The wind blew all night, and before dawn it started raining. We quickly threw the tent cover on and tried to rest a bit more. Unfortunately some of our sleeping gear got wet with no time to dry it out completely. Once we got up, we packed up and hiked a short trail to see the “lost maples” for which the park is named. It is a beautiful area in a lush valley with bluffs and big trees you don’t normally see in Hill Country. We saw a scorpion before we left our campsite. We were soon on the road and 4 miles from coffee. We came to the general store just as several motorcyclists arrived. A couple were very curious about our journey and asked many questions. We drank our coffee and had a bite to eat before continuing. There have been many days that have turned out so much differently than our imagination. When planning this trip, we thought of Texas Hill Country as a series of challenging hills. We also assumed that we would be largely out of them by now. HA! Today threw us the steepest hills (mountains) yet. The first one was right past the store. We climbed switchback after switchback hugging to sheer rock bluffs as we turned since there was no shoulder. The heat was also intense. We were struggling to climb with all our gear at 4 miles an hour. Just as we would top another ridge we could see another big precipitous climb in the distance. We were really both on the verge of tears! But the view at each top made it somehow worth it. Texas just kept getting better. Ernest Hemingway said it best: “ It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills.....” The whole ride today is one frequented by motorcyclists because of the exciting turns. We had several pass us all day. We had several ( including one with a Viking helmet with horns and a neck pelt)warn us about the steepness of the hill out of Leakey, and they weren’t kidding. It was steep and long! Our plan was to camp a few miles past Campwood, but when we got to town, we saw a nice inn, so wisely decided to stop there. On our way into town, we saw a fun looking establishment called Two Twisted Sisters. So after showering we walked back there. It was a lot further than we thought. But, it was fun! Kenzie was one of the sisters, and she was a hoot! The bartender and her son were also fun- and they gave us a ride back to town. We were so glad we decided to stay in Campwood! Total cycling mileage: 44 Total hiking mileage: 6