Trans America Cycling Day 24 - Camp Wood, TX to Ingram, TX

Today's ride was cancelled due to heavy rain, thunder and lightening, i.e. for safety purposes.  Riding down the very steep descents would be very dangerous today in the heavy rain.   In addition there is low lying ground in the ride past the climbing stages in which creeks and rivers flood the road and make travel impossible.  Once there the only way to get to Ingram is to backtrack, which would be a very long journey.  After the accident in Hatch, NM that took out one TAC truck and the TAC custom trailer and has left us with two remaining vehicles, the bicycle carrying capacity of the vehicles is a limiting factor in ferrying riders and their baggage and equipment.

Rain at motel cancelled the ride today

Sandbags by stores in Camp Wood

!@#$%^&*()_+

Today's blog is from Tennessee Jim's personal blog from the 2017 TAC tour for the exact same route.  You all would have enjoyed the ride very much and would have felt proud from mastering the steep climbs.

80.7 miles, 6 hr 46 min, 3801 ft vertical (TAC spreadsheet shows 4990 ft), head and side winds (about evenly split) 10 to 20 mph

Grades on three of the climbs were measured by riders to be in the 9 to 9.5% range for very long stretches.  On the last climb there was a long section with over 10% grade, where I was climbing at less than 4 mph.  One rider was flattening the steepest parts of the climbs by riding in s patterns, all the while having to look out for cars, trucks and motorcycles.  Often what goes up must come down, so there was the possibility of screaming descents for those wanting a thrill.

When on top the views were exquisite.  The beauty of the hill country is what draws tourists, like ourselves.  

Ranchland in Texas Hill Country viewed from end of hilltop climb

We are very fortunate that the Southern Tier route passes through the hill country.  The Texas Hill Country is a popular bicycle tour destination in itself.

This view of Texas Hill Country is reminiscent of views in The Great Smoky Mountains
in east Tennessee or from the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina 

Lunch was at a restaurant popular to both cyclists and bikers, and even after climbing 3 of the 4 climbs of the day the cyclists were consuming hot drinks to warm up.

The very noisy bikers like to ride in the hill country too

Local flooding after heavy rain is a problem in the Texas Hill Country.  We have seen about 50 flood level gauges in the last two days.  They frequently occur where water runs down from the hills in what are normally dry creekbeds and onto the roads.

Flood gauge photo taken from road below

Locals told us that if it rains hard for 4 to 5 hours, water can easily be at the 5 feet above flood stage mark!   At the same time we have seen over 100 signs that warn of high water hazard in one form or another.  Watch the weather report before coming here.

We are staying in Ingram TX tonight.  The local lumber yard has murals painted on its exterior walls.  Here are two of about 20.  The captions are from plaques beside the murals.

Profitable cattle drives to Kansas territory prompted longhorn cattle ranching

Prior to the development of community churches, camp meetings were common. 
Music, dancing and socializing followed worship services.