Day 27 started with ambition. Bold, naïve ambition.
Roll time for Group One was 8:00 a.m., which meant being at the van before that—with bike, suitcase, backpack, and whatever dignity I had left—ready for the pre‑ride briefing. Somewhere along the way, the John Bug bit me, because I woke up at 6:15 a.m. like a highly motivated adult who definitely had everything under control.
I even pre‑coffeed. This detail is important.
Breakfast was at 7:00, where I made the elite nutritional decision to eat Fruit Loops. Fellow rider Patrick informed me this should grant superpowers. What it actually gave me was the ability to move at approximately half the speed of normal time.
Everything I touched became… S L O W.
I had a short to‑do list—just a few things, nothing fancy—like repeatedly traveling between the 4th floor and the 1st floor to get ice for my bottles. Easy! Except it wasn’t. By 7:55, reality set in, and I texted John:
“Not gonna make 8. I’ll try to catch up.”
Reader, I did not make the 8.
I did make it to the van just in time for the second group’s briefing at 8:15 and rolled out around 8:20. After a one‑mile warm‑up, I did what any rational person would do: I dropped the hammer and attempted my best solo time trial to erase a 20‑minute head start.
Turns out, making up 20 minutes on the bike takes… some effort.
Eventually, I caught John. He smiled when I pulled alongside him and said, very calmly,
“You’re gonna need some more sunscreen.”
This was true. I was so sweaty from the effort that my sunscreen had fully run away from home. I reapplied at the next water stop, and we rode the rest of the day together at a much more reasonable pace—one that did not require emergency dermatology planning.
The scenery today was a reminder of how quickly this country changes. We started this trip at the ocean, pedaled through deserts and hills, and now—just past mid‑Texas—we’re riding past lush green fields and into the Sam Houston National Forest. Trees! Shade! Actual green things! It felt like someone changed the channel again.
We also found new dog friends, or maybe they found us. Either way, all were friendly and seemed genuinely excited that bikes, humans, and music had entered their day. I suspect the real draw was John DJ‑ing via our linked Bluetooth speakers—apparently dogs are very into jazz.
Also notable (and extremely important): we found a coffee shop called Honey’s just three miles before lunch.
Yes, we stopped.
No regrets.
The coffee was heavenly. I was prepared to sit, sip, and chat for the foreseeable future, but John—clearly still focused on the whole “riding across the country” thing—eventually got me moving again.
Lunch was hosted by the incredibly kind Amy and Bob, who live right on the route. Amy rode this same cross‑country route back in 2018, so she gets it. They gave us shelter from gusty winds and brief rain showers, along with a warm, generous welcome that felt like exactly what we needed.
The rest of the day brought occasional showers, a lot of gratitude, and a few more opportunities to shout—because apparently this never gets old—
“WE ARE RIDING OUR BIKES ACROSS THE COUNTRY!”
Because… we are.
It was a beautiful ride. More than that, it was a reminder of how lucky we are—to have the time, the health, the legs (even the slow‑starting ones), and the people around us who make days like this possible.
Even if I did almost miss it all… thanks to a bowl of Fruit Loops.
