Day 14 Ft. Hancock, TX to Van Horn, TX

March 13, 2021

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Angie's Restaurant, across the street from the Ft. Hancock Motel was great!! Had dinner and breakfast there. Both are right beside I-10. If you were on I-10 would you stop at this motel?

We should have taken a picture of Angie...a woman at least our age.

It was cool today, 50's to start and stayed in the mid 60's. We had a tailwind most of the way of at least 20 mph. When we had to cross it, it was brutal, but COASTING downhill at 39 mph was pretty sweet (though a little nerve wracking too since we were on the freeway and the shoulder had some debris). Before getting on the freeway we were on country roads and frontage roads.

Shrub in the roadway and cows in green pasture (not a common site yet)

Got to Van Horn in record time. Nothing of note here except the renovated El Capitan Hotel which is now a destination spot (hotel, bar and restaurant) - quite a change from Ft. Hancock motel!

Hotel El Capitan, built 105 years ago, turned into a bank in the 1970's and in 2007 renovated back to a hotel

A few miles before entering Van Horn, we passed into Central Standard Time, thus losing an hour and tonight is the change to Daylight Savings Time! Another hour lost. Sunrise tomorrow is 8:10!! We are experiencing dramatic winds and tomorrow is going to be in the 30's. (wind chill will be 21) Dennis and Tom haven't seen this before. It's an adventure and we knew that from the start.

Today's ride: 75 miles (121 km)
Total: 1,899 miles (3,056 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	11
Comment on this entry	Comment	13

Bruce BowdenI suspect that " shrub " is a tumbleweed. Grew up with many of those..... bruce
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3 years ago

Katie GassWindchill in the 20’s in Texas in March?! Crazy indeed. Hopefully you got a good night’s rest. Good thing you trained for this in Bham.
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3 years ago

Francie GassYes, we were just saying to each other.." good thing we know how to dress for this!"
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3 years ago

Francie GassTo Bruce BowdenKen and I had a "discussion" about whether it was a tumbleweed or not..
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3 years ago

Jeanna & Kerry SmithWarm wishes today!
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3 years ago

Joy VaughanTo Francie GassEvery time I sign on to see what's happening with you, I get absolutely exhausted just thinking of cold and wind and biking and trying to sleep in a new place each night. You are simply amazing!
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3 years ago

Bruce BowdenMany of your pictures show roads with little or no shoulder. Any special strategies for safely riding that type of situation ?

bruce
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3 years ago

Francie GassTo Joy VaughanThanks. The best thing I did in preparation was to pack a small flat pillow. I squeeze it in a vacuum bag for packing. I can't sleep on big thick pillows. This way, I can sleep for sure!
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3 years ago

Francie GassTo Bruce BowdenWe have rear view mirrors. The roads with no shoulders have very little traffic. It has not been scary.
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3 years ago

Ken GassTo Bruce Bowden
Bruce,

In my humble, non-SW native opinion, I thought tumbleweeds were the skeletal structure of a discrete dried plant type; however, on further research I see that you are correct. Any plant uprooted blown in the wind is aptly named a tumbleweed.

Thanks. Now that we got that straight, how do you shut off these daily high winds, wait for spring??

Ken, from Ft. (Jefferson) Davis, TX
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3 years ago

Janis BanI love the hotel lobby! What an amazing trip across landscapes and cultures. 21 degrees wind chill??!! You are definitely super stars...or super nuts!
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3 years ago

Doug ColeFrancie & Ken: I'm really enjoying your journal. It just took a while to find the "submit comment" option. You're finding some real gems there. BTW, ever notice the similarity with the flags of Texas and Chile? Guess which one was first?

Doug
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3 years ago

Francie GassDoug,
We had not noticed the similarity...interesting. Begs the question, who proposed the flag design for Texas? We learned at breakfast that the N. Carolina flag is also similar.
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3 years ago