Further in Texas: Van Horn to Sanderson

 This weekend our clocks fall back.  Sunrise on the day before this happens is 8:18 A. M.  I guess I might as well sleep in:)  With the clock change the sunrise moving later for a while and the sunset is moving earlier; the days are still getting shorter.  I like to be in my destination by mid afternoon.

Sometimes the pavement gets a little rough.

When you do tours you find a variety of paved surfaces.  All you can do in take what is given you, but there are some tips that may help provide some comfort. A bumpy road exhausts you.
1.  Seat with springs, front suspension fork,  spring loaded seat past. foam on the hand grips
2. Take some air out of your tires.
​3. Find the smoothest line.

Each day we see abandoned buildings and in this case a little town.

The roads are flat and all you do is push the pedals. The wind can be strong and constant around here.

Having a soft bed and air conditioning helped to re-energize me. Hotel Riata.

After a hard day, a short day helps.

I have seen building murals in many towns.

On the Alpine city website they note that this area is great for stargazing because of the dark skies absent from the light pollution that we find elsewhere in the U.S. Big Bend National Park is south of town.

Goat Head Thorns: These have caused many a bike flat throughout the SW US. Watch out!

Hostel in Marathon, TX

Our trip from Marathon to Sanderson was down hill, from 4040' to 2789'.

Our room for the night.

Eat 'Em Up Kitchen serves some good food. Temperatures are in the 60s during the days in Nov.

From the first slide in this post you can see my progress across Texas. You know this is a big state.