Introduction

I'm Big Red - a nickname originally given me by cycling friends many years ago. I'm a 6' tall red-headed woman. The nickname stuck and that is how I'm known in the local cycling community. 11 years ago, I married an amazing man who is even taller than me, and because we had multiple "Dave's" in our group he became Big Dave. We are now collectively known at "The Bigs".

I am new to CycleBlaze but not new to self-supported touring. Information for previous journals can be found on my Profile page.

We have been doing shorter tours over the last few years because work constraints prevented my husband from getting away for multiple weeks at a time. We just retired in March and are looking forward to more time for touring and other fun adventures.

After many decades on the "hamster wheel" of working life, we are looking forward to getting away from it all on a bicycle tour and decompressing from all the rush and stress that was our previous lives.

Spring is the perfect time for touring in SE Texas and the Hill Country. It is prime wildflower season in Texas and the temperature is not yet summer hot and humid. Expect lots of wildflower pictures as we go along, as well as some good scenery. I'm a fan of water (lakes and rivers) and have planned many stays centered around this. As a friend remarked years ago after one of my tours, I must be part lab because I don't pass up a chance to swim!

This trip will be about 2 weeks long and 500 miles. It may also be longer or shorter depending on what we decide to do. For the first time in many years, we don't have to keep to a schedule!

Below is the planned route. This trip we are leaving from our house in NW Houston instead of having to drive to the start and figure out parking for our vehicle. It definitely simplifies the planning and logistics!

The packing is done, the checklists are completed, and we are rolling out in the morning. We look forward to having you along for the ride!

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Bill ShaneyfeltEagerly awaiting! Especially the wildflowers.
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1 week ago

Laura SeiditaTo Bill ShaneyfeltI know you are the flower guy - I'll try to get some good pictures for you!
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1 week ago

Bill ShaneyfeltTo Laura SeiditaWhat? I'm already known by a first timer? :-)

Thanks! I am really not a flower guy, but in getting my Zoology degree (1969 from AZ State) there were some botany courses that gave a background that helps find some identifications. The internet is a wonderful thing!
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1 week ago

Laura SeiditaTo Bill ShaneyfeltWell, I have been reading journals on here for the last year or two, so know a few of the regulars that way :-)

Over the years, I have learned the more common wildflowers in TX through the help of the internet. I would never had known most of them any other way.
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1 week ago

Scott AndersonI’ll look forward to it too, to see what Rachael and I experienced as well as what we missed. In 2011 she and I took a two week loop from Austin to Leakey and back, one that half-overlaps yours. We expected to see fields carpeted in bluebells, but it was a drought year and there were hardly any blooming’ flowers at all. It’s been much wetter this year so I imagine your experience will be better, so we’ll enjoy seeing what we missed.

And we’ll see some of what was completely missed on our planned return to the hill country nine years later - in March, 2020. I forget the exact route we had planned, but it was another one that began in San Antonio or Austin. From there we were going to fly to Saint George, bike across Utah to Grand Junction for the second time, and then head to Europe. You’ll remember 2020, and understand why that all of those planned tours landed in the recycling bin.
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1 week ago

Laura SeiditaTo Scott AndersonWe have been seeing wildflowers all over the place in Houston the last week or so. But Houston is much wetter and not in a drought like much of the Hill Country, so it will be interesting to see if the wildflowers will peter out the further west we go. I know that the Hill Country is still considered in drought conditions and the continued development throughout the area isn't helping any.

The Leakey area is amazing for riding, but would be challenging on a loaded touring bike - not sure I could do that these days!
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1 week ago

Rich FrasierGreat to have a new contributor! Looking forward to following along.
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1 week ago

Laura SeiditaTo Rich FrasierHope I'm up to the standards! 😀
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1 week ago

Kathleen JonesWelcome! Looking forward to following along.
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1 week ago