Bastrop, Texas

Today was a short ride, just over 50 miles. We began the day on quiet, rural roads. We rode along steep, ungraded state park roads towards the end of the day. While the climbs and descents were challenging at times, the scenery was terrific, well worth the burning muscles in our legs.

As we exited the park into Bastrop, we happened upon a restaurant on the side of the highway. It was named, appropriately enough, The Roadhouse. The city of Bastrop is located in a large basin, and we were on the edge looking into it. Our choices for dinner were to ride down a very steep hill to a grocery store and climb back out, or to have dinner at The Roadhouse. We chose the restaurant. It looked inviting: a faded metal building with solid wooden floors set in a dusty parking lot.

Our server, who was also the owner, had just returned from Portland where she was visiting friends. We spoke for a bit, then ordered two bottles of Shiner Bock, our favorite Texan beer. Dinner was good, a jalapeno and cream cheese burger and an avocado and swiss burger.

Afterwards, we rolled to the fairgrounds to see if we could avoid paying for camping. We entered the rodeo arena and set up our tents against the concessions stand. We had the place to ourselves.