Day 31: 105 miles into Texas forest country

Due to resting up and the short ride before, I was able to cover some ground today.  And it was a gorgeous ride, very green.  Lots of farmland, cows, trees, and at the end, the smell of pine trees, which always calms me.  I was worried I wouldn't make it to the state park to camp, but I couldn't get too worked up because the sunset, the cooling air, and the feeling of being in the mountains was too serene.

When I arrived in Montgomery, I thought I'd look around for a city park, instead.  First stop, groceries.  I asked there about the local rules on camping, or if anyone knew of a nearby place, but there were mostly blank stares.  Then there was talk of a nearby KOA, but as they are so overpriced, the checker had another idea,

"Ask the fire department.  They're just down the road."

I didn't see anyone outside, and I was tired, it was getting late, I kept on going, not knowing exactly how far I had to go to reach the KOA.  Then something hit me, a burst of confidence, I suppose, and I turned back around.  I pulled my bike up to the front, then around by the garage.  Still nobody.  I was about to ride away when two young guys came out.  I apologized for bothering them, but explained my situation.  They, too, directed me to the KOA, but said it was only about a mile.  I would make it, no problem.

I thanked them, crossed the highway, and pedalled up to the indeed very close by registration.  Then, a fire truck, a small one, pulled up behind me;

"Hey there, uh, we ran it by our Captain and he said over in Navasota [the town before them, to the west, on the same highway] they do it all the time, take in cyclists.  You're welcome to stay with us."

And I rode back into the sunset.  Another lucky break.  Another swell of human kindness to which I am greatly indebted.

The fellows on the nightshift had made barbeque chicken and potatoes and graciously served me some after I'd had a shower and got situated in my little room/office with a murphy bed.  I got a tour of the complex and some area history, especially around the procedures and recent dealings with natural disasters (ie Hurricane Ike and Rita.)  I slept soundly except for one call in the middle of the night that started the sirens.



In the morning, it was the next shift, and they insisted one must have some grease to get started.  It was a deliciously filling biscuits, gravy, and bacon that got me, again, on my way.

Thank you, thank you, to the Montgomery, TX Fire Department, especially Larry, Joseph, and Captain Devon.