April 11, 2024 - Amarillo, Texas

 Yesterday a major storm blasted through West Monroe, Louisiana where I was spending the night. The hotel I was in lost power around 6:00 pm Tuesday night and it was still out when I left 11:30 am the next day.  I had a late start because I waited until the storm passed.  I had lunch yesterday at a really nice local restaurant called Sharon's Cafe in Arcadia, LA. It reminded me of homemade comfort food and hit the spot. I had Mexican chicken casserole, black eyed peas, broccoli, corn bread and a coffee for a grand total of $10.00.

Last night I stayed just across the Texas border in Marshall for a grand total of around 150 miles riden yesterday. Today, I rode over 500 miles to Amarillo, TX and am staying at the Big Texan Motel.  I had dinner tonight next door at the Big Texan Steak Ranch and Brewery where if you eat a 72-ounce steak and 2 sides in less than one hour you don't have to pay.  Even though I have not had any meat in nearly 4 months, I had to have a steak for dinner - when in Rome ...

Not sure where I will end up tomorrow.  I'm a little over halfway to where I am going to meet Brother Ted north of Los Angeles, and I am 4 days in, so I need to keep up the pace.

Some observations from the last couple of days:

• I was not sure how I would be holding up on the first long distance ride in 6 months and I am doing great.  My back is a little tight, to be expected, but I am not overly fatigued and feel good.
• The roads in Mississippi are terrible.  Going through downtown Jackson reminded me of a motocross course; huge sections of pavement missing, rolling waves in the pavement, almost as bad as some roads in Alaska and the Yukon.
• Texas has 2-laned roads with 75 mph speed limits.
• The recent rains and warm weather have brought out the wild flowers and bright green new growth on the mesquite in Texas.  No pictures because Sooz is not riding on the back taking action photos.
• The Texas panhandle is VERY windy.
• Almost everyone in Texas drives big pickup trucks, some are massive.
• Gas is about 50 cents per gallon cheaper in Texas compared to Florida.

In our Gainesville driveway ready to leave.

My lunch of comfort food at Sharon's Cafe in Arcadia, LA

A very nice playground at a rest area in Texas off Highway 287 with a "Watch for Rattlesnakes" sign

The Big Texan and The GS

More of The Big Texan

My room

The dining room. If you want to compete eating a 72 ounce steak in one hour, you have to sit at that table on the stage in front of everyone

My travels so far