According to Katherine: Day 36 Recap

It was 67 degrees, and getting revved up to be hot and muggy, when we began our 64-mile ride to Silsbee -- our last stop in Texas. I had oatmeal and a hard boiled egg for breakfast, and packed a PB&J (and some nuts, too!) for lunch.

You know you're still in Texas when a "Share the Road" sign depicts a motorcycle.

Marge and I were up to SAG, so we planned to split the day in half so we'd each get a decent ride. As I was checking my tires, the little end of the stem blew out of the tube, which required a tire change. Better a flat in the parking lot than out on the road!

Fellow rider, Diane, got a flat tire from this hook.  No one can believe this large piece of wire, resembling a fish hook, worked its way all the way through one of her tires. It didn't become apparent until the tube that went flat was removed. (The penny is for size reference).

Since I got a late start, I decided our original plan wasn't going to work. I would be late to the first SAG stop, and then fall further behind to the midpoint where we were going to switch places. I called Marge to say it seemed best to switch roles at the 23-mile stop, and I would hurry so as not to delay her start. I only did one-third of today's ride, but it was a personal best for me at an average of 13 miles per hour!

The beauties were the butterflies of several varieties fluttering from one new spring blossom to another.


A beautiful butterfly.

More butterflies!

The beasts were the lumber trucks passing in both directions spewing bits and pieces of the tree bark in their wake.

These are the beasts. We were glad to see the driver tighten down his load before getting on the highway with us.

The roads today had no shoulders so we had to share with these behemoths.

Looks like the logs are about to leave the flatbed!


It was in the mid-80s and oh-so humid when we arrived in Silsbee. Once we checked into the motel, we went to the Sonic next door for lunch. I drank mine! I had a mocha flavored Java Chiller. It was divine.

Tomorrow's ride is 67 miles to Lake Charles, LA. I hope I can pedal off all those scrumptious calories! I've saved today's PB&J for tomorrow.

We did our laundry, caught up on emails, and rallied around for a wonderful dinner of pork roast, scalloped potatoes, tossed salad and fresh cubed watermelon. Linda even served rosemary focaccia, which I resisted.

Dressed for dinner on our last night in Texas in my Texas hangdown.

Cycling is good for the figure!

1,960 miles and four states behind us. 1,140 miles to pedal. 22 days to go.

Dr. Jeter Day 36 on Polyvore.com

According to Katherine: Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

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It's practically headline-worthy: "Women Packing Less than 50 Pounds for Two Months." Yes it’s true. No over-packing going on here!

Preparing for my trek across the country required a lot of time and preparation. 50 pounds between two bags marks the weight limit of items to bring for the duration of the tour. I’d slowly removing items from my bag, but it’s difficult. The more I removed, the more I had to do to make up for the lost items. I'd already removed the hair dryer, brush and comb. This means my next few haircuts had been getting shorter and shorter to maintain more easily. 

Vacuum-sealed bags help pack more clothing at less weight. This includes my Easter outfit, although it won’t be as flashy as the Southern ladies -- and no, no Easter bonnet.

The tour requires two pairs of shoes: bike shoes and regular everyday shoes. Bike wear must be planned out carefully in order to prepare for any type of weather conditions, specifically rain. A shower cap will prevent wet hair – I don’t want to be cold! Dish-washing gloves are recommended for dry hands on a rainy day, but I didn't experiment with that; I think I would feel a little weird sporting some bright yellow rubber gloves. I will substitute newspaper bags for expensive shoe covers, which are placed between two pairs of socks, so your feet don’t get wet. As I said, I don’t want to be cold!

My husband calls me and my roommate the “bib sisters,” because we make sure to pin a handkerchief to our shirts for blowing noses or wiping sweat away.  Recently, we ordered matching skorts – pretty soon we’ll be the “skort sisters”!

Each of these items serves an essential purpose to make the ride cross country a little less bumpy.

According to Katherine: Back in the Saddle

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When non-cyclists look at a rider they see the bike, the flashy lycra clothes (or not), the helmet, the look of joy and sometimes, the sweat. What they don't see is the saddle – a.k.a., the bicycle seat. When recreational cyclists contemplate long rides they might do or that other, not-so-sane, people are doing, they wonder, usually out loud, how someone could stay in the saddle that long. The seat, as I refer to it, is, indeed, the most critical part of a long– and sometimes a short – ride. It must fit the bottom perfectly. The ischial tuberosities, or sitting bones, must be positioned exactly where the seat is designed for them to rest. The front part of the seat is designed to accommodate the soft tissue, or “private parts.” A cycle shop employee, usually male, will discreetly inquire if the pain or friction or discomfort is in the area of the sit bones or the soft tissue. I have been through a number of seats, and have settled on one that seems to be perfect for me. It’s made by Specialized, and women-specific.

After the seat fit has been resolved, then there’s the challenge of eliminating pressure and friction. Pressure is relieved (slightly) by bike shorts that have a chamois, which is really a contoured foam pad. Most are shaped like an incontinence undergarment. In the Terry catalog, there are illustrations of several shapes and descriptions of which shape is best for which kind of ride or body type. Many women recoil when they hear that they must not wear underwear between the body and the chamois. In fact, it is critical to eliminate that piece of clothing. It simply invites more places for rubbing and friction.

Finally, I had to decide whether Udder Butter, Bag Balm, or any one of myriad ointments, creams, lotions or powders suited me best as an anti-friction agent. I've tried dozens of them, and settled on two powders. One is the Anti Monkey Butt Powder and the other is, believe it or not, Gold Bond Medicated Powder. It was recently recommended by a female long distance cyclist to thwart the discomfort of moisture. I have been using it and will continue to on very hot days on the cross-country, but I know every woman can appreciate that the tingly sensation from Gold Bond Medicated Powder is best confined to the rear!

I was riding one hot afternoon last summer with one of our grown sons, and I told him I’d like to stop at the next rest area to powder. He looked at me in disbelief and said, “Mom, this isn’t a beauty contest. You can do the lipstick and makeup thing when we finish.” Obviously, he uses one of the creams or lotions, or he would have known what I meant!

Are you an avid biker or jogger? Tell me about what techniques help you stay comfortable when you’re in the saddle or out for a long run.