Yesterday I started out about mid-morning as opposed to
early. The night before I was still
packing and getting things ready. I stayed up late. I should remember that trips like this ought
not to be scheduled on the cusps of Sunday worship which is already exhaustive
for most clergy.
Leaving the house and my neighborhood was a little odd. Everything around me was so familiar I didn’t
quite feel like I was going on a long trip, just a bike around the same places
I’ve seen and been to before. The only
thing worth noting was that I was facing a light headwind which I never care
for on a bicycle.
As I turned down FM 521 I was coming closer to unfamiliar
territory. I’ve ridden down this road
once before but driven down it several times to go to the state park and to
take MK to her horse riding lessons. In
most places it was a very comfortable road to ride on. Broad shoulders except for when a turning
lane was created.
I passed the prison and thought of the folks in are church
that supported ministry there for so long.
As I type this it occurred to me I wished I had thought to pray for
them. Salvation and a new beginning for all
of them. I haven’t a clue what it’s like
for them. Next time.
Along the road I have to say that I was relatively calm when
it came to traffic. Not that I was
peaceful. Just that I didn’t feel much pressure
from motorists. In fact most of them
gave me wide berths whenever possible and no one came too close.
Most of that road was familiar so since the map indicated an
alternate route I chose it. Sandy Point Rd CR??
Was a pleasant surprise. Three
different Baptist churches dotted the trip down a shaded corridor of live oaks
dripping with Spanish moss. It was the
best part of the day really. I stopped
at Pilgrim Baptist Church to say the
Noonday Office. I hope they don’t mind a
little liturgy. And I ate the last slice
of pizza from two dinners before.
The only touchy moment along the road was when I was passing
a small mobile home. There had been a
few occasions when dogs had ran out to greet me or chase me off as it
goes. But to this point they were always
hindered by well-built fences keeping them in.
On this occasion a white bullish looking dog was charging toward me and
had made it under the fence barking and threatening me to get off his
road. That’s when I blasted two quick
bursts of my air horn at him. The first
startled him and the second stopped him in his tracks. As I kept pedaling down the road I kept my
eye on him. He just sat there dazed and
confused. I half to admit I was pleased
with myself at the outcome and the ingenuity. I’d never heard any cyclists
suggest an air horn for this problem. I
was glad I didn’t have to hurt the dog.
After the relatively peaceful ride along Sandy Point I hit
FM 14?? for the final long stretch of the ride.
It was more of the same trucks and cars.
I did cross the Brazos river and noted the access road that went down to
the river underneath the bridge. I was
tempted to stop and camp there but being alone I didn’t feel it was terribly
secure so I continued on to Brazos Bend State Park.
At FM 762 I stopped at a local station to sit on a picnic
table and eat a snack. I was pretty tired so I laid down on the table and took
in the cool breeze. In the distance was
thunder and I knew I would have to run from the storm. But it was so comfortable I stayed a while
longer.
The rest of this is very predictable. I rolled into the state park checked in
(bought a well-earned coke which I guzzled) and headed toward my campsite. The rain came on a long stretch of the park
access road. I was drenched. Most of my gear stayed dry. The rain let up. I set up my campsite and bedded down for the
night. Other than an apple I was too
tired to eat. And the rain, rain, rain,
came down, down, down all night.
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