Trans America Cycling Day 16 - Clint, TX to Sierra Blanca, TX

The link to today's route and statistics is found here.

The morning began with a farmer on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) describing a 9-11 memorial in Clint to the author.  The memorial was at the bottom of the hill below the Best Western Motel in which we stayed.  Clint decided to build the memorial in remembrance of the persons in and around the buildings who died when the Twin Towers In New York City collapsed, and as a tribute to the heroic First Responders, both firemen and police, who ran into the buildings to save lives.  Many of those First Responders made the ultimate sacrifice. 

The farmer explained that the memorial is built of solid concrete cylinders used by a local test laboratory for testing concrete strength.  Each cylinder was loaded in compression until it had a first crack.  The cylinders were painted on the ends to represent an American flag, and with the pattern used, this allowed only 49 stars.  Therefore these Texans added the 50^th star in the form of the state of Texas at the top.  Leave it to Texans to find a way to incorporate their state flag.  Southerners in general are a very patriotic group, including the God loving Texans in Clint.  The memorial toppled twice under its own weight, so the citizens then built a concrete pad to support the weighty monument that stands proudly today.

September 11, 2001 Memorial in Clint

We road past miles and miles of pecan orchards again today.  There are strict pecan picking laws here in west Texas, possibly enforced by the Texas Rangers?  Seven signs like the one below were posted in front of one orchard on the route.

Pecan picking sign with Spanish first and English second

There are many orchards full of immature pecan trees.  Business must be very good for so much investment, as it takes many years before the sapling pecan trees produce.  Below is shown a large American orchard with Mexican mountains in background.  Also shown is an end of the border fence.

End of border fence along our route

The trust that the local farmers have in the availability of water is amazing.  Without sufficient agua the fields would turn into a dust bowl.

Farmers kicking up dust in the fields in the distance, so that dust cloud did not affect cyclists

At SAG1 at 28 miles, Vicki found a friend.  Buddy didn’t seem especially thirsty or hungry, so we figured that Buddy lived in a residence nearby.  After a while, Buddy took an interest in our garbage bag hung on a vehicle, so Vicki had to thereafter hold it away from her friend.  Buddy was very mild mannered and seems to have the temperament to be a veteran's service dog.

Vicki with her Buddy at SAG Stop 1

Between SAG1 and SAG2 we were entertained by mares in a field frolicking with their foals.  There were about five or six sets of this type.  Photographs could not pick them all up.  You had to see it to believe it!

Mares and their babies showing off for us

According to Roberto, a Border Patrol Agent from El Paso, TX was working today in the far east area of the El Paso Sector. He accepted to take a picture with Trans-America Cycling Tour members, after explaining to him that we are riding in support of veterans with PTSD or Moral Injuries!  Roberto says "Thank you Homeland Security/Customs and Border Protection for securing our borders and for having exemplary professionals in your workforce."

Ahnie, Ray and BP Agent photographed by Roberto

That leads us to the end of the ride at our historic motel.  Larry tells us that he heard that western movie star John Wayne once stayed in the motel when filming a western.  Perhaps one of our riders is staying in the John Wayne suite.  The motel owner says that many years ago Elvis also stayed at the motel.  Thanks Trans-America Cycling for providing this Western Rock opportunity.

Office of motel where we, John Wayne and Elvis stayed

Barry and the author met an interesting veteran at the motel.  The vet served in the Vietnam War in the Army's 101^st Airborne Division.  He went to jump school at Fort Benning in southern Georgia, not too far from our route through the panhandle of Florida in May.  Our veteran told an interesting story about the 101st Airborne during World War II.  He said that General Eisenhower populated the 101st with inmates from prisons during the war, and he gave them the very dangerous mission of dropping behind the German lines by parachute the day before D-Day.  The operation executed by inmates was very successful.

Jim speaking with 101st Airborne veteran

The motel owner, Leti, loves and cares for dogs and other animals.  She has fostered eleven dogs in the motel before finding them a permanent home.  Current fosters are Peanut and Pumpkin, Chihuahua mixes.  That is interesting, because we have been riding opposite the Mexican State of Chihuahua all day. 

Peanut, the sweet and spirited foster dog at the motel, Ay Chihuahua

Nighty night