6000 Miles of Summer - Day 9


 Weatherford (TX) to Bridge City (TX)

700 mi                                                                                                                                     August 5th, 2024


Texas is a massive state. With a short detour into Oklahoma and Arkansas, today’s ride will take me all the way south to the Gulf Coast... and I’m still in Texas. So far, my experience has been a mixed bag – some fun encounters, but mostly pretty boring. If I had to rate it, I'd give it a single star.

I’m grumpy this morning because there was absolutely no coffee, no vending machines, and even the gas station around the corner was closed at 5am. I’m crossing my fingers to find a coffee shop along the route in the next few miles. Cold coffee and a chocolate bar for breakfast it is.

Luckily, I’m going against the commute; it’s still pretty dark, and the traffic is moving fast. Not much fun, especially with cars tailgating like they need to be somewhere right now.

25 miles in, I find a Starbucks conveniently next to a gas station – a welcome stop to restart the morning. Guess what, it’s all that was needed!

Passing through the town of Antlers (OK), "Antler Capital of the World" it reads on the city sign, I immediately stand out – the one guy not in camouflage, rifle at the ready to head into the woods. I pass countless side-by-sides with hunting parties, all geared up.



The photo stop for the 50 Rides One Nation is the Talimena Scenic Drive, crossing the state line between Oklahoma and Arkansas. It’s a fun ride along the ridge with beautiful vistas over lush forests.




Now it’s time to head south, hitting the 10 for 2024 photo stop

The “International Boundary Marker” sits right on the state line of Texas and Louisiana. I’ll stay in Texas for today, going south, and the forest trees give way to coastal shrubs.




 You can feel the humidity rising as I get closer to the coast. The sun starts to set, and I roll into Bridge City right at dusk. I give the bike a checkup and contemplate dinner options. Sadly, there’s nothing close to the hotel, so it’s Walmart fare once more. In this heat and humidity, the cold beers sound much more appealing than anything else. I killed that six-pack, time to turn in. Tomorrow will be fun along the coast, I reckon'.




Location: Bridge City, TX, USA

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