Day 13, Texas and a Turtle

Meet my new friend Tommy the turtle.  We came across this little snapping turtle and i tried to get I'm off the roadway but he had a little attitude problem so i left him alone and walked away with all of my digits intact.

So today we spent riding out of the south and into the wonderfully large state of Texas.  We are 1/3 of the way Accra's the US.  Take a minute and look at a map from where we started to where we are at, we did this tonight and were amazed.  For us it is one day after another, I don't mean that in a bad way just that right now this is our job.  I am not sad to see Louisiana go and I am excited to see what this state has to show.  I will admit I was hoping for a little better welcome.  We were ushered into the state with a sustained 15 mile an hour with gusts of 30.  This lasted from the boarder to the end of our day  Not complaining really just it was a long day. 
I am very tired tonight but well fed.  Bill E. took us out for dinner and it hit the spot.  Now I am looking forward to a good nights sleep.  We will ride again tomorrow, then we have a BBQ at someones place in the Eve.  Sunday is a rest day and it will bring with it the departure of Aunt Sharon and the arrival of Mona.  Sharon you have done a great job and it was truly an honor to have you be part of this.

So yesterday i talked a little bit about what a typical day was for a rider.  I want to let you know what it feels like a little bit.  First imagine you are outside, there is a little chill in the air and s slight breeze blowing.  You hear people talking and the click of cycling shoes on the concrete.  You grab your sunglasses slide them on your face, put your helmet on your head it feels like an old baseball cap, light on the head like it is part of you.  You can smell the sunscreen on your hands as you pull on your gloves and step over the bike.    You look up to see pops smiling and giving you a look of encouragement, you clear your head and hear a prayer being said.  Then it is the moment of truth you find your pedal and hear that familiar Click as you engage your first foot, your grip tightens on the bars as you make that first pedal stroke and then Click your second foot is in. You settle into the sweet spot on the saddle, it is like sitting in an old sofa by this point.  You take a deep breath and feel the your legs contract and settle into a rhythm, the sound of the wheels on the pavement fills your ears, mixed with traffic and the hum of the derailleurs.  You are on your way, as you speed up you feel the wind against your face, you turn on your ipod find your favorite song and just ride.  Remember the feeling you had as a kid the freedom of being on a bike the excitement.  Now take that and add the feeling of doing something special for someone you love and for people you don't even know.  Now you have an idea of how my morning starts.

How the rest of the day goes well that depends, you go through so many things.  Pain in the hands from leaning on them over bumpy roads, the pain in your thighs as you climb that hill or push through the wind.  The butterflies in your stomach as you rush down a hill at 35MPH.  Bugs bouncing off your helmet or arms, the smell of a pine trees or road kill.  All of these things are constants in the day and all of them are part of the experience we are having.  I would not trade the pain, the odors or the laughter for a windless flat road,  if this was meant to be easy then everyone would do it. 

Lesson for the day.  When you think you have reached the end of yourself think again.  Your faith and passion can push you on.  No wind or hill can stop you.  As my dad used to tell me before a game just go ballistic  what happens happens just give it your all and be happy with the result.