Day Thirty Three: chicken ranch, happy water, little churches

Day Thirty Three

I always enjoy falling asleep in my tent. The next morning, however, isn't always so pleasant.

It was in the low 40s last night, and I really didn't want to leave the cozy warmth of my sleeping bag....

....so I didn't.

Eventually, when the sun hit my tent, it became warm enough to climb out.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I emptied the tent and spread it, the rainfly, and my sleeping bag on the ground to let the morning dew dry in the sun.

I also charged my phone with the solar panel.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

By the time everything was dry, packed into bags, and loaded onto my bike it was 11:00. On the way out of the park, a guy asked me a couple of the Frequently Asked Questions and we started chatting.

His name is Vern, and he was getting ready for his company's festival held at the park each year. Apparently, it's quite a blow-out in which a large volume of alcohol is consumed. I don't know when the drinking starts, but it's sometime before 11AM.

I also met Bruce. Vern is an IT Manager and Bruce is a Geophysicist.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

Yeah, I know what you're thinking... "I could've guessed what they were by their pictures."

I would like to have stayed longer to visit but I was already getting a really late start.

There was no warming up before starting the hills... I still had a few miles left in Buescher Park.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I paid on the way out, and pedaled the rolling hills toward LaGrange.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

Along the way...

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I don't know what the name of the town is (and maybe they don't either), but they've got some GREAT drinking water.

Here's a very small church on the side of the road.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I see metal cutouts like this along the way.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

LaGrange is famous in its own right, at least regionally. There was even a movie made about it, starring Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton, and Dom DeLouise.

It's the home of "The Chicken Ranch," a whorehouse that was closed in 1973 after a Houston television reporter with a bad wig and blue glasses, Marvin Zindler, let the world know of its presence.

Here's a picture of the county courthouse.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I ate lunch outside on the back patio at Bistro 108, then continued my afternoon riding through the rolling hills of Warrenton, Round Top, and Burton. That thirty-mile section of road apparently has a huge antique show, because for miles and miles there were places where people can set up shop to sell antiques.

Here's another tiny church. This one, St. Martins Catholic Church, claims to be the world's smallest actively worshipping church.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

Also from along the way....

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I stopped for the day in Gay Hill, where there are some monumental-sized houses overlooking Somerville Lake.

My sister, Wanda, was kind enough to volunteer to come pick me up this evening. She lives in Bryan, which is just under an hour away. She'll drop me off tomorrow morning, and I'll start from the same place I'm stopping this evening. That's an extra day in a house with a soft bed.

And all I had to do was ask her.

I'm about ready for a rest day. Those little aches and pains compound after several days. Still, I'd like to ride one day more before stopping.

I got a message from Klaus.... He finally had some time to update his web page and it has some BEAUTIFUL pictures on it. His pictures look like the ones I WANTED to be able to take with my camera. Please check out his pictures from this tour.

Go to his website, www.rad-fernweh.de and scroll down on the left and click on "Around the World 08." Then, at the top, you'll see the different parts of the US he's traveled through. Just click on each one: USA, Ca, Az, Nm+Mx.


64.62 miles
13.2 average
30.3 maximum speed
4:53:04 time
1611.2 total