Spring Mini-Tour (5 of 6)

This is one of a six-part series documenting my spring 2016 mini-tour from my house outside of Sanger, Texas to Wichita Falls, Texas. My route consisted mainly of gravel and dirt roads, and I covered about 130 miles over 2.5 days. Although this was a “credit card tour” which included meals and lodging purchased along the way, I did bring my coffee gear and had a roadside lunch on the second day. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, there were no towns or services along my route on the second day, and secondly, I’m a coffee snob. Documentation will be mainly in the form of photographs with a few captions or comments to relay something that might have caught my interest.

The series will be presented in six themes; (1) Flora and Fauna, (2) Roads and Rambles,(3) Little Texas Towns, (4) Classic Cars, (5) Lunch Outside, and (6) A Dog Agility Trial.

PART FIVE OF SIX – LUNCH OUTSIDE

There were no services of any kind along my second day route. As mentioned in a prior post, this day also included an unanticipated detour. It was a good thing that I had planned ahead and brought food along for refueling along the way. It was also a good thing that the kind construction worker offered me two bottles of water to keep me hydrated. With provisions in hand, all I needed to do was find a suitable (desirable) place to stop for a break.

As a part of my planning process, I had identified a spot on the map that seemed to have potential. But you never really know how things will work until you arrive. In general, my research was spot on. The place was good. It was the weather, however, that I failed to factor in well. It was sunnier, warmer, and windier than I imagined in the research stage. So when I arrived, I needed to spend a few minutes to locate a shade and a wind break. I was ultimately successful, but still had to manage some sloping ground.

A brief site rummaging effort yielded a few flat rocks that were used to level my Trangia stove stand and allow my pot to hold its contents.

A mail delivery vehicle drove through during my time searching for a shade and wind break. After that, I saw no other vehicles during my hour long stay. I ate, rested, cooled off, and brewed coffee. I listened to the wind whistle across the prairie, the rustling grass, and the birds chirp. It was more than lunch outside. It was physical and mental refreshment, and it was a celebration of what makes bicycle touring such a blessing for me.

Next up – “A Dog Agility Trial”…