Hello all,

You know that scene in the Forest Gump movie, after he has run across the country a few times Forest stops, looks up at the sky,  and he simply knows he is done? After going to Oregon for two weeks, waiting out bad weather for another five days back in Austin, last Saturday I finally got on the bike and rode out to Bastrop, TX, and I had that very "I'm done" moment: although mine was as I woke in yet another hotel bed. "The romance wore off" a friend said, and that describes the feeling as well as anything.  

So this will be the last post. Thank you all for your kindnesses and support.  

A few photos: 

A funny little sculpture coming into Bastrop TX. 

A mail box, I like the design. 

That is real slate on a curved roof. Wonderful design and execution! 

On the wall at Hostelling International in Austin. 

Pop and Easy. This was Easy's first day with me, about 13 years ago.

BACK IN AUSTIN

I arrived yesterday, Monday the 4th of Dec in the morning. I put 4700 miles on the rental car in just over two weeks. By the time I got back I was tired of driving, and I really like driving in the country. 

I had planned heading out on my bike tomorrow but find that rain is called for and it will be around 45 so I'm going to spend tomorrow waiting out the weather. It is supposed to begin to warm up (a little) on Thursday. I would really like to get back on the road. I biked around Austin some yesterday and it felt good. 

I rented a small SUV to take my bike north with the idea of riding some and keeping in shape. I did not ride once. In large part because it rained much of the time, but mostly because I didn't want to. Biking around Austin yesterday I was happy to find that I had not lost much of what was gained in the first section. 

The first three photos adorn the side of a 7-11 like store in Austin. They are made with broken mirrors colored mortar.  

The next two photos are of a great raised concrete bike path along the lake (I swear it looks like river to me but everyone here calls it a lake) that leads to the hostel I'm staying at. I wanted to try the hostel because they are so rare around the US. It is an OK place although I caved on the second night and rented a single room for two nights because I did not like the dorm. But the community part of it is nice and it is on the lake (I just looked it up, it is the Colorado River except that where it runs through Austin they call a piece of it Lady Bird Lake. Sorry, it is STILL A RIVER!)