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Sixty days on the road.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Welcome to Texas

Wind Generators ignore the storm,
eating wind to light our houses
Wind would be strong leaving Adrian yesterday morning, and it would be from the east, beginning in earnest about ten in the morning.  I knew this from the forecast.  But the day was to be a more complicated and difficult day that than simply starting early to make Amarillo, fifty-five miles, before  the wind got strong.  There were greater concerns that stormy evening in Adrian.








Ramona, owner of the Fabulous 40 Motel, where I was staying, the only motel in town, came to my room at dusk and said she has an automatic tornado alarm in her bedroom which sounds if a tornado touches down nearby.  She said that if it sounds, she will pound on my door, and I must run to the shelter immediately.  She showed me where the shelter is. 

The sky was already filled with violence—thunder, swirling clouds, strong wind, heavy rain, tornado warnings on the TV.  It was hard to sleep that night with war raging high above, and visions of Apocalypse.

Hundreds of wind generators east of Adrian
 go right on turning in early morning
I was up an hour before first light to get an early start.  But it was still raining and wind was strong, so I hung around until an hour after sunup.  I rode into the wind, sometimes thinking I should turn back to Adrian and try again tomorrow.  03 Hundreds of wind generators east of Adrian go right on turning
in early morning











a cloud
floats on a puddle
in Route 66














had it been horse piss
on a muddy trail
still lovely the cloud    











As the day progressed, thunderstorms that had plagued the people of Adrian all night, finally gave way, and left only headwind.  The sun even came out for an hour or two and wind settled down to a moderate ten miles an hour.








The ghost motel at Bushland
would not have been much shelter

As I approached Amarillo, a nearly clear sky changed within half an hour to black thunderheads racing toward me from the south.  I sped, as much as tired cyclist can, to the motel as wind from the thunderstorm increased and rain began.  










About ten minutes after checking in, hail began, stones about an inch in diameter.  I looked out my motel window and wondered how a day like this could end so fortuitously.  A hard day could have become much harder if this storm had hit while I was out on the open plane.

 After the storm in Amarillo

I’ve heard stories of baseball size hail doing a lot of damage to cars and houses.  I would not be telling this story such hail had come to the shelterless plane of Texas yesterday where I was riding. 5/10 – 15 after the storm in Amarillo








Just who am I and what am I doing to be so fortunate? 


16 comments:

  1. Mercy, Sharon! Aother near miss! What a relief that you reached the hotel before the hailstones reached you.

    Maybe you and i can take a road trip this summer, but much as i admire your strength and spirit of adventre, let's take a car, Sharon.

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    Replies
    1. Sure Liz, Let's go see an eclipse or something.

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    2. Just heard a space science expert said: DO NOT GO see the eclipse , hotel costs more than a thousand dollars a night and it's fully booked by now.
      You are surely protected by the Maker of Hailstones!
      -Muhsin

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  2. You are lucky, my son in Denver got hit with baseball size hail. Ruining the siding on his house, roof and damaging 2 cars. He was really frustrated and depressed to say the least. He does have insurance, but not able to contact insurance companies and or get a rental car as there is no one to take his information.
    So climate change is not taking place now? WOW, you were at the right place at the right time. What a blessing women, you were protected. Michele

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    Replies
    1. I would have been dead if that storm had hit where I was. and life insurance, what's that? They'd say she takes too many chances.

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    2. Amazing stories and so glad you are,alright. Very exciting reading and love your little poems but what a way to be inspired!

      poems
      like hailstones
      packed
      with experience
      thanks to survival

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    3. Thanks for the poem, Kathabela. Inspiration comes from whatever happens, right?

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  3. Nobody would think less of you if you hoisted your cycle-pack onto an Amtrack and headed back with a clickety-clack and adventures to experience as the window provided you with the swift passage from state-to-state. One would have to alter the map and put 'the little engine that could' on there. just sayin'

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    Replies
    1. Heading back with a clickety-clack, how tempting. Of course, from Chicago, it's exactly what I have planned. But weather is looking good for a couple days. Maybe later.

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  4. hail, hail
    my hearty friend

    there is no stone
    that could unseat you

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    Replies
    1. Sticks and stones can break my bones, but none will ever unseat me.

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  5. Too bad you won't bring back war memories. I don't know but a scuff on your riding helmet might've elevated you to what that special mount... oh, yeah, Olympus! Is it all downhill from now on? hahaha!

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    Replies
    1. No.Alex, it is not all downhill from here on, but I encountered nary a hill today riding east from Amarillo.

      I have scuffs on my helmet, and oh the stories I could conjure to impress you.

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  6. O Sharon, you brave soul -your gut instinct seems to tell you when or when not to ride - of course the weather report helps as well. I wish you strength and just the right amount of sunshine.

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    Replies
    1. I think I have more gut than gut instinct, Erika.

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