12/22/06 Sanderson, TX. Can't remember when I posted last, but I can't check my blog or post to it from this library, since blogs are blocked. I'm e-mailing this posting to son-in-law Andy, who'll post it for me. The last few days have gone like this:

12/19 Seguin, TX to Hondo, TX. 83.2 mi., 15.4 mph avg. Tailwinds today and nice smooth breakdown lanes. Passed through San Antonio today, left there in the rain. Passed Lackland AFB and had a Starlifter transport plane take off right over my head. I forget the C-number, but it's a four-jet transport one size down from a C-5A Galaxy. I heard the engines screaming at full take-off power as it approached and passed over me and as it disappeared into the low overcast the sound changed to this magnificent thundering rumble that shook the ground. Wicked awesome! You can see a whole lineup of Air Force history through the fence from the Loop 13 highway. SR-71 Blackbird, F-15 Eagle,
F-16 Falcon, A-10 Warthog, DC-4 medical transport, and several more models I couldn't identify, all on display. Very cool. Got back on US90 west of San Antonio. The terrain is gently rolling, except for a very steep climb for
1/2 mile out of Castroville.

12/20 Hondo to Ft. Clark Springs 84.1 mi., 12.1 mph avg. Tough day today.
Headwinds all day and a rough breakdown lane most of the way.60% chance of rain as I left Hondo. I rode under the leading edge of this black cloud layer that stretched from horizon to horizon. The temperature dropped about ten degrees and the headwind picked up, but it didn't rain and after another ten miles or so I was through the cloud band and into broken clouds for the rest of the day. That's one of the things I like most about Texas; the weather fronts are really spectacular. Long views in all directions out here. It's cotton and cattle country, but very dry. I wonder how many acres it takes to graze a cow out here because there's precious little grass to be seen among the scrub and cacti. Stopped for lunch in Uvalde, where I saw a sign that said "Texas Hill Country Trail". I thought, 'Oh-oh'. Sure enough the hills got more frequent, although not much higher or steeper. Crossed a bunch of 'rivers' that were just dry, sandy gulches. The Neuces River had a large pool beneath the highway bridge, but it disappeared into the sand both upstream and down. Riding through this country is like riding through a Louis L'Amour western. The names all sound and the scenery all looks familiar, if you've read his stuff. The country is so vast, one is reduced to relative insignificance.
All for now... library's closing.