Day 21

Sorry I don't think there will be in pictures tonight as the Internet connection is not the greatest.  I will slide some in tomorrow if I remember and get a chance.  We left Comfort this morning to a fully clouded sky and cool temperatures which lasted almost to lunch time.  We traveled Kerriville, TX today and was again supplied with a good surprise.  We road along the Guadalupe river for at least 20 miles.  This is not a tremendously large river but it was nice to ride beside it.  There were again some really nice homes and Inns along the route.  This would definitely be a place I would come back to and check out, probably not by bicycle though :). 

After lunch the clouds left and the temperatures rose to 102 degrees and the hills started to get longer.  Ironically my description of the false tops to the hills came true as we had one that was at least 2 miles long with six false tops.  By the time I got to the end I needed a little rest.  I felt somewhat good until the heat started to sap it out of me.  What really knocked me down today was the Big hill, for those of you that have been up South Mountain to the towers this was longer and steeper, for those of you that are not from AZ think about riding up a giant step ladder.  This road was narrow with switchbacks and seemed to be in direct sunlight the entire way up.  We knew this was coming but I have to admit it beat me up.  Once on the top I rested in the shade a little bit but it was to late at this point.  I did not do a good enough job of drinking and eating today.  

Good news is tomorrows high if 15 degrees cooler then today's and as the week goes on it continues to drop all the way into the 60's.

We rode by some massive ranches today.  Some of them were 4 miles long at least and surrounded by 7 foot high fences.  You may be asking why such high fences, well it is to keep the deer in, these were all game ranches of some kind.  There was even one with animals from Africa that you could hunt.  This must be a decent business if they are able to keep all of that land.

I am dead tired tonight and hope my errors in judgement don't hurt me tomorrow.  We will have to see.

Lesson for the day.  Stick to your plan as long as it works but be ready to make adjustments.  Not all plans work well and some need to be changed but if things are working well why change them.  I changed my fueling plan and it kicked me in the backside.

On a side note we are staying at a RV and Cabin park in Camp Wood, TX.  The Place is Called Petticoat Junction which is a show from the 70's.  The owner is really great he was able to get some article in the paper for us.  The cabins are really nice, if you are in the area and need a place to stay i would recommend it.