Day 15

Day 15: October 13, 2021 (Fabens TX to Esperanza TX)

Today was the first day that I overestimated the distance (it was only about 45 miles, not 60) and underestimated the difficulty of the ride.  So, we made it to our destination in about 3 hours and 20 minutes of riding.  I did not ride the stretch on I-10.  Call me a wuss, I don’t mind.  Trucks going 80 mph six feet from me scares the crap out of me.  The “scare the crap out of” factor goes up exponentially the closer they get.

It’s been over 20 years since I’ve traveled on west Texas roads.  I love them.  They are flat, they are long, they are straight, and there is very little traffic on them.  So, today was the easiest ride so far.  Never thought I say that a 45-mile bike ride was easy.  

Bruce, Darin, and I are staying in Sierra Blanco TX, which is about 15 miles from Esperanza.  Esperanza is very small, not sure how many people, but not many.  Sierra Blanco is not much bigger, but it is bigger.  

The manager of the American Inn motel in Sierra Blanco, which is where we are spending the night, saw me on El Paso TV last night.   That was pretty cool.  He thanked for what I’m doing, he shared some of his life challenges, and how he’s dealt with them.  To me, encounters like this are a big part of why I’m doing this.  Getting people talking about their issues, their feelings, and how they are dealing with them.   It was an honor.  

We did encounter a stray dog along the way.  It came up the RV as we were parked for a break.  Bruce gave him some left over burritos.  The dog gobbled it up.  

Stray dogs make me sad.  They just have an energy about them of being unwanted and unloved.  I can relate to that feeling.  I felt that way often when I was young.  

Laura, you can rest easy.  I’m not bringing the dog home.  I did bring a stray dog home almost 40 years ago when I found it in Chicago while I going to college.