Day 24 -- Pleasant and easy 67 miles to Blanco in central Texas.

Gentle rollers, low traffic, quiet country roads made riding from Kerrville to Blanco State Park, about 67 miles.  At times we could have been in the canyons of southern Calfornia, the low wooded hills of Wisconsin, or northeastern Washington.  We met Matt and Peter, who were headed for California.  They advised us good places to stay, including our next stop at Blanco.  Matt, a recent college graduate, is looking to teach history. Peter plans to stay at Huntington Beach and find work.  Later, when we were at camp, Molly and Marshall pedaled over on their recumbents to discuss touring.  From North Carolina (Molly originally from Texas), they were planning to ride day trips for a week in this central Texas area.

We are a half day's ride from Austin, and plan to take the rest of the day exploring the Texas capitol.

Interesting 72-mile ride through history ...to Ruthie's m-m-m BBQ.

Skipping Austin's rush-hour,  we drove to La Grange to start our 26th day.  Narrow roads and high traffic were drawbacks but on the whole it was a very pleasant ride heading east.  We lunched in Burton (home of the cotton gin museum) in a local landmark, the Burton Cafe, with high-quality food and s-s-l-l-o-o-w-w service.  (Locals were obviously served first-- coming in after us, finishing, and getting out before we even got our orders.) But we enjoyed listening to conversation at neighboring tables -- accents are taking on a decided southern drawl already. 

As we pushed on through Independence (home of the original Baylor College and the Sam Houston homestead) the terrain reminded some of the Gettysburgh region of Pennsylvania, others of lower Indiana or Michigan -- narrow roads winding over lightly wooded hills, with meadows, ponds and bluebonnets beside the route.

In Navasota the sag person noticed a BBQ shack named "Ruthie's" on the far end of town and although a little dubious the group was willing to try -- turned out the place is featured in the "Legends of Texas BBQ" book and the chef, Louis Charles Henley, is author of a number of recipes and BBQ-ing tips (such as cooking the meat at low temp for about 24 hours.)  The mixed plate (beef, pork, potato salad, beans & bread) plus soda was just $8.75 and melt-in-your mouth fabulous.  The only customers, we were able to pose with the "legend" himself (a Denzel Washington voice and intonation sound-alike.)

Days 27 & 28 -- Entering the "Deep South"

We left Navasota at rush hour.  (The rush hour consisted mostly of high schoolers heading toward the local school with a college-level football stadium.)  We headed east and a little north. Lovely roads -- winding through green pastures, woods, ponds, farms. 

Ah, the rub: No shoulders, speed limits of 70, crazy PU truck drivers. (It's remarkable how the drivers of the big rigs know how to get around us but the PU drivers often cause near-misses.) Paul had to dive partway into a ditch to avoid an oncoming PU truck passing another truck, at 90 mph with no shoulder to spare.

We are now in the western parts of what is officially considered the "Deep South."  We reached Shephard, a town among piney woods, bayous with bald cypress and Spanish moss, reddish soil (iron oxides), and a culture far, far from the "cowboy" style that was evident just days ago. Not far away is the "Big Thicket" which hid outlaws and locals who tried to avoid the Confederate Army conscription during the Civil War.

We're not in the West anymore, Toto! 

On Friday we continued eastward, arriving at Kirbyville after a ride of 96 miles.  We all had most excellent catfish dinners (prepared in varying ways) at Elijah's in town.  The young waitress, also most excellent in the level of her service, asked if we also wanted "paaa" to go with that. (Pie.)  The hot and humid air hints at coming thunderstorms and probable rain.  If all goes according to plan, we should pass into Louisiana early Saturday. Meanwhile we met another couple of eastbound riders, Mariette and Irenee from Quebec, heading home.  See the "photo page."