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!)

TRAIL ANGELS

There are people along the Appalachian Trail (AT) who help thru-hikers: bringing fresh fruit or cold drinks or cooking hot dogs and hamburgers at trail heads or driving people into town to shop. They are called Trail Angels and every hiker has one or several stories of being helped along their way by these wonderful folks. 

Bruce & Claudia were my Cycling Angel's. A days ride outside of Austin my phone rang, Bruce Porter, a volunteer with Adventure Cycling who lays out the cycling route in his area, attempts to meet cyclists doing the Southern Tier to get a sense of their ride and, I expect, to make them feel welcomed. Bruce and I went out for a drink in the evening and talked about cycling and life in general. He is a smart interesting guy and easy to talk with. Bruce invited me to stay with he and Claudia, his wife, when I got to Austin. I was working out how and when to leave my ride to get to Eugene and Seattle for a few of weeks and was uncertain of when to leave and return and how to travel. 

Over a dinner with good conversation and much laughter I met Bruce and Claudia's daughter, Melissa--who looks so young I actually thought she was the older sister of her teenage son Caden--and Lucie her young daughter. I'm certain Bruce & Claudia invited me to stay in their lovely home for one night, but I ended up staying five as I looked around Austin and figured out how to travel north. They could not have been more gracious and helpful: the very definition of Trail Angels. I am grateful for their kindness and their friendship. 

This is the coolest outhouse I have ever seen. It was along a bike trail in Austin. 

A PAUSE IN THE RIDE

I have stopped my ride until around the 2nd of Dec when I expect to resume from Austin to Saint Augustine. I hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving. Mark 

MAP UPDATE

The map has been updated. -- Isaac

AUSTIN, DAY ONE: 11.14.17

A nice day riding my bike around parts of Austin without my bags.  Did some work, got my bike fixed, set up an interview with a builder I know from EOB. I rode seven miles into town and back out again,  enough to keep me limber while allowing my body to rest a bit too.  

I think this is a statue of Saint Frances, it is a small grotto along a bike path into town. 

The State Capital building,
the photo does not do it justice.
It is a beautiful building. 

Looking toward downtown Austin from the State Capital grounds. 

A very good bike shop in Austin. They figured out why my gears were skipping and replaced the rear brake pads. 

A clash of canoes sculpture on the U of Texas at Austin grounds.

INTO AUSTIN, 11.13.17

Since I was unable to get photos of deer I thought this would do instead. 

On the bike trail coming into Austin. 

The bike trail goes under a main bridge and this was my first few of downtown Austin. 

The name of the local Austin High School's team made me laugh.
What exactly is a 'mighty maroon'?