Christine and I missed the Fredericksburg ride this year due to my hip replacement. However, Jerry Middleton and his wife Cindy were able to go. They took some great shots of the ride and of their adventures and passed them on to me. I would like to be their ghost writer and tell their story as well as I can. Jerry, if I forgot some of the things you said about the ride or ad lib incorrectly, let me know (gently) and I will correct them.
Jerry and Cindy Middleton were joined by John Dampier from San Angelo. I am not sure what distance John was going to ride but Jerry and Cindy were taking on the 25 mile route.
Jerry says that this may look short but it was like riding up
a wall. How much was the grade?
a wall. How much was the grade?
"Who would put a 15% grade this early? Good
thing it was short." As many know, Jerry hates it when I tell him the grade of the hill we are climbing. However, he got a Garmin and now I know he peeks at the grade--while hating it.
Rest stop with cookies, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Cindy looking for the cookies.
The longhorn cattle in the pasture just didn't care about all the activity.
Note one of her horns goes up and one goes down. Can hook you coming and going.
"We began to wonder if we were lost or if everyone else was."
"At least we are together."
Welcome reassurance: "--someone else was going the same way."
Jerry and Cindy stated they crossed 19 cattle guards for the 25 mile ride. That is almost like the Fort Davis ride.
Jerry told me "There was water there and the scenery was beautiful."
Must be Halloween season.
Turn off to the airport: almost at the finish line.
The HCBC greeter at the end.
"Now we have seen it all. They rode with their dog".
Riders were treated by a flyover just before lunch time.
Which Jerry took advantage of--BBQ pulled pork, potato salad, and cole slaw.
Of course, they always have desserts there.
Some people like flowers. Cindy takes pictures of horses. (Some readers may recall Cindy is a competitive equestrian.)
Always make a vacation out of a vacation. As if the scenery of the ride wasn't enough, Jerry and Cindy took a side trip to the Old Tunnel State Park just outside of Fredericksburg.
The abandoned railroad tunnel is home to up to three million Brazilian free-tail bats and 3,000 Cave myotis bats.
Besides watching bats emerge from the tunnel, visitors can hike, bird watch, or spot general wildlife. The Old Tunnel nature trail is less than one-half mile in length so out of town riders may easily visit the Park and still make it home before dark.
I wish to thank Jerry and Cindy for providing the photos of the ride. It just rubs in what we missed by not being able to ride. With reasonable luck, we will be able to join Jerry and Cindy for next year's ride. However, I will plan on riding the longer route so as to avoid the 15% grade hill on the 25 mile route. I prefer to listen to Jerry's war stories as I eat the BBQ sandwich and munch on the desserts.
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