We had only a few miles before we got to Texas. We were excited to enter Texas. We spent three weeks cycling through the widest part of Florida, small parts of both Alabama and Mississippi, and the widest part of Louisiana. Now we will spend three weeks cycling through Texas.
The first several miles were cycling Nirvana as we entered Eastern Texas. But suddenly we were on busy Route 96 for 40 miles. Although it had a wide shoulder, it was heavily traveled and very noisy. We were glad to be off it. The highlight of the day was stopping in Buna, TX . Kelley's mom got the nickname Buna from her oldest grandson, Freddy, and it stuck with all the grandkids... as well as Bruce's parents! Of course, Buna loved Texas, so it was only fitting that we'd find her here!
We know that when cycling for 60+ days and 3400 miles, there are just days you have to get through, and this was one of them. Just getting to Kountze was a trial- even after getting off the horrible road, we got stuck by a train that stopped on the tracks for 15 minutes, while traffic backed up. There wasn't much to Kountze when we arrived. The only restaurant open was Subway, so that's where we ate.
The next day was a different story. The whole day was cycling Nirvana~lightly traveled, scenic roads the whole way! We stopped at the Honey Island General Store to ask about the stream that disappears underground. The proprietor didn't know about the stream, but he had plenty of good stories to tell! We were amused all day by the things he told us! When we later stopped for a snack (Frito's and Coke), we were approached by a kind woman, Catherine, who asked all about our trip. She gave us a cash donation and when into the store. When she came back out, she told us it was her mother's 92nd birthday, and gave us some more cash. We were speechless. Another woman gave Kelley an inspirational bracelet.
Our destination for the day was a private campground called Shepherd Sanctuary outside Shepherd, TX. We were not prepared for the awesomeness of this place. It was a hippy commune of sorts with a series of cabins all decorated with a different theme, and you could pick any one you liked. The grounds were filled with all sorts of quirky items like a teeter-totter, a totem pole, a gigantic pile of empty glass bottles and the neon sign from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer show. They had an outdoor shower, and a kitchen where we could cook our dinner. There was one other couple staying there, who had visited several times before. They gave us lots of information about the place, and were generally lots of fun!
We ended the evening watching the full moon before heading off to sleep!
Total cycling mileage: 65 to Kountze and 49 to Shepherd
Total hiking mileage: 3 to Kountze and 3 to Shepherd