Mileage - 40.2; Total Mileage - 80.0 miles
Margarita Count - 4
It was cool over night again and we woke up to 46 degrees. I was really wishing that the wind would die down overnight and not make an appearance today. That wish didn't come true! It did settle down some during the night but came right back as soon as the sun came up. It was still out of the north-northwest but only blowing at about 10 mph, and sometimes 15 mph. Guess what direction we were headed today? If you guessed north-northwest you are right!
Reba was ready to go and ride this morning! We rolled out of camp at about 9:30am - right on time for us 😁. As soon as we left the park gate we were greeted with a steep hill to get to the main road. Dave and I didnt even bother to ride far on cold legs. We walked up. Reba road a good portion of it before walking with us. She registered 13% grade.
Once on the road we had a repeat of the terrain from yesterday for the first 5 miles. Lots of up and down on mostly short hills. It felt like we did a lot of climbing in those first 5 miles. As we closed in on the first stop to get some snacks, the hills got a little longer but were not as steep. The miles seemed to just roll under our wheels and the annoying headwind just added a little challenge.
We hadn't gone far when we came across the Dive Toledo Scuba shop. Yep - Dave can find a scuba shop anywhere!
Reba rode with us for 20 miles this morning before turning around and heading back to the van. That was her first 40 mile ride since getting back on the bike 7 weeks ago after a 9.5 uear hiatus. And, she did it with 1,600 feet of climbing! For flatlanders like us from Houston, hills are always a challenge because there aren't any real hills to ride without driving a long way. She is killing it!
It was a beautiful sunny morning but it stayed cool so I wore my leggings, bolero and vest almost all day. It warmed up to about 66 by 3pm and that was it. It's supposed to start warming up over the next few days so I'm looking forward to that. Tonight is supposed to be cool/cold again.
About 13 miles from camp, in rural western Louisiana, we found an official Bike Route. I was very surprised! We had a wide shoulder on the highway and it was officially signed and painted. It was very nice, but like all bike lanes there was debris we had to watch for and dodge. But it was nice to have a shoulder!
All in all, the drivers in Louisiana have been very considerate of us and given us room.
Camp tonight is at a Sabine River Authority campground. It was very nice - clean grounds, nice sites, and nice clean bathrooms. There were no lights in our camping loop at all and so it was very dark which made for good sleeping. There was even a pile of wood for a fire and we had a nnice fire before going to bed.
There weren't good food options near camp so we elected to eat our freeze-dried meals for dinner instead of carrying something in from our last stop. They are surprisingly good and are quick and easy.
Dave and I are always happy to see any towers - cell tower, radio antenna, fire watch towers - when riding in hilly terrain. They mean you are at the high point, at least for that climb!
Tomorrow is the longest day of the ride at 42 miles, and the third day of a tour is always hard for me. My body hasn't got on board with touring yet. Either way, I'm just happy to be riding my bike.
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