10/1 (SAT) DALLAS to TULSA  (PEORIA INN-$58 )  Left Nancy’s @ 9-after family, animal pictures. Easy drive to Tulsa-had reservations but canceled-would have to bike 4 m in traffic to meet Jean tomorrow. Passed Peoria Inn-looked like our kind of place-unloaded bikes-went to eat. Corner Cafe was priceless & cheap-had $8 steak, potatoes, salad w/free pie. Am back on sweet tea-which I gave up on cruise. Our 85 yr old toothless waitress has been here since rt 66-made our meal memorable-deserved her $10 tip. Martha drove away-arrived  at casino @ 8:30-traffic was terrible because of wreck. We went for walk-Armand watching football- I try to remember how to write blog-some thimgs never chamge. Jean’ s car rental return is almost next door.  Looking forward to another adventure.

TROUBLE ☺ & SIMBA 😃

Tiger, SPARKY II, Harry Toad (2002), WILSON, Snickers  some are very upset to be replaced

Saying good-bye to Nancy & Sugar

9/30 (SAT) AUSTIN to DALLAS-Going to baby shower for BRI (Nancy’s d-in-law) Very nice. Spend night eating & playing w/her animals-rescue dog Sugar & 2 cats. Armand went to bed early.

AUSTIN  (FRI-9/29) Sister Martha (San Antonio) is driving us to Tulsa to start our adventure.  Start day clean house- Martha arrived-went bowling-my main training activity-usually bowl 10 games on Thurs-then golf.  Ate-then came home-mowed, weed eat yard-watch tv until 12:00-still can’t sleep.  Not sure about biking-but since Mary Ruth brought cookie need to go.

AUGUST 12-25 (VANCOUVER to ANCHORAGE) Went on cruise by chance encounter w/Janice @ tennis court. She was retiring-asked price-Armand signed up next day. Sister Martha & Jim singed up too.  Enjoyed cruise, ate too much-droppred new camera in toilet. CAMERA spent rest of trip in rice bag. Camera is now ready for bike trip. Did not have my animals either to make my pictures FUN.

APRIL 29, 2017 (SATURDAY)  I feel better. ARMAND IS PLAYING GOLF. TIGER & SPARKY-maybe there will be another adventure-one with less hills.

4/28 (FRI) JOHNSON CITY to AUSTIN, TX  51 MILES, 7:00 to 1:00  11 MPH (fastest & hottest day-90 degrees) 3rd DAY of over 2,000 ft of climbing. Up at 6:00-10 motorcycles parked outside left at 6:30. Want to get early start-going to be hot. Had eggs & 6 pieces of bacon. Ill group on bikes in front as we left-Bob is going to sag, good feeling in case we are in trouble. Overcast-good-HILLS-HILLS & more HILLS-no flowers-don’t care-just want to go home & park the bike. Get to Blanco county line-water on crossing-OR bikes through. I STOP-keep going-leader yells-I did it! I’M AFRAID-just do it! AFRAID-AFRAID-AFRAID-(I’m 70 & afraid of falling) Sit down & take off shoes & socks. WALK across water past my ankles-car behind me-WALK up hill barefoot. Bob passes us later-said Paul almost fell & 1 biker got ride across in CAR. Stop for snack & get off route IL group is taking into downtown Austin. Going to 620 on 3238-have wide shoulders-now 6 miles of NO shoulders-constant traffic both ways. I’m AFRAID-you can almost reach out & touch cars as they pass. OR way out in front w/15 angry cars lined up behind him-not good for cars or bikes. Finally make it to Bee Caves & 620. OR yelling at me again. I see him-use light & walk bike across 620. Wind at back but now starting to get hot. Gone is the PEACE of biking in the hill country-constant NOISE of traffic.  Stop at store w/fantastic bathrm view-before we have to climb long-long-CHURCH hill. Rest again & drink lemonade-see hill. Beginning up hill-someone painted word HEART. As I climb are words-BODY-MIND-SOUL & near the top where Armand is waiting is LOVE. Not sure I’m feeling it now. Have to rest in shade-2 guys in matching outfits bike by-ask if we’re OK. Sure-made it up hill. Home at 1:00-have to tell TIGER & SPARKY it’s going to be a really long time before we go on another trip. Charlie (our cat) is at back door waiting for us. Go to eat, see movie & lay on couch watching tv-life is back to normal. Thank you GOD.

YOU CAN DO IT—NO-I’M AFRAID-I’M AFRAID, I’M AFRAID

4/ 27 (THURS) FREDERICKSBURG to JOHNSON CITY, TX  38 M, 10.5 MPH, 3:43 BTIME, 28.5 to  3.5 mph, 7:00 to 11:30,  Cold-55 degrees-pass other group at store.  Good rd, very little traffic-flowers have disappeared. HILLS-good downhills-finally feel like a biker but average of 10.5 doesn’t show it. No animals or pictures yesterday. Now see BAMBI cross rd-stop-get camera-Bambi stops & looks at me-starts to walk toward me. OR tells me to go or car may hit BAMBI-bike away as Bambi jumps fence. Like yesterday-no where to stop-but at least it’s cool. Now see baby goats-mom takes them away. But wait-ALPACA across street-they pose for pictures. See biker coming other way-Bill lives down rd-family came in 70s & own over 2,000 ares -brother own ranch w/goats. BOB (sag from group) passes us-asks if everything ok-much better today. Get into town-take picture  at Johnson City sign group bikes up-all go to Best Western. Can’t ck in until 2-all go to eat at Pecan Street  Brewery-place is packed-good food. Walk back & take nap-watch tv for rest of night.  HOME TOMORROW.