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Wednesday, November 7, 2001 - "Why You're Having a Great Run!"
60 Miles Blanco, TX to Lockhart State Park, Lockhart, TX
Yes, that is what the grocer in Wimberly exclaimed as I
described our effort since Sept. 30. And we hope to have a series of great
runs from here on out. We have finally broken free from Cyclotouring's
Fifth Dimension and emerged into the great flatlands stretching east from the Texas
Hill Country.
We left Blanco early, of course. It is essential
that we get on the road as close to dawn as possible because the ever shorter
days, while not as short as in farther north Michigan, are now starting to
impinge on our cycling effort thru simple lack of daylight. Sixty mile
days with requisite rest breaks and forays for food leaves barely enough time to
set up our tent and to prepare supper. We knew we would face this
diminishing daylight and we must adapt. We are constantly aware of the
time and when the sun rises and sets.
The first 15 miles on our way to Wimberly (pop. 2,796)
was the usual dips and climbs of the Texas hills and a gradual moderating as we
got close to Wimberly, where we had our lunch. Here we also took the
opportunity to dry our tent and tent fly in the warm midday sun (now that we are
farther east, we have dew on the tent every morning). Twenty more miles
brought us to Kyle (pop. 4,109) and here the hills vanished completely. For
the first time in Texas we saw evidence of urban sprawl and traffic picked up
considerably. Proximity to Austin, TX is the reason I assume.
It is also here that the Texas icon of "the
Ranch" finally seems to have exhausted itself. Since leaving El Paso
an overriding aspect of Texas culture has thrust itself into our psyche. i.e.
ranches and their requisite fences. Everywhere we have gone has been
fenced off. It has become particularly extreme lately with the fences
becoming higher and suffocatingly close to the roadway. Don't fence me in
they said, and we heartily concur.
Leaving Kyle, the fences dropped away and rich farmland
appeared with dark black prairie soil appearing. The first farmland
appeared along the Guadalupe River two days ago but now we could see our
destination, Lockhart (pop. 10,948) more than five miles away, over the fallow
cotton and corn fields. We spent the night at the Lockhart State Park in a secluded
and quiet campground.
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