Deep Respect

 

We left the Marfa Mysterious Lights view site early in the morning in an attempt to beat the roaring winds that were scheduled for the day.  The good thing was that the wind would be coming somewhat from behind us.

 This was day three of driving in Texas.

I took in the wonderful scenery as we putzed along.  Beans slept on my lap.

Out of nowhere we came upon three cyclists.  Where did they come from?

Towns, such as they are, were fifty, sixty, seventy miles apart from each other!

One mile further we pulled over into a picnic area for breakfast.  Early start remember.

If you click on these images they should enlarge if you want to read the signs.

I looked for the cyclists while stopped but they never came by. 

As it turned out, they had slipped by us unnoticed.

Miles down the road we came upon one guy.

Maybe a mile later, the woman.

Lastly further on, the other guy.

All were riding at their own pace.

It takes them all day to cover what we do in an hour or so.

I have deep respect for touring cyclists, 

even more so for these three in the vast windy wastelands of south Texas.

After many miles we left the flatlands and entered the undulating landscape.  Cuts in the hills revealed the limestone bed of an ancient shallow inland sea from millions of years ago.

I find geology fascinating.

I was caught unexpectedly crossing the Pecos River Canyon via a long bridge.  

I grabbed the phone and hasilty took a couple shots out the window.

Only one was usable.

This wound up to be a 221 mile drive for the day before we finally stopped.  Whew!

-comment reply - 

I notice not all comments I get show on the blog so I need to check if I need to repeat the question otherwise the reply makes little sense.

“...wonder if you would go to a different country to explore since you have seen so much of the US already?”

I have been to a few other countries years ago.  First let me say, I do not like airplanes.  So it took a lot for me to travel abroad in just getting there and then there was the ever-present knowledge of having to endure the trauma once again in getting back home.  Let me add, I did fly in a little four-seater plane to get to a place in Costa Rica.  Now I loved that airplane ride.  Big jetliners, nope.  Our flight to Egypt was a living hell in the skies for me.  Even though I had a great number of pleasant experiences abroad, I grew tired being viewed a rich American constantly pressured to buy this buy that from touts in all directions.  I just wanted to explore the marketplaces in peace.  Men wouldn’t leave my wife alone if she wanted to venture off on her own.  I suppose this is to be expected in touristy places.  So our fault for going to them.  Then 9/11 occurred.  I had to fly one time (locally) after that.  That was enough!  Never flew again.

Since we are on the subject let me say this:  I have read about and follow a few non-US resident world traveler’s blogs and YouTube channels.  All say that crossing the US border for them is one of the most problematic and worrisome border crossings in all the world.  Yet having said that, most all agree that the US culture is extremely interesting to them and they find that the US has the most amazing and diverse collection natural features, lands and sites to behold.  They find the US amazing, with some even saying they would want to live here...away from big cities of course.

As for my having seen most of the US already, there is a saying that a person could spend a lifetime exploring America and never cross the same trail twice.  There’s a lot of truth to that, especially for those cyclists taking it slowly.