Sunday 6 April 2014 - Beaumont, Texas - TEXAS!!!!!

Crossed the state line this afternoon, which feels really exciting, not because I don't like Louisiana but because Texas seems mid-western and big and connected to New Mexico and much further, well, west......  I would have photos to support this post, but 'the machine' in the Day's Inn lobby does not support memory cards.  Prose only.....

I have had two long, good days, with a gentle tailwind (hurrah!) which has let me do 175 miles.  The roads have been long, agricultural (including rice, which surprised me until I remembered Uncle Ben's), and a bit forlorn.  But the state law that you have to leave at least 4 feet clearance of a bicycle has been reassuring, although I reckon I am the first white/non-destitute person most will ever have seen on one ('did you see that guy, Elma, on a bike - I don't think he's from around here'). The best thing was removing the mudguard, cutting out the front third, and refitting it.  Result: no rubbing, which means no listening out for rubbing, and end of frequent stops to try to sort out rubbing.  Now, just gentle whirring of wheels. Knees ache a bit, bum sore but not impossibly so, and two days of cloud (and cool - maybe 60F) keeping the suncream in the bag.

A chance encounter with the Sheriff of Iberville Parish (really!) also procured the key info that in Louisiana bicycles are allowed on Interstates.  This was useful, because it meant I could use I-10 to cross a. Atchafalaya Basin (35 miles of bayou and swamp) saving about 30 miles of detour; b. I could cross the Sabine River into Texas (on a hard shoulder of only 2 feet - tad dodgy) and c. cross the river into Beaumont (two lanes, very busy, and no shoulder at all - v. dodgy, and lots of horn blowing, probably less in support than derision and outrage ('did you see that idiot (don't know the US slang for tosser) on a bike - what the hell does he think he's doing?').  Still alive, don't know whether Interstate use is legal in Texas, but don't need to use them again anyway, at least until New Mexico.  Generally, they give a brilliant ride with a hard shoulder wider than Piccadilly.

So I have become a great fan of Walmart (my US equivalent of my low-level love affair with Morrisons) ('use the phone?  Go right ahead, sir!'), and all gas stations, which invariably seem to have decent restrooms, perked coffee, and decent water, and even the occasional doughnut.  Cheese is the big dud: I had forgotten it comes in all shapes and colours, but still ends up tasting like flavoured lard.  Grits remain..... horrible.

Next few days across Texas on the B roads, heading for Austin on Friday, when Kate joins me for the weekend.  Now that sounds pretty decent!  And tomorrow I might just break the first 1000 miles, with 2/3 still to come.  And thanks for all the comments - shows someone occasionally reads this!