Getting to Autin

Day six
Distance: 79.4
Time in Saddle: 7hrs 17 mins
Overall distance: 495 miles
Woke up nice and early this morning feeling really good. Had a great sleep, there were a few jets low flying over through the night, but I found out that it was the firing range for the Naval Top Gun Air force so it was to be expected. At least they didn’t drop anything near me, not that I would have wakened, I was completely knackered.
The ride towards Austin was great…to start with. Nice and flat with plenty of speed. I started early and the weather was fine, but by eight o clock it was burning hot. Whoever said that Nevada was flat hasn’t been there. The hills weren’t as steep as the Sierra Nevada’s but they are there, long and slopey, probably not a real word, but appropriate.
I stopped at an old staging post, called the Old Middlegate Station it was great. The service was fantastic ad the clientele superb. It was an old staging post that was used up to the 1900’s. It’s heyday was in the 1860’s when the pony express passed through. It was where I had my breakfast, and a good one it was. The road I cycled on is officially known as the ‘loneliest road in America’ I can understand why it got that label. I rode for what seems like forever and didn’t see anyone, other than at the staging post. A great guy who was obviously a motorbike enthusiast. He had a big bushy beard, a pony tail and motorcycle leathers. I think his name was John...I'm terrible with names. He spoke candidly about what was important to him...he could have been a typical guy in my local. It’s amazing, we think we are so different but we’re not. He was quite intimidating at first glance, but like many times I have experienced as soon as I started to chat to him he was great .
There is a saying that you should never judge a book by its cover.... So true.
I seem to cycle forever today. It was only eighty miles, or just under but it seemed longer. I passed a few old staging posts that were used by the immigrants and the pony express. The history, although quite young in relation to Britain’s history is still fascinating. I’ve watched the cowboy films but the vastness of the country is unimaginable.
I found the last fifteen miles really hard, I had trouble with chaffing, and believe me it’s not funny. When I get back to the UK I want to start an association of people who have cycled across America, and I know there have been many. At the yearly reunion we will rub our bottoms with sand paper and knee each other in the dangly bits..that’s what it feels like. A storm approached and I was worried that I might be caught in the centre of it. As I rode up the last hill a very nice couple stopped and asked me if I was OK in the storm and did I want a lift? I was very tempted but I didn’t want to cheat. I carried on and the storm caught me about half way up the hill, which I was traveling up at three miles an hour. It was fantastic…. being from the UK I was used to to being caught in the rain…. refreshing it was. The lightening was impressive to say the least….. Fantastic.
As I eventually managed to get to the town and I stopped at a shop/petrol station. The woman who offered me a lift was getting petrol. She said that if I didn’t get a motel I could stay in their spare room…. amazing. I may bump into them later as the town has an event later…..I didn’t. It turned out that a heavy rock band was playing in the Church Hall. There were only about four people there. It was a shame because the band were really good.
I’m worried how difficult the last ten or so miles were today, perhaps I’m getting tired, lets see how tomorrow goes.
I bumped into John, the biker and his mates. We had a drink together in the bar and had a chat.He was fascinated with the Titanic, which ironically I have a connection with. My Uncle ken has a relative who was on the Titanic, in fact two relatives. One died, he was a stoker, the other survived, he was a steward in charge of a lifeboat. It's a funny world isn't it?