Day 42...Windshield

Remember my post 2 days ago entitled: "Bugs"? (Some days you're the windshield and some days your the bug). Well, today we were definitely the "windshield". It was a heavenly day full of sunshine and a gentle tail wind ALL day.

HOWEVER, this morning was the coldest yet: 33 degrees! Yes, you read correctly: 33 degrees. What?????

Start of Day 42, Sierra Blanca, TX
Found a silly run down shack to peek our heads out of

I am still perplexed by how western Texas can get this cold. Come on now. We've been pedaling west to get away from the cold! Today, I had four layers on top, two pairs of bike shorts, leg warmers, long gloves, a skull cap and shoe covers. All that clothing and I was still cold for the first 10 miles and it took 90 minutes until I could actually feel my fingertips. Now, does that sound like Texas to you?

In the jeep with the heat turned on high
A futile attempt to warm up before the ride

The sun was out so by the end of the day she warmed us up to about 65 degrees. We rode along the service road of I-10 for the first 20 miles. I swear it was all downhill. Oh, and, as per our Adventure Cycling directions, we had to walk ACROSS the interstate at one point. Please do not tell my mother this. (Just kidding, she reads my blog every day). But it wasn't bad- not too much traffic on the road and it turns out my "running" legs are still there.

Crossing I-10
Pausing in the center median

We passed through Fort Hancock, TX today and were literally riding along the Mexican border. We saw cotton field after cotton field and had a bird's eye view of the machines harvesting the cotton. Very cool http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton There were also a ton of Pecan tree farms. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecan At one point we had cotton fields to our left and an endless stretch of Pecan trees to our right.

Cotton fields (and Mexico) to my left

We ended the day just outside of El Paso, TX and staying at quite a nice RV park fitted with a very clean indoor pool and hot tub! I already made good use of the hot tub - soaked in it until my fingers pruned up. ;-) Tomorrow we will FINALLY leave this fine state of Texas and enter New Mexico! AND we broke our 3,000 mile-mark today. Total miles to date: 3,009 miles.
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I'd like to welcome my marvelous mom, her fabulous friend Patricia and my wonderful Aunty Sylvia back from their trip to Italy!