DAY 28: 10/17 Austin, TX to Warrenton, TX

 DAY 28: 10/17 Austin, TX 86 miles to Warrenton (Round Top), TX –

Leaving Austin, we said our goodbyes to our wonderful hosts Amy and Adam and left around 8am. 

Host Amy who bikes to work with her panier as carryall 

Host Adam, our community organizer muse

By the way, since a few readers of this blog asked what was up with my glasses, I’m happy to report I received my replacement order at Warby Parker in Austin. What should have been 5 days of processing, like the originals, ended up with delays due to errors such that they just about missed getting them to me in Austin. Thankfully it worked out. In the end, Nick the manager was brilliant in his client service EQ and IQ, and he even schooled me in how to surpass client expectations. Thanks, Nick!! 

(Editor's note: Nick, I hope you're reading this blog and taking in this high praise. Drop a comment if you are, and thanks for helping my dad!)

This supposed rest day in Austin was hardly that. After 31,725 steps, I was looking forward to a day of biking. 

Our poor idea of a rest day

About 20 minutes into our ride, we met a group from the ACA doing the Southern Tier. They had van support, so were not carrying their gear on their bikes. They ranged in age from mid 60s to 78. They actually began a year ago in San Diego, made it to El Paso before covid cut it short and so this year began in El Paso. They were on their way to Lagrange tonight, Shepherd tomorrow night and then Navasota like us. 

After a while, we were riding with them towards a left turn onto Linden Road. As I made the left, Glenn was the rider up front, Heather was third, I was towards the rear talking with a rider named Mike. I could see a German Shepherd jumping up on Glenn. It was one of about 5 dogs barking loudly and coming out of the yard from the house on the corner. I could not believe he was just kind of gesturing with his hand to the dog and I could not hear any yelling. From Heather’s close position, she could not believe he maintained his balance and didn’t fall. The dog bit him in the leg and broke his skin. 

This was at the corner of Linden. The house with big dogs that terrorized me, my older sister, and others was on the corner of Lyndale. A sign I should have seen. I guess Glenn got a taste of Shepherd a day early or rather Shepherd got a taste of Glenn. The incredible thing to me was how mellow he was and still kept riding. 

This event legitimized my fears of all these dog chases and just upped the stakes for future encounters. As Mike and I rode past where the dog was, Mike gave out a timid no. I yelled out my NO NO NO. I’m talking 40 point font, in bold. I showed how it was done and the dog left us alone.

After that, when Heather and I were by ourselves, we encountered a runaway horse on our side of the highway. I stupidly started taking video before realizing I had better prepare for evasive maneuvers. Luckily, the horse was more afraid of us and trotted past us. Phew. 

Our ride then took us through a stretch of a very quiet road in Bastrop State Park that connects into Buescher State Park. It was scenic and one of our best rides yet, but still Hill Country and we had to deal with some 12% grade climbs. Even after a day off our bikes, it was amazing how quickly the accumulated fatigue in our thighs returned. 

As we came towards the end of the park, we encountered a “road closed” sign. We discussed it and decided it was more of a suggestion than an imperative. Or we reasoned it doesn’t apply to pedestrians or cyclists. 

Just for cars or for all?

After a few hundred yards and some turns, we came to some construction and needed to lift and carry our bikes in a few spots. All was good and we didn’t come to our Thelma and Louise moment of doom yet. 

A light lift over construction boundaries

That afternoon with about 12 miles to go, we came to possibly the best old style location find of the trip. It was actually quite hidden, and I only saw it by slowing down at a railroad crossing and looking far to my left and seeing a sign of The Winchester Ice Cream Parlor.  Of course with a name like that, I had to go check it out. Heather indulged me, but I could sense her questioning why. 

Winchester ice cream parlor

Once inside we met an older woman named Susan behind the counter who moved here recently to be closer to her son. She shared the place had been a saloon and post office in its history. I, of course, ordered a vanilla shake to enjoy at the counter. 

A milkshake at the saloon

We then discovered they sell home made fudge. Susan told us Ivy makes it and it’s the best. Well, as much as I cannot resist sweets, especially milk chocolate and ice cream, Heather has an even greater love for fudge that she cannot resist. (Fudge is not actually high on my list.) After we each sampled 2 flavors, Heather found out it’s buy one pound and get a half pound free. For reference, a normal purchase of a piece of fudge is 4-5 ounces. Heather bought a pound and a half of chocolate and tiramisu fudge which I reminded her will not stay well in paniers - remember my melted mono-pretzel. She was not deterred. 

Heather packing 1.5 pounds of fudge for panier storage

And like any general store in these parts, right between the coke cooler and the nachos cheese dispenser was the knives and ammo for sale. 

Shakes, fudge, ammo, and knives

Back to our ride, we passed two women practicing throwing a lasso around a walker. 

We finally made it to the last turn onto the road of our bed and breakfast and could not get over what was going on. The fields on both sides of the road were packed with tents that seemed like it was a state fair. We later learned it was the twice a year antique festival that lasts two weeks. As Paige our hostess explained, the town goes from a population of 21 to over 100,000. 

We ate dinner at a real local place called Ya Yas. A country western band was playing under a tent and people were dancing. Heather in her neon yellow jacket and me the only man not wearing a trucker hat stood out like two sore thumbs. 

© Copyright Mark Segal 2021