist heading the other way, and then strangely another one comes up 1 minute behind her. He tells us that we’re at the half way point between coasts: impromptu celebration for the four of us!

It's hot going again.

Our plan was to make it to Leakey but ultimately pull up short as Ken isn’t feeling 100%. It actually made sense as we’ll have to split the journey to Del Rio into two days anyway.

Total happiness can wait

The place we’ve decided to stay at was essentially the backyard of a convenience store who made up a price of $15 for the two of us to camp. No showers so we decide to take a bath in the adjacent river.

Bigger hills tomorrow.

Day 27: Pedernales Falls State Park, TX to Kerrville, TX

Easily the hardest day of the tour today.

As the name suggests the park was on the water, the Pedernales River, so we decided to go for a dip in the morning. It turned out to be nothing more than a foot deep paddle. There was still a possibility of escaping the camp fee but Ken's Karma pulled us into doing the honest thing.

A Mexican breakfast stop and we roll through Lyndon B. Johnson's home town, where everything that can do bears the Johnson name, and out past his ranch. We don't stop as the day will be long enough.

A fair bit of elevation gained and the frequent hills were exhausting in the heat. Cacti became a feature today which provided mild interest. The Hill Country scenery were really pleasant cycling roads.

Unfortunately we didn't have time to stop off in Fredericksburg town. This area is noticeably Germanic due to all the immigrants who settled here in the mid-1800s.

Hot work

We reach Janice and Fred's house at half 7 just before it gets dark. I watch some basketball we eat a huge wok-full of Chinese food. I'm knackered. Sleep.

Day 26: Austin, TX to Pedernales Falls State Park, TX

A short ride out of Austin this afternoon after lazing at the hostel for the morning, seeing what food we could scrounge from the fridges (productive).

It's emptying out post-SXSW and we feel it's time to move on also. I could definitely spend much more time hanging around here but there are other sights to see.

The bike path down the river (there is/was a Lance Armstrong bikeway, this may be it) ejects us west through the Austin suburbs, a very nice area set amongst the hills. It's the start of Hill Country now and immediately apparent; the short sharp inclines were tough in this mid-afternoon heat.

We yo-yo and slowly start to gain some altitude. Ranchs become commonplace as the countryside unfolds. The landscape is getting a dry-Spanish-Mediterranean look to it.

Arriving at the campsite just before sunset we hoped we could dodge the fare but the operation is a bit tighter run than we'd anticipated. Normally I wouldn't care to cough up some money for a nice campsite at a nice park such as this, but it's massively frustrating when it's exactly the same $26 fare for our teeny tents as for a full-sized motor home.

We cook up a 10 person portion pot of instant ramen noodles in the dark and admire the unobstructed night sky before calling it a night.