Tue 2012/08/21

Start mile 4769.9, end 4822.4 daily 52.538 trip 87.0

Travel: Brookshire to Navasota Best Western via hwy 362.

I had never travelled hwy 362 North of hwy 290 before; this is the start of the “new stuff” for me.  This part of the highway varied between good wide shoulders and none, nice flat pavement and chip seal.  There were a number of hills North of hwy 290 that I wasn’t expecting.  I finished my water, and was resting on the side of the road when a guy in an SUV stopped.  I told him I was a bit thirsty but was otherwise okay.  I asked about any stores on the road ahead (one, about 10 miles).  He left, I travelled on, and we met again at the junction with FM 2, when he returned with 2 bottles of water he had obtained from somewhere.  It turns out he was a coach/trainer for a Texas A&M University women’s sports team and he was traveling with the women for an event somewhere.  While we chatted at the corner of hwy 362 and FM 2, 2 a couple of maroon buses full of student athletes rounded the corner with some razzing – I’m not sure if this was directed at him or me.  Yay TAMU.

A few miles later was the store (Whitehall, TX). A light lunch, rest, water, then head on out!

Highway 105 is a very nice road for cycling – smoothly paved with a nice wide shoulder.

There was still a light head or cross wind for most of the trip.

There were even more dead frogs on the road.

I had a minor collision with a pickup truck (~5 mph) at a gas station just before the day’s stopping point (corner of hwy 105 and 6).

The hotel was nice, and a welcome sight after 52 miles of pedaling.  There was a nice steak restaurant nearby where I had a good “recovery” meal.  Doing 52 miles is a considerable accomplishment for me.