Still a wee bit early for the bluebonnets and other wildflowers to be in full bloom.
This was a day of relaxed riding with an hour long stop for coffee in the morning (only our second and first since Alpine) and another for lunch in the two charming villages of Comfort and Sisterville. The route beside the Blanco River and later following farm lanes reminded me of the countryside and rides outside of Limoux in Southern France. We saw mostly working farms and ranches with cattle and horses. There were fewer hunting preserves and hobby ranches than between Del Rio and Kerrville. The hills after lunch grew considerably more challenging and the terrain drier.
We stayed overnight at the Blanco State Park after a DQ stop and treat to reward us for a delightful ride.
Several readers have requested that I comment on the other riders and participants in the tour. So, I will begin today with the three folks with whom I spend most days. Bob, who Nan and I met as he was staying in the room next to us in San Diego, is in his early 70's, winters in Florida but returns in the summer to his hometown, Dickson, IL. If that sounds familar, it is the home of Ronald Reagan. Bob is a very strong rider and told us when we met him that he had riden 5000 miles since September. He reminds me of Vern of the Chain Gang. Bob is quite capable of riding much faster but is gracious and let's others set the pace. John and Rose from near Boulder, CO and in their early 60's have been constant companions since coming to my rescue during my illness in Tucson. The four of a us now ride together everyday knowing that we will leave about 8 am, pass many of the other riders during the day and arrive in camp just behind those leaving very early. We seem happy to accommodate each other's desire for stops for pictures and historical markers (that would be me) and ride at a consistent pace.
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