[51] Photoblog: One Week Off in Austin

Since biking the final 63 miles to Austin last Monday, Liz and I enjoyed a full week of sightseeing, friendship building, swimming, and commuter biking around the South’s weirdest city.

We’d initially planned to leave Austin as early as last Thursday, but the Amtrak route to Oklahome City we’d banked on was interrupted by track repairs, and the replacement shuttles would not accept bikes. We’re overwhemingly thankful to have Aubrey, Patrick, Arvind and Angel in Austin who provided so much support to keep us moving.

The journal resumes tomorrow, which I’ll be calling Day Fifty Two subtracting the week we hung up in Austin. — Kyle

A few final pictures from our approach into Austin

I’ve never seen cloud cover quite like this before. Hard to not squirm with excitement biking beneath it.

Aubrey with Chara, Ennis, Takoda, and Bearby

Remember my near-destroyed real wheel? It took meeting with four mechanics to find an appropriate solution. The wheel pictured on the left was at a large corporate-y store, and I simply didn’t buy the mechanic’s argument that this wheel would be ‘much better’ thank my own. Further research proved he was dead wrong. Ben, on the left side, was a huge help based out of the Mellow Johnny’s shop. He put together a custom wheel package that was an upgrade in every way, though it was pricy. In the end I found a wheel at Eastcycle that was an upgrade, being hand built, AND only $100.

Rode a lazy 45 miles around Austin my first day in the city.

On the second day I rode out to Austin Lake 22 miles east of the city with Eric and Brandon who are practicing for a tour from Portland to Olympia.

Eric rode a Cinelli and Brandon rode a Surly Ogre. Pictured with two cyclist badges Eric gave me as a gift — “Give one to your wifepartner!”

Swimming in Austin Lake with the Bouldin Creek Cafe gang

Ennis and I take a rest day.

Left: met my old friend Lisa Landry for some ice cream; right: Arvind beats me in chess after our 26 mile trek south to his place.

BBQ with Aubrey and Patrick to wind down our stay in Austin. We all watched as the full moon ascended over the treeline — enchanting.