Elevation gained: 2900 ft/Miles: 76/Total Miles: 1040/Total Fast Food: 10
O.k. class, what’s wrong with this picture? Correct. It’s an example of when product “synergy” goes awry. I’m sure the little leaguers won’t have any issues. Can anyone say: “Jose Cuervo Doritos” or “Tanqueray Twinkies”!
Today was the best day of riding to date. I traveled through miles of country roads filled with the first wildflowers of the season. The smell of pines, cut grass and an unidentified sweet scented flower surrounded me. Most importantly, it was warm. Today was the first day I have not had to use either leg or arm warmers.
I again rolled through a series of very small towns. Most of them had populations in double digits. In some, the Texas flag was larger than the downtown area. But the most prevalent scenery – aside from livestock and landscape – continues to be churches. The Mardi Gras beads may be gone, but the “Bible Belt” continues. In my first 30 miles of riding this morning, I counted 26 churches. The only thing I saw more of were billboards advertising personal injury attorneys. I’m not sure what these two things say about the south, but in there somewhere is a good PhD dissertation for a sociology student.
For a large part of the day, I rolled through Sam Houston National Forest and around Lake Livingston while listening to “ Ghost of Tom Joad” – one of Springsteen’s best, but most overlooked works. It was incredibly picturesque and I couldn’t help but feel almost euphoric. The country was expressing whispers of the west. Agave and prickly pear cactus are starting to be seen. Farms are giving way to ranches. And, the influences of Cajun and African American culture are shifting to Hispanic.
Which meant for me, an enormous meal at a local taqueria this evening. I did my best to replenish all the calories I burned during the day in one sitting.
mike's blog 
I hope you are also listening to Jimmie Dale Gilmore while riding through his home state. Perhaps you will get lucky and see him at the Broken Spoke. Be sure to wear your cowboy boots!
Mike,
Catching up on posts 15-21 this morning–on my fifth cup of feral terrier.
A good friend whose synapses fire in unusual ways, enjoys asking, “What’s the best thing you like about…” people, places, situations and things.
As you continue on your self-ordered Injunctive Relief, your study in sociology and your Tour de South, here are the best things I like about these recent posts.
15
1. Tomahawk Missile Black and Tan
2. Big Muddy Crossing–nice ride
3. Cajun Directions (Geaux West Young Man)
16
1. Adjectives–bucolic and idyllic and imagining the bluebird on your shoulder
2. New AM wake-up routine…coffee or dogs?
17
1. Fred’s Lounge
2. Orphaned Boat
3. Suggestion that you hitch up the deer head thing
18
1. Big Jim the Pharmacist
2. Mike the Bicycle Repairman
19
1. Your dream of the Welcome Committee of One to the Nation/State of Texas
20
1. Johnny Cash song–your synapses are firing in unusual ways–great song though.
21
1. Product synergy
2. Best ride day (the unidentified sweet flower smell could be kudzu–was the smell like grape Kool-Aid?
3. Shift of influences
I can only imagine that your family and friends fully expect you to return home ain’t-in’ and cain’t-in’ all over the place, walking slew footed, lopping off the ends of words, adding r’s to words that end in “a” like Delter, and Mommer and trying your best to suppress the urge to pick cotton.
Hope this first day of spring brings smooth spinning.
Best from Alabama via Seattle!
Mike,
Are you tracking total calories burned? Total riding time? It would interesting to see that data. I guess in an off-hand way you are tracking calories consumed (Fast Food Stops). As you draw near California, I would expect you to either start to replace beer with Tequila or, at the minimum, supplement with it.
Almost there…keep pedaling and, as always, tire side down!
PSH